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Bongani Ndlovu
Bulawayo Bureau
TEN people were yesterday burnt to death, some beyond recognition, when they were trapped in a mountainous area while fighting a raging veld fire at a farm in Esigodini, Matabeleland South  province.

The veld fire swept through Lot 43 farm belonging to Mr Abel Moyo before spreading to areas bordering the farm.

By 4pm police officers with the help of other security services and farm workers were retrieving the bodies and charred clothing, including gumboots, while thick clouds of smoke and the distinct odour of burnt human flesh lingered in the air.

According to eyewitnesses, the veld fire started in the morning and the 10 farm workers were part of a group of 15 people who had been called to put it out.

But the group was trapped by the raging fire driven by strong winds resulting in some of them being burnt beyond recognition.

Four more of the fire fighters escaped with burns of varying degrees and only one escaped unscathed.

The burnt bodies were ferried to Esigodini Hospital mortuary.

One of the survivors, Mr Mhlaliswa Ngwenya, who suffered burns on his hand and head, said he owes his survival to  God.

“We were battling to put out the fire as a group and unfortunately we were surrounded by flames of the raging fire which covered a large area. There was a gust of wind that blew the fire towards our direction.

“We ran to the mountain but we were surrounded by flames of the raging fire making it difficult to escape,” said Mr Ngwenya.

He had to run through the flames to escape hence he was burnt but managed to reach safety.

“I was burnt on the arms and head. I could hear the screams of the men being consumed by the fire. I collapsed when I got to the dust road and that is where a man helped me up and started seeking help.”

Mr Ngwenya went to Esigodini District Hospital yesterday in the morning and was discharged in the evening.

He said when he joined teams at the mountain, they found the charred bodies of his colleagues at different locations.

He suspects illegal gold miners started the fire.

“What we saw was horrific. I have never seen or experienced something like that. I want to thank God, because I survived. I didn’t think I would survive but I am here narrating my ordeal.

“I’m from the hospital and my blood pressure is very high,” said Mr Ngwenya.

The owner of the farm, Mr Moyo, said he was devastated by the deaths of 10 people who were killed trying to rescue the farm and its property from the raging fire.

“When I heard about the fire and that it had killed people, I was devastated. I came and we were told that there were nine people but when we started looking around the area, we found one  more body.

“People just trespass and nothing is done. They move around and even stay on your land without permission.

“And when such things happen no one is held accountable. We are afraid to protest, confront or say anything,” said Mr Moyo.

One of the men who retrieved the bodies, Mr Trynos Ndlovu, said it has become the norm to help each other when veld fires break  out.

“When such veld fires break out, we help each other as a community and as is the norm, we came together as a group to fight it.

“These veld fires destroy our grazing land. However, this time when these people tried to help out, tragedy struck.

“These are men who we saw in the morning battling to put out the fire and their death is therefore a very sad incident. It will take time for us to recover from this tragedy,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Matabeleland South EMA provincial manager Mr Descent Ndlovu described the incident as a  tragedy.

“Ten people were burnt, five of them according to the information I’m getting, beyond recognition, but the others can be identified.

“They are yet to be identified because their next of kin have not been informed.

“It is not good for the province as this tragedy has left a huge dent, especially losing lives of people in the process of putting out a fire. They were doing the right thing but something went horribly wrong,” he said.

Last month, EMA announced that Zimbabwe is on a medium to high risk of fires and the warning period for a high-risk fire season had been extended owing to climate change.

Communities have since been encouraged to be cautious and enforce sound fire management systems to mitigate against the impact of veld fires.