Mopani Worms Harvesters Defy Lockdown Restrictions & Flock Into Insiza District To Harvest The Worms

Amancimbi/Madora harvesters have reportedly flocked into Insiza District in Matabeleland South province to harvest the delicacy despite the national shutdown which is supposed to end on Sunday, Newsday reports.

This was revealed by Godlwayo Community Development Trust (GCDT)’s Nkululeko Tshuma who said this to The Southern Eye:

We have some challenges here regarding COVID-19 as there is serious non-compliance with the lockdown and social distancing. People are flocking to our areas in search of amacimbi and gold. There is a gold rush in one area within our district… there are fears of a COVID-19 outbreak as there are so many people in those areas within our district

The Incident was further confirmed by a social worker in Filabusi Sibongile Khumalo who said:

Mopane worms are in abundance in Filabusi and people from as far as Mberengwa are thronging the district to harvest the worms. Due to hunger, lack of employment and food provision by government, people are harvesting amacimbi in their numbers. When I asked some of them how they maintain social distance they told me that each person picked the worms from his/her own tree.

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Tshuma called upon authorities to go to the areas where harvesters are and enforce the lockdown to ensure that people in that area are not infected or affected by COVID-19

More: Newsday