A 12-year-old Buhera boy fought and escaped from a crocodile that had attacked him as he crossed <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Save_River">Save River.</a>
Delvin Mutsvakiwa, a Grade Seven student at St Moses Primary School in <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Buhera_District">Buhera</a>, was badly injured on both hands.
The boy said he poked his fingers into the reptile’s nostrils, a lesson he had received from his grandmother.
With the crocodile’s air supply running low, it became powerless and let Delvin go.
The boy took the opportunity to quickly swim to safety.
Delvin told <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/brave-boy-fights-crocodile/">The Manica Post</a> that the incident happened when they were helping cattle cross the Save River. He spoke in an interview held after he was discharged from Murambinda Mission Hospital after a two-day stay at the institution. He said:
<blockquote>
We were helping our cattle cross Save River and I was in front. We had helped the first and second batches of our herd to cross the river. We were crossing with the last batch when I felt a sharp pain on my left arm.
I realised that a crocodile was attacking me. My friends who were behind me ran back to the riverbank and started shouting, advising me to wade to the reeds.
I shouted back that it was too deep for me to do that. I could see that if I took heed of their advice, the reptile would eventually overpower and kill me.
That’s when I poked my fingers into the crocodile’s nostrils. After a few minutes, I realised that it had become powerless. It let go its grip on my hand and I quickly swam to the riverbank.
I was badly injured and was bleeding profusely. I had to put some sand on the wounds to stop the bleeding.
</blockquote>
The crocodile followed Delvin’s blood trail and caught up with him.
The reptile, however, caught a goat that was passing by and disappeared into the river.
At that time, Delvin’s three friends had rushed to the village to inform the elders that he had been attacked by a crocodile. He added:
<blockquote>
Had the crocodile attacked me for the second time, I would not have survived since I was now powerless. I had lost a lot of blood and was already feeling dizzy.
When I saw it opening its mouth, I closed my eyes and waited for fate to take its course since I could no longer defend myself.
</blockquote>
His mother, Ms Matilda Mutsvakiwa, said when fellow villagers arrived at the river, they were already crying as they thought that Delvin was long dead. She said:
<blockquote>
There was no sight of him and the water in the river was bloody.
Little did we know that it was both Delvin’s blood and that of the goat which had ultimately become the crocodile’s meal.
 People were crying and the village head was about to call the police to alert them of Delvin’s death when a weak Delvin shouted that he was alive and was across the river.
I thank God for rescuing my son and giving him a second chance to life.
</blockquote>
Ms Mutsvakiwa added that quite recently, Delvin’s cousin lost his life after a crocodile attacked him at the same crossing point and that’s when her mother started imparting survival skills on her grandchildren.
The grandchildren were taught to either put a reed inside the reptile’s mouth or insert their fingers in its nostrils.
Buhera North legislator, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/William_Mutomba">William Mutomba</a>, has since adopted the boy, contributed US$300 towards Delvin’s medical bills and has also offered to pay for the boy’s secondary school education.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Pindula News

12-year-old Boy Narrates How He Escaped From A Crocodile

Two toddlers died during a baptism ceremony at Kubatanakwashe Faith Fellowship Church along Save River in Chipinge last Friday.
The church is located at Ndunduma Village in the Chibuwe area under Chief Musikavanhu.
The two children from the same village died soon after consuming the concoction that had allegedly been prepared by the church leader, Pedzanai Masapa during the church service.
The two children were identified as Taurai Zituta-Sithole (one) and Raymond Bote (11 months) and were both buried on Tuesday.
<a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/toddlers-die-during-baptism/">The Manica Post </a>reported sources as saying Masapa had prophesied that something bad would happen to the Ndunduma children unless they were baptised.
Deputy Manicaland provincial Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka confirmed the incident. He said:
<blockquote>
On November 25, Shangurai Chifadza (23) and Miriam Zvuihari (22) of Ndunduma Village went to attend a church service at Kubatanakwashe Faith Fellowship Church shrine in the same village.
The church leader, Pedzanai Masapa (43) of Masimbe Village told the congregants to go for baptism along Save River.
While at the river, Masapa prepared a concoction which was a mixture of milk, flour, and coarse salt, and made the children drink it before their baptism. This was according to their church doctrine.
Before giving the minors the concoction to drink, Masapa prayed for the mixture and drank it first. He gave it to 10 infants who were present.
However, a few minutes later, the two minors, Raymond Bote and Taurai Zituta-Sithole started producing froth from their mouths.
They were rushed to their homes and died upon arrival. The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene.
The bodies were taken to Chipinge District Hospital for post-mortem.
</blockquote>
One of the bereaved parents, Mwadhana Zituta-Sithole, told The Manica Post that post-mortem results revealed that there was no poisoning. He said:
<blockquote>
My wife and our late son went to Kubatanakwashe Faith Fellowship Church for prayers together with other members of the community.
On this fateful day, our child looked fine, but I was surprised to see my wife returning home around 4 PM saying the boy had collapsed at church.
We tried everything to resuscitate him, but God had other ways and he died.
I cannot attribute his death to the concoction they were made to drink at the church.
There are some issues rocking the church that need urgent addressing. The matter is before the traditional leadership.
The church leader, Masapa, prophesied that a calamity would befall our children and this has come to pass.
</blockquote>
The local traditional leader, Mutape Nzeka said the community elders will discuss how to cleanse the area.

Two Toddlers Die During Baptism Ceremony

A 13-year-old boy from Checheche narrowly escaped death after he was attacked by a crocodile recently while crossing Save River with his friends.
Danmore Gwenzi fought the reptile with bare hands after it had grabbed his thigh.
He poked his hand into the mouth of the crocodile and it let loose its grip but removed a chunk of his flesh.
His friends ran away and alerted villagers who then rushed to the scene where they found Danmore on the riverbank.
The teenager was rushed to St Peter’s Hospital in Chisumbanje where he was admitted.
Danmore and his mother spoke to <a href="https://www.manicapost.co.zw/boy-13-fights-crocodile/">The Manica Post</a> about the attack. The boy said:
<blockquote>
We were crossing the Save River with my friends. The water was ankle high and we thought no crocodiles would be lurking there.
As we were about to reach the riverbank, the crocodile suddenly latched on me. It grabbed me on the thigh and I gathered some courage and poked my hand into its mouth.
The crocodile loosened its grip and I managed to wobble to safety. Other villagers then came to my rescue.
</blockquote>
His mother Marita Gwenzi said they were struggling with paying the hospital bills. She said:
<blockquote>
My son had a brush with death. I am happy he managed to survive. Danmore needs to be stitched and have a skin graft on his thigh. However, we are struggling to pay the bills.
</blockquote>
Last week, Cabinet adopted the establishment of a relief fund to cushion victims of human-wildlife conflicts but it is not clear if the Fund is now operational.

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