Residents appeal to authorities stop sand poaching

TENDAI BHEBE IN BULAWAYO 

Residents of Hyde Park, a peri-urban settlement  located west of Bulawayo, have appealed to the authorities to stop the activities of sand poachers who are now destroying infrastructure in the area.

Apart from Hyde Park, other areas such as Luveve, Pumula, St Peter’s, Mpopoma, Pelandaba West, Nkulumane, Matshobana, Entumbane and Cowdray Park have also been hit by rampant sand poaching.

Member of Parliament for Pumula constituency, Sichelesile Mahlangu, said sand poachers were causing havoc in the community.

“They destroyed a house .These poachers are now doing it even in the afternoon. As a community with the help of our councillor, we have talked to the local authority so that they look for a decent place for the person whose house was destroyed,” Mahlangu said.

She said they had approached the law enforcement agencies leading to the arrest of perpetrators.

Mahlangu said the perpetrators are arrested by municipal police officers.

“So as residents we were of the idea that if they are caught the Zimbabwe Republic Police should be the ones to handle these issues,” she said