SUNDAY NEWS (Harare, Zimbabwe) 10 August 08 Woman carries snake in firewood (Roberta Katunga)
In a spine-chilling incident, a Bulawayo woman from Emganwini high - density suburb, returned home carrying a bundle of firewood that had a snake in the middle after she went looking for wood at the middle of the night to evade the authorities, it has been learnt."
The woman had gone to fetch some firewood from a farm adjacent to the suburb at around 2 am with three other women.
The majority of residents in many high-density suburbs are using firewood as source of energy due to unscheduled Zesa load shading programmes.
Relating her ordeal to the Sunday News on Wednesday, the woman who requested anonymity for fear of victimisation by the owners of the farm said she left home at around 2 am to fetch some firewood from the nearby farm, which is 10km from Emganwini.
Collecting firewood from the farm is an offence and anyone caught by city authorities will be in trouble.
Residents however have to fetch firewood on a daily basis because they live in a part of the suburb that is not yet electrified, popularly known as, ‘dark city’.
The woman said she discovered the snake in the morning when she wanted to make a fire and boil water for school children.
The woman said they returned at 4 am and just throw their bundles of firewood on the yard and took a nap before sunrise.
“As I was untying my bundle, there lay a long brown snake among the firewood. I was so shocked that I screamed for help and my neighbours came to see what the problem was.
“Since it is winter, the snake was rigid due to the cold so we struck it on the head with a log and it died,” she said.
Sources said they were surprised by the fact that the woman had carried the snake all the way from the bush on her head to her house without feeling anything.
They described the incidence as a “mystery.”
Members of the community have however expressed fear and discomfort over this issue as fetching firewood is increasingly becoming dangerous as people might get bitten by snakes or other animals or be attacked by thieves, as it would be dark.
The Emganwini community appealed to the responsible authorities to allow them to fetch firewood legally as they had no any other source of energy.
Buying a wheelbarrow of firewood now cost between $100 and $200 depending on the quality of the firewood.
The price of paraffin is beyond the reach of many as 5 litres cost about $300 re-valued.
Woman carries snake in firewood