09 Nov 2023

Kgosi Tawana II of Batawana has called for the establishment of a compensation fund that will help support victims of human-wildlife conflict (HWC). 

While he appreciated government’s assistance on medical services towards victims, he said it was disheartening as some were left with permanent disabilities that made their lives unbearable. 

He made the remarks during a groundbreaking ceremony to build a decent house for two victims of a crocodile attack in Maun. The duo escaped death by a whisker after they were attacked by a crocodile in the Thamalakane River while harvesting water lily (tswii), in indigenous language. 

The victims, Ms Nkoketsang Monnawatsheko and her daughter, Cecilia Monnawatsheko, both lost their arms and now struggle to fend for themselves. They used to survive through selling tswii. 

The Simmon Phuthego Organisation (TSPO) is planning to extend and refurbish their house in an effort to restore their dignity. 

The organisation’s primary purpose is to mitigate human-wildlife conflict and better serve the victims in local communities of Southern Africa’s Kavango-Zambezi (KAZA) region. 

“This is a touching and painful situation to see people who used to be able-bodied struggling to make ends meet and I thank all individuals and organisations such as TSPO, which support the family in kind,” he added. 

Kgosi Tawana said issues of human-wildlife conflict had worsened poverty among some families and emphasised that the establishment of the fund would be a step in the right direction towards conservation. 

He said there were a lot of enterprises making profits from the ecosystem and other giant companies, which could be roped in to support the said fund for the benefit of the communities. 

He also encouraged the Monnawatsheko family not to lose hope, assuring them that they would be assisted to regain their life. 

He also appealed to members of the community to emulate TSPO, noting that as district leaders, they would make efforts to mobilise the business community to come on board and impact positively on the lives of the victims and the community. 

TSPO board member, Mr Gosiame Mahupele, said human-wildlife conflict remained a challenge because people sustained permanent injuries from encounters with wildlife while some lost lives. 

He said despite that, humans would have to co-exist with wildlife because the issue was complex to address and stressed the need for the relevant authorities to look for interventions to reduce the impact. 

He said for the past three years 7 000 cases were recorded in which 14 people lost lives while some got injured, adding that it was critical to find ways to assist the victims so that they regain hope and lead dignified lives. 

He appreciated that the compensation policy was under review, hoping that it would cater for human-wildlife victims. 

However, it was reported that the groundbreaking ceremony was a call for support to all to ensure that the family had a decent house as the current one was in bad a condition. 

The organisation is intending to extend the two-roomed house with a kitchen, laundry room and a bathroom. 

TSPO also plans to refurbish the victims’ tuck shop and re-stock it so to sustain the. 

For her part, Nkoketsang thanked the organisation for supporting her during difficult times, noting that the crocodile attack had left them hopeless. 

She recalled the fateful day saying if she it was not for her bravery to stab the giant crocodile several times with a knife, she could have lost her daughter, who was the first to be attacked. 

“I was trying to rescue my only daughter when the vicious animal turned on me and my daughter too kept on pulling me with the remaining arm at the same time screaming and a certain boy came along and hit the crocodile with a stone so it let go of my arm,” she narrated. 

Nkoketsang thanked TSPO, individuals and other organisations for the support of her family. ends