City of Bulawayo rangers on Monday morning fired rubber bullets on sand poachers who were fleeing arrest in Gwabalanda suburb.
The council rangers encountered the sand poachers moving with a fully-loaded truck around 6 AM, along the main road in Gwabalanda and chased after them.
Residents who spoke to CITE said the rangers fired rubber bullets at the sand poachers who were armed with shovels and picks along Mlingo Street. Said one of the residents:
This fight took place around 6 am when we were just waking up and it was scary to watch. The sand poachers were running away from the rangers and left the main road and came to our street and the commotion started.
The sand poachers even hit a pole with their lorry and that pole is still lying on the ground.
The sand poachers called for backup and about eight more came into the scene armed with shovels and they threatened to assault people who were there.
This resulted in shots being fired as the rangers tried to arrest them.
The resident also said police officers arrived at the scene around 9 AM, after the two sand poachers had been taken by the council rangers.
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) deputy spokesperson for Bulawayo Province, Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said her desk had not received the report.
However, Bulawayo City Council Corporate Communications Manager, Nesisa Mpofu, confirmed the incident to CITE. She said:
It’s true there were clashes and the sand poachers’ trucks were confiscated.
The one carrying sand was towed and impounded to stores and the other offending vehicle, which had come to reinforce was taken to the police camp.
The sand poaching society is now very rowdy, lawless and dangerous.
More: CITE