By Beverly Bizeki
At 61, Siphile Matarirano may have expected an ordinary day tending to her garden and fetching
water but rather a routine trip to the river turned into a terrifying fight for her life after a crocodile
attacked her, leaving her with serious injuries.
Matarirano, from Mangwana Village under Chief Madyangove in Chivi, survived the attack on
November 4, 2026, after the reptile seized her leg while she was fetching water from Tokwe River.
She is currently admitted at Chivi District Hospital, where she is receiving treatment for injuries
sustained during the attack.
According to sources close to the incident, Matarirano had been watering her garden near Tokwe
River, approximately 18 kilometres from Mhandamabwe towards Chivi and six kilometres east of the
area, when she went to Tugwi River to fetch water using a bucket.
What began as an ordinary water-fetching exercise quickly turned into a struggle for survival when a
crocodile suddenly seized her leg.
In a desperate attempt to free herself, Matarirano reportedly placed her arm across the side of the
crocodile’s mouth and fought back.
Her daughter rushed to her aid, bringing her a stick which Matarirano used to fight off the reptile.
With the crocodile still holding on, her daughter and husband joined forces to pull her out of the water
until the crocodile finally released its grip.
Matarirano was then given immediate assistance, with her injured leg tied using a piece of cloth
before she was taken to Chivi District Hospital for medical attention.
Her survival comes amid continuing concerns over crocodile attacks and the dangers faced by
communities living close to rivers and other wildlife habitats.
Crocodile attacks remain a major human-wildlife conflict concern in Zimbabwe. Statistics from the
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) indicate that crocodile attacks
accounted for 173 deaths over the past decade.
For communities that depend on rivers for domestic water, gardening and other livelihood activities,
encounters with dangerous wildlife remain a serious risk, particularly where people have limited
alternatives to accessing water.
Matarirano’s ordeal is a reminder of the dangers that can accompany everyday activities for rural
communities living alongside wildlife.
