mbulelo smpofu
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE City of Bulawayo has resolved to have all trees on which suicide cases were committed pruned to prevent easy climbing and make them inaccessible to those intending to take their lives.
This comes after Old Lobengula residents wrote to the local authority requesting the cutting down of a tree where a suicide case occurred last month.
They argued that children or pupils from Nyamande Primary School, where the tree is located — might eat its fruit, which was taboo in terms of African tradition.
Bulawayo has of late recorded a sharp increase in suicide cases, a situation that has seen authorities ringing alarm bells.
Police in the city recently revealed that Bulawayo recorded 21 suicide cases from June this year, with 20 of them being male victims.
For Entumbane suburb, the situation is worse as the suburb reportedly recorded five incidents of suicide by hanging on trees in the residential suburb.
This saw residents from the suburb petitioning the local authority to cut down the tree where one of the suicide cases occurred.
“We hereby apply to the concerned authorities to kindly help us cut down a tree (uMsawa tree), on which a suicide was committed on 5 November 2024. The tree is close to the school fence, and it is an edible tree (umsawa tree). As concerned parents and guardians, we are very much concerned that the children/pupils might eat its fruit which in our African beliefs is taboo for fruits of such a tree to be consumed.
“Since the tree is close to the school and also within the residential homes, it has a psychological effect on children and the community. The family of the deceased also requested the removal of the tree as culture dictates. We hope our sincere request will receive your most urgent and favourable consideration,” reads the petition by the residents.
In deliberating on the request, the local authority noted that there have been divergent views on the matter.
They noted that the problems leading to the increase in suicide cases were far deeper and needed an appropriate response.
The local authority said it was clear that the trees were not the problem but the challenges were deeper than that with the trees used as vehicles for suicide.
“From an environmental management point of view, it was, however, within council mandate to prune trees and ensure they were safe. This exercise could help mitigate the ease of tree access, removal of trees totally would be difficult given that it took 50 or more years to grow an indigenous tree, many trees might be finished under such circumstances, considering the upsurge in deaths by hanging on trees in recent months.
“Indeed the situation was bad. As such, a pragmatic and a holistic approach was needed, not an emotional and reactive response. The root cause should be addressed instead of just removal of trees, which were difficult for nature under the climate-changed environment,” reads a council report.
According to the report, councillors were divided on the route to take on the matter, with some councillors pointing out that although the request to cut down the tree was from an unfortunate incident the tree should be preserved.
“Councillor Siboniso Moyo highlighted that the request was for the tree to be cut and not pruned. She agreed with the request citing that the edible tree was near a primary school and pupils from the school were eating the fruits from that tree. Some pupils were even found with ropes dramatising what they saw on that tree. Tragedy might occur as pupils were taking it like kids’ play.
“Councillor Dumisani Netha indicated that the preservation of trees was very important. There was no reason why the tree should be cut down.
“It was necessary to cut only the branch where the hanging took place. He felt that cutting down every suicide tree was not good for the environment. He gave an example that at a park in Ward 14, five suicides occurred in a short space of time and all the trees were cut down resulting in an unfriendly environment,” reads the report.
Online Reporter
