It is written in the stars, millions miles away. Seasons come and they go, the rainy season is upon us and mother nature is bringing us fruits of life.
Small scale businesses and crowds of vendors have turned to local highways and market places in an attempt to maximize profits.
This time of the year (Summer season) the villagers from Domboshava and other areas are selling mazhanje which they are selling at reasonable prices. Mazhanje fruits are becoming a source of living and survival for people in urban areas, however wild animals are left starving as wild fruits are being harvested for selling.
Tariro Madomasi, a vendor at Mbare Musika spoke to 263 times on Sunday saying that they obtain mazhanje fruits from Domboshava.
”My sister stays in Domboshava so I visit her during weekends and wake up early to look for mazhanje .” She said.
Scores of desperate villagers in Domboshava are flooding at Mbare Musika selling wild fruits to travellers in a bid to earn a living so as to ensure better surviving.
Another vendor, a widow who stays in Domboshava said gathering wild fruits and selling them along the highway in Mbare has become a blessing and she is managing to cater for the needs of her children by sending them to school.
”I am self employed and l make sure l wake up in the morning to look for mazhanje so that l sell them kuno Kumbare or on the road and sometimes in town. I am able to buy basic needs needs for my lovely family.” She said.
Furthermore, Mudhara Zulu of Murewa said he wake up early in the morning to come to Harare around 4 am to sell mazhanje fruits and go back home around 4 pm. He says he makes money between USD$ 20 to $ 25 per day.
Zulu said, ” We are making a better living out of this business of wild fruits, l can get USD$20 to $25 a day to feed my family. We have to do that because we have nothing to survive on.”
Other vendors could not review where they got the Mazhanjes but however bashed our interviewer.
”’Where we take mazhanje hazvinei nemi, zivai zvekutenga chete.” Said a man who denied to be named.
In an interview with 263times, Forestry Commission Zimbabwe Spokesperson Violet Makoto said it is illegal for people to take products like mazhanje and masawu for commercial purposes because community is only allowed to use products for their own consumption.
” From a Forestry perspective it is illegal for people to sell products like mazhanje and masawu for commercial purposes. Community is only allowed to use the products for their own consumption and this basically means if someone is in Goromonzi and their mazhanje is for their own consumption and own use as the community,
”The moment someone takes mazhanje and bring them to Harare for commercial purposes that is illegal in terms of our legislation. It is a challenge in that it is illegal but its something that is happening as it is a livelihood issue and a bit for entities such as our selves to end off.” she said.
Makoto suggested that people should get a permit from the Rural Development Council (RDC) if they intend to harvest.
”They are actually supposed to get a permit from RDC if they intend to harvest,” she added.
Wild life are left starving as people seem to forget wild lives’ rights to wild fruits and are surviving on mazhanje which the animals should be surviving on.
