News / Local
Huge rock falls from Matopos hill, blocks road
07 Jun 2012 at 00:00hrs | Views
A huge rock, one of the balancing rocks at a hill at Matopos National Park, fell off and rolled down before landing on one of the roads, blocking the way.
The rock is estimated to weigh between two and three tonnes, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
It reportedly fell off on Sunday night and was first seen by villagers from Silozwi area, situated south of the national park.
It rolled down the hill and landed on Circular Drive, one of the roads in Matopos National Park.
The huge rock could measure about two metres high while its diameter could be about five metres.
Speculation was rife from some people that the rock rolled down from the solid rock surface at Cecil John Rhodes grave but when a Chronicle news crew visited the scene yesterday morning, the story was different.
It showed that it rolled down the hill and moved for about 100 metres. The hill is about a kilometre south-east of Rhodes' grave.
The rock left a trail of destruction as it uprooted trees and crushed other rocks.
It also destroyed a section of the tarred Circular Drive, which connects from Maleme Road.
A National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority official, Dr Norman Monks, the area manager based at Maleme Park, was at the scene with a Global Positioning Satellite machine which is used to detect position of objects or animals in the park. He wanted to find out the distance moved by the rock.
He said nothing was unusual about the rock falling off although he referred questions to his public relations manager, Ms Caroline Washaya- Moyo.
"There is nothing unusual as rocks move due to natural processes such as weathering or vegetation growth," said Dr Monks.
Ms Washaya-Moyo confirmed the incident and said there were no casualties.
"A rock indeed fell off from a hill in Matopos National Park and landed on Circular Drive from Hazel Side on the direction of Maleme Rest Camp and not from Rhodes' Grave site. The incident happened on the 4th of June 2012 and was discovered in the evening at around 4pm.
"The rock is estimated to weigh between two and three tonnes. No one was hurt and investigations reveal that no wildlife was exposed to any danger but some trees were uprooted and a section of the tarred road was damaged," said Ms Washaya-Moyo.
She said her department had asked the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development to assist in removing the rock.
"The rock is blocking Circular Drive and tourists are advised to approach the area with caution and reduce speed when travelling along the road," said Ms Washaya-Moyo.
No comment could be obtained from the Department of Meteorological Services as questions sent via email had not been responded to by the time of going to print.
Villagers said they believed the falling of the rock could be a sign that ancestors were not happy and said there was need for elders to carry out investigations.
"We heard about it and it has never happened that a rock as big as that moves such a distance. This could be a sign that something has gone wrong and ancestors are not happy," said a man who identified himself as Mr Moyo from Silozwi Village.
Social commentator Mr Pathisa Nyathi said the incident could be interpreted scientifically and culturally.
He said it could be weathering of rocks since they were more than a million years old or could be some supernatural incident.
"This could be interpreted in two distinct perspectives. Geographically it could be a natural phenomenon where because of weathering, rocks have developed fault lines and as the smaller rocks they are anchored on get loose they fall off. These rocks due to gravity could roll down to the lowest point if not caught on the way by other rocks or trees," said Mr Nyathi.
He however said such incidents could be a sign that something bad has or is about to happen.
Mr Nyathi said following recent unsanctioned visits to Njelele shrine, it was possible the gods were trying to communicate something.
"If you remember there were reports recently that a rock cracked and spoke in Donkwe-Donkwe area in Kezi and that was linked to unsanctioned visits to the Njelele shrine," he said.
The rock is estimated to weigh between two and three tonnes, according to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
It reportedly fell off on Sunday night and was first seen by villagers from Silozwi area, situated south of the national park.
It rolled down the hill and landed on Circular Drive, one of the roads in Matopos National Park.
The huge rock could measure about two metres high while its diameter could be about five metres.
Speculation was rife from some people that the rock rolled down from the solid rock surface at Cecil John Rhodes grave but when a Chronicle news crew visited the scene yesterday morning, the story was different.
It showed that it rolled down the hill and moved for about 100 metres. The hill is about a kilometre south-east of Rhodes' grave.
The rock left a trail of destruction as it uprooted trees and crushed other rocks.
It also destroyed a section of the tarred Circular Drive, which connects from Maleme Road.
A National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority official, Dr Norman Monks, the area manager based at Maleme Park, was at the scene with a Global Positioning Satellite machine which is used to detect position of objects or animals in the park. He wanted to find out the distance moved by the rock.
He said nothing was unusual about the rock falling off although he referred questions to his public relations manager, Ms Caroline Washaya- Moyo.
"There is nothing unusual as rocks move due to natural processes such as weathering or vegetation growth," said Dr Monks.
Ms Washaya-Moyo confirmed the incident and said there were no casualties.
"The rock is estimated to weigh between two and three tonnes. No one was hurt and investigations reveal that no wildlife was exposed to any danger but some trees were uprooted and a section of the tarred road was damaged," said Ms Washaya-Moyo.
She said her department had asked the Ministry of Transport, Communication and Infrastructural Development to assist in removing the rock.
"The rock is blocking Circular Drive and tourists are advised to approach the area with caution and reduce speed when travelling along the road," said Ms Washaya-Moyo.
No comment could be obtained from the Department of Meteorological Services as questions sent via email had not been responded to by the time of going to print.
Villagers said they believed the falling of the rock could be a sign that ancestors were not happy and said there was need for elders to carry out investigations.
"We heard about it and it has never happened that a rock as big as that moves such a distance. This could be a sign that something has gone wrong and ancestors are not happy," said a man who identified himself as Mr Moyo from Silozwi Village.
Social commentator Mr Pathisa Nyathi said the incident could be interpreted scientifically and culturally.
He said it could be weathering of rocks since they were more than a million years old or could be some supernatural incident.
"This could be interpreted in two distinct perspectives. Geographically it could be a natural phenomenon where because of weathering, rocks have developed fault lines and as the smaller rocks they are anchored on get loose they fall off. These rocks due to gravity could roll down to the lowest point if not caught on the way by other rocks or trees," said Mr Nyathi.
He however said such incidents could be a sign that something bad has or is about to happen.
Mr Nyathi said following recent unsanctioned visits to Njelele shrine, it was possible the gods were trying to communicate something.
"If you remember there were reports recently that a rock cracked and spoke in Donkwe-Donkwe area in Kezi and that was linked to unsanctioned visits to the Njelele shrine," he said.
Source - TC
