In Plumtree, COVID-19 Drives Former Fuel Smugglers to Firewood Trading

by Lizwe Sebatha

The closure of borders to contain the spread of COVID-19 has halted several cross-border reliant trades. In Plumtree, unauthorised firewood trading has become an alternative, but—at what cost?

PLUMTREE, July 27, 2020. (The Citizen Bulletin) — NOT a single day did Mthabisi Moyo ever imagine making a living from firewood trading — atleast he says.

For years, Moyo made a living smuggling fuel and other basics from Botswana at the Plumtree border post for sale in the border town.

“All I needed was to know the gatekeepers at a given day at the border to allow for safe passage of the smuggled goods.”

Mthabisi Moyo, former fuel smuggler

However, COVID-19 struck, forcing the government to announce the closure of borders to minimise spread of the disease in the country, cutting off Moyo’s lifeline.

Again, breaking the law, Moyo now sells firewood to eke out a living. Moyo and his colleagues often wake up as early as 4 am to go into the forest and farms such as Matole and Solwezi village on the outskirts of Plumtree to cut firewood. The traders brave arrest and many dangers such as wild animals.

A small bunch consisting of four small pieces of wood costs ZWL$40 and above.

Former fuel smugglers in Plumtree whose source of income has been disrupted by COVID-19 are resorting to fetching firewood for sale. In the process, they disrupt the environment. There are fears that if this continues, mopane worms will become scarce.

They cut down several trees, including mopane, whose leaves are a primary source of livelihood for mopane worms/ caterpillars.

Studies show that although mopane branches take longer to dry, they burn slowly and produce a high constant heat, making it preferable particularly during winter. In Bulawayo, residents prefer indigenous energy tree species to exotic ones with mopane being the most popular.

The caterpillars that feed on mopane are not only considered a delicacy and an important source of nutrition but a source of income for many in rural Matabeleland and elsewhere in southern African countries such as Botswana and Namibia.

Under Zimbabwe’s Forest Act, illegal firewood poachers face a level 3 fine of ZWL$500.

Norman Mpofu, a former legislator for Bulilima East, laments the firewood poaching which he blames on feeble enforcement by the police to curtail deforestation.

“Police authorities in Bulilima and Mangwe need to act and protect the environment,” Mpofu says.

Mpofu worries that this will result in villagers in the district not harvesting mopane worms owing to deforestation.

“Big mopane trees have been cleared within a short space of time as these poachers use chainsaws.”

 Norman Mpofu, former law-maker

Fortunes Matutu, a forester recently writing for the Zimbabwe Youth Biodiversity Network says 2020 has seen many mopane worms dying due to lack of leaves. He says this could be attributed to deforestation and climate change.

For people like Moyo, unauthorised firewood trading is about their livelihoods and not the environment.

The high cost of electricity has ensured there is a ready market not only in the border town but in places as far as Bulawayo as many people have turned to firewood for energy.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Inspector Philisani Ndebele has no ready statistics of firewood poachers arrested by the police since the start of the COVID-19 lockdown period in the country.

“However, it is our duty as the police to enforce the law and arrest the offenders,” Ndebele says.

Mpofu however, insists the police have been a big let-down in the fight against firewood poaching by former fuel smugglers and others in the district. Locals are also ignorant of the damage they are causing.

“Unfortunately, locals and farmers don’t seem to realise the negative impact of such activities. Desertification will soon hit these areas if nothing is done,” Mpofu argues.

In May, national tree ambassador Never Bonde petitioned the government to take a tough stand against illegal firewood poaching. Bonde has planted thousands of trees in public institutions countrywide.

To sell firewood, one needs to be registered with the Forestry Commission, however, most firewood traders do not follow this procedure.

The Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) says millions of Zimbabweans have been plunged into abject poverty and debilitating hunger due to the current lockdown restrictions.

“The COVID-19 restrictions have completely destroyed the livelihoods of the majority of informal traders and vendors. Given the fact that informal trading is their sole source of income, it means no money for food, rentals and other important things,” says Michael Ndiweni, the associations’ coordinator.

“At the end of the day, one has to make a living.”

Michael Ndiweni

The Community Youth Development Trust (CYDT) agrees that this is an issue of livelihoods disrupted by the pandemic.

“Cross border trading provided a source of living for many youths in the region and beyond, but with the closure of ports of entry a number of people have turned to other means, legal or illegal to make ends meet,” says Bongiwe Ncube the information officer at CYDT.

In a statement, the Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations (ZCIEA) recently called on the government to stop criminalization and stigmatization of informal workers and traders, they instead requested an increase in efforts to accelerate empowerment initiatives for SMEs.