Police in Bulawayo have recovered the body of a 53-year-old man who went missing while fishing at Enkwalini Dam in Entumbane.
The man, identified as Editor Hove of Cowdray Park, had been missing for several days before his body was found floating in the dam on Thursday.
Community members suspected that “mermaids” were involved in Hove’s disappearance.
During the search, relatives and neighbours performed traditional rituals at the dam in an attempt to communicate with water spirits to establish whether Hove was still alive.
A community member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the family believed he was still alive during the rituals. He said:
“The man was inside the river for three days and was found dead on Thursday, floating on top of the river.
“The family had hope that he would come back alive because on Tuesday, we went with them to perform their rituals and they said they managed to talk to him and the mermaid. Eight days later he was found dead floating on the river.”
Bulawayo police deputy spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Thandeka Ndlovu, said officers were dispatched to the scene on 28 August. She said:
“At around 12:30 hours, police received information that there was something which appeared like a human body floating in Enkwalini Dam.
“Police reacted to the information and upon arrival, the body was retrieved by the Sub Aqua police unit and was confirmed to be Editor Hove, a male adult aged 53 years of Cowdray Park, Bulawayo.”
Ndlovu added that when Hove’s body was recovered, he was found with his fishing equipment still in his possession. She said:
“There was also a white sack containing fish and a small axe hanging on the deceased’s shoulders.
“We urge members of the public to be careful when entering water bodies or fishing so as to avoid loss of life.”
