Masvingo (New Ziana) –The heroics of a Form Two girl from Mwenezi district, Masvingo province saved her 11-year-old sibling from being eaten by a crocodile on New Year’s after she pummelled it with open hands until it let go.

Lovejoy Shumba of Chibaya village under chief Neshuro saved her sibling, Lesley from being devoured by the man eating reptile in the Runde River after she managed to pull him out of the water while she continued to punch the crocodile.

Lesley however escaped with a broken left arm and fractured forearm and had to spend three weeks in hospital.

A new Ziana crew caught up with the siblings at Masvingo General Hospital on Tuesday afternoon as Lovejoy, a learner at Masogwe Secondary School in the area, prepared to accompany her brother back home to complete his recuperation at Neshuro District Hospital.

In an interview, Lesley said he was happy to have survived being devoured by the crocodile and looked forward to joining his peers in Grade Six at Chesvingo Primary School.

The horrific incident occurred on December 31 when the siblings went to Runde River, a short walking distance from their village, to wash some clothes in the company of another juvenile who reportedly bolted from the scene when the crocodile attacked.

At the river, Lovejoy was washing the clothes in a dish on the water’s edge while Lesley stood in shallow water that hardly reached his knees rinsing them, when the reptile pounced.

“The crocodile literally rode on my back as it knocked me into the water and grabbed my left forearm. When it raised me out of the water I called out to Lovejoy as I screamed for help before it knocked me back into the water,” said Lesley, as he sat on a hospital bed waiting for his mother to complete the necessary formalities to allow him to be discharged.

He said without even thinking, Lovejoy jumped into the water and started pummelling the crocodile with open hands, forcing it to let Lesley go and allow her to pull him out of the water.

Lovejoy called out to the third juvenile who had accompanied them but he was already halfway up the riverbank running away.

Although it let go of Lesley’s arm allowing Lovejoy to pull him out, the crocodile was not yet done as it lunged and locked its jaws around the upper part of his left arm, breaking it instantly.

Lovejoy did not relent as she kept hitting the reptile prompting it to let go and disappear under water.

Both siblings said they did not see the reptile approaching as they were busy with their washing.

New Ziana