The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) is struggling to find suitable investors to revive Mazwi Game Sanctuary which has been lying idle for years.
The nature reserve, located near Old Pumula suburb used to be a tourist attraction at its prime.
It is located close to the Khami Ruins, a Unesco World Heritage Site.
However, due to its state, the reserve has become a target by land invaders and firewood poachers.
In 2014, Zanu PF youths invaded the area and parcelled out for free pieces of land to over 3 000 people.
Recently, St Peters Villagers raised an alarm that there was massive deforestation taking place with officials from Khami Maximum Prison allegedly responsible for the illegal practice.
Bulawayo Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services spokesperson Garainashe Moyo said he was not aware of the issue.
BCC Corporate Communications officer Nesisa Mpofu, in response to emailed questions, said the local authority has in the past put Mazwi Game Sanctuary under an expression of interest for tourism development but to no avail.
“The City of Bulawayo is currently doing the assessment of the damage in liaison with the Forestry Commission and the Environmental Management Agency. We have in the past put the property under expression of interest for tourism development, it has not yet been taken up so it will be advertised again,” Mpofu said.
She added that they have been teamed up with other stakeholders to prevent firewood poaching at the nature reserve.
“Working with various stakeholders such as the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Forestry Commission and Environmental Management Agency, BCC continues to be on the lookout for any firewood poachers.”
