Staff ReporterIn an extraordinary display of valor, two young siblings, Peace and Luckmore Magaya, have been commended and generously rewarded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa for their daring rescue of their mother from a crocodile attack. The incident, which took place in Mhondoro in January, saw the brave duo confronting one of nature’s most formidable predators to save their mother’s life.
The commendation ceremony occurred on Saturday, 2nd March, at the State House in Harare, where President Mnangagwa met the siblings to personally congratulate them. Each child was awarded US$5,000 and received scholarships, a testament to their bravery.
The President took to the social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to express his admiration for the siblings’ heroism, stating: “Today I met two brave young heroes, Peace and Luckmore Magaya, from Mhondoro. They saved their mother from a crocodile attack. Inspired by their courage, I’ve taken on their education fees and awarded them $5,000 each. Let’s nurture such bravery and compassion in our youth.”
The saga began when the Magaya siblings, aged 12 and 10, witnessed their mother being attacked and dragged into a river by a crocodile. With remarkable presence of mind, they found a long stick to stretch towards their mother, pulling her away from the jaws of death.
Recounting the harrowing experience, one of the siblings shared how they intervened to save their mother. “We saw her being dragged into the river by a crocodile. This is when we found a long stick which we stretched towards her and pulled her out. It tried to attack her on the leg, and I blocked the crocodile by inserting a hand in its mouth, preventing it from pulling her into the river.”
The younger sibling, demonstrating incredible courage, then stepped on the crocodile’s head and attacked its eyes with a stick, forcing the predator to release their mother and retreat.
The siblings’ quick thinking and bravery enabled them to pull their mother out of the water. After noticing injuries on one of her legs, they called for help, and a villager assisted in getting her back home.
The video of the siblings recounting their brave encounter went viral on social media, capturing the hearts of many and highlighting the extraordinary courage displayed by the young heroes. Their act of bravery not only saved their mother’s life but also served as an inspiring testament to the strength and compassion inherent in the youth, as celebrated by President Mnangagwa.
