Family recalls crocodile victim’s last words
Attack leaves community in shock
A fishing expedition to the Kavango River ended in tragedy last week.
"The crocodile got me."
These were the last words uttered by the late Anastacia Anna Matumbo Haingura (23) before she was dragged into the Kavango River at Mupapama village last Friday.
The fatal attack has left the village, situated in the Kavango East Region’s Mashare constituency, in shock.
According to Maria Ntjamba, Haingura's cousin, a group of four adults and several children went to the river to fish at around 15:00 on Friday.
Tragedy strikes
The fishing expedition was going well until she heard Haingura exclaim that a crocodile had grabbed her.
The next thing they saw was the animal wrestling Haingura down to the river to drown her.
"We were collecting the fish from our fish baskets and putting them on a plate, and I just heard her saying that the crocodile had gotten her," Ntjamba recalled.
While attempting to rescue her cousin, Ntjamba was struck on the right side of her shoulder by the crocodile’s powerful tail.
She ran out of the water, sobbing, as the crocodile pulled her cousin into the depths of the river.
"We just stood there crying and hoping that she was going to come out alive," she said.
Husband suicidal
Haingura was traditionally married to Valentinus Muronga (27).
He told Namibian Sun the tragedy has left him in despair and suicidal.
The couple have two children, Jennifer (4) and Maria Magadalena, who is nine months old.
Haingura also had a son, Romeo (7), from a previous relationship.
Muronga said they met in 2018 and lived together at Mahahe village.
He described his late wife as a loving person who valued their relationship.
Heartbroken
He narrated that he is struggling to cope and is concerned about raising his young children without their mother.
"What can I do with my kids? I wanted to kill myself, but my family advised me that this is part of life. This is my home. I built it for us.
“We were surviving fine because she accepted everything I gave her. She was not a demanding person as long as we had each other and our children were taken care of," a heartbroken Muronga said.
"I am not well. I am thinking too much. It is my first time to be in such a situation".
Help us
Muronga called upon Good Samaritans to assist him and his family during this difficult time.
He explained that he is unemployed and unable to put food on the table.
Previously, he survived by fishing, exchanging his catch for maize meal.
With their last born still very young, they will also need formula milk.
He stressed that if he can get a job, he will take it to provide for his children.
[email protected]
These were the last words uttered by the late Anastacia Anna Matumbo Haingura (23) before she was dragged into the Kavango River at Mupapama village last Friday.
The fatal attack has left the village, situated in the Kavango East Region’s Mashare constituency, in shock.
According to Maria Ntjamba, Haingura's cousin, a group of four adults and several children went to the river to fish at around 15:00 on Friday.
Tragedy strikes
The fishing expedition was going well until she heard Haingura exclaim that a crocodile had grabbed her.
The next thing they saw was the animal wrestling Haingura down to the river to drown her.
"We were collecting the fish from our fish baskets and putting them on a plate, and I just heard her saying that the crocodile had gotten her," Ntjamba recalled.
While attempting to rescue her cousin, Ntjamba was struck on the right side of her shoulder by the crocodile’s powerful tail.
She ran out of the water, sobbing, as the crocodile pulled her cousin into the depths of the river.
"We just stood there crying and hoping that she was going to come out alive," she said.
Husband suicidal
Haingura was traditionally married to Valentinus Muronga (27).
He told Namibian Sun the tragedy has left him in despair and suicidal.
The couple have two children, Jennifer (4) and Maria Magadalena, who is nine months old.
Haingura also had a son, Romeo (7), from a previous relationship.
Muronga said they met in 2018 and lived together at Mahahe village.
He described his late wife as a loving person who valued their relationship.
Heartbroken
He narrated that he is struggling to cope and is concerned about raising his young children without their mother.
"What can I do with my kids? I wanted to kill myself, but my family advised me that this is part of life. This is my home. I built it for us.
“We were surviving fine because she accepted everything I gave her. She was not a demanding person as long as we had each other and our children were taken care of," a heartbroken Muronga said.
"I am not well. I am thinking too much. It is my first time to be in such a situation".
Help us
Muronga called upon Good Samaritans to assist him and his family during this difficult time.
He explained that he is unemployed and unable to put food on the table.
Previously, he survived by fishing, exchanging his catch for maize meal.
With their last born still very young, they will also need formula milk.
He stressed that if he can get a job, he will take it to provide for his children.
[email protected]
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