“I would have loved to be buried with my leg,” said Mukatshelwa Madobo.

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A worried granny said there is nothing more painful than being buried without certain body parts while one was born with a healthy and complete body. Mukatshelwa Madobo (63) of Maniini, Tshikovha, said her life suddenly turned into a nightmare, when a vicious crocodile grabbed her left leg and vanished into the deep waters of the Dzindi River in 2000.

"I would have preferred to be buried with my leg and it is very painful to lose it to a vicious crocodile. Losing body parts while still living is the most painful experience of my life. I am only happy that I survived the ordeal," said Mukatshelwa, who lives in an RDP house with her daughter and two grandchildren.

Mukatshelwa said a trip to fetch some firewood on the other side of the river nearly cost her precious life on the fateful day. She explained what happened: "Three fellow villagers came to my home and persuaded me to go to fetch firewood at Tswinga, across the Dzindi River. After a lot of thinking, I told them that I would not join them but I later gave in." She says the three were in front of her and they crossed the river safely. "I was the last one to cross the river, but when I was in the middle, I felt that something had grabbed my leg. I did not take it seriously at first because the water was not deep – just below my knees."

Mukathselwa says she tried to move her leg but it was very painful. "I then realized that I was being attacked by a crocodile. I just stood there like a tree without any movement and the crocodile also kept on dragging on my leg, without moving away. I then realized that if I tried to move, escape or scream, the crocodile would become angry and vanish with me into the water. My friends asked what was happening and I told them that I was caught by a crocodile. They then screamed for help and within some minutes, a lot of people were at the scene. I did not move and remained standing in the middle of the river."

She says when the crocodile realized that people were about to rescue her, it became viscous. "It suddenly bit off my leg and vanished into the water. The whole river was full of my blood and community members covered my leg with a blanket. The pain was so unbearable that I even thought I was going to die. I was then taken to hospital where I spent three months while receiving medical treatment."

She added that she only thanked the Lord for sparing her life. "The majority of crocodile attack victims never survive, but I thank God for protecting me. Those who do not believe in the existence of God are deceiving themselves because I have seen His power in rescuing me."

Mukatshelwa, who walks with the aid of crutches, says she still receives medical attention at Tshilidzini Hospital on a regular basis. However, she has vowed to make the best of her life despite losing her leg to the crocodile. "I am prepared to face the future with pride although I am worried that my leg was never recovered."

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 Giga from South Africa wrote: