TSHIMBUPFE - Millions of edible locusts visited the Tshimbupfe area in Vuwani from last week on Saturday. The residents of that village are still shocked, and suspect that it may be the end of the world.

The people of Tshimbupfe said that the locusts are flying like a swarm of bees. Some of the residents of that area, including children, catch locusts with their hands, to eat as one of their staple foods.

The locusts swarmed into the orchard of a farmer, Mr Julius Khoza, who allowed people to catch the big locusts within his orchard. Khoza confirmed that he had received a call from his employees to inform him about the locusts descending on the orchard like a swarm of bees.

He told Mirror that since he was born, he has never seen locusts like that. He had just heard about locusts flying like a swarm of bees, called "nzie tshikume" in Tshivenda, which had been seen by the remote ancestors.

"I nearly collapsed when my workers arrived at the orchard in the morning, and informed me about that swarm of locusts inside my orchard. I'm very happy that those locusts did not eat tomatoes, cabbages, onions, etc. I'm so much fortunate that this did not happen during the summer time, when we plant maize, which is a favourite of locusts," said Khoza.

A pensioner, Mrs Joyce Mudau, who had seen the swarm of locusts, confirmed that it is true that those locusts that fly like a swarm of bees, are dangerous for maize plants. She also stated that she had last seen locusts like these 70 years ago, at Kimberly, while she was still a young girl.

It is reported that the locusts are traveling in the direction from Giyani to Polokwane, but are currently at Hamakhasa, 28 kilometres away from the Tshimbupfe area. So far, no damage caused by the locusts has been reported.