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Securicor imports camels for patrol
By
Aubrey Mchulu - 15-08-2002 |
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Securicor Malawi has bought five camels from Tanzania for patrolling the cane fields at Nchalo Sugar Estate in Chikwawa in a pilot project to complement motor vehicle and guard dog operations.
Securicor Malawi managing director Charles Nseula said in an interview yesterday there are areas at the estate, hit by rampant theft of aluminium irrigation pipes where even four wheel drive vehicles cannot travel, hence the camel option. He said his company is “very excited” with the development.
“There are some no go areas by car but these animals will take us there. This is based on the experience from places like Kilombero Sugar Estate in Tanzania where the camels have been effective,” he said, adding that this is the first time for Securicor worldwide to engage camels for patrols.
The camels, four females and a bull, carried in an open truck to Chikwawa on Monday evening, attracted curiosity from passers-by on Monday after 5 PM when the truck was parked outside Securicor head office in Blantyre.
Some motorists were seen driving at a snail’s pace in the thick of the peak hour traffic to have a glance while many pedestrians were glued to the ground around the place to see “live” the desert animals they had probably previously seen only in books and on television.
Nseula said the Lower Shire valley, where Nchalo sugar estate is located, is warm and, therefore, the camels will easily adapt since they are desert animals. He said Securicor will feed the animals on maize husks, salt, molasses and cotton seed cake although the camels are known to live on leaves around them.
But Nseula said his company is yet to work out the total cost of buying the animals. Securicor currently uses vehicles, guard dogs and rapid response teams for most of its patrols and operations.
He also said the company will consider using the camels in other areas than the sugar estate depending on their performance.
Theft of aluminium irrigation pipes have been rampant at Nchalo in Chikwawa costing Illovo Sugar Company K95 million in lost revenue last year alone. The pipes are sold to tinsmiths who smelt the portions down to make cooking pots and other kitchen utensils.
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