Cde Mugabe was an icon of liberation, a pan-Africanist who dedicated his life to the emancipation and empowerment of his people. His contribution to the history of our nation and continent will never be forgotten. May his soul rest in eternal peace (2/2)
MDC National Executive Committee member Fadzai Mahere announced the death of former President Robert Mugabe about an hour before President Emmerson Mnangagwa could confirm the rumour that hit the country in the early hours of Friday morning.
We’ll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and video on this breaking news story, keep following ZimEye.com.
Reports that Robert Mugabe has died aged 95
Before the Zimbabwean government has issued a formal statement, multiple sources close to the Robert Mugabe family have confirmed that former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has died in Singapore aged 95.
This led to an outpouring of tributes to the former Prime Minister and President, who was said to have passed away in a Singapore hospital after battling ill health.
MDC Zimbabwe secretary for education Fadzayi Mahere tweeted: “Rest In Peace, Robert Mugabe.
“My response to your passing is complicated. I’m going to write a long piece.
“However, for now, deepest condolences to his family.”
SOUTHERN Africa’s liberation movements will meet in Victoria Falls next week to deliberate on challenges facing the region.
Zanu-PF Secretary for Administration, Cde Obert Mpofu, said preparations for the convention which will start on Sunday and end on Thursday, are at an advanced stage.
“Preparations are now at an advanced level. An advance team will be leaving for Victoria Falls tomorrow to make sure everything is in order ahead of the convention,” said Mpofu in a telephone interview.
Some of the parties expected at the conference are the African National Congress of South Africa, Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania, South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo) of Namibia, Frelimo of Mozambique and the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
Secretary Generals from the respective parties’ Main wings, Women’s League, Youth League and war veterans will attend the conference on behalf of their constituencies.
Some of the expected items on the agenda include involvement of youths in mainstream politics and the economy, collective efforts in fighting corruption as well as the latest wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Zanu-PF Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs Cde Lewis Matutu said as youths they are confident of a prosperous future because of the trust bestowed on them by the current crop of political leaders across the region.
He said the convention is a platform for youths to interact with their counterparts.
“This time the meeting is unlike before as it will decide on the future of Africa. What is happening in Africa now is that there is much involvement of young people. The continent has a lot of work to do to teach young people to be patriotic and to work hard.
“No country can say it has no background of the liberation struggle. Among other things we have to address issues of corruption in Africa especially with regards to accountability and transparency and it is our generation that should lead the way to correct this regardless of who is involved,” said Matutu.
He said as Youth Leagues they will also use the platform to follow up on the China-Africa relationship which is key to the continent’s development.
“We also cannot afford to ignore what’s happening in South Africa hence we will engage our counterparts from the neighbouring country so that we hear an update from their country and help each other come up with solutions,” Matutu added.
Mugabe had been in Singapore since April battling ill-health.
Addressing a cabinet meeting two weeks ago, President Emmerson Mnangagwa revealed that doctors had discontinued treatment on the country’s former leader but they were just keeping him under observation.
Ousted through a military coup that placed him under house arrest, Mugabe resigned in November 2017 after parliament had threatened to impeach him after accusing him of allowing his wife, Grace, to “usurp constitutional power”.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for latest updates.
COMMEMORATIONS to mark the 151st anniversary of the death of the founder of the Ndebele nation, King Mzilikazi, will be held tomorrow at the Mhlahlandlela memorial site.
The place is known to have been Mzilikazi’s capital which is just off Old Gwanda road, about 22 kilometres outside Bulawayo.
It is believed that King Mzilikazi died on September 5, 1868, and is remembered every year.
Rodgers Mthethwa, spokesperson for the Mthwakazi “Ka” Mzilikazi Cultural Association, the organisers of the commemorations, said everything was set for the celebrations.
He said their organisation was apolitical.
“We aren’t a party or any grouping of people who want to divide the nation. Our association is holding these commemorations to celebrate the life of King Mzilikazi and how he built the nation,” said Mthethwa.
He said there would be a procession from Mzilikazi Post Office to the Large City Hall at 8.30AM in the morning. From there, transport will be provided to take people to the Mhlahlandlela memorial site.
“There’ll be a lot of traditional groups dancing and singing all throughout the procession. We’ve sought clearance from the police. We leave the City Hall at 10AM and return to the city at 5PM,” said Mthethwa.
When people arrive to the memorial site, Mthethwa said, traditional beer in the form of Ingwebu would be served with an assortment of meat.
“We want everything to be traditional so the beer will be the Royal Brew, Ingwebu. Unfortunately we shall not be serving clear beer. Buffaloes and cows will be slaughtered for people to eat,” said Mthethwa.
The celebrations have over the years been attended by King Zwelonke Sigcawu — the 28th King in the Xhosa dynasty and Princess Patricia Zulu — sister to Zulu
King Goodwill Zwelithini, both from South Africa.
Mthethwa said the guest of honour would be Prince Isolengwe Tshawe from the Xhosa tribe found in Mbembesi.
“Tshawe comes from the house of Sigcawu and he will be the guest of honour at the commemorations. He is the direct link between King Zwelonke Sigcawu and the Xhosa people in Zimbabwe,” said Mthethwa.
King Mzilikazi, the son of Matshobana, was born near Mkuze, Zululand in 1790. In 1823 he crossed the Limpopo River during the Umfecane after having a fall-out with Zulu King Tshaka and finally settled in Matabeleland in the 1830s, establishing his capital at Mhlahlandlela. King Mzilikazi died in 1868 and was buried in a cave in the Matopo Hills.
In a move that will leave many Zimbabweans confused, Industry and Commerce Minister, Mangaliso Ndlovu, has appointed a new boards for the non functional Ziscosteel and the Industrial Development Corporation of Zimbabwe (IDCZ).
The appointment comes shortly after Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube made commitments that government will stop giving financial aid and rescue plans to parastatals as a cost cutting measure for government.
Questions then arise on how the board will be paid. Former Ziscosteel employees and the few left manning the company assets have been battling to get their remuneration for years yet a board for the government owned company is still being put on place.
The minister is yet to finalise the substantive chair for Zisco, but renowned economist, Dr Gift Mugano, will head the board on an interim basis.
“Dr Gift Mugano is coming in as the vice chairperson of the Zisco board and will act as the chairperson as we finalise the appointment of the substantive chair in due course,” said the minister.
The other Zisco board members include Mrs Constance Zhanje, a director in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and an experienced economist; Mrs Mabel Buzuzi, an accomplished banker; Mrs Sheila Hawa, Mwasa Sidambe, a banker and Mr Timothy Phiri.
“The board will serve for three years and my expectation is that they will embrace corporate governance issues, conclude investment issues on Zisco, and also attend to issues concerning the welfare of the workers.
“It is expected that they will spearhead the resuscitation of the company, working in close collaboration with Government. Zisco remains an anchor industry and its role in the industrialisation of the country cannot be under estimated,” said the minister.
For IDCZ, the new board will be chaired by Mrs Gloria Zvaravanhu.
Minister Ndlovu also added more members to the current IDCZ board. These include Mr Ian William Teasdale, who has vast experience in the motor industry; Mrs Vonesai Shuvirai Hove, an economist experienced in trade and export promotion; Mr Shingirirai Raymond Mangwana, a social scientist; Ms Bukake Joana Muzamba, a lawyer by profession and Ms Spiwe Nyamatore, an economist and a deputy director in the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.
The IDCZ is a wholly owned Government entity whose mandate is to establish and conduct new industries and industrial undertakings. Its portfolio covers four subsidiaries and four associate companies. IDCZ had a turnover of $90,3 million in 2018.
“The new members will serve for three years and my expectations are that IDCZ board will give guidance on the implementation of the IDCZ turnaround strategy and give guidance on the development finance role,” said Minister Ndlovu.
“The board is expected to also give direction to the corporation in line with the investment, innovation and export led industrialisation agenda.”
CHITUNGWIZA Mayor Lovemore Maiko was yesterday arrested on allegations of torching a Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) vehicle during violent demonstrations that occurred in Harare in 2016.
Councillor for Ward 21 in Chitungwiza Kudakwashe John was also arrested in connection with the August 2016 scenes captured on video.
Maiko and John are already on remand over illegal land sales in the city.
Video footage made available recently showed a man, believed to be Maiko, committing the offence outside Town House.
The video was taken during a violent demonstration organised by the opposition-linked Tajamuka pressure group on August 16, 2016.
Several vehicles and property were torched in the demonstration. In the video footage violent scenes are witnessed wherein a mob burns a ZBC vehicle.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the pair’s arrest.
“We can confirm that Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko and Kudakwashe John have been arrested in connection with the video footage. They are currently in police custody.
“They are expected to appear in court tomorrow (today),” he said.
State Media|CMED (Private) Limited has unveiled a mobile driver training simulator, modern technology aimed at enhancing efficiency for learner drivers through computerised and objective assessment, expected to match the Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID)’s electronic testing for provisional driver’s licences.
The system, to be introduced as a syllabus in driver training, applies an advanced “virtual instructor” and student assessment system which generates a detailed assessment report about the performance of a learner driver.
The system is expected to go a long way in reducing road carnage which has become a thorn in the flesh of policymakers and road users.
CMED flighted a tender in a Government Gazette published last Friday inviting bidders to supply the equipment.
“CMED (Private) Limited is inviting bidders for the supply and delivery of the following CMED 08/DOM/2019. Supply and delivery of Mobile Driver Training Simulator,” said the notice published in a Government Gazette.
In an interview on Wednesday, CMED managing director Mr Davison Mhaka said the system, which will be implemented at the State entity’s driving school arm, Easy Go, was consistent with the initial training for pilots before they fly aircraft.
He said the system will officially be launched once the adjudication and award of successful bidders have been made.
“This will be a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe as no conventional driving school has used simulators in its programmes. However, the use of simulators is very common in developed countries such as Australia, China, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Germany and United States of America. In some countries mentioned above, the simulators are being used to test learner drivers for competency tests,” said Mr Mhaka.
Outlining its advantages, Mr Mhaka said the system exposed a learner to a wide variety of traffic situations, unlimited repetition of educational moments, computerised and objective assessment.
“In a driving simulator, a learner’s performance can be measured very accurately and objectively. In a practical learning environment one has to more or less rely on the driving instructor’s ‘clinical observations’,” said Mr Mhaka.
He said simulator lessons will be subdivided into several modules such as vehicle control, intersections, and motorways.
“Each module consists of a number of lessons and is concluded with a test. Before each simulator lesson the learner is instructed by the simulator with text and illustrations, and during the lessons there is instruction and feedback from what is called a ‘’virtual instructor’’. This is a computer voice that tells the learner what he must do and indicates how well he has done it. In this way the simulator lessons can be followed without a driving instructor actually being present,” said Mr Mhaka.
On the benefits of the system, Mr Mhaka said training is more effective compared to traditional in car training, lessons developed in a way that teaches required behaviour, simulator skills are trained in a way that avoids overloading the student.
“The consequences of committing an error in a simulator are much less serious than in a real car. This result in more relaxed learning: people learn better when they are more relaxed and feel safe.
“The simulators jelly in well with technological developments at VID where learner drivers are being e-tested for Provisional Licences,” said Mr Mhaka.
The Warriors were shock losers on the second day of Caf’s qualifying campaign, as the Ocean Stars won their first qualifier in 35 years.
Zimbabwe were stunned 1-0 by lowly Somalia in Friday’s African World Cup qualifying campaign, while there were big wins for Rwanda and Sudan as the continent’s teams took their maiden steps on the road to Qatar.
The victory was Somalia’s first in a qualifying game since they defeated Kenya in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying in 1984, their first-ever in a World Cup qualifying campaign, and their first win of any kind since January 2009.
The Warriors, who were eliminated in the group stage of the Afcon in Egypt this summer, were defeated by Bashir Hayford’s Ocean Stars in neutral Djibouti, the designated venue amidst ongoing security issues in Mogadishu, to leave themselves with much work to do heading into the second leg.
Somalia scored the only goal of the game with an 87th-minute header by Anwar Sidali Shakunda, as the Ocean Stars, ranked 202nd in the world—Africa’s joint-lowest side—defeated the visitors, who are 90 places ahead of them in the Fifa rankings and 27th in Africa.
Zimbabwe were without Kaizer Chiefs attacker Khama Billiat, who missed the clash due to a pelvic injury, although they could still call upon the likes of captain Alec Mudimu, Marshall Munetsi and the returning Terrence Dzvukamanja.
Earlier in the day, Rwanda had bounced back from their disappointment in failing to qualify for Afcon by cruising past Seychelles 3-0.
Stronger sides have struggled on the artificial turf in Victoria, but the Amavubi had no such trouble, with Muhadjiri Hakizimana, Yannick Mukunzi and Meddie Kagere scoring the goals to send them to the brink of the Second Round.
In N’Djamena, Sudan all but ended Chad’s hopes of progression by securing a 3-1 victory to put one foot in the group stage.
Veteran attacker Ramadan Alagab scored a hat-trick during a one-sided contest, before Ezechiel Douassel pulled one back for the hosts from the spot, five minutes from time.
Of the 54 African nations competing for one of five places at the global showpiece, the lowest-ranked 28 teams are contesting two-legged First Round qualifiers, with the 14 winners advancing to join the top 26 sides in 10 four-team groups.
The 10 winners of those groups will then compete in home-and-away ties for places at the tournament in Qatar.
For the first time in history, Fifa is broadcasting all of the Round One matches across the continent live on their digital platforms.
On Tuesday, Tanzania were held by Burundi and Namibia beat Eritrea amidst several qualifiers, while Angola, Togo and Malawi are all in action—against The Gambia, Comoros and Botswana respectively—over the weekend.
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa says Zimbabwe has one of the most democratic constitutions in the region, but indicated that it was important for every citizen to respect the rule of law.
He made the remarks during a panel discussion at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa in Cape Town on Wednesday following an enquiry by a Washington Post journalist regarding how the country reacts to protesters.
The journalist’s question was motivated by the reaction of the security sector following the violent protests of August 1, 2018 and this year in January.
President Mnangagwa said he was acutely aware Zimbabwe will be respected by the global community if it showed that it is democratic and gives equal space to everyone.
“We have one of the best constitutions in the region, I think, which is very democratic and we respect it,” he said.
“However, the rule of law must be obeyed, the rule of law must take root in our country.
“Not everybody observes that, but I have no doubt that as we move on we shall continue to improve and deepen our democracy.”
Since coming into power through an unconstitutional coup, Mnangagwa has gone through massive violations of the constitution to an extent that the constitution he brags about is as good as non existent.
The first obvious point of reference of Mnangagwa’s arrogance on the constitution is his failure to uphold the independence of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) which he used to get himself back into power.
In terms of s155 of the Constitution, the State has an obligation to ensure that all parties are granted fair access to electronic and print media both public and private. Failure to ensure fair media coverage by the State broadcaster no doubt continuously cast doubt on the integrity of Mnangagwa and the electoral process.
In addition to the above, Mnangagwa needs to demilitarise the country, as there is no basis for deployment of the army across the country.
While the Constitution allows for the deployment of the army under the instructions of their Commander-in-Chief through s213, the basis of such deployment is clearly confined to instances where they assist the police to restore peace and when there is a need to defend the country. None of these grounds are present for the military to be as visible as it currently. It gives the appearance of a militarised State and this of course allows the argument of intimidation and militarised government.
In addition, the army cannot be seen to be partisan. This is, especially, relevant because in previous elections, the military was very vocal in indicating that they would not accept certain leaders, even if elected.
That cannot be repeated because s211 of the Constitution clearly states that the Defence Forces must be non-partisan and subordinate to civilian authority.
Speaking of nonpartisan conduct, traditional leaders are required by s281 of the Constitution to act in a non-partisan and fair manner. They are also required to act consistently with the Constitution.
Recently, we have seen a dangerous interaction between chiefs and Zanu PF, and victimisation of Chief Nhlanhla Ndiweni who is tagged with the opposition.
Some of chiefs aligned to Mnangagwa have gone as far as declaring that they would mobilise support for the ruling party. This was a response to the cars sourced by the Mnangagwa administration for chiefs across the country.
The unconstitutional remarks and conduct of the chiefs needs to be addressed, because their mandate is non-partisan.
The Constitution can not be good if the Public Order and Security Act (Posa) and the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act remain in place even after being combined into the replica MOPA Bill.
These have been extensively used by Mnangagwa to block the right to protest and the right to assemble for political purposes.
Posa criminalises public meetings that are not sanctioned. This violates not only the right to protest in s59, but the right to freely assemble in s58 of the Constitution.
Section 25 of Posa requires groups to give notice of a gathering subject to the approval of the police. Failure to provide such notice attracts a one-year jail sentence and or a fine.
Section 26(9) allows the police, as the regulating authority, to prohibit a protest or gathering on the grounds that it is likely to cause the disruption of traffic and public disorder amongst other things.
This provision basically makes it impossible to have a protest or gathering in Zimbabwe, since rallies inherently cause disruption of traffic. These additional grounds for limiting a protest are unconstitutional, hence, they have been overturned and ignored in judgments that allowed protests to take place after police had refused to grant permission.
The clause requiring permission or approval being sought or granted by the police is reminiscent of emergency laws created by Ian Smith to stifle gatherings and limit freedom of expression.
In a constitutional democracy where the Constitution simply requires that there be a peaceful gathering, further, limitations of the right in the manner set out in Posa are unlawful in that frustrates the enjoyment of fundamental rights.
Section 27(1) provides for blanket bans on protests, which can be made for up to one month at a time. This too is unconstitutional.
The Mnangagwa administration must ensure that ancillary rights like the right to protest, assemble and participate in politics are not frustrated by draconian legislation.
This calls for the amendment of such laws to bring them in alignment with the Constitution.
On more than two occasions Mnangagwa has ignored the constitution and failed to come up with a cabinet as prescribed by the constitution.
The few incidents highlighted above clearly tell that Mnangagwa would by the last person to speak about the constitution.
How would you feel if your own brother was to desert you? – Jo Johnson, younger brother of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is quitting as an MP and minister, saying he is “torn between family loyalty and the national interest”.
The business minister and Tory MP for Orpington tweeted that there was an “unresolvable tension” in his role.
Mr Johnson voted Remain in the 2016 EU membership referendum, while his brother co-led the Leave campaign.
He resigned as a minister last year in protest at Theresa May’s Brexit deal.
But he re-entered government during the summer, after Conservative Party members elected his brother as leader. VIDEO
The man who openly used the army to kill people just so he could alter election results on the 1st August 2018, Emmerson Mnangagwa, is told a journalist for a US publication that his country has got one of the best constitutions in the region.
Mnangagwa was filmed on LIVE state Mnangagwa television, ZBC, actively participating to deploy the military deployment.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum on Africa on Wednesday reaponding to a question on how the country reacts to protesters(as on the 1st August 1, 2018 and in January, Mnangagwa said he was acutely aware Zimbabwe will be respected by the global community if it showed that it is democratic and gives equal space to everyone.
“We have one of the best constitutions in the region, I think, which is very democratic and we respect it,” he said.
“However, the rule of law must be obeyed, the rule of law must take root in our country.
“Not everybody observes that, but I have no doubt that as we move on we shall continue to improve and deepen our democracy.”
Mnangagwa also said his administration regretted the resultant loss of life during efforts to contain chaos on the 1st August.
He said prior to the general election, he had appealed for and preached peace, unity and tolerance.
“But I was surprised at the end when there were violent demonstrations that happened (after voting); we are against that.
“We believe that as we go forward, I propose that all political parties participating in general elections sign a commitment to peaceful elections,” he said.- state media/additional reporting
Farai Dziva|The
MDC has raised a complaint with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission over anomalies in the voting process.
The party indicated in a letter that that about 231 voters who appeared in the 2018 voters’ roll were removed from the current one.
“The party believes the development is likely to rob most voters of their right to choose their desired representatives.”
“A comparative analysis of the current by-elections voters’ rolls given to MDC candidates and the voters’ rolls used in the 2018 general elections reveals a significant pattern in variations which require clarity from your organisation at the highest level,”said the MDC in a statement.
Dear Editor-The Chitungwiza Mayor has been picked from his office by Harare Law & Order and has been taken to Harare Central-MDC Information Department
The City Council is working in partnership with Swaszy Granite to construct over 3000 tamper proof executive graves that match international standards at Warren Hills Executive Memorial Park.
Chief Parks and Cemeteries Officer Godfrey Batsirai Munetsi said the graves are sold in advance.
He said the site had long been planned for the purpose but only resources were holding work back.
One hundred and seven graves had been constructed by Tuesday 3 September.
Swaszy Granite Managing Director Onias Chagaresango said the partnership will help renew the city burial sites.
“The coffin will be laid on granite stone while the top cover will also be in granite.
Council collects burial fees to allow for the interment of the grave owners.
“The graves will have a cemetery management software connected to the GPRS to monitor and locate the graves over the computer,” said Mr Chagaresango.
A section for cremations has been set aside.
Executive toilets, benches, pavements and walkways will be constructed.
A shade will be erected to be used during the rainy season.
Reticulated water has already been provided.- City of Harare
By Own Correspondent | An MP today leaked what could be the whole secret on drug shortages in the country. Arguing before parliament, HON Mukhulani Tavengwa, Mhondoro Ngezi MP (ZANU PF) said over USD30million hard currency has been misappropriated by a cabal.
While the names of people in the cabal were not revealed, MP Tavengwa said:
1/4 Secrets on drug shortages revealed- Cabal stole USD 30million from RBZ:
"…Between Mar 2018 and Aug 2018, the RBZ did allocate an amount of USD30 million for the sole purpose of procurement of medicines for this country.."
“But Madam speaker maam, between March 2018 and August of 2018, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe did allocate an amount of 30 million US Dollars for the sole purpose of procurement of medicines for this country.
“It is interesting to note that you need around USD40 million to up the production of the 8 pharmaceutical companies in this country. So, USD30 million comes out of the reserve bank, which is almost the same amount that is needed to up the production services of this country and yet still at the time when this report was done, there were no medicines, regardless of the 30 million having been paid out.
“What has happened in Zimbabwe is a sad state in that we have technically converted Zimbabwe into one big pharmaceutical free market where a cabal, or a set of a few players who own the wholesale, control the procurement and distribution of medicines.
“Natpharm is supposed to be the sole procurer of medicines for the use within the public sector. The procurement, the storage, and the distribution.
“That position has been taken by big wholesalers who are accessing foreign currency from the reserve bank. That should stop. The ideal situation that should be in this country madam speaker ma’am, is that Natpharm should be the first priority in terms of allocation of forex so that they procure medicines for the country.”
Farai Dziva|Richard Tsvangirai, the son of former Prime Minister Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, has said Zimbabweans must “brace for an increase in inflation rate due to the disturbances in South Africa.”
Richard tweeted:
When I said RBZ printed money thereby increasing money supply which was causing the ZW to depreciate, people attacked me left and right. Well..
The number of people travelling to SA will decrease. The demand for rand will decrease, as a result the rand will depreciate. Capital flight is expected due to uncertainty plus growth in inflation.
An increase in inflation is expected in Zimbabwe due xenophobia: the risk being carried by transporters; uncertainty.
Wananchi, it is fair to say that the regime of Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken Zimbabweans to depths of excruciating poverty and suffering that has never been experienced before.
Since November 2017, despite the change of language, Zimbabweans have been exposed to the unrelenting overreach of a brutally extractive, totally incompetent, totally clueless and absolutely predatory parasitic group that has sunk Zimbabwe into unfathomable depths of anger, anxiety, exasperation, aggravation and fatalism.
For the thousands of Zimbabwe that naively marched with the military on the 18th of November 2019, (including this Wanachi) none of them ever imagined that after the fall of Robert Mugabe, the situation would rapidly deteriorate and that their socio-economic and political spaces would be so captured and shut down with vigour and determination that has been displayed by Emmerson Mnangagwa and his minions.
The last 22 months, have been a horror story. A nightmare that refuses to go away.
Wananchi, the statistics make frightening reading. 95% of Zimbabweans are unemployed or in the informal economy. 83% of the same, are living in extreme poverty surviving on less than US$0.35 a day.
They survive on “tsaona”, that is to say four leaves of vegetables, a plate of mealie meal and a cork of cooking oil.
But the reality is that the ordinary man and woman is the accident itself. The Wananchi is the “tsaona” a disaster waiting to happen.
To confirm this, life expectancy has lowered to 36, whilst both maternal mortality rates, and infant mortality rates are slowly closing in on the unprecedented 2008 figures.
Hospitals are without medicine, queues are the order of the day, in urban areas shops are full of goods that ordinary persons cannot afford to buy.
Households go for 18 hours without electricity .
Salaries and pensions have been devalued by exchange rate manipulations and rising inflation.
Wananchi, at the epicentre of this crisis is of course politics.
Terrible extractive politics of exclusion, of entitlement and impunity.
It is the regime s stock in trade, that culture of entitlement and impunity that gave birth to the crisis of legitimacy that has arrested Zimbabwe since the coup of November 2017 percolating to the disastrous plebiscite held on the 30th of July 2019.
Therefore the starting point to the interrogation of the Zimbabwean Crisis, must recognise the primacy, of toxic, obnoxious politics and how the same subordinates everything else.
The State has become a prison of the iron clad wall of a certain intolerant, pernicious brand of exclusive and extractive Zimbabwean politics. Put simply it is politics and nothing else but politics.
Beyond legitimacy the country suffers from a crippling and unprecedented economic crisis.
One which is coming less than 10 years after the fire last time in the 2008 melt down. One that has not been seen through a country that has not physically gone to war.
The current crisis, is a crisis of under accumulation, characterised by low or absent productivity, weak aggregate demand and hyper-inflation.
In short, Zimbabwe is in the middle of a recession that is fast tracking itself into an economic depression.
The only thing worse than Zimbabwe’s economic implosion itself is that it is run by a bunch of clueless amateurs , who neither understand, nor care about the depth of the crisis and the suffering of the people.
Zimbabwe sets records every single day.Wrong records and for wrong reasons .
Beyond legitimacy and the economic crisis, the country suffers from an unprecedented, unparalleled and unmitigated, scourge of capture and corruption.
The current regime, has redefined kleptocracy, patronage and patrimonialism. The current regime, has invented its own set of cronyism.
A new blend of Mobutism that makes Mobutu Seseko a toddler, in the art of State Capture.
Since November 2017, with the new re –configuration, the conflation of military, Party and State interest, the country has been subjected to unprecedented looting.
Wananchi, in the past the bulk of corruption and looting, has been carried out outside official government structures mainly through state owned enterprises, tenders, licenses, contracts and illicit financial flows.
The class of 2017 have changed the rules of the game.
Brazenly, the epicentre of looting has become Central Government itself, the Ministry of Finance itself, the gate keeping ministry, has become central and core to the looting of state resources, since 2017.
When the gatekeeper becomes the gate crusher, chaos always reigns.
In 2017 alone, US$2.9 billion was siphoned directly from the Ministry of Finance without any supporting vouchers, outside the Public Finance Management System, outside the Public Finance Management Act, outside Parliament and outside the Budget.
In 2018 US$3.2 billion was again siphoned through the Ministry of Finance without any supporting vouchers, outside the Public Finance Management System, outside the Public Finance Management Act, outside Parliament and outside the Budget.
The 2017 and 2018 Reports of the Auditor General on Appropriation Accounts (particularly on vote 5 that of the Ministry of Finance), makes sad and embarrassing reading .
It’s a horror story, one which puts into shame the great works of the horror master Stephen King.
They abuse billions as if they are dealing with pennies. They have no remorse, they have no shame. They have no elasticity.
In fact Zimbabwe does not need foreign aid. It does not need Overseas Development Assistance All it needs is to stop the haemorrhage.
To plug the deep hole of leakage and looting that have been created at the feeding trough that the Ministry of Finance has become in the last few years.
Wananchi, sadly for the country, those that are at the epicentre of this grant capture of the State are also the ones making decision on a day to day basis.
The country therefore will never move. The country will never reform for decision making and policy making is a prisoner of vested interests
These elites operate through the infrastructure of well oiled cartels run by blue eyed select characters.
They are cartels in Command Agriculture.
There are cartels in the fuel sector.
There are cartels in the banking sector.
There are cartels at the Central Bank that have commodified the USD and making billions form the pararrel market.
There are cartels in the communication sector; there are cartels in the commodity sector in particularly in diamonds, gold chrome and platinum.
There are cartels in State Procurement.
The Country is run by its own perveted versions of Guptas. Vagabonds.
The shocking thing is that common names and common individuals run through this hegemonic, humongous structural scourge of corruption in Zimbabwe.
It is a crude ecosystem of State Capture never seen before .
The truth of the matter Wananchi is that we do not have a government but a bunch of looters in suits that have captured the State.
What we do have is a kakistocracy.
A system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified and most unscrupulous citizens.
Wananchi Zimbabweans do not know what crime they committed to deserve this lot the likes of Emmerson and Mthuli.
However, there are elements of the current regime that do no suit the description and taxonomy of kakistocracy.
This is the rogue and hoodlum element of the current regime.
Since 2017, there has been systematic closure of political space in this country. Since 2017, there has been an unprecedented assault on civil and political rights and human rights abuses.
On the 1st of August 2018, seven people were shot dead in broad daylight by the military.
On the 19th of January 2019 further 19 people were shot in broad daylight. In the same month women were raped, many were abducted, many were tortured.
In the same month more than 2400 activists were arrested and subject to mass trials.
In August of 2019 countrywide peaceful demonstrations were brazenly banned by the regime.
In the week leading to the 16th of August planned demonstrations 18 people were abducted, 7 people were assaulted and heavily beaten up on the 16th of August and 259 people were arrested.
Since then on a day to day basis without exception, there is a story, and indeed a sad story of violence and abuse.
Since Gukurahundi in the 80’s, the Country has never been subjected to the horror and nightmare of murderers, abductions, and imprisonments such as we have seen in the last 22 months.
There has never been such an unprecedented assault on Civic and political rights across the board.
Zimbabwe today is a classical example of what my friend George Ayittey describes as a Vampire State.
One on which there are no systems. Or if there are, they are physically vandalised to suit a narrow few.
One in which the State is captured to serve the interests of a narrow few.
One in which tribalism has become an instrument of exclusion.
A state in which extractive institutions are the order of the day.
Writing on Zimbabwe in their book “Why Nations Fail,” Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, (the later who will be in Harare in September 2019) writes as follows,
“The economic and political failure in Zimbabwe is yet another manifestation of the iron law of oligarchy – in this instance with the extractive and repressive regime of Ian Smith being replaced by the extractive, corrupt and repressive regime of Robert Mugabe. Mugabe’s fake lottery win in 2000 was then simply tip of a very corrupt and historically shaped iceberg.”
One needs a sequel to this passage. “Mugabe’s extractive corrupt and repressive regime has been replaced by the dangerous, cartel centred extractive corrupt, repressive and murderous regime of Emmerson”
Wananchi Zimbabwe is therefore at the cross.road .
The citizen is suffering.
Month on month inflation is now at 80% and has reached hyperinflation figures.
Whilst annualised inflation which stood officially at 175% in June 2019 , is now in excess of 600% with Zimbabwe slowly sliding toward the embarrassing , 2008 inflation levels.
Not surprisingly the Minister of Finance has banned the publication of the Zimbabwe’s annualised rate of inflation by Zimbabwe’s Statistical Agency, ZimStats .
The hyperinflation is on the backdrop of excessive taxes introduced by the troubled Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube.
The introduction of a 2% transaction tax in October 2018 was a disaster and a complete disaster that has ensured that Zimbabwe is the most overtaxed country in the world with taxes alone now contributing over 40% of GDP.
The de-dollarisation of the US$ was another disaster not founded on any logical basis except implicit dubious support from the IMF
The country does not have conditions that can sustain the return of its currency.
There is no productivity at all that can back a currency. GDP growth rate in 2019 will be in excess of minus 10%.
Secondly, the country has no reserves at all. The foreign currency reserves of US$350 million or four weeks of import cover that were Ieft in 2013 in the form of Special Drawing Rights at the end of the GNU have all been wiped out.
So Zimbabwe has zero reserves.
Thirdly, the Country has an unfavourable Current account position. Zimbabwe’s current account deficit is more than 15% of its GDP.
Without any meaningful and significant exports, no country can sustain its own currency. Zimbabwe will certainly not be the First.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, Zimbabwe does not have the political confidence that is necessary to sustain a currency.
As indicated above, Zimbabwe’s core challenge is that of Politics, without a Political Solution to the Country’s challenges, anything else is a waste of time.
However, history has also taught us important lessons. The lesson being that, once a Country has involuntarily dollarized, it is not possible nor easy to do so.
Only Panama in 1904, ever succeeded in doing so.
For currencies are a function of confidence. Once a currency has been caught in fragranto that is the end of the day.
But the real challenge, with Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime and indeed with his finance Minister, the motor mouth, Mthuli Ncube, is that both operate on the basis of an absent philosophy.
An absent ideology to guide the same.
Economics operates on a set of clear and known principles no matter what ideology anyone follows. However, choices and decisions are made in the context of ideologies.
Government operates on the left, or the right or the centre.
Mnangagwa’s Government lacks an ideological Campus. It lacks an inner soul.
It’s a colourless sobriquet devoid of any theoretical grounding other than a demonic fixation to looting .
If looting was a religion , then this regime and its leaders would be its high priests .The deacons and the Arch Bishops of Looting .
In the absence of a guiding philosophy, governance and economics under Emmerson Mnangagwa has become an eclectic right wing calabash of “kick and rush” economics or more appropriately “kick and hope” governance.
Emmerson’s punch line, Vision 2030 is an empty slogan that has no substance.
A slogan that has been torn apart by the fact that Mthuli Ncube has constantly rebased and revised the country’s GDP which now stands nominally at ZWL$ 42 billion.
With a ZWL$ 42 Billion dollar GDP, it means that nominally the per capita income of every Zimbabwean is now the middle income figure ZWL$ 1800
Thus 11 years before 2030 the country has in fact nominally become a middle
income country.
What a joke.
ZANUPF is tinkering with the economy.
Sadly the IMF is hypocritically aiding in abating the same.
Zimbabwe was never ready for a Staff Monitoring Program (SMP). Therefore it should not have been granted one.
What the IMF needed to do was to insist that Zimbabwe meets its own targets as defined in its own budget statement.
The fact that Zimbabwe has consistently failed to meet its macroeconomic targets , its budget targets and has maintained huge budget deficits since 2014, was proof enough of the fact that Zimbabwe was not ready for an SMP.
The IMF is caught in a hypocrisy trap. A hypocrisy trap that was so brilliantly and recently exposed by Catherine Weaver in her book of the same title.
The hypocrisy trap, and situation in an organisation occurs when there is a huge gap between the ideal, the moral, the correct and the actions on the ground.
In the case of the IMF, its founding documents speak of transparency, financial prudence and macroeconomic stability. But its work over the years, has been to work with despots around the world, the likes of Museveni and others, in cementing dictatorship and opaqueness.
The IMF’s hypocrisy stems from its long tradition of turning a blind eye to the political content of a regime.
In the case of Zimbabwe for 40 years, the IMF has ignored the atrocities happening in the country.
In its staff report of May 2019 for instance the IMF refuses to recognise that there was a military coup in November 2017.
The IMF refuses to acknowledge that there is a political crisis emanating from the stolen election of 2018.It even had the audacity of calling the 2018 election a clean election despite universal condemnation.
Furthermore in the SMP. itself the IMF avoids the issues of real structural reform required by Zimbabwe. This includes the issues of wage reform, parastatal reform, corruption and governance issues.
However, the biggest failure on the part of the IMF is to assume that they can ever be reforms without reformers.
The fact of the matter, is that they can never be reform without reformers.
They are no reformers in ZANU-PF.
Instead there is a group of man and women who have captured the State, and used the State as an arena of personal aggrandizement and primitive accumulation.
Zimbabwe’s decision making matrix, is therefore a prison of structural vested interests and of course the regime survival agenda.
These two twin evils make reforms under ZANU PF impossible.
Wananchi the solutions required in Zimbabwe are thus structural.
Zimbabwe needs a permanent structural solution. Zimbabwe requires a comprehensive package of structural, political, social, legal and economic reforms.
These reforms are a precondition to the holding to a free, fair, credible, legitimate election that will allow the people of Zimbabwe to choose a people’s government, a government of their own choice.
Quite clearly these reforms must be negotiated and agreed upon.
This is the context in which the MDC has been calling for dialogue.
This is the context in which the MDC will continue exercising its right under Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe in calling for peaceful mass action and protests as permitted and defined by the law.
It is important that Zimbabwean crisis has external referee. It is important that SADC, the African Union the UN and the UN Security Council, provides the necessary international scaffolding to make sure that Zimbabwe has a soft landing.
And it is key for every important stakeholder to understand that the country is in a crisis and that it is heading for an implosion.
An implosion in the form of another military coup or palace coup or an implosion in the form of thousands of dead bodies that will be lie in the streets of Zimbabwe.
Wananchi, the MDC’s call for dialogue is therefore not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of leadership, it’s a sign of responsibility.
Zimbabweans will continue fighting and pushing this rotten kakistocratic regime, this Vampire State until Zimbabwe is a truly democratic country.
Over the past few days, our country has been deeply traumatised by acts of extreme violence perpetrated by men against women and children.
These acts of violence have made us doubt the very foundation of our democratic society, our commitment to human rights and human dignity, to equality, to peace and to justice.
As we have done before in times of great difficulty and strife, this is the time to come together as a nation to confront our problems directly.
The nation is mourning the deaths of several women and girls who were murdered by men.
We know the names of Uyinene Mrwetyana, Leighandre Jegels, Janika Mallo, Ayakha Jiyane and her three little siblings, but we also grieve for many others who have died at the hands of men.
These killings have caused great pain and outrage because acts of such brutality have become all too common in our communities.
Violence against women has become more than a national crisis.
It is a crime against our common humanity.
Today I speak to you as your President, and as a citizen of our country.
But I also speak to you as a husband and a father to my daughters.
Like millions of men across this country, I am appalled at the war being waged on our sisters, our mothers, our wives, our partners and our daughters.
Women have every right to expect that they be free from harassment and violence on the streets, in schools and campuses, on buses, taxis and trains, at places of work and worship, and in their homes.
We have heard the calls of the women of our country for action and for justice.
The collective anger, the pain and the fear that these killings have caused must strengthen our resolve to end all forms of violence and abuse perpetrated by men against women.
We have recorded progress on the implementation of the decisions of the Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence last year.
Working together, government and civil society formations, have already made much progress towards establishing and resourcing a national machinery to coordinate our campaign against gender-based violence.
We are reviewing laws on domestic violence and sexual offences to prioritise the needs and interests of survivors.
We have established 92 dedicated Sexual Offences Courts since 2013, with a further 11 to be opened this financial year to improve conviction rates and provide comprehensive and appropriate support services to ensure survivors of sexual offences are not subject to further trauma.
I wish to enumerate some of the additional measures we will be taking.
We are going to overhaul and modernise the national register of gender-based violence offenders provided for in the Sexual Offences Act to ensure it is effective in combating gender-based violence.
This National Register of Offenders will list all the men convicted of acts of violence against women and children.
I will ask Parliament to consider amending the legislation to make the register public.
I will propose to Cabinet that all crimes against women and children should attract harsher minimum sentences.
We agree with the women of our country that the state should oppose bail and parole for perpetrators of rape and murder against women and children.
Many women’s organisations have complained that there aren’t enough rehabilitation programmes in our prisons.
These programmes will be increased and reconfigured to reduce the number of repeat offenders.
All gender-based violence cases that have been closed or that were not properly investigated must be reviewed.
We will strengthen the emergency teams at a provincial level – which bring together the police, social development, health, justice and education – to continue providing rapid and comprehensive responses to all forms of violence against women.
These emergency response teams will focus in particular on violence directed at women, children and other marginalised groups including the LGBTQIA Plus community and people with disabilities.
We will address other systemic challenges such as the backlog of cases, delays in DNA testing and the availability of rape test kits in our police stations.
We will use every means at the disposal of the state – from the police service to the justice system, from social development programmes to our school curriculum – to strengthen all parts of our national response to gender-based violence.
We will implement a national multi-faceted plan to prevent gender-based violence through school programmes, community initiatives and workplace policies.
The Minister of Finance will be asked to allocate additional funding to the national machinery to coordinate our campaign against gender-based violence.
The women of our country are calling for emergency measures to end this violence.
I will therefore be asking Parliament to discuss and identify urgent interventions that can be implemented without delay.
Violence against women is not a women’s problem.
It is not a problem of what a woman said or did, what a woman was wearing, or where she was walking.
Violence against women is a men’s problem.
It is men who rape and kill women.
There is therefore an obligation on the men of this country to act to end such behaviour and such crimes.
As men, let us speak out.
We must not look away.
We must face gender-based violence head-on.
Let us, as families, make sure that we raise boys to respect women, to respect themselves, to value life and human dignity.
We acknowledge the men and boys who have heeded the call to respect women by participating in the Takuwani Riine Men and Boys Campaign. We also acknowledge others who are championing change towards a South Africa that is free of violence by 2030.
As South African men, let us take responsibility for our actions. We must treat the women and girls of our country with care and respect.
It is only when we do that that we will end violence against women and children.
Let us declare that enough is enough.
Fellow South Africans,
Over the past few days, our country has been deeply traumatised by acts of violence and criminality directed against foreign nationals and our own citizens.
As I speak to you, the debris of several days of violence and looting continues to litter many of the streets of our country.
People have lost their lives and many have been injured.
Families have been traumatised. Livelihoods have been destroyed.
We know that at least 10 people have been killed in this violence, two of whom were a foreign nationals.
No amount of anger and frustration and grievance can justify such acts of destruction and criminality.
There can be no excuse for the attacks on the homes and businesses of foreign nationals, just as there can be no excuse for xenophobia or any other form of intolerance.
Equally, there is no justification for the looting and destruction of businesses owned by South Africans.
The people from other countries on our continent stood with us in our struggle against apartheid.
We worked together to destroy apartheid and overcome the divisions it created, where we feared each other and our differences were exploited.
Thanks to the people of Africa, we have now achieved democracy and must use this platform to live together in harmony.
We value our relations with other African countries and need to work to strengthen political, social and trade ties if we are to develop our economy and those of our neighbours.
Where communities have genuine grievances these must be addressed through engagement and dialogue.
But where people act with criminal intent, irrespective of their nationality, we will not hesitate to act to uphold the law and ensure order and stability.
We commend our law enforcement and security agencies who have moved swiftly to restore stability in Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, Tshwane and parts of KwaZulu-Natal.
The violence has largely subsided and police have increased reinforcements and visibility in priority areas to ensure the safety of all within South African borders.
The criminal justice system is ready to deal with perpetrators of violence, looting and lawlessness.
Since Sunday, 423 people have been arrested for violence-related offences in Gauteng and 21 suspects have been arrested in relation to truck violence in KwaZulu-Natal.
I am calling upon each one of us to desist from fueling a climate of fear and confusion.
We must act responsibly and stop disseminating fake videos, photographs and messages, especially on social media, with an intention of negatively portraying our country and its people.
This misinformation is also being disseminated in neighbouring countries and throughout the world, causing panic and putting lives in danger.
Let us not be misled.
Let us not be provoked by those who want to sow mistrust and fuel conflict.
This is a time for calm.
It is a time for all of us who live in this country to confront our challenges directly and earnestly, not through violence, but through dialogue.
We call on all religious leaders and communities to lead the country in prayer and contemplation this Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
In all churches, mosques, synagogues and temples, let us humble ourselves and bring healing to our nation.
As a nation, we have endured moments of uncertainty before.
As a nation, we have overcome conflict and achieved peace.
Now, as a nation, let us once again work together to end the violence that has engulfed our streets, and damaged our economy and confidence in our country.
Let us once again, as a nation, work together to end the violence against the women and children of our country.
Let us build the South Africa we want, and which all our people so richly deserve.
By A Correspondent- MDC Youth League leader, Obey Sithole has claimed that ZANU PF bused members from Harare to Cape Town South Africa for president Emmerson Mnangagwa solidarity march.
Posting on Facebook, Sithole said:
“They lied that Zimbabweans in Cape Town marched in solidarity with Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa. In fact they busED their desperate and unemployed youths to Cape Town.
On top of abusing these youths they have also abusED taxpayers’ money to facilitate this trip in their quest to quench their insatiable thirsty for pretence.
The delegation was led by one Godfrey Tsenengamu, the not so youthful ZANU-PF Youth Political Commissar.”
By A Correspondent- Former Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko on Wednesday appeared at Harare magistrate’s court on routine remand after his abuse of office matter was referred from Bulawayo.
Mphoko appeared before regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya and his matter was deferred to October 4 for a provision of a trial date by the State.
Representing the State, George Manokore made an application for postponement on the basis that Mphoko’s lawyer Zibusiso Ncube had raised issues of ‘territorial jurisdiction’ and as such, the State required more time to iron out the issues.
In response, Ncube conceded to the application and also added that he hadn’t been furnished with the State papers to prepare the former Vice President’s defence.
“We have the issues of territorial jurisdiction to have this matter tried in Bulawayo and not here in Harare, but most importantly, we don’t have the State’s papers to prepare for trial, the docket is with the Prosecutor General and he hasn’t made a decision on the territorial jurisdiction issue which we intend to agree on, if we fail to reach a common ground, we will approach th court with a formal application,” said Ncube.
Mphoko is accused of ordering the illegal release of two ZINARA top officials Davison Norupiri and Juma who had been arrested over corruption allegations at Avondale Police Station in 2016 and were waiting to appear in court the next day.
The State further alleges that on the same day at around 6pm, Mphoko, who was at the time the Acting President, stormed the police station and criminally abused his duty as a public officer by ordering the immediate release of Juma and Norupiri from lawful police custody.
The Officer-in-Charge stood his ground challenging the unlawful instruction before he later complied with Mphoko’s order under duress and released the two men.
Mphoko drove away with them in his car.
When ZACC officials went to Avondale Police Station on the following day intending to take Juma and Norupiri to court, they discovered that police had released them acting on Mphoko’s orders.
By A Correspondent- Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals has launched an investigation into the death of a pregnant woman, Sharon Munyonho who died at the hospital’s Mbuya Nehanda maternity wing on Sunday due to alleged negligence by nurses manning the ward.
The late Munyonho is said to have started complaining of labour pains Saturday evening after having been induced to go into labour in the afternoon. It is alleged that Munyonho started having contractions that afternoon but was only taken to the labour ward around 2am, from which she did not receive any service until 6am.
She was found dead Sunday morning with her dead child between her legs.
By A Correspondent- A 30 dayfasting program has claimed the life of a Solwezi pastor ten days before its completion.
Pastor Brighton Samajomba, 37 of “Heaven Is My Home” of Kazomba Township of Solwezi was reportedly found dead by his wife in the early hours of the 20th day of his 30-day fasting program where he was praying for his family and church members.
The death of Pastor Samajomba was confirmed by his brother Reagan Samajomba in Solwezi yesterday in a telephone interview.
His brother said Pastor Samajomba who led a lifestyle of taking on many days of prayer and fasting programs, started his fasting on his yearly August fast on 8th with a view to pray for his family and church members who he wanted to remain united.
“I would say he died in the early hours because my sister and his wife were there and took turns to check on him, and then it was time for my in-law to check on him, she was with him according to her till midnight.
“Then she decided to rest, when she woke up, they had a tendency of sharing dreams with each other as partners. So she dreamt of something and wanted to tell the husband.
But as she tried to shake him up, he was not responding and so he was rushed to the hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. “The only consolation that we have as a family is the way he died because he was in the closet with the Lord,” Reagan said.-Online
Daily News|THE more things change, the more they stay the same, so goes the old adage attributed to 19th century French critic, journalist and novelist Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr.
This aptly describes the situation at 53 Livingstone Avenue, the home of the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa). So much seems to be happening, but effectively nothing is taking place.
Zifa has been in the news so often, but for the wrong reasons, with the Asiagate scandal of 2012 obviously standing out as the climax of the felony at the football mother body. Successive Zifa executives have remained stuck in controversy, leaving observers speculating that something much bigger is the problem with Zimbabwean football.
Issues of non-payment of bonuses for coaches and players who take part in national duty are not unusual, financial impropriety, corporate governance challenges, corruption and even thuggery at times have all become inherent in our football. However, the Felton Kamambo executive seems to have beaten all other executives in their bungling.
In the run-up to his election as Zifa boss, Kamambo indicated he was going to clean up the mess at Zifa in an attempt to win back the support of the key corporate world. Within a year of his tenure, the national association has proven to be worse than the previous one led by businessman Philip Chiyangwa and even the Cuthbert Dube-led executive.
The Warriors’ participation in the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cairo, Egypt, in June has become the epitome of Zifa’s deficient leadership after the men’s senior national soccer side threatened to boycott their matches at the continental football showcase over non-payment of allowances.
The treatment of the Mighty Warriors following their participation at the Olympic tournament in Brazil, the Cosafa clash against their Zambian counterparts, among many other instances, are reflective of the lack of capacity at Zifa.
The Sports and Recreation Commission — in a stance that has been backed by Southerton legislator Peter Moyo — has called for the dissolution of the current Zifa board. The parliamentarian has also urged the government to institute a forensic audit of the association’s books.
Normalcy must return to Zimbabwean football even if it means a root and branch shake-up of all the structures. It is known that Fifa will ban Zimbabwe if the government meddles in the sport, but there are many who feel that sanity has to prevail at whatever cost.
ZEC Commisioner Qhubani Moyo’s owned Bulawayo’s Premier Radio station Skyz Metro FM has revealed that Dr Malinga whose real name is Goodwill Malinga is no longer headlining Umcimbi Wabantu annual gig which is scheduled for the 7th of September due to xenophobic attacks happening In South Africa and other African countries.
In a statement on Thursday Station Manager Godwin Phiri said, “Skyz Metro FM regrets to inform our valued listeners and partners that due to the unfortunate xenophobic events in South Africa Doctor Malinga has requested not to appear at the Umcimbi Wabantu Concert scheduled for 7 September.”
Phiri said Malinga is heartbroken and condemns with the strongest terms the violence of Africans by fellow Africans.
By Own Correspondent| Celebrated traditional healer and spiritual leader Sekuru Banda has expressed disdain at the on-going xenophobic attacks in South Africa.
Addressing journalists in the capital soon after touching down at the Robert Mugabe International Airport from Asia where he had gone for an international herbal conference in China and Japan, Sekuru Banda said what was obtaining in South Africa was in contrast to Ubuntuism and the African spirit of unity and peace.
“I learnt with great shock the barbaric, unacceptable violence in South Africa that I witnessed on the news while I was attending the international herbal conference in Asia.
“South Africans should learn that we are one people in spite of the geographical boundaries imposed on us by the imperialists. We live in a global village where we should share and exchange businesses, cultures and religions in peace and harmony. No man has a right to take away another man’s life regardless of race, colour or creed, “ Sekuru Banda said.
He said that while executing his duties, he doesn’t discriminate his clients on nationality, ethnicity, race or tribe.
“I have helped clients from all over the world be it Asia, America, Europe or Africa. The problems that are faced by mankind are the same whether one is black, yellow or white.”
Sekuru Banda’s concerns come in the wake of xenophobic attacks that have rocked South Africa where foreigners’ were beaten up or killed and had their shops looted and vehicles burnt down.
South Africa has received international condemnation with some African leaders pulling out of the World Economic Forum that was hosted in that country.
Sekuru is famous for performing amazing miracles that include healing people afflicted by various ailments, returning stolen property, and restoration of broken marriages.
Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi was yesterday summoned to appear before a Harare magistrate to explain his decision to stop the trial of a Harare man who allegedly used high-profile people’s names to swindle unsuspecting clients of various amounts of money.
Leon Gomani (29) is facing more than 20 counts of fraud and the matter is already on defence after magistrate Morgan Nemadire dismissed his application for discharge.
But in a surprise turn of events, the State, represented by Sheila Mupindu, asked for the matter to be stopped for three weeks, saying she had allegedly received a communiqué from Hodzi.
In the case, Judicial Service Commission secretary Walter Chikwana and Zanu-PF politburo member Patrick Chinamasa testified as their names were the ones used to swindle several people.
Former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Chief Justice Luke Malaba were also expected to testify in the matter.
However, Nemadire asked the State the law they were using to stop proceedings that had already been on defence, upon which Mupindu replied that it was by request from the PG.
Nemadire stood down the matter and asked Mupindu to call Hodzi to come and testify on the law he was using, but Hodzi failed to appear at around 11am.
“I want the PG to come down and address me on reasons why this matter is being postponed. If he is withdrawing, he should just say so. I will not pass the ruling of the postponement unless he comes because I can sense corruption in this matter,” Nemadire said.
The magistrate then stood down the matter again to 2pm, but Hodzi failed to appear. Senior prosecutor Clemence Chimbari then came and addressed the court, saying Hodzi was no longer coming.
Chimbari told the court that Hodzi had said the matter be stopped for three weeks so that he could look into the issues of complaints into the matter.
He was, however, asked to read in court sections of the law which stipulate that the PG could stop proceedings after an accused had pleaded not guilty.
When pressured by Nemadire to explain, Chimbari said it was just a request by the PG to stop the trial for three weeks.
“What is the legal basis of stopping a matter that is already at defence case? This is now not a State’s case; you closed your case and it is now the accused’s time to explain,” Nemadire charged.
“We do court applications in terms of the law. The PG cannot stop these proceedings at this stage. Tell the PG to come tomorrow. He cannot just receive a complaint from somebody else out there and decide to stop a trial.
“Tell him to come to court tomorrow (today) at 9am without fail. Also, tell him the court is not happy at all. I want him here and I expect him to explain his decision,” Nemadire fumed.
The trending news on the African continent currently is the xenophobic attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa.
Everybody is talking against this action being displayed by some wicked and uneducated South African citizens. But on a more serious note, we don’t know why these south Africans are killing and maltreating the foreigners there.
Lucky for our readers, we have come across a video circulating on social media, one South African lazy dude revealed why they have been attacking foreigners in their country.
According to him, people from other countries has taken over their jobs, making money more than them and driving all the best cars in the country and there’s no way they are going to allow that to continue.
President Cyril Ramaphosa seated with Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa ahead of the BNC heads of state summit in Harare.
Emmerson Mnangagwa probably isn’t your go-to guy when it comes to calming a crisis. His ideas on dealing with xenophobia haven’t gone down well, either.
A number of violent riots have cropped up in Zimbabwe since Emmerson Mnangagwa was elected into office more than a year ago. On each occasion, lives have been lost and chaos has plagued the country. However, Zim’s president seems to think that South Africa could take a leaf out of his book on the current xenophobia crisis.
Mnangagwa, during an address to Zimbabweans currently living in Mzansi, implored the authorities to get physical with the dissident protesters. South Africa has seen a range of demonstrations this week, focusing on issues such as femicide and xenophobia in communities where work opportunities are limited.
However, the latter has turned very ugly in the past few days. Foreign-owned businesses have been looted, and five people were killed in the violence. Nigerians, Zambians and other African nationals have registered their disgust with South Africa, and the political fallout has been nothing short of intense.
What Emmerson Mnangagwa told South Africa to do about Xenophobia
The High Commissioner to Mzansi for Nigeria has been recalled. In turn, South Africa has closed its embassies in Lagos. Both parties fear retribution against their officials in each country. The need to defuse the situation has never been greater. And yet. We still get suggestions like these…
“I have no doubt that the authorities here will not fold their hands. They must bring sanity and to do so, they must use a bit of force.”Emmerson Mnangagwa
Those hoping to see further strongarm tactics will be left disappointed: Bheki Cele and the government have already ruled out sending the army into hot-spots affected by xenophobia. Mnangagwa’s own track record with military intervention is pretty abhorrent, by the way. At least 23 people have died during two major demonstrations.
Those hoping to see further strongarm tactics will be left disappointed: Bheki Cele and the government have already ruled out sending the army into hot-spots affected by xenophobia. Mnangagwa’s own track record with military intervention is pretty abhorrent, by the way. At least 23 people have died during two major demonstrations.
Social media reacts to Emmerson Mnangagwa comments Brutal crackdowns – which have seen a restriction on civil liberties and a communication blackout imposed upon Zimbabweans – have characterised Mnangagwa’s fleeting presidency so far. The idea that South Africa most copy his leadership style certainly hasn’t sat well with the general public, either:
Pedzisai Ruhanya @PedzisaiRuhanya So Mnangagwa wants to export his violent and extra-legal rule to South Africa. Its shameful that a head of state tells the leader of another country to use force against citizens. Impunity largely doesn’t work here ED!
Thabiso_Kai1
@ThabisoKai1
So the only advise the @mnangagwa_ed can offer @CyrilRamaphosa is that the government must “apply force”???, Bloody Despot!!!
By Pepukai Begede | A dying coward gives an impression that he tried his best to overcome failure so does a guilty Ramaphosa condemns anarchy that he sponsored. Ramaphosa is clearly responsible for the killings and lootings that are taking place. It is not a coincidence to have such kind of incidences in less than a year. Remember that before elections these xenophobic related attacks took place and foreign truck drivers were the target. Some foreign truck drivers were killed but Ramaphosa kept quiet.
This time around same thing has happened and like wise the blood thirsty Ramambosa only came at last minute when blood was already flowing in the streets. The late responses are a clear indication that this man is the one giving instruction to the police and security personnel to delay rescue. No arrests or court cases ever took place since South Africans started eating human flesh of fellow brothers and sisters.
Its time fellow African countries give the south african government an ultimatum to either compensate foreign nationals all that they have lost due to this sponsored terror and criminal activities or else face trade sanctions and travel restrictions.
It is clear that this was a well calculated move. No miscarriage will happen after pregnancy is pronounced to be unwanted pregnancy. It is abortion, its sponsored terror and abuse by Ramaphosa. This man must be hold accountable.
Zimbabweans should learn, Zimbabweans should stop playing the victim. You should stop the trend of being on the receiving-end all the time. Defend, protect and fight back is the language that those clueless people of south africa understand. Its time you stop self pitty, you are a great people so you must rise up and claim what is yours.
Matters surrounding the recent xenophobic attacks in South Africa are really getting out of hand as other African countries are retaliating these attacks on South Africans in their countries.
One of such instances occurred when a Zambian DJ played a South African song in a club. Patrons of the club then got furious and attacked the DJ.
These patrons gave the DJ some massive beatings which transfigured his normal face as if he just returned from a boxing bout.
A Facebook user with name, Star DJ Virus shared this story on his Facebook timeline.
He posted the ‘before and after’ photos of the DJ at the center of the controversy who was identified as DJ Hero.
As a caption to these photos, he wrote;
“Zambian DJ Hero DJ gains weight in seconds after playing South African music in Club on the a copperbelt #StopXenophobia”
As a spate of xenophobic attacks continues to rock the nation, Zodwa Wabantu has added her voice to calls for there to be an end to the hatred and fighting
Instagram @zodwalibram
The recent xenophobic attacks which erupted in parts of Gauteng earlier this week has dominated headlines and has seen well-known celebs from across the continent retaliate against it on social media.
Taking to Instagram earlier this week, Zodwa could be seen holding up newspapers which featured the attacks.
“Our sisters and brothers are lazy. They are taking things from people who are really doing something about their lives,” she captioned one of the videos.
Zodwa added that “we are all one” and that there needs to be an end to the looting of foreign shop owners’ premises.
“As South Africans this is so wrong. This is not xenophobia, this is not about us hating our brothers and sisters from other countries. This is people taking things from people who are working hard. I hate it.”
The comments section of the post was flooded, with some users telling Zodwa to stick to her day job of dancing
While, some of Zodwa’s fans supported her stance.
One user told Zodwa that she knew nothing about hardwork vs laziness.
“Wazini nge hard work vs laziness. If you were such a hard worker try reading a book. Leave politics and other environmental matters you are too small minded to understand,” the follower said.
Another user told her to “go and get dressed and stop talking issues you are not aware of.”
Zodwa didn’t bite her tongue and told the user where to get off.
“What do you do with your books? I can hire you with your profession.”
A vocally disturbed South African man has shot a video of himself asking, “what is xenophobic about saying (the serial conman) Shepherd Bushiri is nonsense?” The man however made a series of other outbursts. VIDEO BELOW:
Conmen…Shepherd Bushiri and Uebert Angel (left and right)
‘Never despise people who have the same skin colour [as] us,’ he says at a SA Students Congress elections rally.
While ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule described the ongoing spate of violent protests in parts of the country as criminality – not xenophobia – he warned that “anti-revolutionaries” were using tribalism to pit Africans against one another.
The protests have mainly affected parts of Gauteng.
Magashule shared his thoughts at a SA Students Congress (Sasco) elections rally at Tshwane University of Technology on Wednesday. The student representative council elections are expected to take place on Thursday.
In his address, which was filled with song and met with rapturous applause, he cautioned South Africans against turning on their fellow African brothers and sisters.
“You are South Africans but remember, you are Africans, living in a continent called Africa. Never despise people who have the same skin colour [as] us,” Magashule said.
He questioned why the idea of a “foreigner” never applied to white people.
“There are many others with a whitish colour. You don’t know them. They are there. You see them all the time but you can’t say this one ke le kwerekwere,” Magashule said, using the derogatory term for African foreign nationals.
“They have never been attacked because they are also so-called foreigners but because their colour is white,” he added as students applauded.
Magashule said that once the continent united and solidified its relationships with other Brics countries, such as Russia, India, China and Brazil, it would mean standing up on their own and never having to go ask for an International Monetary Fund bailout or having to “beg the USA”.
“Imperialist forces, racist forces, fascist forces don’t want Africa united.
“They must not divide us. They have succeeded to divide the ANC,” Magashule went on as he urged the students to fight for their ideals and not to become rich.
Speaking to journalists after his address, Magashule said his reference to anti-revolutionaries was aimed at those who never wanted to see the ANC in power or united.
“I am just saying it’s a real thing. That’s why we are pleading, talking to structures on the ground and leaders at different levels saying: ‘Let’s unite’,” he said.
“If we are united, then Africa will be united, as the oldest liberation movement,” he added.
News From The South|The threat of Boko Haram possibly attacking South Africa, as a response to the xenophobic attacks we recently saw this past week, has been turned into a trending meme challenge.
Yes, folks, South Africans have — in a hilarious way — flipped the bird on one of Africa’s most notorious terrorist groups, and we are here for this energy.
Xenophobic attacks: What’s the latest?
Tensions remain palpable between locals and foreign nationals in South Africa. However, it appears that the violence has ended and that law enforcement agencies in Gauteng have restored law and order in the province.
Authorities in both countries have remained on high alert for any spurts of violence that may break out, and according to our understanding, there have been no reports of injured or murdered South Africans.
Is Boko Haram really going to attack South Africa?
The suggestions that Boko Haram, an infamous terrorist group, was planning on unleashing revenge in South Africa was admittedly laughable.
The last people on this continent that would want to rely on the help of Boko Haram are from Nigerians.
However, videos showing foreign nationals alleging that the terrorist group was aware of what’s going on to ‘their people’ in South Africa and that they were planning on “unleashing revenge” did the job.
The threats were never verified, neither were they confirmed by authorities. However, as serious as they were, they did not stop South Africans from poking a little fun at them.
The best of the #BokoHaramChallenge
It has been quite a long and heartwrenching week and this is the type of comedy we needed to iron out a few wrinkles from our grim faces.
These are our best picks from the #BokoHaramChallenge:
By Own Correspondent | An MP today leaked what could be the whole secret on drug shortages in the country. Arguing before parliament, HON Mukhulani Tavengwa, Mhondoro Ngezi MP (ZANU PF) said over USD30million hard currency has been misappropriated by a cabal.
While the names of people in the cabal were not revealed, MP Tavengwa said:
1/4 Secrets on drug shortages revealed- Cabal stole USD 30million from RBZ:
"…Between Mar 2018 and Aug 2018, the RBZ did allocate an amount of USD30 million for the sole purpose of procurement of medicines for this country.."
“But Madam speaker maam, between March 2018 and August of 2018, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe did allocate an amount of 30 million US Dollars for the sole purpose of procurement of medicines for this country.
“It is interesting to note that you need around USD40 million to up the production of the 8 pharmaceutical companies in this country. So, USD30 million comes out of the reserve bank, which is almost the same amount that is needed to up the production services of this country and yet still at the time when this report was done, there were no medicines, regardless of the 30 million having been paid out.
“What has happened in Zimbabwe is a sad state in that we have technically converted Zimbabwe into one big pharmaceutical free market where a cabal, or a set of a few players who own the wholesale, control the procurement and distribution of medicines.
“Natpharm is supposed to be the sole procurer of medicines for the use within the public sector. The procurement, the storage, and the distribution.
“That position has been taken by big wholesalers who are accessing foreign currency from the reserve bank. That should stop. The ideal situation that should be in this country madam speaker ma’am, is that Natpharm should be the first priority in terms of allocation of forex so that they procure medicines for the country.”
Olympic Champion Caster Semenya is said to have joined Sasol Women’s League football club JVW.
According to LimSportsZone, Semenya started training with the team on Tuesday.
The football club is owned by Banyana Banyana captain Janine Van Wyk and is named after her.
The 28-year-old once told reporters that she could play any sport of her choice because she is an athlete.
The double Olympic 800m champion is unable to defend her world title in Doha next month because of the IAAF ruling that insists she and other female athletes lower their testosterone levels.
Warriors World Cup Qualifier Preliminary Match against Somalia has been postponed.
Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) has announced that a World Cup preliminary qualifier match against Somalia has been postponed and also moved from the original pitch, Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo. In a statement, ZIFA said:
The Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) wishes to advise all football stakeholders that following a request from the Somali Football Federation (SFF) and consultations with the Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) our 2022 World Cup preliminary qualifier against Somalia has been rescheduled.
The match will now be played on Tuesday 10 September 2019 after SFF failed to secure flights to Zimbabwe in time for the initial fixture date which was Sunday September 8.
The venue of the match has also been moved from Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo to the National Sports Stadium in Harare because we already have another international match scheduled for Barbourfields on the 10th of September, the Under 23 Zimbabwe/South Africa Africa Cup of Nations qualifier.
Kick off remains 3 pm and gate charges are also unchanged.
We understand the inconvenience this development presents to all stakeholders and we unreservedly apologise for the unexpected developments.
In the spirit of fair play , African solidarity, brotherhood and togetherness, we felt the Somali Football Federation’s request was reasonable and sincere, thus we had to consent, otherwise the match would not have taken place at all.
The world governing body, FIFA have also commended ZIFA for this wonderful gesture.
All those who had already purchased tickets will still use the same tickets and for those who cannot make the trip to Harare, we have authorised our ticketing partner, ClicknPay, to accept requests for refunds.
We appeal to all stakeholders to continue supporting the team and to come to the National Sports Stadium for this massive international match.
ZIFA also encourages fans to buy tickets for this match online at www.clicknpay.africa.
Gate Charges
Rest of ground : $10 Bay 15-18 : $20 VIP : $50
FOR AND ON BEHALF OF THE ZIMBABWE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (ZIFA)
XOLISANI GWESELA, COMMUNICATIONS AND COMPETITIONS MANAGER
The City Council is working in partnership with Swaszy Granite to construct over 3000 tamper proof executive graves that match international standards at Warren Hills Executive Memorial Park.
Chief Parks and Cemeteries Officer Godfrey Batsirai Munetsi said the graves are sold in advance.
He said the site had long been planned for the purpose but only resources were holding work back.
One hundred and seven graves had been constructed by Tuesday 3 September.
Swaszy Granite Managing Director Onias Chagaresango said the partnership will help renew the city burial sites.
“The coffin will be laid on granite stone while the top cover will also be in granite.
Council collects burial fees to allow for the interment of the grave owners.
“The graves will have a cemetery management software connected to the GPRS to monitor and locate the graves over the computer,” said Mr Chagaresango.
A section for cremations has been set aside.
Executive toilets, benches, pavements and walkways will be constructed.
A shade will be erected to be used during the rainy season.
Reticulated water has already been provided.- City of Harare
Dear Editor-The Chitungwiza Mayor has been picked from his office by Harare Law & Order and has been taken to Harare Central-MDC Information Department
Farai Dziva|Richard Tsvangirai, the son of former Prime Minister Morgan Richard Tsvangirai, has said Zimbabweans must “brace for an increase in inflation rate due to the disturbances in South Africa.”
Richard tweeted:
When I said RBZ printed money thereby increasing money supply which was causing the ZW to depreciate, people attacked me left and right. Well..
The number of people travelling to SA will decrease. The demand for rand will decrease, as a result the rand will depreciate. Capital flight is expected due to uncertainty plus growth in inflation.
An increase in inflation is expected in Zimbabwe due xenophobia: the risk being carried by transporters; uncertainty.
By Jane Mlambo|Chitungwiza Mayor Lovemore Maiko has been picked from his office by the Zimbabwe Republic Police Law and Order and has been taken to Harare Central.
Early this week, Maiko was assaulted by suspected Zanu PF youths after he handed a suspension letter to Chitungwiza Mayor over abuse of office and corruption allegations.
Farai Dziva|The
MDC has raised a complaint with the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission over anomalies in the voting process.
The party indicated in a letter that that about 231 voters who appeared in the 2018 voters’ roll were removed from the current one.
“The party believes the development is likely to rob most voters of their right to choose their desired representatives.”
“A comparative analysis of the current by-elections voters’ rolls given to MDC candidates and the voters’ rolls used in the 2018 general elections reveals a significant pattern in variations which require clarity from your organisation at the highest level,”said the MDC in a statement.
Prosecutor-General Kumbirai Hodzi was yesterday summoned to appear before a Harare magistrate to explain his decision to stop the trial of a Harare man who allegedly used high-profile people’s names to swindle unsuspecting clients of various amounts of money.
Leon Gomani (29) is facing more than 20 counts of fraud and the matter is already on defence after magistrate Morgan Nemadire dismissed his application for discharge.
But in a surprise turn of events, the State, represented by Sheila Mupindu, asked for the matter to be stopped for three weeks, saying she had allegedly received a communiqué from Hodzi.
In the case, Judicial Service Commission secretary Walter Chikwana and Zanu-PF politburo member Patrick Chinamasa testified as their names were the ones used to swindle several people.
Former Cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere and Chief Justice Luke Malaba were also expected to testify in the matter.
However, Nemadire asked the State the law they were using to stop proceedings that had already been on defence, upon which Mupindu replied that it was by request from the PG.
Nemadire stood down the matter and asked Mupindu to call Hodzi to come and testify on the law he was using, but Hodzi failed to appear at around 11am.
“I want the PG to come down and address me on reasons why this matter is being postponed. If he is withdrawing, he should just say so. I will not pass the ruling of the postponement unless he comes because I can sense corruption in this matter,” Nemadire said.
The magistrate then stood down the matter again to 2pm, but Hodzi failed to appear. Senior prosecutor Clemence Chimbari then came and addressed the court, saying Hodzi was no longer coming.
Chimbari told the court that Hodzi had said the matter be stopped for three weeks so that he could look into the issues of complaints into the matter.
He was, however, asked to read in court sections of the law which stipulate that the PG could stop proceedings after an accused had pleaded not guilty.
When pressured by Nemadire to explain, Chimbari said it was just a request by the PG to stop the trial for three weeks.
“What is the legal basis of stopping a matter that is already at defence case? This is now not a State’s case; you closed your case and it is now the accused’s time to explain,” Nemadire charged.
“We do court applications in terms of the law. The PG cannot stop these proceedings at this stage. Tell the PG to come tomorrow. He cannot just receive a complaint from somebody else out there and decide to stop a trial.
“Tell him to come to court tomorrow (today) at 9am without fail. Also, tell him the court is not happy at all. I want him here and I expect him to explain his decision,” Nemadire fumed.
Farai Dziva|Warriors forward Kuda Mahachi says the ‘new look’ team has respect for senior players who are not part of the team, notably Knowledge Musona and Marvelous Nakamba.
The SuperSport United man, who together with defender Alec Mudimu will captain the Warriors in their World Cup 2022 qualifier preliminary round against Somalia over two legs, expressed love and admiration for Musona, who was not named in the squad by Joey Antipas.
“We have a new-look team but, remember, we have good players in the country so anyone can play at any given time,’’ Mahachi told The Herald.
“But we respect the likes of Knowledge, Khama (Billiat) and Nakamba (Marvelous), they have other things to focus on at the moment, and others are injured.”
“We respect them, they are still part of us and we love them with all our hearts so we will play this match for them as they are the captains and the senior players.’’ he added.
By Own Correspondent| A Zimbabwean national who has been in the United Kingdom for over a decade has called on the Zimbabwean government to resign saying they have failed their people.
Anna Mwanza who has been a critic of the
Zanu Pf government says the coming in of Emmerson Mnangagwa has not only
worsened the situation but is a threat to future generations.
Speaking from the UK after a demonstration
against a Zimbabwean delegation that was on promotion tour of Zimbabwe Mwanza
said the promotions were in vain.
“The situation of Zimbabweans continue to
deteriorate and Mnangagwa’s ascendancy to power did not only worsen it but is
also a threat to future generations. They continue to abuse tax payers monies
coming here to promote Zimbabwe, who would want to associate with a tainted
regime” she said
Mwanza said instead of trying to fix the
economy the Mnangagwa administration should resign and give others a chance.
“Mnangagwa and his cronies have failed the
nation and they should not try to fix the economy because they have failed.
They should just resign full stop. Considering that there are heightened cases
of torture and abuse it becomes difficult for citizens to criticise the regime”
Mwanza has been a critic of the Zanu PF
regime since she went to United Kingdom in 2004 and has participated in
demonstrations against the Government.
Of late political activists, comedians and
civic society leaders have been arrested on trumped up charges of trying to
overthrow the Government through unconstitutional means.
Farai Dziva|Warriors caretaker coach Joey Antipas has picked his captain for the 2022 World Cup qualifier against Somalia this evening.
Wales-based defender Alec Mudimu will lead the team while SuperSport winger Kudakwashe Mahachi will deputise him.
Mudimu gets the armband in the absence of the regular skipper Knowledge Musona and his assistants Ovidy Karuru and Danny Phiri who are not part of the squad.
Meanwhile, the Warriors arrived in Djibouti last night and will hold their first training session as a unit this morning.
Farai Dziva|Former Dynamos, CAPS United and Warriors left-back Cephas Chimedza has blasted ZIFA, the Sports and Recreation Comission and Zimbabwe Olympic Committee for letting the Young Warriors travel to South Africa amid xenophobic attacks.
The Rainbow Nation has over the past few days been marred by violent attacks on foreigners, some leading to loss of life but the Tonderai Ndiraya coached U23 side play their South African counterparts at the Orlando Stadium in Soweto tomorrow.
By sending the Young Warriors there, ZIFA claims to have been assured of the squad’s safety by SAFA but Chimedza totally disagrees with the move.
Farai Dziva|The Apostolic Faith Mission has described the High Court ruling as a huge relief to the church.
See the full AFM statement below :
We are excited today to announce to all AFM in Zimbabwe members, to the body of Christ in Zimbabwe and abroad, to all our friends and stakeholders that the long-awaited court judgement has finally been pronounced today this morning the 4th of September 2019 at 10: AM.
Our application to the high court was to seek nullification of the meeting of the 22nd of September 2018 in which Rev Cossam Chiyangwa and his team passed a vote of no confidence on the then AFM in Zimbabwe leadership and we sought the nullification of all the decisions made as a consequence of that vote of no confidence which had been passed.
Their application was to seek legitimacy as the true leadership of the AFM in ZIMBABWE and barring us from representing the church. We would like to announce that for our application judgement was granted in our favour, this means that the high court has declared us the legitimate leadership of AFM in Zimbabwe, they have lost their application with costs.
As AFM in Zimbabwe leadership, we are appealing to the AFM in Zimbabwe members, pastors, elders and deacons and young people to exercise restraint, not to be overwhelmed with excitement and act irresponsibly and in an unchristian manner, we implore you not to take the law into your hands but to allow the due process of the law.
We continue reiterate that, our hands are open for reconciliation, the doors of AFM are open to all those who want to come back to their church. We preach love and peace, we are not for war, hate or victimisation of anyone, rev Cossam Chiyangwa and his team remain our brothers in the Lord.
Farai Dziva|MDC leader Nelson Chmisa wants the police general to punish unruly officers who attacked opposition activists.
Chamisa has vowed to confront police chiefs over the recent spate of abductions and savage beatings of his supporters.
Zanu-PF hardliners are reportedly pushing the police to arrest the youthful MDC leader over remarks he allegedly made during a campaign rally in Glen View on Sunday.
According to The Daily News, Chamisa allegedly warned Mnangagwa that his pursuit of peace did not mean that the opposition could not resort to using firearms in the face of vicious crackdown on his supporters.
ENERGY update: The loss of Unit 5 increased the power deficit to 750 MW After taking into account all available power sources including Day Ahead Market (DAM 100MW.). Unit 4 returns this afternoon & reduces shortfall to 670 MW. Unit 5 return to service period to be determined.
Farai Dziva|Zanu PF hardliners are reportedly pushing for the arrest of youthful MDC leader Nelson Chamisa for allegedly uttering words are likely to cause disharmony.
Chamisa has also vowed to confront police chiefs over the recent spate of abductions and beatings of opposition supporters.
“Zanu-PF hardliners are pushing the police to arrest the youthful MDC leader over remarks he allegedly made during a campaign rally in Glen View on Sunday,” a government source said.
According to The Daily News, Chamisa allegedly warned Emmerson Mnangagwa that his pursuit of peace did not mean that the opposition could not resort to using firearms in the face of vicious crackdown on his supporters.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has appreciated the work done by his administration ever since coming into office towards integrating Zimbabwe internationally and ending two decades of isolation.
Said Mnangagwa:
“We are a country in transition.
Two decades of isolation are behind us, and we are determined to again be active participants in the global family of nations.
We are pursuing a robust and bold economic reform agenda; promoting and protecting private enterprise; eradicating corruption; and enhancing accountability, transparency and good governance.
It is a work in progress, but we are back on the right path!”
Farai Dziva | A senior African National Congress (ANC) official has blamed the United States of America for the “recent flare-up of xenophobia.”
According to SABC News, Secretary-General Ace Magashule has claimed that outside forces are working to divide South Africa and the African continent as a whole.
Addressing Sasco members at the Tshwane University of Technology in Pretoria, Magashule said that the violence taking place in South Africa is not xenophobia but the work of outsiders hell-bent on reversing the country’s successes as a democracy.
“When Africa is united, we will never go to the IMF, we’ll never beg the US. They know that and that’s why they want to play what they did in the past, divide and rule. That’s why even now they are pushing tribalism.”
Wananchi, it is fair to say that the regime of Emmerson Mnangagwa has taken Zimbabweans to depths of excruciating poverty and suffering that has never been experienced before.
Since November 2017, despite the change of language, Zimbabweans have been exposed to the unrelenting overreach of a brutally extractive, totally incompetent, totally clueless and absolutely predatory parasitic group that has sunk Zimbabwe into unfathomable depths of anger, anxiety, exasperation, aggravation and fatalism.
For the thousands of Zimbabwe that naively marched with the military on the 18th of November 2019, (including this Wanachi) none of them ever imagined that after the fall of Robert Mugabe, the situation would rapidly deteriorate and that their socio-economic and political spaces would be so captured and shut down with vigour and determination that has been displayed by Emmerson Mnangagwa and his minions.
The last 22 months, have been a horror story. A nightmare that refuses to go away.
Wananchi, the statistics make frightening reading. 95% of Zimbabweans are unemployed or in the informal economy. 83% of the same, are living in extreme poverty surviving on less than US$0.35 a day.
They survive on “tsaona”, that is to say four leaves of vegetables, a plate of mealie meal and a cork of cooking oil.
But the reality is that the ordinary man and woman is the accident itself. The Wananchi is the “tsaona” a disaster waiting to happen.
To confirm this, life expectancy has lowered to 36, whilst both maternal mortality rates, and infant mortality rates are slowly closing in on the unprecedented 2008 figures.
Hospitals are without medicine, queues are the order of the day, in urban areas shops are full of goods that ordinary persons cannot afford to buy.
Households go for 18 hours without electricity .
Salaries and pensions have been devalued by exchange rate manipulations and rising inflation.
Wananchi, at the epicentre of this crisis is of course politics.
Terrible extractive politics of exclusion, of entitlement and impunity.
It is the regime s stock in trade, that culture of entitlement and impunity that gave birth to the crisis of legitimacy that has arrested Zimbabwe since the coup of November 2017 percolating to the disastrous plebiscite held on the 30th of July 2019.
Therefore the starting point to the interrogation of the Zimbabwean Crisis, must recognise the primacy, of toxic, obnoxious politics and how the same subordinates everything else.
The State has become a prison of the iron clad wall of a certain intolerant, pernicious brand of exclusive and extractive Zimbabwean politics. Put simply it is politics and nothing else but politics.
Beyond legitimacy the country suffers from a crippling and unprecedented economic crisis.
One which is coming less than 10 years after the fire last time in the 2008 melt down. One that has not been seen through a country that has not physically gone to war.
The current crisis, is a crisis of under accumulation, characterised by low or absent productivity, weak aggregate demand and hyper-inflation.
In short, Zimbabwe is in the middle of a recession that is fast tracking itself into an economic depression.
The only thing worse than Zimbabwe’s economic implosion itself is that it is run by a bunch of clueless amateurs , who neither understand, nor care about the depth of the crisis and the suffering of the people.
Zimbabwe sets records every single day.Wrong records and for wrong reasons .
Beyond legitimacy and the economic crisis, the country suffers from an unprecedented, unparalleled and unmitigated, scourge of capture and corruption.
The current regime, has redefined kleptocracy, patronage and patrimonialism. The current regime, has invented its own set of cronyism.
A new blend of Mobutism that makes Mobutu Seseko a toddler, in the art of State Capture.
Since November 2017, with the new re –configuration, the conflation of military, Party and State interest, the country has been subjected to unprecedented looting.
Wananchi, in the past the bulk of corruption and looting, has been carried out outside official government structures mainly through state owned enterprises, tenders, licenses, contracts and illicit financial flows.
The class of 2017 have changed the rules of the game.
Brazenly, the epicentre of looting has become Central Government itself, the Ministry of Finance itself, the gate keeping ministry, has become central and core to the looting of state resources, since 2017.
When the gatekeeper becomes the gate crusher, chaos always reigns.
In 2017 alone, US$2.9 billion was siphoned directly from the Ministry of Finance without any supporting vouchers, outside the Public Finance Management System, outside the Public Finance Management Act, outside Parliament and outside the Budget.
In 2018 US$3.2 billion was again siphoned through the Ministry of Finance without any supporting vouchers, outside the Public Finance Management System, outside the Public Finance Management Act, outside Parliament and outside the Budget.
The 2017 and 2018 Reports of the Auditor General on Appropriation Accounts (particularly on vote 5 that of the Ministry of Finance), makes sad and embarrassing reading .
It’s a horror story, one which puts into shame the great works of the horror master Stephen King.
They abuse billions as if they are dealing with pennies. They have no remorse, they have no shame. They have no elasticity.
In fact Zimbabwe does not need foreign aid. It does not need Overseas Development Assistance All it needs is to stop the haemorrhage.
To plug the deep hole of leakage and looting that have been created at the feeding trough that the Ministry of Finance has become in the last few years.
Wananchi, sadly for the country, those that are at the epicentre of this grant capture of the State are also the ones making decision on a day to day basis.
The country therefore will never move. The country will never reform for decision making and policy making is a prisoner of vested interests
These elites operate through the infrastructure of well oiled cartels run by blue eyed select characters.
They are cartels in Command Agriculture.
There are cartels in the fuel sector.
There are cartels in the banking sector.
There are cartels at the Central Bank that have commodified the USD and making billions form the pararrel market.
There are cartels in the communication sector; there are cartels in the commodity sector in particularly in diamonds, gold chrome and platinum.
There are cartels in State Procurement.
The Country is run by its own perveted versions of Guptas. Vagabonds.
The shocking thing is that common names and common individuals run through this hegemonic, humongous structural scourge of corruption in Zimbabwe.
It is a crude ecosystem of State Capture never seen before .
The truth of the matter Wananchi is that we do not have a government but a bunch of looters in suits that have captured the State.
What we do have is a kakistocracy.
A system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified and most unscrupulous citizens.
Wananchi Zimbabweans do not know what crime they committed to deserve this lot the likes of Emmerson and Mthuli.
However, there are elements of the current regime that do no suit the description and taxonomy of kakistocracy.
This is the rogue and hoodlum element of the current regime.
Since 2017, there has been systematic closure of political space in this country. Since 2017, there has been an unprecedented assault on civil and political rights and human rights abuses.
On the 1st of August 2018, seven people were shot dead in broad daylight by the military.
On the 19th of January 2019 further 19 people were shot in broad daylight. In the same month women were raped, many were abducted, many were tortured.
In the same month more than 2400 activists were arrested and subject to mass trials.
In August of 2019 countrywide peaceful demonstrations were brazenly banned by the regime.
In the week leading to the 16th of August planned demonstrations 18 people were abducted, 7 people were assaulted and heavily beaten up on the 16th of August and 259 people were arrested.
Since then on a day to day basis without exception, there is a story, and indeed a sad story of violence and abuse.
Since Gukurahundi in the 80’s, the Country has never been subjected to the horror and nightmare of murderers, abductions, and imprisonments such as we have seen in the last 22 months.
There has never been such an unprecedented assault on Civic and political rights across the board.
Zimbabwe today is a classical example of what my friend George Ayittey describes as a Vampire State.
One on which there are no systems. Or if there are, they are physically vandalised to suit a narrow few.
One in which the State is captured to serve the interests of a narrow few.
One in which tribalism has become an instrument of exclusion.
A state in which extractive institutions are the order of the day.
Writing on Zimbabwe in their book “Why Nations Fail,” Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson, (the later who will be in Harare in September 2019) writes as follows,
“The economic and political failure in Zimbabwe is yet another manifestation of the iron law of oligarchy – in this instance with the extractive and repressive regime of Ian Smith being replaced by the extractive, corrupt and repressive regime of Robert Mugabe. Mugabe’s fake lottery win in 2000 was then simply tip of a very corrupt and historically shaped iceberg.”
One needs a sequel to this passage. “Mugabe’s extractive corrupt and repressive regime has been replaced by the dangerous, cartel centred extractive corrupt, repressive and murderous regime of Emmerson”
Wananchi Zimbabwe is therefore at the cross.road .
The citizen is suffering.
Month on month inflation is now at 80% and has reached hyperinflation figures.
Whilst annualised inflation which stood officially at 175% in June 2019 , is now in excess of 600% with Zimbabwe slowly sliding toward the embarrassing , 2008 inflation levels.
Not surprisingly the Minister of Finance has banned the publication of the Zimbabwe’s annualised rate of inflation by Zimbabwe’s Statistical Agency, ZimStats .
The hyperinflation is on the backdrop of excessive taxes introduced by the troubled Minister of Finance Mthuli Ncube.
The introduction of a 2% transaction tax in October 2018 was a disaster and a complete disaster that has ensured that Zimbabwe is the most overtaxed country in the world with taxes alone now contributing over 40% of GDP.
The de-dollarisation of the US$ was another disaster not founded on any logical basis except implicit dubious support from the IMF
The country does not have conditions that can sustain the return of its currency.
There is no productivity at all that can back a currency. GDP growth rate in 2019 will be in excess of minus 10%.
Secondly, the country has no reserves at all. The foreign currency reserves of US$350 million or four weeks of import cover that were Ieft in 2013 in the form of Special Drawing Rights at the end of the GNU have all been wiped out.
So Zimbabwe has zero reserves.
Thirdly, the Country has an unfavourable Current account position. Zimbabwe’s current account deficit is more than 15% of its GDP.
Without any meaningful and significant exports, no country can sustain its own currency. Zimbabwe will certainly not be the First.
Lastly and perhaps most importantly, Zimbabwe does not have the political confidence that is necessary to sustain a currency.
As indicated above, Zimbabwe’s core challenge is that of Politics, without a Political Solution to the Country’s challenges, anything else is a waste of time.
However, history has also taught us important lessons. The lesson being that, once a Country has involuntarily dollarized, it is not possible nor easy to do so.
Only Panama in 1904, ever succeeded in doing so.
For currencies are a function of confidence. Once a currency has been caught in fragranto that is the end of the day.
But the real challenge, with Emmerson Mnangagwa’s regime and indeed with his finance Minister, the motor mouth, Mthuli Ncube, is that both operate on the basis of an absent philosophy.
An absent ideology to guide the same.
Economics operates on a set of clear and known principles no matter what ideology anyone follows. However, choices and decisions are made in the context of ideologies.
Government operates on the left, or the right or the centre.
Mnangagwa’s Government lacks an ideological Campus. It lacks an inner soul.
It’s a colourless sobriquet devoid of any theoretical grounding other than a demonic fixation to looting .
If looting was a religion , then this regime and its leaders would be its high priests .The deacons and the Arch Bishops of Looting .
In the absence of a guiding philosophy, governance and economics under Emmerson Mnangagwa has become an eclectic right wing calabash of “kick and rush” economics or more appropriately “kick and hope” governance.
Emmerson’s punch line, Vision 2030 is an empty slogan that has no substance.
A slogan that has been torn apart by the fact that Mthuli Ncube has constantly rebased and revised the country’s GDP which now stands nominally at ZWL$ 42 billion.
With a ZWL$ 42 Billion dollar GDP, it means that nominally the per capita income of every Zimbabwean is now the middle income figure ZWL$ 1800
Thus 11 years before 2030 the country has in fact nominally become a middle
income country.
What a joke.
ZANUPF is tinkering with the economy.
Sadly the IMF is hypocritically aiding in abating the same.
Zimbabwe was never ready for a Staff Monitoring Program (SMP). Therefore it should not have been granted one.
What the IMF needed to do was to insist that Zimbabwe meets its own targets as defined in its own budget statement.
The fact that Zimbabwe has consistently failed to meet its macroeconomic targets , its budget targets and has maintained huge budget deficits since 2014, was proof enough of the fact that Zimbabwe was not ready for an SMP.
The IMF is caught in a hypocrisy trap. A hypocrisy trap that was so brilliantly and recently exposed by Catherine Weaver in her book of the same title.
The hypocrisy trap, and situation in an organisation occurs when there is a huge gap between the ideal, the moral, the correct and the actions on the ground.
In the case of the IMF, its founding documents speak of transparency, financial prudence and macroeconomic stability. But its work over the years, has been to work with despots around the world, the likes of Museveni and others, in cementing dictatorship and opaqueness.
The IMF’s hypocrisy stems from its long tradition of turning a blind eye to the political content of a regime.
In the case of Zimbabwe for 40 years, the IMF has ignored the atrocities happening in the country.
In its staff report of May 2019 for instance the IMF refuses to recognise that there was a military coup in November 2017.
The IMF refuses to acknowledge that there is a political crisis emanating from the stolen election of 2018.It even had the audacity of calling the 2018 election a clean election despite universal condemnation.
Furthermore in the SMP. itself the IMF avoids the issues of real structural reform required by Zimbabwe. This includes the issues of wage reform, parastatal reform, corruption and governance issues.
However, the biggest failure on the part of the IMF is to assume that they can ever be reforms without reformers.
The fact of the matter, is that they can never be reform without reformers.
They are no reformers in ZANU-PF.
Instead there is a group of man and women who have captured the State, and used the State as an arena of personal aggrandizement and primitive accumulation.
Zimbabwe’s decision making matrix, is therefore a prison of structural vested interests and of course the regime survival agenda.
These two twin evils make reforms under ZANU PF impossible.
Wananchi the solutions required in Zimbabwe are thus structural.
Zimbabwe needs a permanent structural solution. Zimbabwe requires a comprehensive package of structural, political, social, legal and economic reforms.
These reforms are a precondition to the holding to a free, fair, credible, legitimate election that will allow the people of Zimbabwe to choose a people’s government, a government of their own choice.
Quite clearly these reforms must be negotiated and agreed upon.
This is the context in which the MDC has been calling for dialogue.
This is the context in which the MDC will continue exercising its right under Section 59 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe in calling for peaceful mass action and protests as permitted and defined by the law.
It is important that Zimbabwean crisis has external referee. It is important that SADC, the African Union the UN and the UN Security Council, provides the necessary international scaffolding to make sure that Zimbabwe has a soft landing.
And it is key for every important stakeholder to understand that the country is in a crisis and that it is heading for an implosion.
An implosion in the form of another military coup or palace coup or an implosion in the form of thousands of dead bodies that will be lie in the streets of Zimbabwe.
Wananchi, the MDC’s call for dialogue is therefore not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of leadership, it’s a sign of responsibility.
Zimbabweans will continue fighting and pushing this rotten kakistocratic regime, this Vampire State until Zimbabwe is a truly democratic country.
A 35 year old Harare man was injured when an unknown object which he picked in his yard exploded whilst in his palm. Investigations are in progress, we urge not to temper with suspicious objects. They should report to the police & allow trained personnel to handle the situation.
By A Correspondent- Justice minister Ziyambi Ziyambi has said public hospital doctors, who have gone on strike over salary grievances, will not be treated as if they were more special than other civil servants as government had already offered all its employees a 76% salary hike.
Ziyambi said this in the National Assembly in response to Harare West MP Joanna Mamombe (MDC Alliance), who asked him what government was doing to resolve the health crisis in the country, given the ongoing doctors’ strike.
“Government is committed to the welfare of all government workers, including doctors, but negotiations have been ongoing and an agreement was reached to increase the wages of all government workers,” Ziyambi said.
“What government cannot do at this stage is to treat one sector with preferences and neglect the others.
“Worldwide, strikes are allowed and you cannot have a prescription to foresee events that will happen to then deal with demonstrations and strikes of a particular sector.”
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya (MDC Alliance) said nurses and doctors had rejected the 76% pay rise.
“Indeed, we deliberated on this issue and the Finance minister (Mthuli Ncube) undertook that by the end of this week, civil servants will get a salary increase to cushion them so that they pay school fees and I believe for some that has already been done,” Ziyambi said.
Mamombe said Ziyambi’s response was not satisfactory as doctors were demanding payment in United States dollars.
“I alluded to the fact that negotiations are on-going,” Ziyambi said.-Newsday
The Zimbabwe Republic Police has made a partial report on the case of a Harare man injured after picking an explosive device at his house. The report is below:
A 35 year old Harare man was injured when an unknown object which he picked in his yard exploded whilst in his palm. Investigations are in progress, we urge not to temper with suspicious objects. They should report to the police & allow trained personnel to handle the situation.
By A Correspondent- Speaker of parliament Jacob Mudenda has lamented the lack of seriousness by legislators to debate motions in the august house despite that the First session of the 9th parliament was about to come to an end.
He said:
“There are about 35 Motions that have not been debated and we are coming towards the end of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament.
Now, this lack of debate on your motions can either mean that we have not created time for them to be debated or we were not serious when we tabled those motions.
In terms of the Standing Orders, these motions may lapse and we may start to reintroduce them again. May I encourage Hon. Members especially the movers of motions to ensure that their motions are debated accordingly because they speak to very important national policies.”
By A Correspondent- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has urged South Africa to use “a bit of force” to bring sanity in the neighbouring country following a recent wave of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals that has so far claimed at least five lives.
Mnangagwa was addressing Zimbabweans domiciled in South Africa during a dinner hosted by the Zimbabwe Diaspora Federation upon his arrival in Cape Town on Tuesday for the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, which started yesterday.
The so-called federation of diasporans were led by Zanu PF youths from Harare, who included national commissar of the youth league, Godfrey Tsenengamu.
The youths were captured on camera chanting slogans in support of Mnangagwa.
The youths could have been deployed to neutralise anti-Mnangagwa protests after some Zimbabweans living in the neighbouring country last week threatened to doorstep him over the deteriorating economic situation back home and violation of human rights.
This followed the ban of MDC protests as well as a spike in abduction and torture cases last month.
Addressing attendees during the dinner, the 76-year-old Zanu PF leader said the South African government should take drastic measures against the perpetrators to contain the situation.
“I have no doubt that the authorities here will not fold their hands. They must bring sanity and to do so, they must apply a bit of force,” Mnangagwa said.
His attendance drew condemnation from certain sections of the country after other countries like Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) snubbed the indaba, allegedly over the xenophobic attacks.
Mnangagwa is known for deploying the army to thwart dissent. About 23 people were killed in two separate protests since last year when soldiers opened fire after being deployed to quell protests organised by the opposition MDC.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- Government has started paying cost of living adjustments (COLA) to civil servants, with health workers becoming the first group to receive their dues Wednesday.
The health workers’ COLA was agreed on after a Health Service Bipartite Negotiating Panel (HSBNP) met on August 28, 2019.
At the meeting, it was also agreed that the COLA be paid to members of the health service with effect from August 1, 2019.
In a statement recently, the Ministry of Health and Child Care said funds have since been released for payment of the COLA, which was disbursed through normal salary payments.
“Government availed resources for the implementation of the agreed Cost of Living Adjustment.
“The Ministry of Health and Child Care confirms that health workers have been paid COLA through the normal salary disbursement channels today (yesterday), the 4th of September 2019,” reads the statement.
Government and civil servants’ representatives agreed on a cost of living adjustment pegged between 55 percent and 76 percent on a sliding scale, which will see the least-paid worker taking home $1 023 per month.
Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi told the National Assembly during the question and answer session yesterday that most civil servants will start getting their increments this week.
Minister Ziyambi is also the leader of Government business in Parliament.
The increments were awarded by Government last month as part of efforts to address the concerns of its workers.-StateMedia
Jane Mlambo| According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), a 61 year old man from Magunje has been arrested for illegal possession of a firearm which he used for hunting wild animals.
The police through Twitter announced that it is a serious offence to keep a firearm and ammunition without a valid permit.
Hunting of wild animals without a permit is an offence.
Watch- Disturbing video as woman hammers husband's girlfriend in the head, invites own daughter to beat up father's side chick.Who is this woman? pic.twitter.com/SoAFJuGbsC
By A Correspondent- A Nigerian airline, Air Peace has volunteered to give Nigerians, who want to travel back from South Africa free flights as from Friday tomorrow, September 6th, unconfirmed reports have claimed.
This follows after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s government on Tuesday summoned South Africa’s envoy and said it would dispatch a delegation to Pretoria to express “deep concern” over attacks on Nigerians in a wave of xenophobic violence.
The decision came after mobs descended on business hubs and townships in various parts of South Africa, looting dozens of shops and torching trucks driven by foreigners in an outburst of anti-migrant anger.
By A Correspondent- Chilling evidence heard in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court about the brutal murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana – known as Nene – inside the Clareinch Post Office has shocked both students, university management and the postal services to their core.
The court heard that the accused confessed to the murder and led police to where her body was dumped. Bawa ordered that the accused’s name and photograph not be published.
Court 4 was packed to capacity by students waiting in great anticipation of hearing news about Nene, who went missing on August 24.
Many were still hopeful and even told court-goers that she was not dead and had come to court to hear what had happened to her. But seconds after prosecutor Nomnikelo Konisi told the court that Mrwetyana was raped and bludgeoned to death with a scale inside the post office, tears welled up in their eyes.
Konisi said: “The student went to the post office to inquire about a parcel but was told by the accused to come back later because the electricity was off at that time. She returned and he was alone at the post office.
“He locked the door, assaulted her and penetrated her vagina and she fought back. When he heard her screaming he took a scale inside the post office and hit her. He then dumped her body in Lingelethu West. Blood was found inside the post office and on his shoe when he was arrested.”
Martie Gilchrist, regional communications manager for the SA Post Office, reacting to the fact that the crime was committed inside a post office, said:
“The SA Post Office is shocked and saddened by the horrible and inhumane act alleged against an employee. It is deplorable and we are embarrassed.
“We send our condolences to the affected family. We are collaborating with the police and wish for the might of the law to take its course.”
UCT said the fact that a young female student had died in such a horrific manner was devastating and shocked the university to its core.
Management added that Nene was a member of the UCT community and that many people in her residence, Roscommon House, in her class and in her faculty had been profoundly affected by this event.
University spokesperson Nombuso Shabalala said:
“The university executive remains deeply distressed by the unacceptable levels of violence against women and the marginalised in South African society on a daily basis.
“The UCT executive will be meeting urgently to discuss how we can commemorate Nene’s life and the many in our society who are affected by violence.”
Meanwhile, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, reacting to the brutal murder said:
“On my own and the Anglican Church’s behalf, my deepest condolences to the family of Uyinene Mrwetyana, her friends and fellow students and staff at UCT.
“May her soul rest in peace. As the father of a daughter at the same institution, I feel this loss especially painfully. Society must rally against the dreadful prevalence of violence against women and children.
“The quick investigation and arrest, in this case, is to be commended.” National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) provincial spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila said so far the accused had not indicated if he was going to apply for bail.
If he did the NPA would oppose it. “One of the reasons the case was postponed is that statements still need to be taken and an identity parade held.
“We are still waiting on the DNA results of the blood found in the post office and in his car,” Ntabazalila said.
The magistrate told the murder accused that the case was postponed to November 5.
At his next appearance, he would not appear in court and the proceedings would be conducted via an audio link.
Nigerian airline, Air Peace have voluntereed to give Nigerians, who want to travel back from South Africa free flights as from Friday tomorrow, September 6th.
This follows after Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s government on Tuesday summoned South Africa’s envoy and said it would dispatch a delegation to Pretoria to express “deep concern” over attacks on Nigerians in a wave of xenophobic violence.
The decision came after mobs descended on business hubs and townships in various parts of South Africa, looting dozens of shops and torching trucks driven by foreigners in an outburst of anti-migrant anger.
The Nigerian news site, Punch, quotes the Airline’s Chief Operating Officer, Mrs Oluwatoyin Olajide, in a letter addressed to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, on Wednesday, urging the Federal Government to facilitate the rescue of stranded Nigerians in South Africa.
Olajide described the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa as an unfortunate event.
She said, “We cannot fold our hands and watch our fellow Nigerians being killed by South Africans.
“To this end, Air Peace is willing to support the Nigerian government‘s effort in this matter by deploying our B777 aircraft immediately to South Africa to evacuate Nigerians back home.”
She said the Federal Government should ask the Nigerian Embassy and the South African Government to rescue stranded Nigerians by transporting them to the airport to enable the airline to evacuate them back to Nigeria.
The Chairman of the airline, Mr Allen Onyema, while sympathising with the Nigerian victims’ families who lost their lives and properties in the attacks, said Air Peace decided to bring back Nigerians in support of the action already taken by the Federal Government.
Onyeama was said to have welcomed the offer and said it would be a relief to the government and Nigerians who might be stranded in South Africa.
By A Correspondent- Flamboyant businessman Wicknell Chivayo has blasted broke Zimbabwean men likening them to pythons that squeeze the life out of ladies.
The briefcase businessman Chivaro said cuddling with a broke man is the same as being squeezed by a python which just takes your life and gives you nothing in return.
ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule says the tension and acts of violence in Gauteng are not xenophobic but are acts of criminality.
He was addressing students at the Tshwane University of Technology’s main campus in Pretoria.
“It is not acts of xenophobia, these are acts of criminality, they are acts of tribal battles. And you think all these things are happening because of xenophobia, that is not the case.
“Criminals are seizing the opportunity to do what they are not supposed to do. That’s why we are saying police must act very harshly against criminals”, said Magashule.
Foreign-owned shops have been looted for days across Gauteng and dozens of people are behind bars.
At least seven people have now been killed in the violence in the province.
