By- Police have rescued a kidnapping victim was rescued in the Gauteng suburb of Mayfield, on the East Rand, during a predawn raid, Thursday.

Police arrested six men, including the owner of the house where the victim was held.

The business owner was kidnapped in the Johannesburg suburb of Jeppe nearly two weeks ago. He has been reunited with his family, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said.

The wife of the homeowner told TimesLIVE Investigations she had no knowledge of the victim being in her home as she had been at a sangoma initiation school for six weeks.

The woman, who cannot be named as this would identify her husband, said she did not know her husband was allegedly part of a kidnapping syndicate. 

“He would come and visit me at the school to drop off money and food for my upkeep, but he never said anything to me. I am shocked and angry,” she said.

The Mayfield, East Rand, house where six men were arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a businessman on January 7. The victim was kept here for several days before being rescued by police. 

Image: Tankiso Makhetha 

She was informed by a community member that police had raided her home. 

Neighbours interviewed by TimesLIVE Investigations on Thursday said the house had been a hub of activity in recent days with a variety of expensive vehicles pulling up regularly.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said they became suspicious of the activity because the owner of the house, who had moved there with his wife two years ago, did not own any vehicles.

According to the neighbour, the police surrounded the house at about 5am on Thursday.

Heavily armed officers scaled the walls and arrested five men inside the house without firing a shot.

When TimesLIVE Investigations arrived at the scene, six suspects were bound and sitting under a tree under police guard while officers gathered evidence at the property.

The businessman, who sources said was an Ethiopian national, was allegedly kidnapped from his vehicle after leaving his business in Jeppe on January 7. According to a source, his vehicle was found abandoned with the ignition still running after he was apparently forced off the road.

Twenty cellphones and three GPS tracking devices were seized, along with five vehicles. 

Image: SAPS 

Among the items seized by police were 20 cellphones and three GPS tracking units.

Police also seized five luxury vehicles, some of which are new:

• a Mercedes-Benz E350;
• a Mercedes-Benz A200;
• a 2023 Mini Cooper Countryman;
• a Toyota Urban Cruiser; and
• a BMW X4.

Mathe said a police contingent comprising various units, led by crime intelligence and organised crime members, had been conducting surveillance on the syndicate and have linked them to more than 16 cases of kidnappings in Gauteng where ransom demands were being made.

She said the team led by the special task force and hostage negotiators conducted operations at various addresses in Gauteng including Jeppe, Helderwyk, Brackenhurst and Daveyton before locating the victim. 

The suspects are expected to appear in court soon on charges of kidnapping and extortion. 

South African police and Interpol members arrested alleged transnational kidnapping kingpin Esmael Nangy earlier this month in Centurion, Gauteng. Nangy, a Mozambican national, is believed to form part of a large Mozambican syndicate behind some of South Africa’s kidnapping and extortion cases.

This piece was written in collaboration with the Henry Nxumalo Foundation.

TimesLIVE

By- British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has been fined for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car while filming a social media video. 

Lancashire Police said it had issued a 42-year-old man from London with a conditional offer of a fixed penalty.

No 10 said Mr Sunak “fully accepts this was a mistake and has apologised”, adding that he would pay the fine.

Passengers caught failing to wear a seat belt when one is available can be fined £100. 

This can increase to £500 if the case goes to court.

The prime minister was in Lancashire when the video was filmed, during a trip across the north of England.

The video – to promote the government’s latest round of “levelling up” spending– was posted on Mr Sunak’s Instagram account.

It is the second time Mr Sunak has received a fixed penalty notice while in government. 

Last April, he was fined along with Boris Johnson and wife Carrie for breaking Covid lockdown rules – by attending a birthday gathering for the then-prime minister in Downing Street in June 2020. 

‘Disregard for the rules’

Fixed penalty notices are a sanction for breaking the law, and mean a fine, which needs to be paid within 28 days, or contested. 

If someone chooses to contest the fine, the police will then review the case and decide whether to withdraw the fine or take the matter to court.

The Liberal Democrats said, in becoming the second ever serving prime minister to be fined by police, he had “shown the same disregard for the rules as Boris Johnson”.

Deputy Lib Dem leader Daisy Cooper said: “From partygate to seatbelt gate, these Conservative politicians are just taking the British people for fools. 

“Whilst they continue to behave as though it’s one rule for them and another for everyone else, this fine is a reminder that the Conservatives eventually get their comeuppance.”

But earlier Conservative MP for Blackpool South Scott Benton suggested Lancashire Police were wasting their time by looking into the incident.

“The vast majority of people would think that politically motivated complaints about a seatbelt are not good use of frontline resources,” he said. 

Passengers aged 14 and over are responsible for ensuring they wear a seat belt in cars, vans and other goods vehicles if one is fitted. Drivers are responsible for passengers under 14.

Exemptions include having a doctor’s certificate for a medical reason, or being in a vehicle used for a police, fire or other rescue service.

-BBC

COMMUNIQUE OF THE CSOs INDABA AHEAD OF ZIMBABWE’S 2023 ELECTIONS

January 17, 2023

On January 17, 2023, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition (CiZC) hosted a Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Indaba on the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) Delimitation Process and the general political environment ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The CSOs Indaba sought to interrogate the technical aspects of the 2023 general elections as well as the general political environment and implications on the credibility of the upcoming polls.

The CSOs Indaba noted the following;

1. Participants noted that while the ZEC delimitation process is fraught with irregularities and remains part of a broader scheme by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) to rig elections in favour of the ruling party, ZANU PF, it remains part of a broader scheme to tilt the electoral environment in favour of ZANU PF
2. ZEC remains captured and continues to work as an appendage of ZANU PF and this points out to discredited elections in 2023. In some areas of the country, there has been a deliberate attempt to frustrate potential voters and a huge number of citizens remain disenfranchised
3. Electoral reforms remain a pipe dream in Zimbabwe with the country’s elections failing to meet guidelines of the African Charter on Elections, Democracy and Governance. Zimbabwe is yet to implement recommendations from previous Electoral Observer Missions including recommendations of the Motlanthe Commission of Inquiry relating to the conduct of credible elections. This points to yet another illegitimate election in 2023 
4. Zimbabwe continues to witness political violence which is being perpetrated by the ruling ZANU PF against the country’s major opposition party, the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) and this has created an uneven playing field with the State making concerted efforts to ban opposition events. Selective application of the law has resulted in ruling party activists perpetrating violence with impunity. Traditional leaders and war veterans continue to openly campaign for ZANU PF while threatening violence against the opposition against the dictates of the constitution
5. Ahead of the 2023 elections, the country continues to witness law fare against opposition activists while law enforcement agents continue to conduct themselves in a partisan manner and this continues to dent the credibility of the 2023 polls
6. The public media remains biased towards the ruling party and this again is against recommendations from previous Election Observer Missions
7. There is a deliberate attempt to undermine, underfund and capture the Independent Commissions which were created to support democracy in Zimbabwe. These include the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission (ZHRC), the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC), the Zimbabwe Gender Commission (ZGC) and the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC). The role of these Commissions to contribute towards credible elections in 2023 has largely been compromised.
8. Issues around access to the voters’ roll point to a deliberate attempt to rig the 2023 elections and expose the collusion between ZEC and ZANU PF

Resolutions and Way Forward

• The CSOs Indaba noted that issues relating to the technical aspects and the general political environment point to yet another flawed election that will certainly fail the credibility test and thus result in yet another legitimacy crisis in Zimbabwe.

• Events currently obtaining on the ground point to yet another bloody election in 2023 and Zimbabwe is not prepared for free, fair and credible polls. There is a deliberate attempt by the State to entrench authoritarianism and move towards a one party state.

• In light of the above-mentioned challenges, the Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition shall continue with mobilization efforts at the grassroots level to empower citizens to demand free, fair and credible polls. This includes ensuring that citizens reject a flawed process with pre-determined outcomes.

• The Coalition shall intensify advocacy campaigns at the regional and international level and this also includes pushing for long-term observer missions ahead of the 2023 elections.

ENDS//

By-Diligent Kgosi Mampuru Prison guards foiled what correctional services suspects would have been a prisoner escape on Tuesday.
National prisons boss Makgothi Samuel Thobakgale said officials on a daily inspection of cells in the maximum prison’s unit A discovered that window grills in a cell had been hacked with a saw, and immediately reported their discovery.
The cell housed two Zimbabwean nationals sentenced in June and July to 17 and 14 years in prison.
Thobakgale said correctional services suspected that the two compromised the window grills to further their escape plot.
He said Emmanuel Muchandizwa is serving 17 years for robbery and being in the country illegally while Thembani Mudau is serving 14 years for housebreaking and robbery.
“I received an incident report – which we receive on a 15-minute interval – that two inmates in unit A, for maximum offenders, had comprised window bars.
“Our officials, who run standard operating procedures such as testing doors, bars and windows, found the damage that could have led to a potential escape.”
Thobakgale did not disagree that the window bars were cut overnight, but alluded to the possibility that wardens and a member of the public “using visitation hours” were party to the plot.
“The investigation would reveal more,” he said, adding that after the discovery of the cut bars “six blades were located” in the cell.

National prisons boss Makgothi Thobakgale and his officials visit Kgosi Mampuru prison on Wednesday.
He said the inmates confessed that the “contraband blades were planted in sneakers and brought in from outside”.
He said normally the inspection is by different officials on a shift basis.
“This is the reason why we sometimes witness escapes.”
He said some wardens had been caught assisting prisoners before and disciplined, often their employment was terminated.
“Some wardens do not carry out their duties, however, the officials that were on duty [on Tuesday] did what they were expected to do, which led to the discovery of the tampered-with infrastructure.”
He said that often visiting relatives aided prison escapes.
“Members of the public, families that come and visit are the ones that also comprise our security systems. We have found contraband such as saws buried in the soles of sneakers, which are items used for escapes, such as this incident.”
Thobakgale said the department would intensify inmate and visitor searches and appealed to visitors to allow this thorough search, and for patience.
He said the two inmates were being monitored post their attempted escape and further offences would be added to their criminal record.
“They are in prison for rehabilitation programmes and their sentence plans will be looked at again.”
He said a police investigation was underway to uncover what led to the potential escape and tampering with government infrastructure.
He said the correctional services would look at employing more warders as the inmate population increased.

“We have 156 000 inmates in our correctional centres, an increase from 151 000 in November 2022.”
He said correctional services processes were slow, but 3 000 officials were currently being recruited.
He said currently fewer than 40 000 officials manned prisons.
“Of the 40 000, a quarter is looking at challenges of escapes, so we need more capacity to be able to foil escapes.”
He said one of the problems at correctional services was infrastructure, but applauded the officials who foiled the potential escape for a job well done.

Pretoria Rekord

By- A group of angry ANC members in the Free State province has disrupted the party’s elective, forcing the halt of the registration process.

Provincial ANC interim provincial committee (IPC) spokesperson Oupa Khoabane said: “Registration for the conference has temporarily been suspended. Notification will be made once the time for resumption has been concluded.”

TimesLIVE previously reported that last year the Free State and Western Cape were the only two provinces that could not convene their conferences before the party’s national conference last month.

The countless delays in the Free State were credited to clashes between branches still beholden to former Free State strongman Ace Magashule and branches pushing the renewal agenda.

National executive committee member David Mahlobo said he was in a meeting dealing with the issues that had led to the temporary suspension of the conference.

Earlier on Friday, Mahlobo conceded that the lead-up to the conference had not been smooth.

“We know that the structures in this province had to be reconstituted from scratch from branch, regional and until this provincial level where we are at. We are satisfied by the work of the IPC that they have done in terms of putting interim committees in branches and all of these branches now have proper structures in place. But the road has not been smooth or easy,” he said.

“There are a number of instances in a number of regions where there are claims and allegations of parallel branches. The other allegation being made is the tampering with the delegates that are supposed to attend the conference.

“We need to indicate that there has been a credentials committee that the IPC has worked with, our team of officials in head office and NEC members including Dina Pule, Pinky Kekana and Mzwandile Masina. They have dealt with all the branches which had those issues and we are satisfied that these matters have been dealt with to our satisfaction.”

Mahlobo added: “We had planned that we would have done preregistration by yesterday [Thursday] and concluded our registration before lunch today before conference starts, but … there are issues of some people claiming they might have been excluded. But the leadership of the NEC, working with the IPC and regional leaders, are attending to those issues.”

He appealed for the conference to be allowed to continue without disruptions.

“We want comrades to avoid confrontation and conflict. Nobody is going to be left behind. Legitimate people who are supposed to attend conference will attend.”

TimesLIVE

By-Former ZBC Television presenter and news anchor Oscar Pambuka has been jailed for six years for fraud.

Pambuka and former Highfield Member of Parliament Psychology Maziwisa were last year convicted of fraud and were supposed to go to jail for two years and six months each but instead, “they disappeared,” The Herald reported.
Pambuka was this week convicted in another case of fraud and remanded in custody for sentencing while Maziwisa has not been accounted for and is still on a warrant of arrest.
The courts activated Pambuka’s warrant of arrest following his conviction at Mbare magistrates’ court. He was yesterday brought before High Court judge Justice Pisirayi Kwenda for a default inquiry and was committed to prison.
Pambuka and Maziwisa were initially convicted of two counts of fraud and each sentenced to six years and five months in prison.
However, they will only serve two years and six months each after the rest of the term was conditionally suspended.
What happened:
i). They were fraudulently awarded a tender to do public relations work for ZESA Holdings by former Energy minister Samuel Undenge at a time the power utility had its own functional public relations department. ZESA’s subsidiary, the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC), lost over US$12 000 in that deal.
ii). Pambuka attempted to defraud a Harare-based transporter of R36 000 after misrepresenting to him that he was Croco Motors director Mr Chingwena and wanted advance money to pay for shipment of his motor spare parts in South Africa. He was found guilty in this case on Wednesday.
Pambuka’s alleged accomplices, Ngonidzashe Mbauya and Elmore Mwenye, were cleared and acquitted of the charges.

The Zimbabwe electronic commission has announced the dates for the 2023 elections.

The detail was revealed by ZEC’s Chairperson Priscilla Chigumba on Friday morning. She declared the dates while receiving Parliament’s delimitation report recommendations.

ZANU PF President Emmerson Mnangagwa said he will hand over his submissions next week.
“I am handing this report which I received yesterday from Parliament, they have gone further to compile debate in Parliament which will give you an insight into the report. These are only Parliament views, but I will present mine on Monday,” he said.

Justice Priscilla Chigumba said the commission will deliberate on the recommendations.

‘‘We will gather as a commission to look at all recommendations and look at those that we can accede to and those we can’t accede to and we will compile our own report for His Excellency, the President and state our reasons for acceding to some recommendations and not acceding to others. We are going to take a look at all recommendations. In terms of timelines, the next election is likely to be between 26 July and 24 August, so that means we ought to be able to gazette the final delimitation report sometime end of January or Mid-February,” she said.

Justice Chigumba explained the plus or minus 20 percent distribution on constituencies and wards.

“The constitution provides us with a mathematical formula to keep 210 constituencies. This is the first time that ZEC is delimitating wards as well, and the last time it was done by the local government. In order to delimit wards, the way which we interpret the constitution is that the plus or minus 20 percent is the discretion of the Commission,” she said.

According to the constitution, ZEC must hand over the final delimitation report to President Mnangagwa for gazetting six months before the elections.- state media/ additional reporting

By- Police have rescued a kidnapping victim was rescued in the Gauteng suburb of Mayfield, on the East Rand, during a predawn raid, Thursday.

Police arrested six men, including the owner of the house where the victim was held.

The business owner was kidnapped in the Johannesburg suburb of Jeppe nearly two weeks ago. He has been reunited with his family, police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said.

The wife of the homeowner told TimesLIVE Investigations she had no knowledge of the victim being in her home as she had been at a sangoma initiation school for six weeks.

The woman, who cannot be named as this would identify her husband, said she did not know her husband was allegedly part of a kidnapping syndicate. 

“He would come and visit me at the school to drop off money and food for my upkeep, but he never said anything to me. I am shocked and angry,” she said.

The Mayfield, East Rand, house where six men were arrested in connection with the kidnapping of a businessman on January 7. The victim was kept here for several days before being rescued by police. 

She was informed by a community member that police had raided her home. 

Neighbours interviewed by TimesLIVE Investigations on Thursday said the house had been a hub of activity in recent days with a variety of expensive vehicles pulling up regularly.

A neighbour, who asked not to be named, said they became suspicious of the activity because the owner of the house, who had moved there with his wife two years ago, did not own any vehicles.

According to the neighbour, the police surrounded the house at about 5am on Thursday.

Heavily armed officers scaled the walls and arrested five men inside the house without firing a shot.

When TimesLIVE Investigations arrived at the scene, six suspects were bound and sitting under a tree under police guard while officers gathered evidence at the property.

The businessman, who sources said was an Ethiopian national, was allegedly kidnapped from his vehicle after leaving his business in Jeppe on January 7. According to a source, his vehicle was found abandoned with the ignition still running after he was apparently forced off the road.

Twenty cellphones and three GPS tracking devices were seized, along with five vehicles. 

Image: SAPS 

Among the items seized by police were 20 cellphones and three GPS tracking units.

Police also seized five luxury vehicles, some of which are new:

• a Mercedes-Benz E350;
• a Mercedes-Benz A200;
• a 2023 Mini Cooper Countryman;
• a Toyota Urban Cruiser; and
• a BMW X4.

Mathe said a police contingent comprising various units, led by crime intelligence and organised crime members, had been conducting surveillance on the syndicate and have linked them to more than 16 cases of kidnappings in Gauteng where ransom demands were being made.

She said the team led by the special task force and hostage negotiators conducted operations at various addresses in Gauteng including Jeppe, Helderwyk, Brackenhurst and Daveyton before locating the victim. 

The suspects are expected to appear in court soon on charges of kidnapping and extortion. 

South African police and Interpol members arrested alleged transnational kidnapping kingpin Esmael Nangy earlier this month in Centurion, Gauteng. Nangy, a Mozambican national, is believed to form part of a large Mozambican syndicate behind some of South Africa’s kidnapping and extortion cases.

This piece was written in collaboration with the Henry Nxumalo Foundation.

TimesLIVE

By A Correspondent- A seven year old girl from Zezani area in Beitbridge was rɑpǝd by a stranger while on her way from school in the company of her friend.

The two girls were walking along a path that passes through a bushy area when the man who was holding a stick appeared and threatened them.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the incident which occurred on January 18 in Zezani area.

“I can confirm that we recorded a rɑpǝ incident involving a seven-year-old girl. The girl was on her way from school walking with her friend.

As they were passing through a bushy area, they met the suspect who was holding a stone in his hand. He threatened the two girls and one of them managed to flee.”

“The suspect grabbed the complainant by the arm and dragged her into the bushes and rɑpǝd her before fleeing the scene. The matter was reported to the police,” she said.

By- The Constitutional Court has refused to hear on an urgent basis an application challenging the flawed Zimbabwe Electoral Commission delimitation report.

The challenge was lodged by a Harare man Mr Tonderai Chidawu who approached the court to order the restart and to invalidate processes that took place in Parliament since the preliminary delimitation report was tabled on January 6 for lack of compliance with the Constitution.
Parliament yesterday handed over to President Mnangagwa its report on the preliminary delimitation report produced by the electoral commission last month in line with provisions of the Constitution.
The parliamentary report was produced by an all-party ad-hoc committee established by Parliament to analyse the preliminary delimitation report and also contained submissions by legislators during debate. It was approved by the National Assembly and the Senate.
President Mnangagwa is today expected to hand over this report to ZEC to consider issues raised by Parliament as required by law.
Speaking to journalists after a chamber hearing yesterday, Professor Lovemore Madhuku, who is representing Mr Chidawu confirmed the court ruling.
“The Chief Justice (Luke Malaba) has ruled that the matter should proceed as an ordinary court application because at this stage it will be premature for the court to determine the matter,” he said.
He said the application was meant to put Parliament on the spot for failure to fulfil its constitutional obligation.
Prof Madhuku said his client furnished Parliament with copies of documents alleging that the report which was submitted to be tabled in Parliament was not a report of the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission but by a portion of the ZEC, the chair and deputy chair, but Parliament went on to debate the report.
“That is the allegation and he (Chidawu) wants Parliament to investigate that but refused and proceeded to debate the report and they took their results to the President,” he said.
“By failing to investigate my client is saying that it’s a failure to fulfil the constitutional obligation to bring state institutions to account.”
Prof Madhuku added that if the issue raised by his client was determined in his favour it would mean that all the processes that Parliament undertook and everything that followed would be null and void. Prof Madhuku said they were also calling ZEC to do a delimitation which involves all commissioners.
Mr Chidawu’s application contained affidavits from two ZEC commissioners. He alleges that the preliminary report was not approved by seven of the nine ZEC commissioners hence should not have been sent to the President.
Parliament debated the draft delimitation report and yesterday handed its recommendations to President Mnangagwa for onward transmission to ZEC which will now have to produce a final delimitation report.
In terms of the Constitution, the delimitation of constituency boundaries must be done at least six months before the elections.
In the event that it is completed less than six months to an election, the delimitation report cannot be considered for that election but a future election.

By- The former MDC vice president, Elias Mudzuri, and six other party members suspended by the party leader, Douglas Mwonzora, have fought back.

These officials were suspended over several alleged offences and are saying their removal was unlawful, raising more doubts.

The opposition suspended Mudzuri, Norest Marara, Gift Konjana, John Nyika, Den Moyo, Edwin Dzambara, and Edwin Kakora on Monday for allegedly breaking party rules, having illegal meetings, and undermining the democratic procedures of the organisation.

The seven argued in an internal memo submitted to the party’s national chairperson Solomon Chikohwero that the Mwonzora camp’s suspension of them was unlawful. They also vowed to continue carrying out their party obligations.

They cited sections of the MDC constitution that state that the president and national chairperson are elected in a congress, therefore, since there was no congress, the party’s presidency, national chairperson, and standing committee positions were all vacant. Read the memo seen by ZimLive:

As per 6.4.4.1 of the MDC Constitution, The President and National Chairman of the party together with the rest of the Standing Committee office bearers shall be elected at Congress.

Since no congress has been held according to the tenets of the party constitution, the offices stipulated in 6.4.4.1 are deemed to remain vacant.

Any individual seeking to usurp powers vested in 6.4.4.1 is acting ultra-vires the party constitution and any actions, announcements, or representations from such individuals are null and void.

The seven officials, according to MDC spokesperson Witness Dube, were accused of leaking the information to the media in an effort to get unwarranted attention.

Dube claimed that the suspended officials were merely seeking public sympathy because they even considered writing to Chikohwero, who they claim was improperly using his position as party chair. Dube said:

We will not be drawn to argue on our constitution in the media because this is what these attention seekers will derive satisfaction from.

The fact that they recognise a chairperson they consider to have been elected illegally shows that they are only playing to the gallery, and may be afraid of appearing before the disciplinary hearing.

The party will comment after their case has been properly considered in accordance with our constitutional provisions.

Insiders claim that the seven suspended party leaders were unofficially dismissed for criticising Mwonzora’s leadership, and the opposition used the impending disciplinary process as a public relations gimmick.

According to reports, the suspended leaders are currently developing a plan to contest their expulsion and Mwonzora’s authority.

They attribute the party’s unpopularity and dismal performance in last year’s by-elections to Mwonzora’s strategies.

By Farai D Hove | The leader of the state assisted break away MDC T party, Douglas Mwonzora yesterday performed a u turn to suddenly support the National Council institution that appointed his nemesis Nelson Chamisa Acting President of the MDC T in 2018.

Mwonzora’s party was created on the sole basis and accusation that Chamisa should have disobeyed the party’s National Council Resolution that made him Acting President after the death of MDC founder Morgan Tsvangirai.

Mwonzora, who took his own party to court, says he's suspended @EngMudzuri & others for the offence of taking the party to court, & colluding with hostile forces. After opposing the Nat Council that appointed @nelsonchamisa, says their actions were against a Nat Council Resolutio pic.twitter.com/G71Ey1TEUU

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) January 19, 2023

Will he now return the party finances money and the keys to the Harvest House building since he (Mwonzora) has done exactly what he has for years accused his nemesis and former leader Nelson Chamisa of doing- to follow a National Council Resolution?

Speaking to the state owned ZTN broadcaster, Mwonzora defended himself for suspending his compatriots Elias Mudzuri and co, saying:
“I have expelled people from the party for corruption. I’ve expelled people from the party for violence.”

After he was asked by Andy Hodges for clarification on the charges, Mwonzora responded saying: “The charges range from violence and planning violence, number 1. Taking the party to court, number 2. And there is a resolution of the National Council that if you take the party to court, you have expelled yourself, use domestic remedies. Number 3, colluding with forces which are hostile to the MDC, and you will be interested to note that some of these forces are in the opposition; some of these forces are in government, and some of these people were colluding with these people, and number 4, attempting to circumvent a democratic process; we have had a congress, and you have not made it and you want to reverse that, we have domestic remedies. And of course planning a split of the party and some of them planning to form another political party…”

Tinashe Sambiri| Controversial preacher Passion has reduced by the Zanu PF leader Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa to a ghetto youth.

Java is doing as he pleases at State House and many believe the preacher is toying around with Mr Mnangagwa.

The cleric took Nigerian artist D’banj to State House to interact with Mr Mnangagwa.

See below comments on Java’s recent flitartion with Mr Mnangagwa.

MJ Zhou:
“He is not even known and recognised worldwide, only what he knows is to make millions of Zimbabwean people suffer a very useless president.”

Malcolm Moyo:
“ED is slowly becoming Charlie Chaplin the joker.”

Jack Mazivanhanga:

“Ed same same nemasabhuku haana value bhobho ave asinatime nemapenzii.”

Bridet Zulu:

“Zim economy is in the coma already and this man ed should have made some efforts by sharing ideas with likes of Congolese and zambian presidents on how they could improve Zimbabwe him has preferred to be mingling with the stars he used to admire when he was a normal minister, and this does not benefit the people of zim in anyway, mr ed kindly give power to the young and vibrant leaders and they will take care of you as a great leader if you do only that for Africa.”

Fidelis :
“What a humiliation this Java is making our President.”

By- The national chairman of the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM), Retired Reverend Jemitias Chivhenge, has died.

Reverend Chivhenge’s death was announced by the church’s President Amon D. Madawo, who said:

Good evening hama dzagu. It is with a heavy heart that I announce that our National Chairman Rev J Chivhenge has passed on to glory.

Details about his death are still unknown.

He has been the national board chairman of AFM in Zimbabwe since the inception of the amended constitution in 2018.

It’s sad again to announce that we lost Gogo Shumbambiri yesterday. She was the wife of the late Rev Albert Shumbambiri who was a brother to our National Nec Rev Chivhenge.

By- The government has suspended the licenses of Zebra Kiss and Rimbi Travel & Tours following the death of one person in an accident the two buses caused, Wednesday.

 Transport minister Felix Mhona announced the suspension in a statement Thursday.

STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT, HON. F. T. MHONA (MP) ON THE SUSPENSION OF THE LICENCES FOR OPERATION OF ALL OMNIBUSES (BUSES) BY RIMBI TRAVEL AND TOURS (PVT) LTD AND TASHLLYT INVESTMENTS (PVT) LTD TRADING AS ZEBRA KISS

The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has noted with great concern the video circulating on social media, which captures the circumstances leading to the fatal Road Traffic Accident (RTA), that occurred on 17 January 2023 in Mutoko District along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway. The video and circumstances of the accident, which have been verified, involves two passenger transport service vehicles of an omnibus type (commonly referred to as buses) belonging to Rimbi Travel and Tours (Pvt) Ltd and Tashllyt Investments (Pvt) Ltd trading as Zebra Kiss.

Pursuant to the fatal accident, which has so far claimed one life and caused serious injury of many passengers, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development and other actors in the ecosystem of road traffic management, including the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe (TSCZ) and emergency health services has established the component of human error, prohibited by Sections 51, 52 and 53 of the Road Traffic Act [Chapter 13:11] as the principal cause of the accident. Sections 51, 52 and 53 of the Road Traffic Act prohibit driving without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for others, negligent or dangerous driving and reckless driving respectively, which violation is a breach of the terms and conditions of the two operators’ licenses issued for them to operate in Zimbabwe.

Informed by the foregoing violations and verified videographic circumstances, the Commissioner of Road Transport, after informing the two operators of his intention, and after the operators were given a reasonable opportunity to make representations on the matter in terms of Section 17 (2) of the Road Motor Transportation Act [Chapter 13:15], invoked provisions of Section 17 (1) (b) (i) of the same Act and suspended the licences of Rimbi Travel and Tours and Tashllyt Investments Trading as Zebra Kiss from operating all its omnibuses in all the routes as authorised by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development. This suspension is with immediate effect 

pending corrective measures by the two operators to ensure that they are in a position to resume operations without breach of the terms and conditions under which their licenses are issued. Section 17 (1) (b) (i) of the Road Motor Transportation Act empowers the Commissioner of Road Transport to suspend the operator’s license where it appears that there is disregard of the terms and conditions of the licenses. I have directed that this provision be implemented dutifully, consistently and religiously going forward, with the view to weed out all errant operators from our roads. In view of the incessant road fatalities being recorded on our roads, I have taken a bold stance to reduce road carnage as the Minister responsible for administering laws and regulations on road traffic and safety management. This is in line with targets contained in the National Development Strategy (NDS) 1 (2021-2025) which seeks to reduce road accidents and fatalities by a 25% margin per annum. Going forward, we shall build on this momentum of strict enforcement of road motor transportation and safety for the safety and well-being of the people. I wish to remind and warn all Transport Operators, Associations, motorists and members of the public that the Ministry will take stern measures provided by our laws against those who wantonly and blatantly violate road traffic rules and regulations. The safety and security of all commuting public cannot be taken for granted. We will not hesitate to suspend and cancel licenses of operators who violate terms and conditions of such licenses, traffic rules and regulations. We urge all road traffic law enforcement agencies to be on high alert to enforce the road traffic laws and ensure that operators with suspended and cancelled licenses do not ply our roads.

HON. F. T. MHONA (MP) MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT

Tinashe Sambiri|Hard-hitting CCC vice president Hon Tendai Biti has accused Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa of using colonial regime tactics to terrorize citizens.

Mr Mnangagwa is known for his penchant for tormenting political foes.

Hon Biti bemoaned the rampant violation of human rights in Zimbabwe.

See statement below:

Zanu PF govt now outright fascist – our meetings banned, our leaders being jailed.

An overused tool of authoritarian regimes is a dragnet approach where mass arrests of opponents takes place&systematic attacks on all Human Rights Defenders particularly lawyers,journalists & doctors.We are witnessing reincarnation of Smith s Rhodesia 44 years after independence.

We are deeply worried by the physical & mental condition of our detained comrades.

The conditions in Zimbabwe s prisons subject inmates to cruel,degrading treatment& torture.Bail is a constitutional right.Let us respect that.#FreeWiwa #FreeBudiriro26 #JusticeForMoreblessingAli

STATEMENT BY DR EVELYN SENGWE ON JAISON MUVEVI ISSUE

I would like to start by expressing my deepest condolences to the families of the victims. It was an unfortunate incident and its a sad development

Having said that, I believe. Jaison Muvevi is innocent. Muvevi had retired from the CID and was now a businessman, specialising in mining development.

He has been and is contributing to economic development and providing employment to other people. During the time this incident happened, Muvevi was coming from his mine. I was scheduled to later meet him because he had collected money from his mine for a charity programme that I do with him, paying school fees for vulnerable children.

Muvevi had gone for lunch and a misunderstanding arose. As someone who had money on him, he could have thought the people were robbers following him. Muvevi had gone for lunch and not on a shooting spree.

Things went sour when the misunderstandings arose and Muvevi could have thought they were robbers after him.

I take it that Muvevi is innocent and the incident that happened are unfortunate. Mind you, Muvevi is a trained security man, a former CID operative.

You do not just start in the CID. Its actually a merit position with specialised officers. The ZRP has a very serious training programme which has produced excellent personell, Muvevi included.

Hence the actions by Muvevi, a trained CID officer, should have been informed by a reasonable. degree of danger.

I recommend that Muvevi be found innocent but for. him to give each family of the affected victims, 10 cattle and Usd 5 000 per each family.

For anything regarding this case, I am wiling to provide my relevant expertise and those who want anything may contact me.

Regards

Dr Evelyn Sengwe

PHD, Development Studies, International Relations and Policy Management

By-Watch pictures of former CID officer Jaison Muvhevhi leisure pictures before he shot dead three people in Wedza.

By James Gwati- The Zimbabwe Republic police have issued a statement detailing the Mutoko fatal accident involving two buses and a truck.

The accident, caused by two buses racing along the Harare Mutoko highway, claimed one life and left several injured.

Below are the full details issued by the Police.

This memo serves to put on record that:-

1. On the 17th day of January 2023, at around 1620 hours, a fatal road traffic accident occurred at 160 kilometer peg along Harare-Nyamapanda road where one person died and seven were injured.
2. The first party is Akim Chikakaradzo N.R 24-101798B-24 a male adult aged 24 of 143 Borrowdale, Harare. He was driving a Shacman Tipper red in colour registration number ABS 7856 due west towards Harare with no passengers on board. He is a holder of Classes 2, 4 & 5 driver’s licence number to be supplied and issued at Kadoma in 2016. The vehicle is owned by funnyyifeng tiles, Gunhill, Harare
3. The second party is Penyai Misheck NR 07-152163-P-07 a male adult aged 39 of number 12 Elizabeth road Malborough, Harare. He was driving a Yutong bus yellow in colour registration number AGB 2901 due west towards Harare with 23 passengers on board. He is a holder of Class 1 driver’s licence number 27777AH issued at Eastlea in 2019. The bus is owned by Rimbi tours, ………Marlbrough, Harare
4. Upon reaching the 160 kilometer peg, the second party was overtaking the first party and went onto hit the first party’s vehicle loading box and stopped immediately. One person died on the spot and seven were injured.

KILLED: [1]

Jonathan January Nr 85-078597-K-85 a male adult age 20 and address not yet known who was employed as a bus conductor. Next of kin was advised.

INJURED:

1: Lloyd Teni Nr not held a male adult aged 19 address to yet known. He suffered

fractured on both legs and was admitted AT Mutoko Hospital. His condition is

serious

2. Kudakwashe Kanzenza Nr not held a male adult aged unknown of Karonga Village Chief Nyamukoho, Mudzi. He sustained fractured both legs and her condition is serious. He is admitted at Mutoko Hospital. Next of kin was advised.
3. Loveness Chatambura NR 63-521757M 48 a female adult aged 49 of Chatiza village, Chief Chimoyo, Mutoko. She was bleeding from the mouth. Her condition is serious and is admitted at Mutoko hospital
4. Penyai Misheck NR 07-152163-P-07 a male adult aged 39 years of number 12 Elizabeth road Malborough, Harare. He was complaining of painful right hand. His condition is stable. He is admitted at Mutoko Hospital. Next of kin was advised.
5. Awani Mulewa NR not held a female adult aged 49 of Dombodzvuku village, Murewa. She was bleeding from the nose and her condition is stable. She is admitted at Mutoko hospital. Next of kin was advised.
6. Promise Kanjira Nr not held a female adult aged 22 of Murenge Village chief Mangwende, Murewa. She sustained head injuries and her condition is serious. She is admitted at Mutoko hospital. Next of kin was advised.
7. Cleopas Mambara Nr 63-1480348-G-27 a male adult aged 28 of 25 Kafudzamombe road, Mufakose, Harare. He was complaining of chest pains and his condition is stable. He is admitted at Mutoko Hospital. Next of kin was advised.
8. First party’s vehicle sustained a deformed trail board and the second party’s vehicle sustained extensive frontal damages.
9. The body of the deceased was ferried to Mutoko hospital for post mortem while the injured were taken to Mutoko hospital where they were admitted.
10. ZRP Murewa Traffic (Mutoko Base) attended the scene.
11. The vehicles were towed to ZRP Mutoko waiting for VED inspection.
12. Investigations are in progress, ZRP Murewa Traffic RRB number 5125263 refers.

By- Three children from Chivhu in Mashonaland East Province died on Friday, 13 after they had eaten mushrooms.

The three from Range village were identified as Prudence Mhangami (10), Liona Zariro (3), and two-year-old Mazvita Taderera.

Prudence died on admission at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, while Liona and Mazvita died on admission at Chivhu General Hospital.

Family spokesperson Runzi Kanokora (39), told H-Metro that two other minors who also ate the mushroom survived and have since been discharged from Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals. Said Kanokora:

We lost three children after they ate mushrooms they prepared for supper.

Five children ate the mushroom and only two survived after receiving treatment at Parirenyatwa Hospital.

We are burying two of the victims today (yesterday) in Chivhu and the older one will be buried in her father’s rural area tomorrow (today).

The five were staying with their grandfather. On the tragic day, the children picked mushrooms on their way home from school.

Their grandfather prepared sadza which they were going to eat with milk and retired to bed a bit earlier.

The children cooked and ate the mushroom leading to this tragedy.

Tinashe Sambiri
The darkest hour comes before dawn.

This was said by CCC leader President Nelson Chamisa on Wednesday.

President Chamisa’s vision is to turn swords into building trowels.

Below is the CCC leader’s statement on the political crisis in Zimbabwe…

In a New Great ZIMBABWE … we shall turn swords into building trowels, spears into priming hooks,and stones of hate into roses of love &amity.

Hate language and intolerance shall be a thing of the past.Toxicity shall be jettisoned.We will relate with respect & civility.#Onepeople

They are totally innocent. Their only crime is believing in a better, new great country and belonging to CCC. The darkest hour is just before dawn. It’s AM in Zimbabwe..and the sun will surely rise and shineIt shall soon be a beautiful morning in Zimbabwe! #FreeWiwa #FreeThemAll

By-Zimbabwe Republic Police boss, Godwin Matanga, has directed police officers to shoot and kill armed robbers.

Matanga also said that people who possess unregistered firearms should be deemed to be planning to commit serious crimes.

He was speaking at the funeral wake of Inspector Maxwell Hove, who was killed in the line of duty in Hwedza by Jaison Muvevi, a former police officer. Said Matanga:

I wish to categorically state that those with unregistered firearms shall be deemed to have criminal intent.

Furthermore, as police officers, we will not hesitate to shoot to kill all perpetrators of heinous crimes such as armed robbery, which are making society apprehensive.

He said police have also noted with concern an increasing number of unregistered firearms recovered at crime scenes.

In August 2022, President Emmerson Mnangagwa granted a presidential amnesty on the voluntary surrender of firearms and ammunition.

Police assured those who surrendered their firearms that no criminal charges would be preferred against them during the period (8th August to 30th September 2022) as long as they complied with the provisions of the Presidential Amnesty. | The Sunday Mail

By- A 15-year-old Form 3 student at Loreto High School in the Kwekwe District of Midlands Province gave birth to a child in class. 

Others students and her teachers reportedly assisted the student in delivering the baby. 

The headmaster of the school, Brother Phillip Mapiravana, confirmed the incident but did not provide any more information to reporters.

Said Mapiravana:

“Yes, she was enrolled in Form 3 at our school. That is all I can tell at this time; she has since been brought home by her parents in Gweru.” 

Zimbabwe is battling with the issue of underage girls being raped and failing pregnant. Last year alone several young girls, some as young as 9 were reported to have given birth.

Some experts have indicated that the number of girls who are victims to rape and falling pregnant is much higher than reported as some parents and guardians do not report the cases.

| The Chronicle

By- The Police said they would deal decisively with two buses that caused a fatal accident while racing along the Harare-Nyamapanda Road.

The drivers of a Rimbi Tours bus and a Zebra Kiss bus were racing and caused an accident that killed one person and left seven others seriously injured.

This happened after the Rimbi Bus rammed into the truck as the Zebra Kiss bus blocked the road during a race.

Said Asst Comm Paul Nyathi, the ZRP spokesperson:
The Zimbabwe Republic Police is investigating a fatal road traffic accident that occurred at the 160 km peg along Harare- Nyamapanda Road on 17th January 2023 at around 1620 hours where one person died on the spot while seven (07) others were seriously injured.
A driver who was driving a Rimbi Tours, Yutong bus due west towards Harare, with 23 passengers on board rammed into the back of a Shacman Tipper which was travelling in the same direction.
The bus driver was trying to overtake the truck whilst being blocked by a Zebra Kiss bus that was travelling in the same direction.
It is clear that the bus drivers were racing and blocking each other along the road. They were openly putting the lives of passengers in danger.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police implores bus operators to reign in their drivers to ensure that they abide by road rules and regulations.
Operators have a vicarious responsibility to control their drivers and ensure that drivers are not dragged into dangerous and reckless highway races with other buses for passengers.
Drivers are licensed to protect lives on the roads and set good conduct in terms of road safety.
The Police will ensure that the law takes its course on the two bus drivers and the bus companies’ management.

By-A fire that broke out at the Spamprekini informal factory market in Bulawayo scorched a huge section of the place, with scores of traders losing their stock and raw materials.

According to a report by The Chronicle, the fire broke out at 5:45AM. The cause of the fire is not yet known. Some witnesses though said they suspected a gas leak that led to an explosion. The fire was eventually contained by firefighters by mid-morning.

Said one business person:

“We are in deep shock, devastated by what happened here. We have lost everything. Millions of finished products, materials and equipment have been lost.

We appeal to the Government to speedily assist us to get back on our feet,” 

Spamprekini serves as a factory for informal entrepreneurs producing sofas, wardrobes, kitchen units, tables, wooden doors, amoung other things. There has not been any indication of human casualties from the fire.

| The Chronicle

By- Celebrated top television presenter Oscar Pambuka has been convicted of fraud.

Pambuka and his two friends attempted to defraud a Harare-based transporter of R36 000 after misrepresenting to him that he was Mr Chingwena, Croco Motors director, and wanted advance money to pay for shipment of his motor spare parts in South Africa when they appeared at Mbare Magistrates Court.
Pambuka was convicted along with Ngonidzashe Mbauya, who is in the transport business, and Elmore Mwenye on fraud charges.
The trio duped Gibson Mazhangara, who runs Gimatar Logistics.
On November 15 last year, Pambuka, who was masquerading as Croco Motors marketing manager and representing Mr Chingwena, called Mr Mazhangara using a South African number saying they wanted R36 000 as an advance payment for shipping spare parts from South Africa.
He claimed Mr Chingwena was engaged in a meeting.
Pambuka then asked Mr Mazhangara to deposit the money into J Velem Enterprises trading as Ulphostery Trading’s FNB Bank account in South Africa.
He also told Mr Mazhangira that he would receive the equivalent money in United States dollars in the country.
Mr Mazhangira smelt a rat and went to confirm with Croco Motors who indicated that they had no containers of spare parts in South Africa waiting for shipment.
He took the matter to the police leading to the trio’s arrest.
Mbare magistrate Mr Nyasha Vitorini remanded them in custody to tomorrow for sentencing.
Miss Vimbai Makamure appeared for the State.

-Herald

Tinashe Sambiri
The darkest hour comes before dawn.

This was said by CCC leader President Nelson Cbamisa on Wednesday.

President Chamisa’s vision is to turn swords into building trowels.

Below is the CCC leader’s statement on the political crisis in Zimbabwe…

In a New Great ZIMBABWE … we shall turn swords into building trowels, spears into priming hooks,and stones of hate into roses of love &amity.

Hate language and intolerance shall be a thing of the past.Toxicity shall be jettisoned.We will relate with respect & civility.#Onepeople

They are totally innocent. Their only crime is believing in a better, new great country and belonging to CCC. The darkest hour is just before dawn. It’s AM in Zimbabwe..and the sun will surely rise and shineIt shall soon be a beautiful morning in Zimbabwe! #FreeWiwa #FreeThemAll

Tinashe Sambiri
The darkest hour comes before dawn.

This was said by CCC leader President Nelson Cbamisa on Wednesday.

President Chamisa’s vision is to turn swords into building trowels.

Below is the CCC leader’s statement on the political crisis in Zimbabwe…

In a New Great ZIMBABWE … we shall turn swords into building trowels, spears into priming hooks,and stones of hate into roses of love &amity.

Hate language and intolerance shall be a thing of the past.Toxicity shall be jettisoned.We will relate with respect & civility.#Onepeople

They are totally innocent. Their only crime is believing in a better, new great country and belonging to CCC. The darkest hour is just before dawn. It’s AM in Zimbabwe..and the sun will surely rise and shineIt shall soon be a beautiful morning in Zimbabwe! #FreeWiwa #FreeThemAll