Business came to a standstill at Beitbridge Border Post on Wednesday morning when a suspected illegal migrant slipped and fell into the crocodile-infested Limpopo River, while walking on an engineer’s track under the Alfred Beit-Bridge (Old Limpopo Bridge).
The bridge is 540 meters long and the woman fell into the water when she was halfway through around 9am.
Travellers gathered on the New Limpopo Bridge to catch a glimpse of the woman as she laboured to escape from the crocodiles.
The unidentified migrant was among a group of border jumpers heading to South Africa.
Social media was awash with the video of the border jumper walking finding her way through the river to cross to South Africa.
“It was just her lucky day as that place is infested with crocodiles and sometimes hippopotamuses,” said a witness.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe, could not be reached for comment on the matter yesterday.
Meanwhile, in an earlier interview with the state media, Ngoepe said that the South African Police Srvice recently launched a festive season operation named “Zizo Jika Izinto” (Things will change) to combat crimes including illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, smugglers, armed robbers, illegal firearms, and those operating shebeens.
Col Ngoepe said the police hit the ground running from November 16 and that they will continue up to early next year.
Nearly 4 000 people have since been arrested for various offences in Limpopo province.
The people were nabbed for crimes including murder, attempted murder, business and house robberies, rapes and sexual assault, burglaries, assaults, and possession of unlicensed firearms.
A 55-YEAR-OLD Filabusi man went berserk and allegedly axed his wife (34) to death before committing suicide by drinking a pesticide.
Mr Zama Mafu of Sidingimpilo Village under Chief Maduna had a week ago reportedly walked in on his wife, Simelokhuhle Dube, in the couple’s matrimonial bed with one of his neighbours, leading to an altercation.
The couple appeared to have made up, but Mafu allegedly became violent on Tuesday night.
It could not be established if the latest outburst was connected to Dube’s alleged infidelity.
Mafu allegedly viciously axed his wife twice on the head and she is suspected to have died instantly.
Neighbours found her body in a pool of blood in a bush on Wednesday at around 6AM, about 300m from the couple’s homestead.
Neighbours said Mafu could have killed his wife on Tuesday at around 8PM and immediately drank a poisonous dipping chemical.
When police attended the crime scene on Wednesday, they found him home in a critical state and rushed him to Filabusi District Hospital where he died on the same day.
He was not able to explain the motive behind the brutal murder, as he could not speak.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena yesterday decried the violent killing and suicide.
She urged members of the public to be civil when handling domestic disputes.
She said people should learn to engage third parties for counselling and advice whenever they face challenges to avoid intimate partner violence.
Inspector Mangena said Dube’s body was discovered by a villager who was walking to his fields.
“We are investigating a murder case where a 55-year-old Filabusi man axed his wife on December 8 about 300 metres from their homestead.
“When the body was discovered, police were notified and attended the scene and found the woman lying in a pool of blood,” said Insp Mangena.
“Police also observed that Simelokhule Dube had two deep cuts on her head and the axe used in committing the crime was recovered next to her body.”
Insp Mangena said police tracked footprints near the body to Mafu’s homestead.
“We managed to arrest him although we learnt that he had already taken poison in an attempt to take his life. He was already critical and was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital where he died,” she added.
Sources close to the family said the couple led a happy and peaceful life until Dube allegedly cheated and was caught red handed with their neighbour.
Family members were engaged to solve the dispute days ago and the couple resolved to forgive each other before the gory killing.
The incident comes after the country joined the world in commemorating 16 days of Activism Against Gender based Violence which ended yesterday.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect.”-Chronicle
A TEENAGE girl who was doing Form Four at Magwegwe High School committed suicide by taking poison after her mother rebuked her for playing with boys fearing that she would fall pregnant.
A family member who spoke to B-Metro on condition of anonymity as she was not cleared to talk to the media said Penny Mlauzi got worried after she observed unbecoming behaviour from her daughter Nokuzola Lakisha Mkhwananzi (17).
The source went on to say Mlauzi scolded her warning her to stop indulging in sex.
“She got worried after seeing Lakisha playing with different boys in the area.
As a responsible parent she had to step in, strongly warning her to stop playing with boys and indulging in sex as that would result in her falling pregnant. She told her to concentrate on her school work,” said the source.
But it seems the teenage girl did not take kindly to wise counsel from her mother. The source went on to say on 2 December at around 5 am Mlauzi who, is an airtime vendor, left for her vending business.
“She left her with the housemaid aged 19 and went to sell her airtime at Magwegwe terminus. Later on at around 8 am their maid went to bath and left Nokuzola alone. She went to her bedroom where it is believed she gulped 100ml of insecticide. An empty bottle of the insecticide was found in her wardrobe,” said the source.
The maid, the source said, found her lying on the floor frothing from the mouth and unable to speak. She informed a neighbour who called an ambulance but she breathed her last in her hands.
“While she was still conducting first aid on her she breathed her last and the ambulance crew pronounced her dead upon arrival,” said the source.
Her mother reported the matter to the police.
A source close to investigations said the late Nokuzola’s friend revealed that Nokuzola had fallen pregnant. However, she reportedly did not want her mother to know.
“Her friend said the late had tested pregnant and warned her friends that if they disclosed the pregnancy to anyone or her parents she would commit suicide and on countless occasions she had threatened to commit suicide,” said the source.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed: “We urge youths to refrain from engaging in sex but concentrate on preparing for their future. They should shun friends who don’t share the same vision with them. The road to your destiny begins now,” he said.-B-Metro
A man who bust his wife with her boss while getting cosy in a secluded area, is in a prickly situation after he later fled home stark naked when his wife tried to stab him with a pair of scissors while he was sleeping.
Boniface Makoni from Bulawayo’s Killarney suburb reportedly fought off his wife Sarudzai Makoni before he ran naked out of the house in full view of their six-year-old daughter.
Boniface, who is employed as a fitter and turner by a local bakery and now staying at a friend’s house said before the near tragic incident, he found his wife who works at Trek Petroleum Service along Fort Street with her supervisor Shingirai Nyamaropa at a private area in Glengarry suburb.
It is reported that when Boniface bust the two lovebirds following a tip off, Nyamaropa managed to flee from the scene leaving his ‘partner-in-crime’ to face the consequences alone.
This came out at the Bulawayo Civil Court where Sarudzai was seeking a protection order against her husband claiming he was abusing and embarrassing her in front of her bosses.
“I have been married to Boniface Makoni since 2012 and in terms of the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11. My husband is very violent. He physically assaults me. He does all this in front of our six-year-old child and the abuse has left her traumatised.
“We are currently on separation but he sends people to take pictures of the house where I am staying so that he can make duplicate keys and enter the house. I am afraid that he will harm me, as he is also making false accusations while calling me names and coming to my workplace to embarrass me in front of my bosses,” complained Sarudzai.
She begged the court to stop her husband from going to her workplace.
In his counter argument Boniface Makoni said his wife was ashamed of her actions and her application for a protection order was a plot to stop him from using their matrimonial property.
“I am opposed to her application on the grounds that she is my wife.
On 30 June 2020, after a tip-off, I found my wife Sarudzai Makoni parked in a secluded place in Glengarry suburb with Shingirai Nyamaropa with whom she is having a love affair. Unfortunately, Nyamaropa, who happens to be my wife’s supervisor at Trek Petroleum Service, sped off.
“Contrary to her allegations that I am violent, a few days after I bust her with Nyamaropa on 7 July 2020 she is the one who tried to stab me with a pair of scissors.
“While I was sleeping, she stormed into the bedroom holding a sharp pair of scissors intending to stab me. I held onto her hands and asked my daughter to call my neighbour. As she was trying to stab me, I ran out of the house stark naked with my daughter crying,” said Boniface.
He said everyone at his wife’s workplace was aware of Sarudzai and Shingirai’s affair.
“During my absence, she took most of our matrimonial property and went to stay at our newly built house in Hopeville. She is denying me access to that house. In my opinion, the application seeks to restrict me from having access to our matrimonial property we acquired during the subsistence of our 13-year marriage.
“I was the sole breadwinner before she got a job at Trek Petroleum Service Station. This whole application is based on lies. I have never laid a hand on her. She is just ashamed of her actions and is also making efforts to destroy my reputation.
“She just wants to secretly dispose of our matrimonial property,” fumed Boniface. Sarudzai hit back saying whenever they had a misunderstanding, Boniface took the child with him and threatened to commit suicide with her.
In a bid to save the two parties’ marriage which is now on the verge of collapse, presiding magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu referred them for counselling and they are expected to come back to court on 8 January 2021.-B-Metro
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has criticised the government for making nurses apologise for the industrial action they embarked on over poor salaries and working conditions.
ZINA president, Enock Dongo issued a statement saying the government violated both Zimbabwean and intentional laws to satisfy their interests. He said:
As ZINA we have been left dismayed by the attitude shown by the government of Zimbabwe towards nurses. The attitude is not only in contempt of court but it is also grossly unjust, with the conduct being to coerce nurses into submission to unlawful directives.
It is an undeniable fact that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association took government to court twice in the last month. On both occasions, the High Court ruled that nurses were correct and were entitled as a matter of right to continue with the flexible working hour system. Both judgments are a matter of public record under case numbers HC6507/20 and HC7099/20. Having seen that the courts have declared them wrong, it has now become evidently clear that the government sees itself as if it is above the law. This is the only conclusion to be derived from the actions of a government that ignores two clear court orders.
This happened at Harare hospital on Monday the 7th of November 2020 and currently, nurses at United Bulawayo Hospital are being asked to write apology letters. All this is being done because government can simply ignore a court order if it wants.
State media on its part, instead of reporting the true outcome of the court cases, has been referring to nurses as “defiant” whilst calling ZINA “misleading”. All this has no factual or legal basis and amounts to misleading the nation on the true state of affairs regards the dispute between nurses and government. What they omit to state is that before taking government to court and even after both judgments came out, we have written to government to meet so that we can resolve this issue amicably but on all occassions we have not even received the courtesy of a response.
Dongo said the government should be the one apologising to the nurses for acting in a manner which the court said was incorrect.
He added that the employer should pay nurses their salaries as ordered by the court “rather than put its own conditions on things.” – Health Times
Today marks the 72nd anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights the global roadmap for protecting the social, economic, political and cultural rights of every individual.
2020 has been a difficult year for the world, and for Zimbabwe. The devastating impacts of COVID-19 pandemic have been felt by every country.
That is why the theme for this year is: “Recover Better: Stand Up for Human Rights.
It focuses on the need to build back better by using human rights and the Universal Declaration for Human Rights as the roadmap for the recovery efforts.
Although COVID-19 is a public health issue, the measures designed to halt the spread often have adversely impacted the whole spectrum of human rights – civil, political, economic and social rights.
And very often, it is the people who are already vulnerable that are most affected. The pandemic has also eroded the hard-won achievements on gender equality.
The negative impact of the pandemic range from the heightened risk of gender-based violence; unmet needs for sexual and reproductive health rights to loss of jobs, livelihoods, access to education and increased burden of unpaid care work.
For example, we know that due to school closures, 4.6 million learners in Zimbabwe could not enjoy their right to education. Service delivery has been impacted and many – especially in the informal economy – have found it hard to make ends meet.
The UN has worked with the Government and partners to address not only the immediate public health challenges, but also to support innovative ways to mitigate against the secondary impacts of the pandemic.
Support provided includes access to learning through online and radio lessons, support to delivery of health services, water and sanitation, food, nutrition and psychosocial and protection services.
The UN has also supported partners to ensure access to services for women and girls affected by gender-based violence and for women to access safe market spaces to continue their livelihoods.
The pandemic is a human tragedy, but at the same time it presents us with an opportunity we cannot miss – an opportunity to make human societies more equal as envisioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. To build back better and more inclusively.
Efforts to address and recover from the impact of COVID-19 will be sustainable only if they simultaneously address inequalities through advancing universal social protection, including universal health coverage, and protect the environment for current and future generations.
That is why, going forward, as the UN Secretary-General said, people and their rights must be front and centre of the response and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.
President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.
“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…
Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.
Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.
Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.
President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.
“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…
Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.
Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.
Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.
In a separate statement President Chamisa denounced the demolition of houses in Harare:
“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and an attack and assault on the dignity & security of persons.
This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!
EndtheDemolitions.”
I’m in Budiriro..Heavy downpours here in Budiriro where some families are exposed and suffering after their houses were arbitrarily demolished by authorities…This cruelty and heartlessness is unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/5i11FPdy07
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has pointed out that Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is wholly responsible for the demolition of houses in Budiriro, Harare.
In a statement, MDC Alliance described the Harare demolitions as a heartless act.
Read full statement below :
HARARE DEMOLITIONS: A HEARTLESS ACT
The MDC Alliance condemns the callous, disproportionate demolitions of homes that are currently being carried out by Central Government, in particular the Ministry of Local Government – Mr July Moyo, the Provincial Minister – Mr Oliver Chidawu and the Provincial Development Co-ordinator – Mr Tafadzwa Muguti.
The demolitions have resulted in people losing their homes, savings and their only available shelter in the middle of the rainy season.
Families with young children, the old and the infirm have been rendered homeless by this heartless act.
Before his arrest two weeks ago, the Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume ordered a stop to all demolitions.
He protested against the grossly unreasonable timing of the demolitions and in view of the wet season and the ongoing Covid19 pandemic.
He stated that the execution of any court orders held by Council should be carried out in a humane manner and that Council should weigh in favour of regularizing settlements as opposed to destroying them.
We are of the firm view that most of the houses being destroyed can be regularized and should therefore not be destroyed.
At the centre of the crisis are Zanu PF land barons and illegal co-operatives whose corrupt conduct has led to the arbitrary allocation of land in a manner that does not comply with council by-laws.
The current demolitions have been triggered by Zanu PF in-fighting where urban land is being used as an election tool as well as a sword against those who have fallen out of favour with the system.
Unsuspecting members of the public and bona fide buyers who have been duped by the land barons and are left to bear the brunt of the illegality.
Additionally, it is reported that the Provincial Minister for Harare, Mr Oliver Chidawu has an interest in the demolition of houses because a large section of the land which the Zanu PF land barons and co-operatives raided belongs to him.
The Provincial Minister took advantage of the absence of the Mayor over the last fortnight to push council staff to execute the demolitions.
We demand an immediate end to the demolitions as they are anti-poor and their timing is causing untold suffering and indignity to people who are already victims of corrupt land barons. We further demand and end to Central Government interference in the affairs of the City of Harare.
The Harare Provincial Minstry must stop giving unlawful instructions to council staff, particularly when this causes loss and harm to the people whom council are meant to serve.
We call for the urgent implementation of the devolution clauses in the Constitution and reform to the Urban Councils Act to enable local authorities to serve the people without interference from Central Government.
Women councillors across Zimbabwe are a minority in local authorities and have suggested to Emmerson Mnangagwa, who agreed to “panel beat” democracy, that systems be put in place to ensure at least 30 percent of all local government councillors are women.
The women councillors made their case during the inaugural Zimbabwe Local Government Association of Zimbabwe (Zilga) women councillors’ indaba, which was held under the banner of “Women in Local Government Forum” (WILGF) in Victoria Falls yesterday, and with President Mnangagwa officiating.
WILGF Midlands chapter president, Councillor Idirashe Dongo, said women wanted to see something closer to the constitutional ideal of gender equality and there was a need for a sustainable way to attain equality in terms of decision making in local government.
Women councillors said their participation at all levels of decision making is critical for the development of the country as local government plays a fundamental role in the day-to-day lives of women, the elderly, youth and men by virtue of being closest to the general populace.
“Women’s representation at the local level is thus critical for prioritising women’s practical and development needs as well as localising the Sustainable Development Goals through policy decisions on education, primary healthcare, water and sanitation, transport and a host of other services,” said Cllr Dongo.
“Our key concern is the underrepresentation of women in local government in Zimbabwe despite the constitutional provisions under Section 17 on gender balance. Accordingly women in local government forum is appealing to you, Your Excellency, for consideration of our key concern. The same provision of extending a quota in the National Assembly be extended to local government with a 30 percent quota.”
Emmerson Mnangagwa said local government is the bedrock of national governance as has accepted the WILGF argument.
He said it was necessary to consider extending the women’s quota to councils, urging women councillors to equally develop and implement concrete strategies to realise their objectives.
“You are advocating for an improvement in your representation at local government level. We fought for democracy and there was a lot of sacrifice by the girl child and boy child for us to achieve that democracy. Currently councillors are elected on the basis of that democracy,” he said.
“You are now asking me to panel-beat democracy in order to meet our needs rather than our needs to be met through plain democracy. Fortunately, I am in agreement with you, and that is granted, and I will ask the Minister of Local Government to begin the process,” said the President to a thunderous applause from the councillors.
Mnangagwa said local government entities play a role in the country’s governance structures at local community level.
“The most critical level of government is the local government entities which run our communities at local level. Local authorities are the bedrock of State power. So I would not have made a mistake to abuse that State power . . . because we have applied this (women quota system) in the National Assembly, where we agreed as political parties that we should comply with the African Union Charter as well as the Sadc Charter which requires member States to progress towards a 50-50 gender parity,” he said.
Mnangagwa said the setting up of public institutions such as the Gender Commission and the Women Micro Finance Bank as well as the domestication of international conventions and protocols on women issues are some of the interventions Zimbabwe has made to achieve women empowerment.
But he noted that there have been fewer women councillors in recent years and deliberate efforts should be made to reverse the trend.
“Going forward, it is at such forums that you should invite ministries such as Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement and of Mines and Mining Development among others to unpack and explain broad economic policies that propel development and improved standard of life for our people.
“The Second Republic is about action, and those issues that put bread and butter on the tables of our people,” he said.
Mnangagwa appeared to stress the need to widen democratic space through increasing women participation in decision making processes. In doing so, it was important for women forums to develop and implement concrete strategies for the realisation of those objectives.
“These strategies must take into account the present realities of demography, geographical spread as well as socio-economic status and education levels of women. As women leaders, it is important that you introspect and reflect on the factors that militate against the involvement and advancement of women in decision making,” he said.
Mnangagwa said the first past-the-post electoral system led to less women in Parliament and within local authorities. He said under the Second Republic, his Government stood ready to consider options and proposals that will see the inclusion of more women in decision making bodies.
He agreed that women and girls bear the brunt of poor service delivery by local authorities.
Mnangagwa said riding on the successes of the Transitional Stabilisation Programme, Government continues to strike the balance between women empowerment, emancipation and economic growth.
Mnangagwa said Government is working on a raft of measures to support local authorities with $19,5 billion having been allocated for devolution in the 2021 National Budget. Those funds should translate into the speedy development of social and economic infrastructure in the communities.
“At Central Government level, we have embarked on a vigorous infrastructure development programme with the construction and rehabilitation of major highways, dams and irrigation schemes to push forward economic development. Women and youths must take advantage of the vast employment and empowerment opportunities which are associated with these ongoing national development projects,” said Mnangagwa.
The President said ongoing constructions of major roads create opportunities for councils to respond with equal measure by developing complementing modern world class business facilities, products and services.
“I, thus, urge you to turn your respective councils into local economic development engine-rooms through crafting council resolutions which are in tandem with the national economic focus, drive and vision. In addition, councils must seek stronger collaboration with universities and vocational training centres towards improved service delivery leveraging on the ongoing innovations and inventions as well as technical and entrepreneurial programmes,” he said.
In attendance were Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda and President of the Senate Mabel Chinomona, several Cabinet ministers, the Zilga leadership, the leader of the opposition in Parliament Thokozani Khupe and other delegates.
Local Government Minister July Moyo presented Mnangagwa with a walking stick on behalf of local government while Zilga also gave him a ceramic jar as a gift. -Herald
A 55-year-old Filabusi man went berserk and allegedly axed his wife (34) to death before committing suicide by drinking a pesticide.
Mr Zama Mafu of Sidingimpilo Village under Chief Maduna had a week ago reportedly walked in on his wife, Simelokhuhle Dube, in the couple’s matrimonial bed with one of his neighbours, leading to an altercation.
The couple appeared to have made up, but Mafu allegedly became violent on Tuesday night. It could not be established if the latest outburst was connected to Dube’s alleged infidelity. Mafu allegedly viciously axed his wife twice on the head and she is suspected to have died instantly.
Neighbours found her body in a pool of blood in a bush on Wednesday at around 6AM, about 300m from the couple’s homestead.
Neighbours said Mafu could have killed his wife on Tuesday at around 8PM and immediately drank a poisonous dipping chemical.
When police attended the crime scene on Wednesday, they found him home in a critical state and rushed him to Filabusi District Hospital where he died on the same day. He was not able to explain the motive behind the brutal murder, as he could not speak.
Matabeleland South acting police spokesperson Inspector Loveness Mangena yesterday decried the violent killing and suicide. She urged members of the public to be civil when handling domestic disputes.
She said people should learn to engage third parties for counselling and advice whenever they face challenges to avoid intimate partner violence. Inspector Mangena said Dube’s body was discovered by a villager who was walking to his fields.
“We are investigating a murder case where a 55-year-old Filabusi man axed his wife on December 8 about 300 metres from their homestead.
“When the body was discovered, police were notified and attended the scene and found the woman lying in a pool of blood,” said Insp Mangena.
“Police also observed that Simelokhule Dube had two deep cuts on her head and the axe used in committing the crime was recovered next to her body.” Insp Mangena said police tracked footprints near the body to Mafu’s homestead.
“We managed to arrest him although we learnt that he had already taken poison in an attempt to take his life. He was already critical and was rushed to Filabusi District Hospital where he died,” she added.
Sources close to the family said the couple led a happy and peaceful life until Dube allegedly cheated and was caught red handed with their neighbour.
Family members were engaged to solve the dispute days ago and the couple resolved to forgive each other before the gory killing.
The incident comes after the country joined the world in commemorating 16 days of Activism Against Gender based Violence which ended yesterday.
This year’s commemorations were held under the theme: “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent and Collect.”
Both men and women suffer from GBV but in most cases, it affects women and girls more just like in other countries that have a patriarchal system in society.
GBV does not only comprise physical abuse, rape and attempted rape, but also includes sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, forced early marriage, domestic violence, marital rape, trafficking, female genital mutilation and economic abuse.
Statistics from the Zimbabwe Republic Police indicate that from the period July-September this year, a total of 1 128 cases of rape were reported. During the same period a total of 3 310 cases of domestic violence were also reported.
According to the recently released Stopping Abuse and Female Exploitation (SAFE) Zimbabwe Technical Assistance Facility report produced together with the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, violence against women and girls shot up by 38,5 percent during the first two months of the lockdown (April to May 2020) compared to the preceding two months before the national lockdown (February to March 2020. -Chronicle
Business nearly came to a standstill at Beitbridge Border Post on Wednesday morning when a suspected illegal migrant slipped and fell into the Limpopo River while walking on the “engineer’s track” under the Alfred Beit Bridge (Old Limpopo Bridge).
The bridge is 540 metres long and the woman fell into the water when she was halfway along the bridge at around 9am.
Travellers gathered on the New Limpopo Bridge to catch a glimpse of the woman as she laboured to escape from the crocodile danger zone.
The unidentified migrant was among a group of border jumpers heading to South Africa when the incident occurred. According to one border official, the border jumper managed to swim across to South Africa.
“It was just her lucky day, that place is infested with crocodiles and sometimes hippopotamus,” said the source.
Limpopo police spokesperson Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe could not be reached for comment yesterday. However, he said recently that they had started with festive season operation named ‘Zizo Jika Izinto’ to combat crimes including illegal immigrants, drug peddlers, smugglers, armed robbers, illegal firearms, and those operating shebeens.
Col Ngoepe said the police hit the ground running from November 16 and that they will continue up to early next year.
So far, Col Ngoepe said they had arrested nearly 4 000 people for various offenses in Limpopo Province.
Since the start of the Covid-19 induced lockdowns in South Africa and Zimbabwe in March, illegal migration and smuggling has become rife at crossing points a few metres away from the main port of entry.
Common illegal crossing points are Spillway (500 metres east of border), Dulivhadzimu Gorge (3km west of border) and the railway line at the Old Limpopo Bridge. The police and other security agencies have been carrying out periodic raids at these points.
Chronicle also understands that the Department of Immigration (Beitbridge) has intercepted 313 people from 1 December to date for illegal migration. -Chronicle
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Namibia has described Constantino Chiwenga as a political hypocrite.
The party also accused Chiwenga of abandoning local health facilities to seek medical services out of the country.
Read full statement below :
09 DECEMBER 2020
VICE PRESIDENT CONSTANTINO GUVHEYA CHIWENGA’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND SELFISHNESS UNEARTHED, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA NOTED WITH FURY.
Mdc Alliance Namibia is greatly transfixed by the political hypocrisy and selfishness exhibited in the clueless Zanupf regime.
Barely some few some months after publicly banning health tourism , ailing Chiwenga has been flown out to China for his routine medical check up. After pretending to be objective and sensitive to the financial implications of relying on foreign hospitals for medical services, the desperate Zanupf Vice President and Health Minister declared that government will no longer provide foreign currency to assist cabinet ministers to globe trot hunting medical treatment in sophisticated health facilities in the diaspora.
As an external Mdc Alliance district, we want to castigate this futile attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses by paddling political lies. The nation has to know that Zanupf will never transform its corrupt tendencies.
Moreso, it is quite pathetic and illogical for our Health Minister to abandon his own hospitals which are dilapidated in favour of those in the diaspora because they are well taken care of by the host governments. We would like to urge Zanupf morons to revamp the health fraternity to benefit the general citizenry.
The Health Minister must learn to walk his talk, he must realise that it’s no longer time for political rhetoric but real delivery of his intentions to change the ugly face of our health sector. It is imperative to point out that the sorry state of our hospitals and clinics emanate from the stinking corruption and nepotism practised with impunity. Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo looted US$60 million Covid-19 funds but he was not even detained only to be given 50 000 RTGS as his bail.
The amount could have gone a long way in assisting our people.
Moreover, Moyo Obadiah is walking free as we speak right now. Zanupf leaders must respect the basic human rights which includes basic health care and right to life. They must commence to pay more attention to the sanctity of human life by investing more on renovating the torn and tattered health fraternity to avert unnecessary expenditure by the government through careless financing of hospital bills to Zanupf officials.
Addressing journalists in his capacity as Health Minister, he reluctantly uttered that the state had halted footing the medical bills of all senior government officials in order to maintain the national medical bill. To quote him verbatim he said, “We will not export our patients . We will not make referrals to our patients. Altogether, the export bill was too high and that is what we want to do away with”. This is a clear reflection that some animals are more equal than others and this makes Zimbabwe epitomise “a new Animal Farm” owned by insensitive Zanupf morons where inequality has become a national religion.
To wind up, Mdc Alliance Namibia condemns this selective application of the law with all its organs. Zanupf must begin to respect our national coffers.
Our hospitals are being plundered by greedy and the insatiable appetite for personal egos in a frustrated regime that does not want to ensure the existence of equal health facilities for all. We demand that Chiwenga and his cronies should make sure that the basic health facilities are gotten in the country.
I’m in Budiriro..Heavy downpours here in Budiriro where some families are exposed and suffering after their houses were arbitrarily demolished by authorities…This cruelty and heartlessness is unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/5i11FPdy07
CHIREDZI – Chiredzi residents have vehemently rejected council proposal to buy three new vehicles for senior officials valued at RTGS$20m in the 2021 budget.
The residents warned council that its coffers are going to run dry if the local authority persists on buying the vehicles because residents will immediately stop paying rates.
United Chiredzi Residents and Rate Payers Association (UCHIRRA) advocacy officer Bernard Dachi told a budget consultative meeting held in the lowveld town that residents will not entertain the idea of new vehicles for senior officials.
He said the proposed budget as it stood ignored the plight of the residents and sustained the lofty lifestyles of council officials. He said council must as of now prioritise on service delivery to residents
Chiredzi Town Secretary Charles Muchatukwa told The Mirror that council is going to consider residents’ input when they review the proposed budget.
In the budget, council proposed to buy vehicles for the council chairman, secretary, housing director vehicles at a cost of $4, 5m $8 2m $6, 7m respectively.
The chairman is Gibson Hwende, secretary Charles Muchatukwa and housing director Emily Paradza.
“We are seriously opposed to the acquisition of new vehicles in the face of the current economic situation. This is a waste of resources. If officials go ahead and buy the cars then they are digging their own grave because that’s the last they will get revenue from rate payers,’’ said Dachi.
Dachi also called for the scrapping of the council policy where vehicles are disposed of to senior officials every five years at book value.
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHRRA) chairperson, Jonathan Muusha also said vehicles should only be purchased after the condition that senior managers get them after five years is scrapped.
‘’We have no problems with the purchasing of vehicles but at least council should revise its policy. We want the duration of five years before a car is disposed of to be stretched to seven years and after that the vehicle should be auctioned,’’ said Mupamombe.
“We will consider all your inputs and see what we can do when we review the proposed budget,’’ said Muchatukwa at the meeting.
The father of a 9-year-old boy who was murdered and his head cooked by his uncle on Friday, 4 December 2020 in Matova Village under Chief Zimuto in Masvingo Province has spoken about the hair raising incident.
Trevor Mapxashike (also known as Mapwashike) was killed by his uncle Clever Chitiga (22) who then shaved his head before cooking it.
Chitiga in a cousin to Henry Mapwashike (48), Trevor’s father. Chitiga and Henry’s homesteads are a few metres apart.
Henry had five children and Trevor (9) was his third child and was doing Grade 2 at Matova Primary School. Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday, Henry said:
I almost collapsed, after forcing the door to one of his rooms, open. A trail of blood, which we believed to be my son’s, led us to his head which was being stewed in a big pot.
The door had been locked from inside and I had to gain entry through the window and opened it from inside.
My mother, who accompanied me to Clever’s homestead, used a stick to shove the head so that we could properly see what was in the pot and to our shock, it was my son’s head which was being stewed.
He had shaved it using a broken beer bottle and pounded it with a pestle and mortar.
… [Trevor] was an intelligent and obedient boy. He was left by his mother when he was only eight months old and was staying with my father since I had remarried.
Henry told The Herald that he harboured no hard feelings towards his brother [cousin] for murdering his son. He said:
My only appeal and prayer are for the family to unite and get to the bottom of this because I think there is something behind this.
We need to sit down and cleanse our family because this is strange and bizarre. It’s unheard of.
When I got to Clever’s homestead, he had already fled from the scene after I had asked him if he had seen my son.
I believe there was juju at play because from what I know, Clever never had a history of mental illness.
In fact, his discreetness and the way he tried to conceal evidence of his diabolic act smacks of someone who is mentally stable.
He (Clever) was dull at school and had a history of violence. He once bit off his younger brother’s finger for restraining him from assaulting his nephew and also torched a car that had been left in the custody of his father for safekeeping by a friend.
… I can not eat food, I am still unable to look at cooked meat after what I saw. I am relieved that we were able to bury my son today (yesterday) at Gokomere Mission cemetery.
The pot, which he was using to cook my son’s head, was taken by the police together with the pestle and mortar, which will be used in court.-The Herald
Human Rights Day commemorates the day the General Assembly of the UN adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The UDHR is one of UN’s major achievements as well as the first enunciation of human rights across the world.
Adopted on 10th December 1948, the Declaration stipulates universal values and a shared standard of achievement for everyone in every country.
While the Declaration is not a binding document, it inspired over 60 human rights instruments that today make a common standard of human rights.
It is the most translated document around the globe available in over 500 languages.
2020 Theme: Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights
This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts.
We will reach our common global goals only if we are able to create equal opportunities for all, address the failures exposed and exploited by COVID-19, and apply human rights standards to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.
10 December is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity.
Under UN Human Rights’ generic call to action “Stand Up for Human Rights”, we aim to engage the general public, our partners and the UN family to bolster transformative action and showcase practical and inspirational examples that can contribute to recovering better and fostering more resilient and just societies.-UN
THE bribery trial of ZIFA president Felton Kamambo is likely to attract the wide interest of the football community, including the world governing body FIFA, as the Zimbabwe football leader battles to clear his name on accusations of vote-buying during the 2018 elections.
The ZIFA elections, for a long time, have been marred by such allegations. But this is the first time that a case of this nature has been prosecuted in Zimbabwe.
Interestingly, former president of the association, Phillip Chiyangwa, who lost to Kamambo in the December 2018 ballot, is the complainant and one of the two main witnesses. The other witness is Kamambo’s former campaign manager, Robert Matoka, who played the middleman’s role in the alleged bribery case.
According to Article 27.1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, which deals with issues to do with bribery, both the giver and receiver of the bribe are equally liable for the offence.
FIFA, a body that has also been tainted by allegations of corruption over the years, are clear in their statutes that they do not condone such practices.
“Persons bound by this code shall not accept, give, offer, promise, receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other advantage in order to obtain or retain business or any other improper advantage to or from anyone within or outside FIFA,” reads Article 27.1 of the FIFA statutes.
“Such acts are prohibited regardless of whether carried out directly or indirectly through, or in conjunction with, third parties.
“In particular, persons bound by this Code shall not accept, give, offer, promise, receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other advantage for the execution or omission of an act that is related to their official activities and is contrary to their duties or falls within their discretion.”
Kamambo, who has always maintained his innocence, is accused of bribing about 32 councillors to vote for him at the last election that ushered him into office two years ago. He got 35 votes to Chiyangwa’s 24.
The COSAFA boss withdrew from a possible second round, handing Kamambo victory, after the first round had failed to settle the contest.
Kamambo had won more votes in the first round but failed to secure enough backing, according to the ZIFA constitution, to win the contest without the need for a second round.
Bribery charges were brought up by Kamambo’s estranged election manager Matoka earlier this year and the Police Commercial Crimes Unit acted swiftly.
The duo fell out after the elections and Matoka claimed Kamambo could have used unorthodox means, including bribing the electorate, to win the watershed elections.-The Herald
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened online applications for 2021 Form One boarding places.
The Electronic Ministry’s Application Platform (Emap) for Form One boarding enrolment opened on Monday and will run up to January 31.
Parents can now start applying online for their children.
According to the ministry, there are 262 boarding schools with a total capacity to accommodate 320 students. The Emap platform has had its share of headaches and like most platforms which experience huge traffic once a year. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director of communication Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed that Emap had been opened.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened the electronic platform for enrolling Form 1 boarding places for 2021. Parents and guardians who wish to send their children to boarding schools are advised to start applying through the platform www.emap.co.zw with effect from Monday 7 December 2020 to January 31, 2021,” he said.
“An applicant who has been offered a place at one school will not be eligible to apply or be considered for a place at any other school unless the offer is declined.
“Successful applicants will be notified through a short message service (SMS) by the respective school heads. Parents and guardians are however advised that there are limited boarding places.”
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) said they were looking ahead to 2021 for new negotiations with their employer.
In a statement, Zimta president Mr Richard Gundani said it took both diplomatic persuasion and appeal to “political institutional power” to unlock the last round of talks under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).
“True, it was a prolonged campaign which at one time was on the brink of closing the 2020 campaign without any betterment of the levels of remuneration and stalled at ZWL $3500.
“Although the outcomes were not the best from our original demand, we achieved results that had just a palliative effect, allowing for normalcy to prevail in schools,” he said.
Mr Gundani said the last round of talks in November secured for entry level D1 grade teachers a total package of $19 975 from a target of $42 432, representing 47 percent of the targeted income.
“In USD equivalent terms the targeted amount was October 2018 level of USD $520. At interbank rate the entry level award in equivalent is US$245 at the reigning auction rate of 81,6. Government agreed that the next negotiations will move towards the US$520 envisaged target,” he said.
Mr Gundani said current allowances will be built into the future awards, technically meaning they will mataphosise into the salary.
“The 2020 bonus will be inclusive of housing and transport allowances. Work in progress now and way forward. Zimta has continued to do diligent research on 2021 salary demands using available economic data and membership expectations, anchored on 2020 experiences.
“Sector specific allowances are being actively followed given that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education endorsed previously submitted demands and were awaiting treasury concurrence,” he said.-Chronicle
The very emotional message that was displayed by a nurse on strike
The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has criticised the government for making nurses apologise for the industrial action they embarked on over poor salaries and working conditions.
ZINA president, Enock Dongo issued a statement saying the government violated both Zimbabwean and intentional laws to satisfy their interests. He said:
As ZINA we have been left dismayed by the attitude shown by the government of Zimbabwe towards nurses. The attitude is not only in contempt of court but it is also grossly unjust, with the conduct being to coerce nurses into submission to unlawful directives.
It is an undeniable fact that the Zimbabwe Nurses Association took government to court twice in the last month. On both occasions, the High Court ruled that nurses were correct and were entitled as a matter of right to continue with the flexible working hour system. Both judgments are a matter of public record under case numbers HC6507/20 and HC7099/20. Having seen that the courts have declared them wrong, it has now become evidently clear that the government sees itself as if it is above the law. This is the only conclusion to be derived from the actions of a government that ignores two clear court orders.
This happened at Harare hospital on Monday the 7th of November 2020 and currently, nurses at United Bulawayo Hospital are being asked to write apology letters. All this is being done because government can simply ignore a court order if it wants.
State media on its part, instead of reporting the true outcome of the court cases, has been referring to nurses as “defiant” whilst calling ZINA “misleading”. All this has no factual or legal basis and amounts to misleading the nation on the true state of affairs regards the dispute between nurses and government. What they omit to state is that before taking government to court and even after both judgments came out, we have written to government to meet so that we can resolve this issue amicably but on all occassions we have not even received the courtesy of a response.
Dongo said the government should be the one apologising to the nurses for acting in a manner which the court said was incorrect.
He added that the employer should pay nurses their salaries as ordered by the court “rather than put its own conditions on things.”
THE family of the late Tapiwa Makore junior who was killed in a suspected ritual murder in September has written to the Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police requesting DNA test results for his body parts which are yet to be released.
In a letter dated 3 December and addressed to the Commissioner General of Police and copied to the Prosecutor General, the Makore family through their lawyer Tabitha Chikeya said the DNA test results have taken longer than anticipated after they were promised to get them within 21 days from the date samples were collected.
Ms Chikeya told ZBC News that the results will expedite the delivery of justice and help the family get the closure.
“The family has waited for a long time and we ae requesting the Zimbabwe Republic Police to give us the results after the laboratory indicated that the results were collected by the police,” she said.
The body parts which were sent to the laboratory include legs, a human skull, abdomen and palm.
ZRP National Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi could not comment on the issue saying he is not yet aware of the existence of such a letter.
In another development, the High court has deferred ruling in the bail application of one of the accused, Thanks Makore who was arrested last month in connection with the case.
Three other suspects Tafadzwa Shamba, Tapiwa Makore senior and Maud Hunidzarira are still in custody awaiting trial.
As the coronavirus pandemic rages on, transportation officials around the world have been looking for ways to keep passengers and crew safe on board planes.
On November 25, the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) released new guidelines for the country’s airline industry, which it oversees.
The document, titled Technical Guidelines for Epidemic Prevention and Control for Airlines, Sixth Edition, contains advice about the best hygiene practices to carry out on aircraft and in airports.
But one of those suggestions — that personnel like flight attendants wear disposable diapers so they don’t need to use the bathroom — has raised some eyebrows.
A section on PPE advises cabin crew on flights to and from high-risk countries to wear “medical masks, double-layer disposable medical gloves, goggles, disposable hats, disposable protective clothing, and disposable shoe covers.”
The next sentence reads: “It is recommended that cabin crew members wear disposable diapers and avoid using the lavatories barring special circumstances to avoid infection risks.”
While such advice may seem dramatic, it’s no secret that lavatories can be the germiest place on an airplane. In August, a woman traveling from Italy to South Korea contracted coronavirus during her trip, and a visit to the bathroom — the only place where she didn’t wear an N95 mask — was named as the possible source of her infection.
Airplane bathroom design was already a hot topic before COVID-19, but the pandemic has focused efforts to come up with new solutions.
Japanese airline ANA announced earlier this year that it was testing out a prototype of a new hands-free lavatory door. Meanwhile, Boeing successfully applied for a patent on a “self-cleaning lavatory” that would use UV light to clean 99.9% of bathroom germs after every use.
PROMINENT Bulawayo businessman and Stingrays Swimming Club coach Eddie Cyprianos has died.
Information surrounding his death remain sketchy, but his body was reportedly found in the Matobo area in a suspected case of suicide on Wednesday.
Social media has been awash with news of his passing, with many mourning the electrical engineer, whose kids Andressious, Brendon and Denilson are among the country’s best swimmers.
Cyprianos is a former Matabeleland Amateur Swimming Board chairperson, who together with his wife, Nokuthula, the current chairperson of the Bulawayo Amateur Swimming Board, transformed the sport through their passion evident in their three sons Denilson and Andesious and Brendon.
The three Cyprianos brothers rank among the mainstay of Zimbabwean swimming, and hold a number of junior and senior national records.
Cristian Brothers College (CBC) where Denilson is the current head boy, are among those that have mourned the passing away of Cyprianos.
“The board of governors, headmaster, staff and boys of Christian Brothers college offer their sincere condolences to Mrs Nokuthula Cyprianos, mother of outgoing head boy, Denilson, Andesious and Brendon on the untimely passing away of Edmore Cyprainos. This is a great loss to the whole CBC family. Mr Cyprainos will be remembered for his great passion for swimming, his unwavering support for the college as a whole. Our prayers are with the family,” read the CBC statement.
The first and only legal Driverless Car in Europe was started by a Zimbabwean, @williamsachiti, the CEO and Founder of driverless Car Kar-go… Streaming live on ZimEye Thursday 8pm CAT brought to you by @worldRemit…. interview by @kimjayde. pic.twitter.com/oPmUsYOwNi
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Controversial MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has said that MDC Alliance Masvingo Urban Ward 3 councillor Tarusenga Vhembo was expelled from the party by mistake.
Vhembo is among three other MDC Alliance councillors from Masvingo Urban whose seats have since been declared vacant.
In a letter dated December 4 addressed to acting City of Masvingo Town Clerk Edward Mukaratirwa, Moyo declared vacant Wards 3, 4, 5 and 7 led by Vhembo, Godfrey Kurauone, Daniel Mberikunashe and Richard Musekiwa respectively.
Mukaratirwa told TellZim News that he was out of office and could not give an official comment.
Mwonzora told TellZim News that Mberikunashe, Kurauone and Musekiwa deserved to be expelled but the name of Vhembo appeared on the list by mistake.
“The expulsions were effected on September 30. A number of councillors across various municipalities have been expelled. The recent letters from the ministry of Local government are just confirmation of the expulsions.
“It is unfortunate that Vhembo made the list. It was an error. Vhembo was not supposed to be there. It was a mistake,” said Mwonzora.
Mberikunashe, however, said that they have since received the letter from Mukaratirwa informing them of their fate.
“The Town Clerk forwarded the letter to us and I tell you I feel a huge relief. It was only a matter of time and Mwonzora was taking too long.
“If he had not expelled us people would have thought that we were with them. We are fully behind our president Nelson Chamisa and no amount of intimidation can ever move us,” said Mberikunashe.
Though it remains unclear whether the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec) would be able to conduct by-elections next owing to financial constraints, Mberikunashe believes that the electorate would vote them back into office again.
“We are confident that the will of the people will never be subverted. We will be voted back again much to the dislike of the enemy,” said Mberikunashe.
Mwonzora has spared City of Masvingo Mayor and Ward 2 councillor Collen Maboke, Ward 1 councillor Selina Maridza and Ward 9 councillor Babylon Beta.
It remains unclear whether or not these three have crossed the floor to join the Khupe camp.
Chamisa had been fighting with Maboke, who assumed the mayoral post against the party’s directive which had opted for Kurauone.
This week @kimjayde speaks to the famous series entrepreneur @williamsachiti, the CEO and Founder of driverless Car Kar-go Watch it live on Zimeye Thursday 8pm CAT brought to you by @worldRemit
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Almost 700 children in the eThekwini metropolitan area are believed to be part of extensive child-begging networks that operate within the city, raking in at least R2 million each month.
As South Africa’s campaign of 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children ends and the world observes International Human Rights Day today, research by IOL, coupled with insight from private investigators and a Durban NGO, has revealed rampant exploitation of children which involved parents and guardians renting out their children to begging syndicates in the city.
Minor children, including newborn babies, are being traded and strategically used in begging gimmicks that form part of a larger organised movement perpetuating human trafficking, drug abuse and sexual slavery.
Police have called on anyone with information relating to the syndicates to come forward, in the hope that they could identify the masterminds behind the child trafficking scam.
“We urge those who are in possession of such information to contact the police, so that the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit can be brought on board,” said police spokesperson Captain Nqobile Gwala
Gail Elson, the spokesperson for Durban NGO iCare, which has been working in the rehabilitation of street children for more than 18 years, said child-begging networks were extensive and well organised.
“In the Durban central area alone, there are a high number of children who are used by these networks. The exploitation is absolutely happening on our streets and is highly organised. There are actually gangs that are formed in different areas and they each report to a leader,” said Elson.
She said children were divided into various groups to strategically target
Income through begging
Income through drugs
Income through sexual exploitation
“We especially see an influx in children being brought onto the streets during the festive season as the syndicates look to target the increase in tourists and holidaymakers,” said Elson.
Elson said street children could make a minimum of between R70 and R100 a day begging, almost all of which was handed to the leaders. On good days, the number could go from R150 to R250 a day. During the festive season and religious holidays, that could go as high as R700 a day.
A rough calculation based on an average of R100 a day for 700 street kids revealed that begging networks could be raking in more than R2 million a month across the city, hardly any of which remained with the children.
Elson said that in some instances, once a child turned 18, they were no longer considered “valuable” and were either kicked out of home or shunned by the syndicate.
“When the child turns 18 their parents or guardians are unable to benefit from a child care grant. Alternatively, they cannot be trafficked to beg, so they are seen to be of little value. The heartbreaking part of this is that these young people are supposed to be our future. Instead, due to circumstances, they are forced onto the streets and have to learn how to survive,” said Elson.
During research into the child-begging ring, it was revealed that, in some instances, children were brought into the city from far-flung regions, given areas to work and abused physically, emotionally and sexually.
One of the victims IOL spoke to was 14 year-old Sipho* (not his real name). Sipho has nowhere to go. Both his parents died when he was young, placing him in the care of his aunt.
He was brought to Durban three years ago as an 11-year-old from Hambanathi, a township about 40km outside the Durban CBD by a man who had negotiated a fee with his aunt.
When he returned to Hambanathi after a year, his aunt had moved away, leaving him destitute and dependent on the streets for survival.
After a period within a syndicate, Sipho left due to the abuse he suffered at the hands of his trafficker. He often moves between the beachfront and Sandile Thusi Road (Argyle Road).
“I used to make about R70 a day and I had to give everything to the boss. If I didn’t, I would be beaten up and robbed. Sometimes I have to do certain things for men (sexual acts) and they would pay the boss. He would give me a R10 or a R20. I would either buy glue or food,” said Sipho.
There was no protection from his “boss” or the elements; his only possessions, a piece of cardboard and his glue.
But Sipho’s story is not unique, says private investigator Vis Munien.
In his more than 20 years as a private investigator, Munien has seen this script many times. He too, is well aware of the begging networks. Play Video
“Just because it’s not on TV or highly publicised doesn’t mean that it’s not happening. In my experience and working on various cases, these networks are operating all around the city.
“I would say including the city centre and the suburbs, you are looking at approximately 700 children affected by this. Although it is very difficult to track,” said Munien.
He said that in most instances, children were lured by traffickers under false pretences or taken advantage of due to their poor socio-economic conditions.
Munien said he was shocked to discover the role of parents and guardians using the syndicates as a means of income.
“In essence, the parents and guardians of these victims play a part in the trafficking of their children. In some instances, they set a price or negotiate terms. I’m not sure if any of them consider the risks involved.
“Their child could be raped or murdered being part of these syndicates but, I suppose, for them the monetary value outweighs the illegality and danger posed to the minors,” he said.
Munien said economic power always rested with the trafficker.
“From what I have gathered in my interviews with child beggars, the trafficker is a shady figure who claims around 80 to 90% of whatever income is derived by the victim through begging. In some instances, he or she takes everything and offers the victim only clothing or food. This is not always the case, and many traffickers use violent means to keep their victims in check,” said Munien.
However, the eThekwini municipality said it was not aware of begging syndicates operating in the city. Under its by-laws, begging was illegal.
“We are not aware of a syndicate operating in the city.The Nuisances and Behaviour in Public By-law clearly states: No person may approach any pedestrian or a person inside a motor-vehicle on any public road or public road intersection or any other public place for the purposes of begging from such pedestrian or person in a motor-vehicle. It is, therefore, illegal to solicit money by begging in our city,” said eThekwini municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development said while it was initially unaware of the syndicates, it would be investigating.
“The offences are a violation of Children’s Rights as outlined in Section 28 of the Constitution and also a violation of Section 284 of the Children’s Act with regard to Child Trafficking,” said spokesperson Mhlabunzima Memela.
“We urge anyone with information pertaining to the investigation to contact the department of social development or their nearest police station.”
Memela said the department ran multiple programmes to raise awareness and combat child trafficking.
“There is Provincial 365 Days Child Care and Protection Plan which has key activities that are intending to strengthen awareness on Child Abuse including Child Trafficking through commemoration of the Child Protection Week, International Children’s Day to ensure upholding children’s rights at all times, National Children’s Day which focuses on awareness on measures that were put in place by the government in order to strengthen protection of children and 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women and Children.”
He said there was also a Provincial Holiday Programme Plan that included activities on life skills programmes aimed at empowering children on all forms of abuse. It included child trafficking and their rights as well as the protocols in place for the management of child abuse cases, which included reporting of child abuse and services by the government in respect of survivors of child abuse and trafficking.
Estranged wife to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa has told a High Court judge that her client’s health is fast deteriorating and needs urgent attention.
Mtetwa was making submissions during a bail variation hearing for Marry Chiwenga – Mubaiwa before Justice Benjamin Chikowero.
Mubaiwa is seeking relaxation of her bail conditions and release of her passport to enable her travel to South Africa for treatment.
Mubaiwa is suffering from lymphoedema, which has caused swelling of her arms and legs including severe puss dripping wounds which are giving her sleepless nights because of pain.
“Her wounds have worsened and we can bring her to court so that you can have sight of her wounds. They are also on her thighs, but she can’t show them to the public.
“It’s so difficult that she has to move around with a machine that drains liquids and puss from the wounds and a container which collects the discharge,” said Mtetwa.
Justice Chikowero demanded that she be brought to court for him to see the wounds physically.
The state, led by Sharon Fero, is opposed to Mubaiwa’s application.
“From the state’s response, it’s clear they have two fears that she might abscond because she has links in South Africa.
“The state says it requires independent opinion on whether the applicant can have treatment in Zimbabwe and has since written to the health permanent secretary to confirm,” she said.
Mtetwa submitted that the state misdirected itself by seeking information from the permanent secretary of health regarding the issue of possibilities that her client be treated locally.
“This court should take judicial notice that the applicant is the current wife of the Health minister and permanent secretary falls under the command of the minister.
“State has to admit that the permanent secretary cannot give an independent opinion especially when he has not examined the applicant. The permanent secretary will never give an independent opinion,” she said.
“The health ministry is not the registrar of health specialists. There is no statutory board. They have no relevant information with regards to registration of specialists. So, the state has gone to the wrong sector to seek information.”
“The state has not in any way contested the information from specialists like Dr Makarau who said there are no specialists in Zimbabwe. The state has not refused that she was receiving medication in SA prior to her arrest. So, trying to seek help from that country cannot amount to her trying abscond.”
“We respectfully submit that there is no basis that she will abscond. She has always abided by her bail conditions. The state cannot say she will abscond without giving basis. Medication in SA is not a recent invention; she was being treated there before her arrest,” Mtetwa said.
Mubaiwa is facing attempted murder, fraud, money laundering and assault charges.
The charges arose following her fallout with VP Chiwenga who also filed for divorce against her.
The Zimbabwean government is facing legal battle over Mbuya Nehanda. This is coming from one Mr Shamuyarira who has claimed to be a relative or a descendant of Mbuya Nehanda.
Mbuya Nehanda is an icon and the force behind the war of liberation. She became the unseen present fighter all the times. Zimbabwe glorified her in songs and named hospital wings and streets after her name. It is because of this that many would die to be associated with her.
As for Mr Shamuyarira who purports to be Nehanda’s relative the Zimbabwean government must request a family tree from the Shamuyariras. We must look into History and look at the age of Mbuya Nehanda and the age of Hwata. Historically they are 14 years different. If this is true Hwata can never be a parent of Nehanda. It will mean that father and daughter have age difference of fourteen years. When a good thing is about to happen there are so many people who will come up and claim to be related to the hero.
Mbuya Nehanda lived in the Hills around Mazoe , Zimbabwe. In those hills were various sub-chiefs including HWata and Chidamba. The Mbare people lived in the Harare area and Mbare was named after the Mbare people who stayed in that area. The Mbare people most of them are believed to have been murdered by the white settlers after having been sold out by Hwata who told the settlers the caves the Mbare people hid. It is believed the settlers detonated dynamites at the entrances of the caves the Mbare people have hidden killing thousands of them. So Hwata sold out the Mbare people and up to this day Hwata has blood in his hands. However it is believed that in the Chidamba Village lived the famous spirit medium Mbuya Nehanda. She had great authority even before the 1896-7 Rebellion. There was a village in the area called Nehandas. She was a powerful woman spirit medium that was committed to upholding traditional Shona culture, she was instrumental in organizing the nationwide resistance to colonial rule during the First Chimurenga of 1896-7. Even Lobengula recognized her as a powerful spiritual medium in the land. Nehanda was held in great esteem in the whole country. However the colonial powers presented her as a weak skinny under fed looking woman. According to historical sources the original Nehanda was daughter of Mutota the first Monomatapa who was living in the escarpment North of Sipolilo in about 1430. Mutota was the founder of the Mutapa state, Mutota also had a son who later became the second Monomatapa, and the son was called Matope. Matope was Nehanda’s half brother, and to increase the power of Matope, Mutota ordered his son to commit incest with his half sister, Nyamhika, who became widely know as Nehanda. This incest ritual is believed to have increased Matope’s ruler and his empire, due to this Matope handed over a portion of his empire to Nehanda who became so powerful and well known that her spirit lived on in the human bodies of various spirit mediums over the years until almost 500 years later when we find it occupying the body of the Mazoe Nehanda. Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana was considered to be the female incarnation of the oracle spirit Nyamhika Nehanda. As white settlement increased in the land, according to sources Nehanda initially welcomed the occupation by the Pioneers and counseled her followers to be friendly towards them “Don’t be afraid of them” she said “as they are only traders, but take a black cow to them and say this is the meat with which we greet you.” Unfortunately relationships became strained when the settlers starting imposing taxes, forced relocations, forced labor,and many acts of banditry.
As colonialism began to get its grip on the natives of Zimbabwe , there was military drive to rid of the British settlers. The collective efforts of the locals to get rid of the British colonialist in the period of 1896-7 have become known as the First Chimurenga war. Due to the cultural beliefs of the locals, the leading roles behind the rebellion were by three spirit mediums. The rebellion was initiated in Matabeland in May 1896, the leading role there being Mukwati, in October 1896 Kaguvi and Nehanda from Mashonaland joined in; these were the three critical people behind the rebellion
Mbuya Nehanda Charwe Nyakasikana was the spirit medium that was the inspiration behind the 1896-97 first Chimurenga war. She was based in the northern plateau of Mashonaland and was influential in resisting colonial encroachment and she used her religious authority to mobilise the masses against the Europeans. She was born around 1863 and she died in 1898 after being executed by the colonial authorities in Salisbury. In her life history there was never a mention of the Shamuyarira Follwing Mbuya Nehanda was a religion. Mbuya Nehanda in the person of Charwe was very central in the religious organisation of all indigenous Shona tribes in the Central, Eastern and Western plateau of Zimbabwe. She was believed to be possessed by super-natural ancestral spirits and thus she was the centre of communication between the living Shona societies and the underworld. As a religious figure, she even had influence in the installation of chiefs and political figures in most Shona speaking societies in the Mashonaland regions. Due to close links between early political structures and religion, Mbuya Nehanda found her influence in the mainstream politics of her time. She was influential in warning the people against accepting the entry of the Europeans in the Mashonaland region.One of her common political rhetoric was when she warned the locals that Mashonaland was plagued by a drought because of the presence of the Europeans. She thus agitated the people to take up arms against the foreigners. She did so with the belief that she was the link between the people of the Mashonaland and the ancestors.
Mbuya Nehanda in Chains With Her Accomplices Mbuya Nehanda was hunted down by the colonial regime of the British South Africa Company due to her widespread influence and her denunciation of colonisation. Mbuya Nehanda was arrested and was brought to Salisbury for the judgment. She was convicted without a trial and was executed in 1898 in Salisbury. She was hanged on a tree and her body was left dangling for all to see that she has been actually killed. Before her death, Mbuya Nehanda left behind a political oracle. In a frenzy of grief and torment, Nehanda prophesied that her bones were going to rise again. This prophecy has been interpreted differently by the locals. The bulk of the locals, especially nationalists interpreted it as the rise of nationalist sentiments in Rhodesia from the 1940s as the spirit of Nehanda.It was in fact the basis on which the war of the Second Chimurenga was fought. For this reason among others, the spirit of Mbuya Nehanda has been treated with great sacrality among conservative Zimbabwean traditionalists. There are some claims that in the contemporary society, the spirit of Nehanda is still in control of the religious and spiritual life of the the land of the Shona people, Zimbabwe. In August 2015, Robert Mugabe lashed out at Britain for displaying the skulls of Zimbabwe’s liberation war heroes.It was believed that Mbuya Nehanda’s skull was among the remains that were being displayed at the British Museum. The repatriation of these remains has been delayed and no reasonable progress. Many people have voiced serious concerns and believe the government is not being serious about repatriation. As a nation we need to be serious we can not sing about heroes when they are displayed in the UK museums. What freedom do we celebrate when those who fought for our freedom are bound and physically detained in a museum for all to see and humiliate them. The president of Zimbabwe must take presidential powers and demand the bones to be in Zimbabwe sooner than later.
Whistle blowers have alerted the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission of a bishop who received US$100 000 as tithe from suspected proceeds of crime.
ZACC chairperson Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo said the commission has since effected investigations on the church leader.
“From investigation right now, we are dealing with curation cases involving two bishops, from different congregations. One is alleged to have received illicit proceeds of crime to the tune of US$100 000 in the name of tithing.
“But there was never an inquiry into how a person can tithe US$100 000 as 10%.
“So, the churches are also guilty of corruption in receiving these proceeds of crime; there is of course corruption in the churches.”
Another bishop is also being probed for allegedly squandering money from schools run by his church.
“They have destroyed mission schools. So, we are also investigating those alleged corruption matters,” she said.
The ZACC boss said her commission has since signed a Memorandum of Understanding with local churches with a Bishop representing the churches in the steering committee.
“We are bringing in the church on board in the fight against corruption. So, what the church is doing is some of them have already started including anti-corruption messages in their services.
“And we have also started encouraging the churches to encourage their congregates to declare acts of corruption.”
Moyo added, “We said if they come to ZACC, we can also deal with the matter, having a soft spot for the bible verses which they believe in. So, we want to encourage the church to fight corruption within that sector and also help build values because the church can do a lot in preventing corruption.”
Moyo said the names of the Bishops will remain confidential until investigations are over to protect whistle blowers and avoid victimisation of congregates.
The High Court has reserved judgment in the case in which Marry Mubaiwa is asking for her passport, to travel to SA for treatment. Justice Chikowero shocked the courtroom when demanded to see Mubaiwa’s wounds.
Alarmed with the insensitive, heartless and callous decision by the MDC Alliance led Harare City Council to demolish houses in Budiriro during the rainy season;
Aware that the uncouth decision is premised on a City Council Resolution empowering council to get a court order to demolish the so called “illegal structures”;
Shocked with the crocodile tears shed by opposition party leaders in accusing the Zanu PF Government of being complicit in the demolition of these houses when opposition city fathers, as a matter of fact, passed the demolition resolution in question;
Concerned with the timing of the demolitions during this rainy season more so during a time of a serious pandemic;
Conscious of the efforts made by the Justice Uchena Commission to document the nefarious activities of land barons and efforts to prosecute such land barons;
WE THE ZANU PF YOUTH LEAGUE wish to put on record the following;
The Revolutionary Youth League commiserates with the residents of Budiriro who earlier this week had their houses demolished by the heartless Harare City Council on the basis of a court order obtained at the instigation of a meeting of the Councillors from Harare City Council. It must be noted from the outset that our commiseration with these unfortunate victims is not in any way an endorsement of illegal settlements or the illegal activities of land barons who under the slumber of Harare City Council have been allowed to run amok while city fathers make rich pickings.
It has been exposed by the new dispensation how councillors working in cahoots and under instruction from senior leaders of the MDC Alliance have illegally parcelled out land to their business allies and cronies.
We are yet to see the MDC Alliance take any action to reprimand, let alone discipline any of their party members implicated and exposed as members of this land baronage cartel. All we have seen to date are the proverbial attempts to throw mud on the wall hoping some of it would stick, in this instance all blame has been put on Zanu PF as if it has a majority in the Harare City Council.
The demolitions that happened in Budiriro must be exposed for the cheap attempt at politicking that they are. Following the demolitions, we have seen a splurge of messages from members of the opposition saying that the demolitions are a Zanu PF move. Confronted with evidence that the demolitions were authored by a city council resolution the narrative has shifted to state that the land barons who gave out the land are members of Zanu PF as if such a claim sanitises victimising house owners during the current rainy season.
This narrative is depraved for a number of reasons. Firstly, the official position from Zanu PF on land barons is known. President Mnangagwa is on record having called out land barons. Beyond mere words, the President and First Secretary appointed the Justice Uchena led commission to investigate and document the activities of these so called land barons. Prosecutions founded on due process have been initiated against implicated land barons. Secondly, simple logic suggests that if in deed these land barons were appendages of Zanu PF then Zanu PF would have moved to protect these land barons, which protection we have not seen coming.
It is curious that these demolitions and the attempts to demonise Zanu PF have come at a time when the Zanu PF Government has swooped on Local Authorities investigating both elected Councillors and Management members alike to prosecute them for illegal activities. Names that come to mind in this regard include Jacob Mafume, Cainos Chingombe and Tendai Kwenda the latter two being council management employees. Interestingly allegations have been made that management employees are immune from prosecution because they are linked to ZANU PF by virtue of their appointment involving the Ministry of Local Government an insinuation that is not only false but is rendered void by the current arrests.
The move to demolish houses in Budiriro on the basis of a court order obtained in 2017 is clearly an attempt to divert attention of the masses from the thievery happening in the sunshine city council offices. Without disregard for the law we call upon Harare to city council to implement the following;
Halt demolitions on account of the rainy season and covid19 pandemic,
Communicate with owners of houses illegally built before demolishing such houses to allow them an opportunity to remove their valuables and seek alternative accommodation,
Depoliticise demolitions by working with Government to seek alternative accommodation for potential victims of demolitions before demolishing houses,
First seek ways to regularise such illegal settlements before resolving to demolish such houses,
Be diligent and detect such illegal settlements before whole communities are built up to protect citizens from land barons and future demolitions.
We acknowledge that some such land barons have been or are in the process of being prosecuted and the Youth League takes this opportunity to urge the Judiciary, the National Prosecuting Authority, the Zimbabwe Republic Police and ZACC to expedite the neutralisation of this menace of land barons.
The Youth League would also like to warn all land barons that their days are numbered. We would also like to warn the MDC Alliance to desist from creating crisis in Zimbabwe as a means to create a podium for them to attack ZANU PF without just cause. Such actions expose deep desperation and a thirst for relevance even at the cost of regard for human life.
#TrustED
#NoToSanctionsAgainstZimbabwe
#LandBaronsMustFall
#HousingForAll
#NoToDemolitionsWithoutAlternativeShelter
For and on Behalf of the Zanu PF Youth League
Cadre Tendai Chirau
Acting Deputy Secretary for Youth Affairs- Zanu PF Youth League
cc: Hon Cde. July G. Moyo – Minister of Local Government and Public Works MP
Hon Cde. Daniel Garwe – Minister of Housing and Social Amenities MP
PROMINENT Kadoma gold dealer Kevin Magwaza has filed a US$1,9 million claim against his erstwhile business partner Spencer Tshuma, who had booted him out of a joint business venture and assumed control of the rich gold mine on the strength of an unlawful court order.
Magwaza spent a year away from his mining business fighting Tshuma in the courts to regain control of his Etna Estate Mine, on the outskirts of the gold mining town of Kadoma.
Magwaza is the owner of the mine by virtue of a certificate of registration issued on April 5, 2019 in accordance with the provisions of Mines and Minerals Act.
In a claim filed at the High Court last week, Magwaza is seeking an order compelling Tshuma to pay him US$1 693 200 being the net value of gold the former would have realised from his lawful mining operations at his mine from July 22, 2019 to the June 18, 2020 when Tshuma unlawfully barred him from accessing his mining location.
In addition, he wants Tshuma to pay him another US$244 800 being the monetary value of the 4 800 grams of gold Magwaza would have realised from his 400 tonnes of gold ore stockpile at Etna mine, which was unlawfully appropriated Tshuma when he unlawfully took control of the mine.
Before he was ejected from the mine, Magwaza said he was in peaceful and undisturbed productive occupation and carrying out mining operations at Etna Mine producing an average of 120 grammes of gold per day.
At the time he was evicted he had also accumulated 400 tonnes of gold ores at the mining location. On average the gold ore at the mining location yields an average of 12 grammes per tonne.
However, around the July 22, 2019 Magwaza’s operations were abruptly stopped by Tshuma after messenger of court had served an ex-parte order obtained at Kadoma magistrate’s court under case number CGK 718/19 relating to a claim and dispute exclusively between Tshuma and one Sebastian Magodo.
“Subsequent to the service of the ex-parte order, the defendant (Tshuma) on his own accord forcibly ejected and barred the plaintiff (Magwaza) and all his employees from the mining location, notwithstanding the fact that defendant neither had any registered mining rights over the mine nor an enforceable court order against the plaintiff,” said Magwaza in the summons prepared by his lawyers Mutamangira and Associates.
“From the 22nd of July 2019 the defendant was in effective control and carrying out mining operations at Etna Mine registration number 16014 at the exclusion and expense of the plaintiff.
“The defendant also processed all the 400 tonnes of gold ore left at the mine by plaintiff and sold all the gold retrieved there from for his sole benefit.”
Magwaza said he instituted proceedings for the return of his mining location which were vigorously defended and delayed by Tshuma, but ultimately won all his cases to have control and occupation of the mine returned to him on June 18, 2020 through an order granted in his favour by the High Court in case number HC 6272/19.
“As a result of the defendant’s action, the plaintiff lost business as he could not carry out mining operations at his own mining location wherein he had exclusive rights to do so,” argued Magwaza.
“The defendant had no right at law, whatsoever to stop the lawful mining operations of the plaintiff. Furthermore, the defendant had no lawful right to carry out mining operations at plaintiff’’s mine and deplete the mineral resources to his benefit.”
To this end, Magwaza urged the court to allow his claim to the total sum of US$ 1 938 000at the prescribed rate calculated from the date of issue of summons to date of full and final settlement.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) arrested a 46-year-old police brigadier and her husband on Thursday morning 10 December in relation to the investigation of self-proclaimed Prophet Shepherd Bushiri. The pair are expected to appear in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning.
Bushiri and his wife Mary skipped the country for Malawi shortly after receiving R200 000 bail each. Their bail conditions clearly stipulated that they were not to leave the country under any circumstances, hence the Department of Correctional Services recently sent a formal extradition request to Malawian authorities.
The pair, along with three others were accused of fraud, money laundering and theft to the tune of R100 million.
According to Colonel Katlego Mogale, a 46-year-old Brigadier based at the Organised Crime of the Detective Service Head Office and her 50-year-old husband are appearing in the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court on Thursday morning following their arrest for corruption and defeating the ends of justice.
“The pair handed themselves to the team of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation tasked with the investigation of criminal activities relating to Prophet Shepherd Bushiri,” said Mogale.
Their warrants of arrest were authorized yesterday [Wednesday 9 December 2020] in relation to an amount of R500 000 that was allegedly paid to the Brigadier.
“The investigation started as an Inquiry and it was converted into a case docket in February 2020,” added Mogale.
When asked if the Brigadier received R500 000 from Bushiri himself, Mogale could not confirm. She could only confirm that the Brigadier received a “gratification” in connection to the investigation into Bushiri. Mogale said further information would be revealed during the pair’s court appearance in Pretoria.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid), on Monday 16 November 2020, confirmed that Bushiri opened a case against police officers in 2018.
According to Ipid spokesperson Ndileka Cola, a case of alleged police corruption and cash extortion was opened by Bushiri’s lawyer on his behalf in Sunnyside, Pretoria.
It is alleged that the police officers investigating several allegations of rape against Bushiri were trying to extort money from him so that they could make his rape charges disappear.
As part of the investigation process, Ipid required Bushiri to provide crucial information about the allegations and to acquire witness statements but Bushiri’s “non-availability due to his busy schedule” has, according to Cola, been giving Ipid Investigators a challenge to proceed with the case.
“Mr Bushiri has been provided with feedback on the matter, he is well aware that the Investigator will proceed with his case as soon as he co-operates fully with [the] investigation process,” said Cola.
Zimbabwe international Ovidy Karuru says he was disappointed with the eventual outcome of their DStv Premiership match against Kaizer Chiefs last night.
Karuru, who joined Leopards last week,was handed his debut by the Lidoda Duvha technical team and came back to haunt his former paymasters with a first half brace to give them a 2-0 at the half break.
To Karuru and Leopards’s disappointment, his countryman Khama Billiat leveled matters with four minutes of regulation time left.
“I want to thank God for giving me this opportunity to represent Black Leopards,” Karuru told SuperSport TV after the match.
“Thank you to Mr Thidiela for calling me to come and join this team. And thank you to the technical team for keeping on pushing me and believing me.
“We didn’t come here to draw. We came here to attack and win the game. The coach gave us confidence as you could see. Chiefs are not doing well at the moment so we wanted to capitalise on that one,” he said.-Soccer 24
Tottenham Hotspur coach Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United are now favourites to win the Europa League following their elimination from the Champions League on Tuesday.
United lost 3-2 to RB Leipzig to finish third in the group and dropped down to the second-tier competition.
Mourinho, who guided United to the Europa League trophy in 2017, told reporters ahead of Spurs’ Thursday’s home game against Antwerp that teams like the Red Devils don’t belong to the level of the Europa League.
“The teams that drop from the Champions League are strong and normally don’t belong to the level of the Europa League,” he said.
“United are one of the top teams. The group was very hard with Paris St Germain and Leipzig. We knew it was not going to be easy for any of them.”
Spurs are second in Group J with 10 points but can leapfrog Antwerp to top spot with a victory.-Soccer 24
After an action-packed last group stage match day in the UEFA Champions League, the round of 16 list has been confirmed.
Niklas Süle and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting‘s second half goals propelled defending champions Bayern to a comfortable 2-0 win over Lokomotiv Moscow in Group A.
Still in Group A, Atletico Madrid beat RB Salzburg 2-0 courtesy of goals from Mario Hermoso and Yannick Carrasco.
Bayern go through on top of the pile followed by Diego Simeone’s men.
In Group B, Karim Benzema fired Real Madrid past Borussia Mönchengladbach with a double in the 2-0 win, a result which saw Zinedine Zidane’s men go through as group winners.
Inter Milan, who anchor the group, played out a goalless draw with Shaktar.
Moving on to Group C, Manchester City thrashed Marseille 3-0 thanks to goals from Ferran Torres, Sergio Aguero and an own goal by Álvaro González.
In that same group, which Pep Guardiola’s men won, Porto, who finished second, lost 0-2 to Olympiakos.
In Group D, group winners Liverpool played out a 1-1 stalemate with FC Midtjylland while runners-up Atalanta edged Ajax 1-0.
Below is the full list of teams which made it to the Round of 16, with the draw slated for Monday.
PSG Lazio Porto Bayern Sevilla Leipzig Atlético Chelsea Man City Atalanta Juventus Liverpool Barcelona Dortmund Real Madrid Borrusia Monchengladbach
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.
President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.
“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…
Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.
Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.
Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.
In a separate statement President Chamisa denounced the demolition of houses in Harare:
“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and an attack and assault on the dignity & security of persons.
This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!
EndtheDemolitions.”
I’m in Budiriro..Heavy downpours here in Budiriro where some families are exposed and suffering after their houses were arbitrarily demolished by authorities…This cruelty and heartlessness is unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/5i11FPdy07
Warriors star Khama Billiat came to Kaizer Chiefs’ rescue last night with a crucial equalizer which secured a point against Black Leopards in the DStv Premiership.
Amakhosi had trailed 0-2 in the first half thanks to Billiat’s Warriors teammate Ovidy Karuru’s first half brace which appeared to have gotten three points in the bag for Leopards.
Gavin Hunt’s men however fought back in the second stanza, which saw Nkosingiphile Nhlakanipho Ngcobo pull one back in the 69th minute before Billiat restored parity with four minutes remaining.
The Zimbabwean winger capitalized on a rebound after an attempted clearance by a Leopards defender had hit the post to slot home from close range his first goal of the season.-Soccer 24
I’m in Budiriro..Heavy downpours here in Budiriro where some families are exposed and suffering after their houses were arbitrarily demolished by authorities…This cruelty and heartlessness is unacceptable! pic.twitter.com/5i11FPdy07
Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has pointed out that Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is wholly responsible for the demolition of houses in Budiriro, Harare.
In a statement, MDC Alliance described the Harare demolitions as a heartless act.
Read full statement below :
HARARE DEMOLITIONS: A HEARTLESS ACT
The MDC Alliance condemns the callous, disproportionate demolitions of homes that are currently being carried out by Central Government, in particular the Ministry of Local Government – Mr July Moyo, the Provincial Minister – Mr Oliver Chidawu and the Provincial Development Co-ordinator – Mr Tafadzwa Muguti.
The demolitions have resulted in people losing their homes, savings and their only available shelter in the middle of the rainy season.
Families with young children, the old and the infirm have been rendered homeless by this heartless act.
Before his arrest two weeks ago, the Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume ordered a stop to all demolitions.
He protested against the grossly unreasonable timing of the demolitions and in view of the wet season and the ongoing Covid19 pandemic.
He stated that the execution of any court orders held by Council should be carried out in a humane manner and that Council should weigh in favour of regularizing settlements as opposed to destroying them.
We are of the firm view that most of the houses being destroyed can be regularized and should therefore not be destroyed.
At the centre of the crisis are Zanu PF land barons and illegal co-operatives whose corrupt conduct has led to the arbitrary allocation of land in a manner that does not comply with council by-laws.
The current demolitions have been triggered by Zanu PF in-fighting where urban land is being used as an election tool as well as a sword against those who have fallen out of favour with the system.
Unsuspecting members of the public and bona fide buyers who have been duped by the land barons and are left to bear the brunt of the illegality.
Additionally, it is reported that the Provincial Minister for Harare, Mr Oliver Chidawu has an interest in the demolition of houses because a large section of the land which the Zanu PF land barons and co-operatives raided belongs to him.
The Provincial Minister took advantage of the absence of the Mayor over the last fortnight to push council staff to execute the demolitions.
We demand an immediate end to the demolitions as they are anti-poor and their timing is causing untold suffering and indignity to people who are already victims of corrupt land barons. We further demand and end to Central Government interference in the affairs of the City of Harare.
The Harare Provincial Minstry must stop giving unlawful instructions to council staff, particularly when this causes loss and harm to the people whom council are meant to serve.
We call for the urgent implementation of the devolution clauses in the Constitution and reform to the Urban Councils Act to enable local authorities to serve the people without interference from Central Government.
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.
President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.
“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…
Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.
Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.
Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.
The father of a 9-year-old boy who was murdered and his head cooked by his uncle on Friday, 4 December 2020 in Matova Village under Chief Zimuto in Masvingo Province has spoken about the hair raising incident.
Trevor Mapxashike (also known as Mapwashike) was killed by his uncle Clever Chitiga (22) who then shaved his head before cooking it.
Chitiga in a cousin to Henry Mapwashike (48), Trevor’s father. Chitiga and Henry’s homesteads are a few metres apart.
Henry had five children and Trevor (9) was his third child and was doing Grade 2 at Matova Primary School. Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday, Henry said:
I almost collapsed, after forcing the door to one of his rooms, open. A trail of blood, which we believed to be my son’s, led us to his head which was being stewed in a big pot.
The door had been locked from inside and I had to gain entry through the window and opened it from inside.
My mother, who accompanied me to Clever’s homestead, used a stick to shove the head so that we could properly see what was in the pot and to our shock, it was my son’s head which was being stewed.
He had shaved it using a broken beer bottle and pounded it with a pestle and mortar.
… [Trevor] was an intelligent and obedient boy. He was left by his mother when he was only eight months old and was staying with my father since I had remarried.
Henry told The Herald that he harboured no hard feelings towards his brother [cousin] for murdering his son. He said:
My only appeal and prayer are for the family to unite and get to the bottom of this because I think there is something behind this.
We need to sit down and cleanse our family because this is strange and bizarre. It’s unheard of.
When I got to Clever’s homestead, he had already fled from the scene after I had asked him if he had seen my son.
I believe there was juju at play because from what I know, Clever never had a history of mental illness.
In fact, his discreetness and the way he tried to conceal evidence of his diabolic act smacks of someone who is mentally stable.
He (Clever) was dull at school and had a history of violence. He once bit off his younger brother’s finger for restraining him from assaulting his nephew and also torched a car that had been left in the custody of his father for safekeeping by a friend.
… I can not eat food, I am still unable to look at cooked meat after what I saw. I am relieved that we were able to bury my son today (yesterday) at Gokomere Mission cemetery.
The pot, which he was using to cook my son’s head, was taken by the police together with the pestle and mortar, which will be used in court.-The Herald
WHO today launches a year-long global campaign for World No Tobacco Day 2021 – “Commit to Quit.” The new WHO Quit Challenge on WhatsApp and publication “More than 100 reasons to quit tobacco” are being released today to mark the start of the campaign.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to millions of tobacco users saying they want to quit. The campaign will support at least 100 million people as they try to give up tobacco through communities of quitters.
“Commit to Quit” will help create healthier environments that are conducive to quitting tobacco by advocating for strong tobacco cessation policies; increasing access to cessation services; raising awareness of tobacco industry tactics, and empowering tobacco users to make successful quit attempts through “quit & win” initiatives.
WHO, together with partners, will create and build-up digital communities where people can find the social support they need to quit. The focus will be on high burden countries* where the majority of the world’s tobacco users live.
WHO welcomes new contributions from partners, including private sector companies that have offered support, including Allen Carr’s Easyway, Amazon Web Services, Cipla, Facebook and WhatsApp, Google, Johnson & Johnson, Praekelt, and Soul Machines.
Quitting tobacco is challenging, especially with the added social and economic stresses that have come as a result of the pandemic. Worldwide around 780 million people say they want to quit, but only 30% of them have access to the tools that can help them do so. Together with partners, WHO will provide people with the tools and resources they need to make a successful quit attempt.
“Smoking kills 8 million people a year, but if users need more motivation to kick the habit, the pandemic provides the right incentive,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
WHO released a scientific brief earlier this year showing that smokers are at higher risk of developing severe disease and death from COVID-19.
Tobacco is also a major risk factor for noncommunicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, respiratory disease and diabetes. Moreover, people living with these conditions are more vulnerable to severe COVID-19.
Both global and regional cessation tools will be rolled out as part of the campaign. WHO’s 24/7 digital health worker to help people quit tobacco is available in English and will soon be released to support people in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish.
“Millions of people worldwide want to quit tobacco – we must seize this opportunity and invest in services to help them be successful, while we urge everyone to divest from the tobacco industry and their interests,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of Health Promotion.
To create environments conducive to quitting tobacco, WHO has worked with partners and countries around the globe to implement tobacco control measures that effectively reduce the demand for tobacco.
WHO calls on all governments to ensure their citizens have access to brief advice, toll-free quit lines, mobile and digital cessation services, nicotine replacement therapies and other tools that are proven to help people quit. Strong cessation services improve health, save lives and save money.
Source:WHO
Inserted by Zimbabwe Online Health Centre
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Tinashe Sambiri|The MDC Alliance has pointed out that Mr Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration is wholly responsible for the demolition of houses in Budiriro, Harare.
In a statement, MDC Alliance described the Harare demolitions as a heartless act.
Read full statement below :
HARARE DEMOLITIONS: A HEARTLESS ACT
The MDC Alliance condemns the callous, disproportionate demolitions of homes that are currently being carried out by Central Government, in particular the Ministry of Local Government – Mr July Moyo, the Provincial Minister – Mr Oliver Chidawu and the Provincial Development Co-ordinator – Mr Tafadzwa Muguti.
The demolitions have resulted in people losing their homes, savings and their only available shelter in the middle of the rainy season.
Families with young children, the old and the infirm have been rendered homeless by this heartless act.
Before his arrest two weeks ago, the Mayor of Harare, Councillor Jacob Mafume ordered a stop to all demolitions.
He protested against the grossly unreasonable timing of the demolitions and in view of the wet season and the ongoing Covid19 pandemic.
He stated that the execution of any court orders held by Council should be carried out in a humane manner and that Council should weigh in favour of regularizing settlements as opposed to destroying them.
We are of the firm view that most of the houses being destroyed can be regularized and should therefore not be destroyed.
At the centre of the crisis are Zanu PF land barons and illegal co-operatives whose corrupt conduct has led to the arbitrary allocation of land in a manner that does not comply with council by-laws.
The current demolitions have been triggered by Zanu PF in-fighting where urban land is being used as an election tool as well as a sword against those who have fallen out of favour with the system.
Unsuspecting members of the public and bona fide buyers who have been duped by the land barons and are left to bear the brunt of the illegality.
Additionally, it is reported that the Provincial Minister for Harare, Mr Oliver Chidawu has an interest in the demolition of houses because a large section of the land which the Zanu PF land barons and co-operatives raided belongs to him.
The Provincial Minister took advantage of the absence of the Mayor over the last fortnight to push council staff to execute the demolitions.
We demand an immediate end to the demolitions as they are anti-poor and their timing is causing untold suffering and indignity to people who are already victims of corrupt land barons. We further demand and end to Central Government interference in the affairs of the City of Harare.
The Harare Provincial Minstry must stop giving unlawful instructions to council staff, particularly when this causes loss and harm to the people whom council are meant to serve.
We call for the urgent implementation of the devolution clauses in the Constitution and reform to the Urban Councils Act to enable local authorities to serve the people without interference from Central Government.
Human Rights Day commemorates the day the General Assembly of the UN adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The UDHR is one of UN’s major achievements as well as the first enunciation of human rights across the world.
Adopted on 10th December 1948, the Declaration stipulates universal values and a shared standard of achievement for everyone in every country.
While the Declaration is not a binding document, it inspired over 60 human rights instruments that today make a common standard of human rights.
It is the most translated document around the globe available in over 500 languages.
2020 Theme: Recover Better – Stand Up for Human Rights
This year’s Human Rights Day theme relates to the COVID-19 pandemic and focuses on the need to build back better by ensuring Human Rights are central to recovery efforts.
We will reach our common global goals only if we are able to create equal opportunities for all, address the failures exposed and exploited by COVID-19, and apply human rights standards to tackle entrenched, systematic, and intergenerational inequalities, exclusion and discrimination.
10 December is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of human rights in re-building the world we want, the need for global solidarity as well as our interconnectedness and shared humanity.
Under UN Human Rights’ generic call to action “Stand Up for Human Rights”, we aim to engage the general public, our partners and the UN family to bolster transformative action and showcase practical and inspirational examples that can contribute to recovering better and fostering more resilient and just societies.-UN
Tinashe Sambiri|President Nelson Chamisa has described the outcome of the Presidential election in the Republic of Ghana as a sign of a bright future for Africa.
President Chamisa described President Nana Akufa Addo’s victory in the Presidential election in Ghana as a big moment for Africa.
“A BIG MOMENT FOR GHANA…
Congratulations President Nana Akufa Addo for winning the Presidential election in Ghana.
Thank you Ghana for setting the example and leading the way.
Peace is simple. Democracy is viable. Transparency matters. God bless Ghana.
God bless Africa! #Godisinit,” said President Chamisa in a brief statement.
In a separate statement President Chamisa denounced the demolition of houses in Harare:
“The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and an attack and assault on the dignity & security of persons.
This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Namibia has described Constantino Chiwenga as a political hypocrite.
The party also accused Chiwenga of abandoning local health facilities to seek medical services out of the country.
Read full statement below :
09 DECEMBER 2020
VICE PRESIDENT CONSTANTINO GUVHEYA CHIWENGA’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND SELFISHNESS UNEARTHED, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA NOTED WITH FURY.
Mdc Alliance Namibia is greatly transfixed by the political hypocrisy and selfishness exhibited in the clueless Zanupf regime.
Barely some few some months after publicly banning health tourism , ailing Chiwenga has been flown out to China for his routine medical check up. After pretending to be objective and sensitive to the financial implications of relying on foreign hospitals for medical services, the desperate Zanupf Vice President and Health Minister declared that government will no longer provide foreign currency to assist cabinet ministers to globe trot hunting medical treatment in sophisticated health facilities in the diaspora.
As an external Mdc Alliance district, we want to castigate this futile attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses by paddling political lies. The nation has to know that Zanupf will never transform its corrupt tendencies.
Moreso, it is quite pathetic and illogical for our Health Minister to abandon his own hospitals which are dilapidated in favour of those in the diaspora because they are well taken care of by the host governments. We would like to urge Zanupf morons to revamp the health fraternity to benefit the general citizenry.
The Health Minister must learn to walk his talk, he must realise that it’s no longer time for political rhetoric but real delivery of his intentions to change the ugly face of our health sector. It is imperative to point out that the sorry state of our hospitals and clinics emanate from the stinking corruption and nepotism practised with impunity. Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo looted US$60 million Covid-19 funds but he was not even detained only to be given 50 000 RTGS as his bail.
The amount could have gone a long way in assisting our people.
Moreover, Moyo Obadiah is walking free as we speak right now. Zanupf leaders must respect the basic human rights which includes basic health care and right to life. They must commence to pay more attention to the sanctity of human life by investing more on renovating the torn and tattered health fraternity to avert unnecessary expenditure by the government through careless financing of hospital bills to Zanupf officials.
Addressing journalists in his capacity as Health Minister, he reluctantly uttered that the state had halted footing the medical bills of all senior government officials in order to maintain the national medical bill. To quote him verbatim he said, “We will not export our patients . We will not make referrals to our patients. Altogether, the export bill was too high and that is what we want to do away with”. This is a clear reflection that some animals are more equal than others and this makes Zimbabwe epitomise “a new Animal Farm” owned by insensitive Zanupf morons where inequality has become a national religion.
To wind up, Mdc Alliance Namibia condemns this selective application of the law with all its organs. Zanupf must begin to respect our national coffers.
Our hospitals are being plundered by greedy and the insatiable appetite for personal egos in a frustrated regime that does not want to ensure the existence of equal health facilities for all. We demand that Chiwenga and his cronies should make sure that the basic health facilities are gotten in the country.
By A Correspondent- Police yesterday nabbed five men suspected of being part of a vehicle theft and smuggling syndicate.
The thieves were caught after they allegedly smuggled a stolen white Toyota Hilux single cab vehicle from South Africa and drove it to Zimbabwe, but they ran out of fuel along the Bulawayo – Beitbridge Road.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday confirmed the arrest.
“A white Toyota Hilux single cab was stolen in South Africa on December 3 and it was driven to Zimbabwe. Police managed to arrest five suspects in Mazunga area,” Nyathi said without naming them.
“The area where they were arrested is 255km along Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road, after the vehicle had run out of fuel. Investigations are still in progress.”
Nyathi said they had received a report from the South African side that a hired car had gone missing.
“We received a report that a white Hilux which belonged to a car rental company had been hired on December 3 and was supposed to be returned on December 4. The car was not returned and on December 5 a report was made to the Beitbridge Police that a vehicle was missing.
“The five were caught when they tried to refuel the car after they had run out of fuel. Investigations are still ongoing.”
In 2018, a 63-year-old South African national Willem Schalk Janzen-Root was jailed for seven years in Zimbabwe over vehicle smuggling charges.
Janzen-Root was believed to be part of a vehicle trafficking syndicate which uses Zimbabwe as a transit route for luxury cars from South Africa for resale in other countries.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Wednesday promoted 1 089 Zimbabwe Republic Police junior and senior officers to the ranks between inspector and commissioner.
Reads the police notice:
ZIMBABWE REPUBLIC POLICE: 2020 PROMOTION EXERCISE FOR COMMISSIONED RANKS
The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to inform the nation that His Excellency the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Cde E D Mnangagwa has promoted ZRP senior and junior officers with effect from 08 December 2020 as follows;
PROMOTED TO COMMISSIONER:
Assistant Commissioner Charles Musavengana
Assistant Commissioner Bazibi Dube
Assistant Commissioner Steven Kazingizi
Assistant Commissioner Ndofandaedza Jaboon
Assistant Commissioner Richard Mahoya Basera
Assistant Commissioner Winston Muzah
Assistant Commissioner Nelson Charumbira
Assistant Commissioner Grace Sundirai Ndou
TOTAL: 08
PROMOTED TO ASSISTANT COMMISSIONER TOTAL 24
PROMOTED TO CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT TOTAL 48
PROMOTED TO SUPERINTENDENT TOTAL 168
PROMOTED TO CHIEF INSPECTOR TOTAL 232 PROMOTED TO INSPECTOR TOTAL 609
The promotions are in line with the Government’s vision 2030 and the Zimbabwe Republic Police’s quest to improve service delivery to Zimbabweans. Vacancies had arisen due to retirements and natural causes
By A Correspondent- A man, his wife and son died on the spot after a vehicle they were travelling in collided with a truck in Mbalabala along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the accident which occurred on Saturday at around 3PM at the 66-kilometre peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
She said Mbuso Moyo (55) was travelling with his wife Patience Ncube (40) and 13-year-old son Mpumuzi when he lost control of his vehicle and it encroached onto the lane of oncoming traffic.
“I can confirm a fatal road accident which occurred at Mbalabala area along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road where three people died on the spot. Mbuso Moyo was driving a Toyota twin cab along the said road headed towards Gwanda.
“When he got to the 66-kilometre peg, he lost control of the vehicle and encroached onto the oncoming traffic lane where a Hodo Sino Truck was approaching headed for Bulawayo.
“The driver of the truck moved to the extreme left side of his lane in order to avoid the vehicle but without luck, which resulted in a head on collision. Moyo, his wife and child died on the spot and their bodies were taken to Filabusi District Hospital mortuary,” she said.
Insp Mangena said preliminary investigations had shown that the cause of the accident was speeding. She urged motorists to adhere to road regulations and exercise extreme caution when travelling along roads especially during the rainy season.
“We urge motorists to observe road regulations and exercise extreme caution in order to avoid loss of life. Especially now that we are in the rainy season where roads will be slippery and vision will be blurred, drivers have to be very cautious and where necessary they would rather park their vehicles until it’s conducive for them to drive,” she said.
Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo are investigating a traffic accident which occurred on Monday where a pedestrian died on the spot. The accident occurred in North End opposite house number 15 Queens Road at 8.30AM.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube who confirmed the incident yesterday said the victim, whose name has been withheld because her next of kin is yet to be informed, sustained severe head injuries.
“Kudzaishe Blessing Chinyakuza, a male adult aged 24 years, was driving a Nissan Bluebird along Queens Road due north with no passengers on board. A female adult aged 49 years residing in North End Bulawayo was walking along the road due north,” said Insp Ncube.
“Circumstances are that Chinyakuza hit the woman when he lost control of the motor vehicle, which veered off to the left side of the road and hit a precast wall at House Number 13 Heany Road North End, Bulawayo.”
Insp Ncube said the woman’s body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary for post-mortem.
“The cause of the accident was due to excessive speeding and investigations are in progress under Bulawayo Central Traffic department.
“We appeal to motorists to be considerate while behind the steering, roads are slippery during this period and there are high chances of one losing control of the vehicle and putting lives of other road users at risk,” said Insp Ncube.-statemedia
THE Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) was yesterday accused of presiding over “sham” examinations for several ‘O’ level subjects with schools around the country receiving incomplete material or students writing tests under candle light.
Students and invigilators around the country discovered that the Geography question paper, which included questions on map reading, was incomplete and the map missing, leading to panicky schools making last minute enquiries to neighbouring examination centres to find out if they had the correct paper.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe confirmed the chaos, adding that Ndebele and Mathematics examinations for the visually impaired were also affected by the chaos.
“The Geography examination paper had missing papers countrywide. There was also the Ndebele examination which had a serious mix up between Paper One and Paper Two. It just shows you how shoddy it is and it’s not just this one, there is a Mathematics paper which was written by visually impaired persons last week, who diagrams were badly labelled. The question papers were inadequate, and pupils had to be dictated the question papers while they typed on braille for them to be able to write the exam,” Majongwe said.
Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec officials were fruitless, but Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela told NewsDay that she had not yet received the reports.
Thabela, however, said that her ministry was going to investigate the issue.
“I have not received such a report. Let me find out with our director of communications,” Thabela said.
He said there were a lot of blunders which made it difficult to believe that these were just general mistakes.
“It just means people aren’t doing their work and why are we forcing these exams when we are actually not ready for them? The tragedy now is, we are affecting pupils with COVID-19 and we are ultimately going to come up with shoddy processes and shoddy exam outcomes,” he said, adding that the brand Zimsec had gone up in smoke.
Sources in the ministry said that in Wedza district only one school — Rambanepasi Secondary School was not affected after the school authorities managed to get 53 question papers that had the map, while the rest of the schools including Chigwedere, Chemhanza, Mount St Mary’s, St Annes Goto, Matsine and Gumbonzvanda high schools had incomplete question paper, but students proceeded to write the exam.
In other places, the examination papers arrived late with pupils having to write in the dim lights of candles.
In Hurungwe reports are that several schools were affected but the students still sat for the incomplete examination.
“Usually, Geography Paper One has a map for studying and then candidates answer 12 questions. However, at two different centres in Karoi the invigilators discovered that the examination paper had missing pages as the map was not there, with only questions available. The maps are always attached to the examination papers,” an official who declined identification said.
“The whole process is a sham. I think authorities should have postponed the examinations as it is evident that they were ill-prepared to conduct them. The whole process discredits the holding of examinations in the country.”
In Mashonaland East, 90 schools reported a similar problem except for Rambanepasi Secondary School in Wedza which got 53 examinations papers which were complete.
Reports from Chipinge were that the exam paper arrived late and pupils were forced to write under candle light.
“In Chipinge the paper, which was supposed to be written from 2pm to 4pm, arrived late at some examination centres. Pupils at the affected schools were forced to sit for the exam after 8pm using candle light. We don’t know what’s really taking placing at Zimsec,” a stakeholder Marian Mhlanga said.
She also said some pupils, who lived in faraway places, had to leave without sitting for the exam.
“Some schools had to write papers which had already been opened because they had to borrow them from other schools which had already written in the afternoon,” Mhlanga said.
ZANU-PF party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri yesterday announced the first batch of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) election results, adding that there will be reruns in some parts of the country that they were marred by chaotic scenes.
Some of the big names that won include the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara who won the Mazowe district chairmanship and Energy minister Zhemu Soda who is the new chairperson for Muzarabani.
In Gokwe North, the Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena also romped to victory as the new DCC chairperson. He will be deputised by Steven Ngwenya.
Musarara previously lost to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe who is the outgoing chairperson of the Mazowe District. Musarara will be deputised by Dominic Chimumba.
The Makonde DCC chairmanship was won by legislator Kindness Paradza.
Muchinguri said in some districts vote counting was still on-going, adding that disputes would be dealt with by the party.
In Chimanimani, Brighton Muchiwa won the chairmanship, and he will be deputised by Mavis Tererai. In Makoni district, the DCC chairmanship went to Albert Nyakuedzwa who will be deputised by Phinius Toro.
“I want to say that Zanu-PF is a very democratic party, and where people feel they have not been treated fairly they can go for arbitration. That is why we have different levels of interventions, at district level, provincial level, and we also dispatched national teams from headquarters.
“Over and above that we are the final level, which is the command centre but of course we consult with our principals, which is His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies. We have received a number of complains, which have been presented, and one of the reasons why we have withheld results from other districts is because of the contestations which surround certain results,” Muchinguri said.
She said the party had withheld some of the results pending investigation.
“So we still have at least two days to send out teams to investigate, where we feel that there has been some unfairness and also we need to verify some figures which did not tally,” she said
Justice Benjamin Chikowero demands to see Marry Mubaiwa’s wounds physically. Her lawyers are arranging that she be brought to court in next hour or so. The estranged wife of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is seeking bail variation to be treated in SA, opposed by the National Prosecuting Authority.
By A Correspondent- Zanu PF is investigating with “highest priority” complaints of vote-rigging, burning of ballot papers and violence in the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections held over the weekend.
The DCCs are making a comeback after they were disbanded eight years ago for fuelling divisions in the governing party.
The party held DCC elections in eight provinces except for Harare and Bulawayo, but the polls were marred with controversy.
Speaking to Business Times from the Command Centre at ZANU–PF headquarters in the capital, the party’s secretary for security Lovemore Matuke said his department was seized with the matter and will soon submit a report to the party’s Politburo.
Matuke warned the party would descend heavily on members who caused problems in the weekend contest.
“We are working together with the party’s chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri and the Commissariat department (as we try) to get to the bottom of the matter,” Matuke told Business Times.
We know that they are some party individuals who were linked with the G40 cabal who caused the chaos in the various provinces resulting in the irregularities.
The chairperson has promised that heads will roll on individuals in the provinces and districts that caused problems and we shall look at all scenarios and incidents that caused problems and address them. We will not allow errant behaviour to spoil the elections that were held peacefully and democratically.”
He said some provinces, however, managed to conduct their elections in a “professional and democratic way” and it was commendable work.
It is understood that in several provinces, aspiring candidates who were barred by the Politburo to contest in the elections were the main culprits.
Heavy rains also delayed the elections in other provinces. In the elections many political heavyweights in various provinces were being challenged in their posts and had also wanted their proxies to win the elections.
Muchinguri, at a press conference this week, also confirmed the problems that had rocked the DCC elections and promised disciplinary actions will be taken on the errant party members.
By A Correspondent- ZANU-PF party chairperson Oppah Muchinguri yesterday announced the first batch of the district co-ordinating committee (DCC) election results, adding that there will be reruns in some parts of the country that they were marred by chaotic scenes.
Some of the big names that won include the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe chairperson Tafadzwa Musarara who won the Mazowe district chairmanship and Energy minister Zhemu Soda who is the new chairperson for Muzarabani.
In Gokwe North, the Gokwe Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena also romped to victory as the new DCC chairperson. He will be deputised by Steven Ngwenya.
Musarara previously lost to Home Affairs Minister Kazembe Kazembe who is the outgoing chairperson of the Mazowe District. Musarara will be deputised by Dominic Chimumba.
The Makonde DCC chairmanship was won by legislator Kindness Paradza.
Muchinguri said in some districts vote counting was still on-going, adding that disputes would be dealt with by the party.
In Chimanimani, Brighton Muchiwa won the chairmanship, and he will be deputised by Mavis Tererai. In Makoni district, the DCC chairmanship went to Albert Nyakuedzwa who will be deputised by Phinius Toro.
“I want to say that Zanu-PF is a very democratic party, and where people feel they have not been treated fairly they can go for arbitration. That is why we have different levels of interventions, at district level, provincial level, and we also dispatched national teams from headquarters.
“Over and above that we are the final level, which is the command centre but of course we consult with our principals, which is His Excellency Emmerson Mnangagwa and his two deputies. We have received a number of complains, which have been presented, and one of the reasons why we have withheld results from other districts is because of the contestations which surround certain results,” Muchinguri said.
She said the party had withheld some of the results pending investigation.
“So we still have at least two days to send out teams to investigate, where we feel that there has been some unfairness and also we need to verify some figures which did not tally,” she said.-newsday
By A Correspondent- Kuwadzana 3 High School pupils were last Friday barred from sitting for their Ordinary Level Mathematics examination paper after failing to pay US$3 demanded by the school authorities for hand sanitisers.
Warren Park-Mabelreign district schools co-ordinator Jorum Mupunza yesterday confirmed the incident to NewsDay, adding that they had already instituted an investigation into the matter.
“We are in the process of investigations and can only be able to furnish you with the full details through the provincial director as soon we conclude our investigations,” Mupunza said.
One of the affected students, who cannot be named for protection purposes, said they were ordered out of the school premises after failing to pay for the hand sanitisers.
The demand shocked parents of the affected pupils who said they understood the government had provided all materials needed to curb the spread of COVID-19 that has infected over 300 pupils since schools reopened a month ago.
One of the parents said she was shocked to find her daughter crying and upon inquiring, she was told the “sad story.”
“When I came home my daughter started crying and upon inquiring, she told me she had not written her examination because she was sent back together with other pupils because they had not paid the US$3 to buy sanitisers. I accompanied her to the school and approached the headmistress, Mai Munetsi, who professed ignorance on the matter,” the parent said.
“This is really sad, this is torture which is meant to deny my daughter her right to write the examination having fully paid the school fees and the examination fee. This will make it impossible for her to take the next step in life as these are the examinations that will determine her future.”
The parent said the matter was reported to the district officials who were at the school when she went to confront the headmistress.
“How can someone be that greedy to the extent of ruining the life of my daughter? So who is going to carry the burden for her to be able to write that examination? This is cruelty at its worst,” she said.
Efforts to get a comment from Munetsi were fruitless.-Newsday
By Dr Takavafira Zhou| The government is adamant that in spite of acute increase of COVID-19 cases among school aged children, schools will continue to operate. Over 30 schools and over 600 pupils and teachers have been affected, and the government seem to have adopted a one size fits all approach in which it waits for COVID-19 to run riot in a school and then close the school. Many more infected and affected teachers and pupils have not yet been tested thereby closeting the effects of COVID-19 in schools.
There has been severe disruption of children’s education as infected children infect other children and adults. It is beyond doubt that pupils at school tend to have a wide transmission circle which can endanger parents and grand parents. While it is prudent to minimise disruption of children’s education, stricter guide guidelines are urgently needed for reducing opportunities for infection. Sadly, the Ministry of Education seem to have no plans whatsoever other than sending children home from affected schools, while other schools remain open.
The risks from casual contacts on school transport, breaks and lunch times have not been adequately recognised. Action is urgently needed, to make schools safe for teachers and learners and to reduce infection in Zimbabwe. Control of the virus requires an excellent test, track and trace system. There is also need to strengthen public health and local authority teams that ordinarily must involve teacher trade unions. Absence of testing kits and other PPEs, undue delays, difficulties in getting tested, and inadequate contact tracing have all impacted on infection control for teachers, pupils and families.
School heads and teachers have carried heavy responsibilities, whilst frequently being denied key information and resources, and constrained by incoherent advice from Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education. The present situation in many of the worst affected schools is characterised by confusion, secrecy, mistrust, fear, demoralisation, uncertainty and exhaustion. The Ministry has remained far detached from the pathetic situation in schools and resort more to homelitic bellicose than supply of resources to cater for covid 19 abatement equipment. There is danger that apathy will follow as school authorities feel they are unable to act intelligently and effectively without resources. The situation is surely not sustainable and need urgent gvt intervention which sadly is not forthcoming thereby leaving pupils at the vagaries of covid 19 in schools. The Ministry has again unilaterally called for a phased approach of opening schools next year. It has not engaged teachers in its plans, yet teachers have grievances pertaining to the prioritisation of their health and safety, let alone their welfare. The false assumption that wisdom comes from occupying a big office at head office must be deflated as knowledge is not a product of osmosis by virtue of occupying a big office. There are so many dangerous small heads occupying big office in the Ministry and the sooner they abandon the dangerous self pollination for cross pollination of ideas, the better.
In terms of minimising covid 19 risks and costs, and preparing students for, exams, it would have been better to allow candidates to write exams next year. Now that the exams have been extended to next year, boarding school pupils’ travelling back home and back to school may increase covid 19 chances of infection. This would also come with extra burden of travelling and school fees expenses from poor parents, which only a few can afford.
We reiterate our long held view that teachers and pupils must be tested before congregating in schools. Resources are needed in schools in order to enhance safe operations and health services. Gvt must provide adequate support and recognise the need for flexibility in schools rather than wait until the situation is worse to close the school. If gvt cannot do anything it is better to close schools and use course work marks to determine grades of students at grade 7, form 4 and Upper 6th. Life is more important than mere formality of writing examinations.
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube has ‘reneged’ on a cabinet-approved plan to cut two percent royalty fee on gold delivery at Fidelity Printers and Refiners, which would immensely benefit small scale producers and improve spot prices offered by the state monopoly.
This comes as a number of industry players have been complaining about a raft of cumbersome taxes, totalling nearly 18 percent and the Zimbabwe economics tzar has announced numerous strategies, including in his 2021 national budget, that bullion production can be raised through price negotiations between the monopoly and artisanal miners to reach the target 24 tonnes by 2025.
By A Correspondent- The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council (Zimsec) was yesterday accused of presiding over “sham” examinations for several ‘O’ level subjects with schools around the country receiving incomplete material or students writing tests under candle light.
Students and invigilators around the country discovered that the Geography question paper, which included questions on map reading, was incomplete and the map missing, leading to panicky schools making last minute enquiries to neighbouring examination centres to find out if they had the correct paper.
Progressive Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) secretary-general, Raymond Majongwe confirmed the chaos, adding that Ndebele and Mathematics examinations for the visually impaired were also affected by the chaos.
“The Geography examination paper had missing papers countrywide. There was also the Ndebele examination which had a serious mix up between Paper One and Paper Two. It just shows you how shoddy it is and it’s not just this one, there is a Mathematics paper which was written by visually impaired persons last week, who diagrams were badly labelled. The question papers were inadequate, and pupils had to be dictated the question papers while they typed on braille for them to be able to write the exam,” Majongwe said.
Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec officials were fruitless, but Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary Tumisang Thabela told NewsDay that she had not yet received the reports.
Thabela, however, said that her ministry was going to investigate the issue.
“I have not received such a report. Let me find out with our director of communications,” Thabela said.
He said there were a lot of blunders which made it difficult to believe that these were just general mistakes.
“It just means people aren’t doing their work and why are we forcing these exams when we are actually not ready for them? The tragedy now is, we are affecting pupils with COVID-19 and we are ultimately going to come up with shoddy processes and shoddy exam outcomes,” he said, adding that the brand Zimsec had gone up in smoke.
Sources in the ministry said that in Wedza district only one school Rambanepasi Secondary School was not affected after the school authorities managed to get 53 question papers that had the map, while the rest of the schools including Chigwedere, Chemhanza, Mount St Mary’s, St Annes Goto, Matsine and Gumbonzvanda high schools had incomplete question paper, but students proceeded to write the exam.
In other places, the examination papers arrived late with pupils having to write in the dim lights of candles.
In Hurungwe reports are that several schools were affected but the students still sat for the incomplete examination.
“Usually, Geography Paper One has a map for studying and then candidates answer 12 questions. However, at two different centres in Karoi the invigilators discovered that the examination paper had missing pages as the map was not there, with only questions available. The maps are always attached to the examination papers,” an official who declined identification said.
“The whole process is a sham. I think authorities should have postponed the examination as it is evident that they were ill-prepared to conduct them. The whole process discredits the holding of examinations in the country.”
In Mashonaland East, 90 schools reported a similar problem except for Rambanepasi Secondary School in Wedza which got 53 examinations papers which were complete.
Reports from Chipinge were that the exam paper arrived late and pupils were forced to write under candle light.
“In Chipinge the paper, which was supposed to be written from 2pm to 4pm, arrived late at some examination centres. Pupils at the affected schools were forced to sit for the exam after 8pm using candle light. We don’t know what’s really taking placing at Zimsec,” a stakeholder Marian Mhlanga said.
She also said some pupils, who lived in faraway places, had to leave without sitting for the exam.
“Some schools had to write papers which had already been opened because they had to borrow them from other schools which had already written in the afternoon,” Mhlanga said.-Newsday
By A Correspondent- The late MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son, Vincent has revealed he was behind MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora’s bid to land the MDC-T presidency, while dismissing the ambitious politician’s challengers as liars.
In a letter shared Wednesday, the youth legislator labels presidential contenders Elias Mudzuri and acting leader Thokozani Khupe as liars for what he perceived as fake love for his late father.
The MDC-T is set to hold its Extraordinary Congress (EOC) this month for purposes of electing a substantive leader to replace Tsvangirai, just over two years after his sad passing from colon cancer.
The defiant Glen View South lawmaker had no kind remarks for Mudzuri whom he said had a tendency of sleeping during party meetings yet promising to re-energise party structures.
He bases his support for Mwonzora on his principles and similar traits to his father who led the original MDC in 1999 upon formation.
“I support Douglas Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.
“DM is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes; he is strategic in his planning, he is not selfish, he is seen as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dhagi), he is kind but firm, he is principled, he is not corrupt,” he said.
Tsvangirai added he was disgusted by Khupe’s continued claims she was in good books with his late father while her reputation has been dented beyond repair for someone vying for opposition leader.
Said Tsvangirai:
“Now while she (Khupe) may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party.
“She rebelled against MT and showed no sign of respect to her president going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using her fist, the lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with MT even to his death always leave a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light.”
Tsvangirai dumped the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance which won him his parliamentary seat following the death of Vimbai, another Tsvangirai sibling who died in a car crash.
The Supreme Court in March this year nullified Chamisa’s leadership of the main opposition declaring the politician used unconstitutional means to land the top opposition job.
The court ordered MDC to revert back to the party’s 2014 structures to choose a substantive leader to the late former Prime Minister.
In his letter, Vincent goes on to dismiss Mudzuri’s claims Tsvangirai left the party in his hands before Chamisa’s palace coup.
“Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddles the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T, he forgets that MDC is a democratic party where a leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected.
“He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them,” he said.
“Mudzuri sleeps at meetings yet wants to energise the base for 2023.”
However, Vincent spares Komichi of the vitriol, only saying the Senator struggles to convince people to vote for him and has a tainted image from 2018 when he imposed candidates for the MDC Alliance, their electoral vehicle then.-newsday
By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo businessman and a fitness enthusiast Edmore Cyprianos has died.
The Highlander’s super fan’s death was confirmed by one of his sons Brendon on social media in a post that reads:
“As many of you have already heard, today we lost Edmore Cyprianos, my father. I am at loss for words and I cannot even put into words the way I am feeling. A leader, a motivator, an inspiration to me and many within the community.
Dad, my heart is broken. Every night I would pray to the lord to keep you safe on the roads as I knew you traveled a lot for work, but no prayer could’ve prevented this from happening. I’ll always be left with the question of why?
You’ve inspired me to become the man I am today, and I have looked up to you ever since I was a child. My heart is heavy and it is full of pain. Dad I love you and may your beautiful soul rest in eternal peace
According to the publication:
Cyprianos was the managing director of Cypriano Electrical,
Was a recognised Highlanders supporter
Together with his wife Nokuthula founded a swimming academy in Bulawayo, Stingrays Swimming Academy.
Circumstances leading to his death are still sketchy we will update this article if new details emerge.-statemedia
Hon Temba Mliswa: Thank you Madam Speaker, I think we have to take seriously the COVID -19 pandemic. I say so because on behalf of many Members, our condolences to ZBC Reporter, the late Janet Munyaka.
I say so because she was quite dedicated to her duty and was a professional. What really pains me is she definitely got infected while at work. What are we doing to ensure that these people who are dedicating their time to serve this country are protected?
What has ZBC done to ensure that there is some tracing in terms of everybody at ZBC. We have not read about that.
The fear is that as Parliament, through our role of oversight, we must be able to encourage institutions to be protected. It is quite sad that we allow our dedicated men and women to work without taking cognisance of the fact that from a health point of view, they have to be protected.
The same as this Parliament, why can we not have a situation where we are tested monthly or twice a week because we do not know who is positive here. I say so because my own sister and Hon Member for Hurungwe West and Provincial Minister of State, Hon. Mary Chikoka was infected.
It is through the grace of God that she survived. It was acute and in no time she was in ICU under incubation. It is a miracle for her to survive. I have learnt that only until it happens to somebody close to you, can you appreciate it. I am hoping that it does not happen to anybody close to you so that we protect ourselves.
The staff and the Ministry of Health must be commended. Our health professionals must be commended because they have gotten into that point understanding covid and as a result they are able to treat it. In that ICU unit, three people died. May we not be reckless with life to get to hospital? Let us not try to get to hospital because we are now more or less under people with a profession which we are not sure of. I say so Madam Speaker because we must take it seriously.
I see Ministers sitting close to each other and yet in the dedication of duty they are exposed– all of us as Members of Parliament are exposed with people. What assurance can we get in this institution that we are all safe?
That is the reason why I am imploring your good office that as of tomorrow – because we do not want to go back home and infect our families, may we get tested so that we know our status and take the necessary remedies that ensure that we are okay and we do not spread it. COVID-19 is real.
Once again condolences to the Munyaka family. She was dedicated to duty and other people in that profession too, want some assurance. How then are they going to be protected and so forth? COVID is real – unless and until somebody close to you gets it can you really understand it is there.
By A Correspondent- SABC News tonight will give an update on Marry Mubaiwa Chiwenga’s health.
This was revealed in a Twitter post by an SABC firebrand journalist Sophie Mokoena who said in a tweet:
Today we will bring you the update on health condition Marry Chiwenga. Watch #sabcnews channel 404 at 8pm tonight.
This came after Marry’s health issues headlined after photos of her wounded hands circulated on social media. Marry’s health condition drew sympathy from many people including her ex-husband Shingi Kaondera who rallied the nation to pray for her in a post that said:
May we all pray for Mary (sic), may God revive her spirit, may she live to see the wedding of our first daughter Destiny. I believe in you Mai D you are stronger than any disease or any court case they can’t afford your peace.
Marry as of last week was also unable to seek medical treatment in South Africa because CBZ Bank froze her bank accounts a move that according to her lawyer Beatrice Mtetwa the bank was not supposed to initiate because they have no legal basis to do so.
A senior Zanu-PF official from Chirumanzu District in the Midlands province drowned after he tried to cross a flooded river to cast his vote during the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) elections.
Cde Muchato Masvinu – the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu – was allegedly swept away while his wife watched in horror as he tried to cross Shashe River to reach a polling station on Sunday.
Because of the heavy rains that have been pounding the country, the ruling party abandoned elections at some polling stations in Gokwe North and Shurugwi North as they had become inaccessible.
The decision to abandon the elections was taken to protect the lives of party members.
Zanu-PF acting national spokesperson, Cde Patrick Chinamasa confirmed the incident in Gweru while addressing a Press conference on Tuesday.
Cde Chinamasa is leading a supervisory team overseeing the Zanu-PF DCC elections in the Midlands province.
“We have received some bad news to the effect that one of our senior party members, Cde Muchato Masvinu, who was the District Chairperson for Chirumanzu drowned after he was swept away as he tried to cross flooded Shashe River. Cde Masvinu wanted to cross the river to get to a polling station that was across to cast his vote during the DCC elections. It is on a sad note that we announce his passing on,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said Mrs Masvinu rushed to call other villagers who conducted a search which started on Sunday when Cde Masvinu was swept away. They found his body yesterday afternoon downstream.
“Mrs Masvinu who was accompanying her husband to the polling station watched helplessly as he was being swept away. His body was recovered today around 12 midday following a search by fellow villagers,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said burial arrangements were underway.
“Our deepest condolences are with the Masvinu family and the whole province at large,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said heavy rains that continued to pound the province had negatively affected the election process.
“The rains have adversely affected the smooth running of our elections and after losing one of our comrades who was swept away by the floods, we were also forced to call off elections at some polling stations in two districts namely Gokwe North and Shurugwi North as the areas were deemed inaccessible.
“With respect to Gokwe North, we also decided to authorise the voting to continue today after the process was disrupted by heavy rains and the polling agents only being able to access some of these polling stations today. We have abandoned voting at two polling stations in Gokwe North that is Gumunyu and Budiriro Schools.
“The areas can only be accessed by a helicopter. In Shurugwi we have only one polling station, Pombe Mine where voters could not access the station to exercise their vote due to incessant rains,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said the elections were complete in five districts, and were expecting to have received all the results from the other districts by last night.
“We now have election results for Chirumanzu, Kwekwe, Shurugwi and Zvishavane. They are ready and we have since forwarded them to the national command center where the results will be officially announced. We will have received all the results by midnight today and by tomorrow we expect to wrap up our mission in the province,” he said.
Cde Chinamasa said there were a lot of complaints and appeals from various districts which they managed to resolve.
“We resolved all appeals and made recommendations but those who feel they need to appeal to the national command are free to do so and we will not be offended,” he said.
TWO Zimbabwean men aged 24 and 27 have been jailed for 15 years by a Polokwane High Court in South Africa after they were hired by a local woman to kill her 53-year-old mother to settle a family dispute.
Brian Ndlovu (24) and Wilmington Shumbayaonda (27) were allegedly paid R100 000 by Violet Mabhina to kill her mother, Nancy Mabhina. She was jailed for an effective 23 years by the same court.
Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo, said the trio has been languishing in remand prison since committing the crime on 15 April this year.
“The two accused Ndlovu and Shumbayaonda arrived at the house at Zone 01, Seshego outside Polokwane City on 15 April 2020 at about 02:00 hours in the morning, where the deceased’s daughter opened and let them into the house, making it appear as burglary,” he said.
“She then pointed them to where her mother was sleeping before she went to her own bedroom.”
Brig Mojapelo said the duo then attacked the deceased, stabbed her several times with a knife, robbed her of cell-phone and fled the scene. The deceased’s elderly mother then called for help and the police were notified. The woman was certified dead on the scene.
“Police opened a case of murder and investigations commenced, which involved manhunt for the suspects.
On the same day, the police managed to arrest the two accused.
“The deceased’s cell-phone was also recovered and subsequently, the deceased’s daughter (Violet) was arrested,” said Brig Mojapelo.
Limpopo Police Commander Lieutenant General Nneke Ledwaba applauded the members of the community for continuously providing the police with positive and valuable information that assisted them to conduct timeous investigations.
MDC Alliance President Nelson Chamisa has told the City of Harare to stop demolishing people’s houses saying the whole operations is a violation of human rights, dignity and security of persons.
Posting on Twitter today, Chamisa urged those responsible to stop it.
The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and a violation of the dignity & security of persons.This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!,” said Chamisa.
Demolitions have continued in Harare with over 4 areas demolished so far while City of Harare have been granted an order by the High Court to demolish over 20 areas which were under the development of cooperatives.
The MDC Alliance has also expressed concern over the demolitions while clearing their name from the operation which has left hundreds of people homeless during this rain season.
My Position Let me get straight to the point before going into the details of why I am writing this EOC countdown opinion piece. I support Douglas T. Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.
Why I support Senator Douglas Mwonzora
Whilst Douglas Mwonzora has shared relations with my late father Morgan Tsvangirai from 1991, I first got to know about him after the 2011 congress were he won the election of the Spokesperson for MDC-T. I found it rather fascinating that a man who had been released from prison (for political reasons) four days before the congress could go on to convince 4,500 people in one day to make him the mouth piece of the party and Morgan Tsvangirai. He would go on to be an amazing Spokesperson and would comically be known as the Studio 7 Spokesperson as the message of the party would reach every corner of Zimbabwe with the still popular Studio 7.
In 2014 he did what everyone including my late father thought was impossible. After defeating Nelson Chamisa with 800 votes at what will always be the famous 2014 Congress, with only 1 nomination to his campaign, he would dub his campaign as the 1 nomination 1000 votes in 1 day campaign 1-1000-1. Long story short, that was the congress were Chamisa was defeated and Mwonzora became the Secretary General of the MDC-T. Tsvangirai always had a way to aptly describe Mwonzora. He would say “zvinhu zvaDougie zvinoita semanga-manga but before you know it, he has you in a checkmate.” Consequently, l interpreted this as a great sign of Tsvangirai’s respect for Secretary General Mwonzora.
Mwonzora is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes; • He is Strategic in his planning • He is not selfish • He is seen as as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dougie) • He is kind but firm • He is principled • He is not corrupt
Why I don’t support other candidates
Khupe Thokozani
Now, while she may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation in the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party. She rebelled against Tsvangirai and showed no sign of respect to her president, going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using his first name. The lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with Tsvangirai even to his death always leaves a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light. • She dose not listen to people • She makes bad decisions • Can not motivate support even in her own region • Quickly moving away from MDC-T opposition principles
Morgan Komichi
The Senator has a number of good attributes but struggles to motivate the base to support him. • Suffers from a bad reputation of 2018 candidates selection that has left many disgruntled.
Ellias Mudzuri
Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddels the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T. he forgets that MDC is a democratic party were leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected. He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them. • Sleeps at meetings yet wants to energize the base for 2023 • Can not motivate the base • Always found missing in action when needed • Quick to point out the mistakes of others in the most unconstructive manner.
Your vote is your secret and so is your right to choose who you want. As for me, I believe in Mwonzora and everything he stands for and I know your vote will not be wasted on him. He will get the party back on course to defeat Zanu PF and he will bring democracy back in the MDC. All these malicious allegations against Mwonzora are signs of people getting butterflies before the main fight. If candidates cannot build support at the base, if they cannot handle the heat they must stay out of the kitchen.
LATE MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s son, Vincent has revealed he was behind MDC-T secretary general Douglas Mwonzora’s bid to land the MDC-T presidency, while dismissing the ambitious politician’s challengers as liars.
In a letter shared Wednesday, the youth legislator labels presidential contenders Elias Mudzuri and acting leader Thokozani Khupe as liars for what he perceived as fake love for his late father.
The MDC-T is set to hold its Extraordinary Congress (EOC) this month for purposes of electing a substantive leader to replace Tsvangirai, just over two years after his sad passing from colon cancer.
The defiant Glen View South lawmaker had no kind remarks for Mudzuri whom he said had a tendency of sleeping during party meetings yet promising to re-energise party structures.
He bases his support for Mwonzora on his principles and similar traits to his father who led the original MDC in 1999 upon formation.
“I support Douglas Mwonzora for President of the MDC-T because I believe in his vision for the party and the country.
“DM is a politician who reminds me a lot of some of my late father’s attributes; he is strategic in his planning, he is not selfish, he is seen as both a brotherly and fatherly figure by supporters (famously known as Mukoma Dhagi), he is kind but firm, he is principled, he is not corrupt,” he said.
Tsvangirai added he was disgusted by Khupe’s continued claims she was in good books with his late father while her reputation has been dented beyond repair for someone vying for opposition leader.
Said Tsvangirai: “Now while she (Khupe) may have her good qualities here and there, her reputation the last 6-7 years has undoubtedly become unbecoming of someone who wants to become the president of a democratic party.
“She rebelled against MT and showed no sign of respect to her president going as far as to point her finger in his face and shouting at him using his first, the lie that she peddles saying she shared a nice relationship with MT even to his death always leave a bitter taste in my mouth and reminds me why politicians are always viewed in bad light.”
Tsvangirai dumped the Nelson Chamisa led MDC Alliance which won him his parliamentary seat following the death of Vimbai, another Tsvangirai sibling who died in a car crash.
The Supreme Court in March this year nullified Chamisa’s leadership of the main opposition declaring the politician used unconstitutional means to land the top opposition job.
The court ordered MDC to revert back to the party’s 2014 structures to choose a substantive leader to the late former Prime Minister.
In his letter, Vincent goes on to dismiss Mudzuri’s claims Tsvangirai left the party in his hands before Chamisa’s palace coup.
“Like Chamisa, Mudzuri peddles the lie that Tsvangirai left him the MDC-T, he forgets that MDC is a democratic party where a leadership position is not left to a particular person but is democratically elected.
“He likes to call himself a unifier but exposes himself as a hypocrite when he and his people conduct smear campaigns against other candidates and those who support them,” he said.
“Mudzuri sleeps at meetings yet wants to energise the base for 2023.”
However, Vincent spares Komichi of the vitriol, only saying the Senator struggles to convince people to vote for him and has a tainted image from 2018 when he imposed candidates for the MDC Alliance, their electoral vehicle then.
THE National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has dismissed claims of corruption ignited by the recent disposal of the organisation’s shares held by ZB Bank shares to controversial business tycoon, Kuda Tagwireyi.
NSSA says the deal was procedural and above board.
Reports last week indicated some 57 million NSSA shares, worth over $1 billion, were traded on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) same day and transferred to a Tagwirei linked company.
Key stakeholders like the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) which has a board member representing workers’ interests in NSSA, have expressed unhappiness with the deal and the unclear circumstances under which it was sealed.
However, in a press statement this week, NSSA acting chief executive officer Arthur Manase dismissed the allegations clarifying that the transaction was carried out legally and without prejudice.
“As part of the due diligence process, NSSA enlisted a reputable financial advisor to do an independent valuation to ensure NSSA had derived the correct value from the transaction.
“The valuators concluded that the deal where the parties agreed to calculate share swap ratio based on a 30 trading day volume weighted average price (VWAP) to September 30 2020 after including a 70 % premium was favorable,” he said.
Manase said based on the formula, VWAP prices for both ZB (11.3183) and CBZ ($43.2858) using 30 trading information from the 20th of August, authorities came up with a fair share swap ratio of 2.25 ZB shares for 1 CBZ share after including the 70 % premium.
“Therefore, for the 50 % NSSA received US$11.6 million which was equivalent to $948 million after factoring transaction costs. This money was invested in an asset that yields foreign currency,” he said.
NSSA said the decision to dispose of the bank shares was reached by the board in May 2020 through resolution 135/39 /08/06/2020 which approved the disposal of the authority’s entire 37.79 % shareholding in ZB Financial Holdings (ZBFH).
This was done in accordance with NSSA’s Investment Strategy guided by the NSSA Investment Policy, The Public Finance Management Act and the NSSA Act with respect to investments classified as significant.
Manase said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s directive which indexed minimum capital requirements for Tier1 and Tier2 banks at the equivalent of US$30 million and US$20 million respectively also made it impossible for the already overwhelmed NSSA to meet the capital requirements.
Reims midfielder Marshall Munetsi seems to place more value in giving back to his community in Zimbabwe than hobnobbing with the likes of Neymar.
Stade de Reims’ Marshall Nyasha Munetsi plays his football 12,000km away from his hometown in Zimbabwe, but his mind, and money, are fully invested in the futures of children in Mabvuku, where he pays the school fees for 60 scholars.
Despite a starring role in last season’s 2-0 win against Paris Saint-Germain, the Reims midfielder has taken much of this season to cement his place in the side, but with a difficult year for everyone around the globe, his eyes have been focused homewards as well.
Munetsi’s foundation recently paid the school fees of 30 children at Zimbabwe’s Mabvuku Primary and has done the same for 30 more at Donnybrook Primary.
For Munetsi, who grew up in the Mabvuku area and attended Donnybrook Primary, this gesture was deeply personal. The 24-year-old has often spoken about a childhood spent in tough conditions and his concern over drug use in Mabvuku.
In his eyes, offering children a holistic education is the best way to shield them from such hardships. The bonus for him is that it helps him remember the lessons he learned on his gruelling journey from relative poverty to a life of luxury in Ligue 1.
He told ESPN that he was well aware that his career did not grant immunity to life’s potential pitfalls.
“You always see stories about footballers spending their money on other things… These are the stories that we grow up listening to,” the versatile Zimbabwe midfielder said.
“It [the Marshall Munetsi Foundation] keeps reminding me of the job that still needs to be done. Obviously, we live a life where we don’t have many years to live, but you can always leave a good legacy — especially for my fellow brothers and sisters, the young ones who are coming up.
“Most of them, when I go back home — you see the enthusiasm that they have. They want to make it one day as football players… I have also been helped by lots of different people who gave me a lot, for which I can never pay them back.”
As far as football goes, Munetsi has always repaid the clubs who signed him by improving steadily and refusing to buckle in the face of adversity.
FC Cape Town brought him to South Africa in 2015 after spotting him in Harare, and a year later, he was snapped up by Soweto giants Orlando Pirates.
Life did not start off smoothly for Munetsi at Pirates, and he spent the 2016-17 season on loan at Baroka. On the other hand, it was his first campaign in South Africa’s top flight and he played in nearly every match.
The following season saw him earn his Buccaneers breakthrough, but he only played a bit-part role. Nevertheless, Pirates played their best football when he was in the team. That trend continued in 2018-19 and Munetsi’s minutes increased, but he was also sent off in a shock League Cup final defeat to the very same Baroka.
Nevertheless, shining at centre-back as well as in midfield, Munetsi did enough to catch the eye of Stade de Reims, who signed him ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
This was no surprise to Luvuyo Memela, who played alongside him at Pirates and told ESPN that Munetsi was a player of immense discipline and character who was destined to overcome his Soweto setbacks.
Marshall Munetsi made his Zimbabwe senior debut in 2018, and played in the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt in 2019, seen here against the hosts. JAVIER SORIANO/AFP via Getty Images Memela, now at AmaZulu, said: “I knew Nyasha was going to play overseas because he was too good [not to], even though at Pirates at some point, he was not playing his position. Whichever position we put him in, he excelled — centre-back or anchor.
“In life, at some point, we all go through things to make us strong, or it’s a way God tests how strong we are. Whatever outcome you might face in your life, the important thing is: do you stop or do you continue? Do you cry and sit at home? Nyasha is not one of those players.
“I’m so happy for him. Hopefully, one day, we will see him playing for one of the biggest teams in Europe. I know he can get there, because he’s still got legs on him and he’s still got age on his side.”
Upon signing, Munetsi was described by Reims director general Mathieu Lacour as “part of a logic of the future”. He earned his first Ligue 1 start against PSG on 25 September 2019 and provided the assist for Hassane Kamara’s opener.
Nevertheless, he still struggled to cement a regular starting berth throughout the rest of 2019-20. This battle, according to Munetsi, did not derail his mental state and actually helped him ease into life in France.
“Honestly, when I came in, the team was already doing well the previous season — they finished in eighth position. Me coming here was only to adjust for my first season.
“It [being benched regularly] helps you as a player to adjust. At that time, I felt I still needed time to adjust to the league and to learn a couple of things.”
Grounded as he is, Munetsi was over the moon following the win over PSG at the Parc des Princes — so much so that he was unable to recall any interactions with his household name opponents after the final whistle.
He said: “It was a great achievement for me personally. Growing up, you always want to play in those big games, so even if they would have tried to come to see me, I would not even have noticed. I was still celebrating after the win.”
Perhaps this offers some insight into who Munetsi is as a person. Games against the likes of Neymar and Angel Di María matter deeply to him, as they would to any football lover. However, he is unconcerned about whether the stars of the game offer him validation.
After all, long after his race is run in football, Munetsi will hope that the contribution he has made to the lives of at least 60 children in Zimbabwe will lead to something far greater than anything he could achieve on the field of play.
TWO prisoners at Mutare Remand Prison are in trouble after they were arrested on Tuesday for sodomy.
The pair, Moses Mabhure from Mutare and Carlos Mafuke from Machipanda in Mozambique appeared before regional magistrate Lucie Mungwari facing aggravated indecent assault charges (sodomy).
They were not asked to plead and were remanded in custody to December 18.
It is the State’s case that sometime in November, Mafuke was bathing at Mutare Remand Prison when he was approached by Mabhure.
Mabhure demanded to have sexual intercourse with Mafuke, who refused.
Mabhure, however, “forcibly” had sexual intercourse with Mafuke.
The matter came to light on November 29 when Mafuke was found caressing Mabhure’s private parts by fellow prisoners who reported the matter to jail guards.
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) commissioner Geoffrey Chada says the commission would look into the issue of the Gukurahundi genocide next year during public hearings.
Evans Mathanda
Chada said this on Tuesday during an NPRC capacity-building workshop in Harare which discussed the commission’s activities to be rolled out next year, including the public hearings.
He, however, said the commission was facing challenges in that there was lack of dialogue between the NPRC and citizens, adding that people also did not understand its role.
Chada said lack of knowledge on the terms of reference of the NPRC, had hindered progress because people were not presenting complaints to the commission.
“Issues like Gukurahundi are actually things that we expect to be raised during our public hearings, however, Gukurahundi is not the only crisis that the commission is going to be dealing with next year,” Chada said.
“There are a lot of crisis situations in the country like the issue of resettling of the people in Chiyadzwa and other areas like Chimanimani that have been affected by natural disasters. All these issues of need to be well addressed in order to foster national healing”, he said.
Chada said the NPRC was in the process of identifying issues of paramount importance that affected people, including those of electoral violence.
“People are also allowed to come before the NPRC and ask whether the reports on the 2018 electoral violence were properly implemented so that they put forward their complaints before the commission.
“There is nothing that we will leave behind in dealing with the issues.
“We are not going to be challenged by anyone, we will work in accordance with the NPRC Act which empowers us to deal with issues of peace and reconciliation,” he said.
Chada said there were a lot of sensitive things that would be exposed next year when the NPRC public hearings began, adding that some of the issues would be new to the media and the people of Zimbabwe.
COVID-19 positive pupils and those suspected to be infected in Bulawayo are writing 2020 public examinations in isolation in line with standard operating procedures which have been effective in curbing the spread of the global pandemic in schools.
A teacher at one of the schools said affected pupils were writing in seclusion in separate rooms from the rest of the candidates, under Ministry of Health and Child Care guidelines.
He said the isolation rooms were created to afford the pupils a chance to write their exams without the fear of exposing their invigilators and fellow pupils to infection.
Statistics show that since the phased opening of schools, about 332 pupils have contracted Covid-19 countrywide and they are stable.
Under the SOP, hugs, handshakes and sharing of desks are not permitted.
In a case where a pupil tests positive or is suspected to be positive, he or she can continue with examinations in isolation from the rest of the pupils sitting for the examination.
Break and lunch time must be staggered to prevent crowding by learners while sporting activities are banned.
A classroom should only accommodate a maximum of 35 pupils to allow for social distancing.
This follows reports that two teachers tested positive at the Bulawayo Adventist High School (BAHS).
Authorities say the SOPs are in place and the school has been in liaison with the rapid response team to ensure both teachers and pupils are safe.
The director for education at BAHS Dr Christopher Thebe said SOPs are still in place and the rapid response team had already conducted contact tracing.
“The situation is under control at BAHS and all our pupils are in good health as we speak.
“We also have one pupil suspected to be Covid-19 positive writing Grade Seven examinations in isolation at Fairview Adventist Primary School,” said Dr Thebe.
He said despite calls by parents to let non-examination classes stop attending school, there was nothing to be worried about as pupils are safe.
“We will continue to implement the SOPs and ensure that our pupils are protected. We still await results for our Grade Seven pupil which will come after a few days.”
MDC-T president Thokozani Khupe has recalled the mayors of Chinhoyi, Chegutu and Bindura and several councillors for refusing to cross over to her party after they continued to align themselves to the MDC Alliance led by Nelson Chamisa.
The recalls were announced through a letter which was written by MDC-T secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora to Local Government minister July Moyo.
Bindura mayor Carlos Tokyo was recalled yesterday and immediately an election was held which replaced him with Brian Kembo, another Chamisa loyalist.
Chinhoyi mayor Dyke Makumbi was recalled together with councillors Patricia Chibaya (ward 2), Richard Vhitirinyu (ward 3), Brighton Mhizha (ward 4), and Chipotle Mlotshwa (ward 14).
Chegutu mayor Mukudzei Chigumbura was also recalled together with three councillors Alice Kudhlande (ward 11), Edward Dzeka (ward nine) and Rhydes Machekera (ward 2).
Mashonaland West MDC Alliance spokesperson Blessing Mandava yesterday confirmed the recall of his party’s councillors.
“Mwonzora the embattled and conflicted MDC-T secretary-general has recalled three Chegutu West and six Chinhoyi councillors after failing to arm-twist them to dump the MDC Alliance and join his band of praise singers. The councillors chose to stand with the people who voted for them as they are not in politics for money or positions but to serve and save the people,” Mandava said.
He said Khupe’s MDC-T had been using the carrot and stick approach to lure legislators and city fathers to their party, as well as punish those who were not dancing to their tune.
“The recalled councillors chose to stand with the people than to bask in the MDC-T’s short honeymoon. As a province, we are quite aware of the Zanu PF shenanigans to destabilise not only our councils but also the MDC Alliance through its proxies. We will not lose sleep over these recalls neither shall we retreat nor surrender,” he said.
The party also recalled four councillors in Masvingo namely, Tarusenga Vhembo (ward 3), Godfrey Kurauone (ward 4), Daniel Mberikunashe (ward 5) and Richard Musekiwa (ward 7) for siding with Chamisa in the on-going fight for control of the opposition party. The dismissal of the four means by-elections will have to be held and the MDC Alliance majority in council reduced from seven to three. Zanu PF has three councillors in Masvingo City Council.
The suspension of body recoveries at Task Mining Syndicate in Chegutu and Matshetshe Mine in Esigodini on safety grounds will be re-examined next week to see how the need to avoid more casualties can be balanced against the desire of families to give a proper burial to victims in collapsed tunnels.
Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando yesterday told Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Mines and Mining Development chaired by Shurugwi South MP Cde Edmond Mkaratigwa (Zanu PF) that he will soon meet officials, including Chief Mining Engineer Michael Munodawafa and other stakeholders and would make a decision by Monday.
Minister Chitando was giving oral evidence before the committee on what his ministry was doing to curb rising cases of trapped miners.
Legislators felt that the ministry might be hurriedly taking a decision to stop recovery operations before exhausting other interventions.
Bikita West MP Cde Elias Musakwa (Zanu PF) gave an example of Task Mining Syndicate in Chegutu where members from the community retrieved one body of the five trapped by defying a directive that had been issued by Eng Munodawafa banning all recovery operations.
He said efforts to recover the remaining four bodies were stopped after police intervention who were acting on a certificate issued by the Government Chief Mining Engineer stopping all rescue operations.
In the case of the Esigodini mine, Cde Mkaratigwa said legislators got to the vicinity of Matshetshe Mine where there were six miners trapped.
He said the legislators got to the collapsed mine despite the fact that Eng Munodawafa had issued a certificate banning people from getting within two kilometres, saying doing so was risky as the ground was shacky.
In his response, Minister Chitando outlined immediate and medium term solutions his Ministry would undertake.
“On short term, I will consider all the issues that you have raised regarding the Chegutu and Esigodini incidents to see what short term measures can be done,” he said. “We need to go and caucus with my officials to see what intervention measures can be taken at the two mines and we will come back here on Monday with a feedback because these are immediate measures.”
Minister Chitando said he will also explore medium term measures at the beginning of next year on measures to be taken to mitigate the accidents.
The ANC’s September flight to Zimbabwe might have caused consternation on the southern side of the border, but was beneficial to both countries.
This is according to outgoing South African ambassador to Zimbabwe Mphakama Mbete, who is winding up his time in Harare with “hope for the future” of the countries’ bilateral relations.
Mbete, who arrived in Zimbabwe in 2016, bade farewell to Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, at State House on Monday. He told journalists the important part of his mission was to strengthen economic ties between the neighbours.
Part of this mission, he said, was his involvement in meetings between the ruling parties of both nations. These included the controversial one-day September meeting which left the ANC with a R105,000 bill because its delegation hitched a ride on a South African government jet with defence minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula.
As SA’s ruling party dispatched a team to Harare on a fact-finding mission, Mbete was part of some exchanges with its members. He told journalists that the engagements between the ANC and Zimbabwe’s ruling Zanu-PF led to agreement that trade and economic relations between the countries should take centre stage.
“This is in line with the pronouncements of the presidents of the two countries as they started their terms of service, when they said they want to focus on economic development of the two countries,” he said.
There have been a few investors that came from South Africa during my period here. I have a lot of hope for the future. Mphakama Mbete, outgoing SA ambassador to Zimbabwe
During his tenure as ambassador, Mbete witnessed diplomatic strains between SA and Zimbabwe because of human rights violations and a crackdown on the opposition at the hands of the Zimbabwean government. Mbete said each country had its fair share of political dynamics.
SA is Zimbabwe’s most important trading partner, with the latter importing 40% of its goods from the former and exporting 75% of its products to SA.
But because of Zimbabwe’s economic and political issues, SA maintains a trade surplus with its neighbour. According to the UN’s International Trade Centre, in 2016 SA’s exports to Zimbabwe were worth $2bn (about R30bn), while imports were a mere US$388m (about R5,8bn). That figure has since risen in favour of SA.
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Mbete said: “The intensification by my mission on the area of economic relations involved engaging South African companies working in Zimbabwe, engaging economic organisations in Zimbabwe, to try [to] understand the key priorities that will be there between the two countries. I think there has been a lot of progress in that. There have been a few investors that came from South Africa during my period here. I have a lot of hope for the future,” he said.
On the investors’ front, the most high-profile South African to arrive in Harare during Mbete’s tenure was Robert Gumede, of the Guma Group, in January 2018. He intended to invest $1.2bn (about R18bn) in tourism, information technology and infrastructure because he believed the “good times were back in Zimbabwe”. However, nothing has come out of it.
The heartless and cruel demolition of citizens’ homes is a violation of human rights and a violation of the dignity & security of persons.This command politics based on iron-fisted governance style must be resisted by us all!Those responsible, Stop it!#EndtheDemolitionspic.twitter.com/s9JlbulWIl
Councillor Brian Kembo who was recently acquitted on charges of undermining the authority of President Emmerson Mnangagwa has been elected the new Mayor of Bindura.
His deputy is Tongai Jack.
Their election comes following the recalling of former mayor Carlos Tokyo and his deputy Nobert Dokotera by the MDC-T party.
Mr Tokyo was the councillor for Ward 5 while Mr Dokotera represented Ward 10.
The vacancies were declared by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works July Moyo through a letter to Bindura Municipality.
The minister stated that following a letter from MDC-T indicating that the pair were expelled from the party and in terms of section 278 (1) of the Constitution as read with section 129 (1) (K) the two wards are vacant.
Acting town clerk Mr Kelton said acting on the letter, they called for a special council meeting to have election for the two posts.
“The election process went well and it was fair. We invited the district development coordinator Mr Richard Chipfuva to preside over the elections,” he said.
“Subsequently the structure of the organisation changes as the new mayor and his deputy were in various committees of council and we now have to look at the committees and restructure.”
Cllr Kembo beat Councillor Oliver Mukombwe after garnering six votes compared to four for Cllr Mukombwe.
“My first priority is to fight corruption in our local authority. I want to make sure there is improved service delivery in Bindura,” he said.
“Refuse collection, sewer and roads are our mandate. There are divisions along political lines, but we want to make sure that we work together and have a good working relationship for the betterment of our community and country. I look forward to a better working relationship with our management. We cannot run away from conflicts, but we must resolve them amicably. Gender-based violence is another area that we will look into and find ways to contribute to elimination of GBV. People with disabilities are also our priority.”
Kembo was recently acquitted after being charged with disorderly conduct for criticising President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.
Kembo “allegedly stated that Mnangagwa is liable for causing the suffering that citizens are currently enduring”, the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights said.
Bindura magistrate Maria Musika acquitted Kembo at the close of the prosecution case after his lawyer Idirashe Chikomba applied for discharge.
More than US$5 million worth of corruptly-acquired property, including 501 vehicles, have been seized by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission in the past 18 months as Zimbabwean authorities intensify efforts to hunt down the proceeds of corruption for eventual seizure as well as prosecute the corrupt.
Authorities are hunting down foreign assets suspected to have been corruptly acquired by Zimbabweans in South Africa, Britain, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Mauritius and Kenya and have already submitted to the Hight Court eight applications for unexplained wealth orders as efforts intensify to eventually seize all proceeds of corruption.
So far this year the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has submitted 87 dockets to the National Prosecuting Authority for criminal trials and secured 10 criminal convictions countrywide in the last 18 months.
In the twin-pronged attack to try the corrupt and ensure they cannot benefit financially from corruption, eight more vehicles worth US$160 000 were also confiscated and forfeited to the State while a total of US$330 000 and $8 million in local currency was also recovered in unpaid customs and excise duties after a joint operation with the Zimra.
Zacc chair Justice Loice Matanda-Moyo told the International Anti-Corruption Day commemoration in Harare yesterday that: “Among its high profile matters, the commission arrested two sitting Government ministers on allegations of corruption and money-laundering involving US$95 million.
“These arrests followed information received from the Auditor General and from the compliance department of Zacc on the abuse of Covid-19 funds. The commission has also seized 27 vehicles and three properties from suspects under investigation.
“We understand that the NPA has been on a recruitment drive and we look forward to corruption cases being given top priority next year,” she said.
The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) had also established specialised courts for handling cases of corruption and economic crimes.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said the commission conducted compliance checks in the procurement processes for the purchase of Covid-19 drugs and equipment and the exercise led to the arrest of senior officials in the Ministry of Health and Child Care and at Natpharm.
Zacc was also assessing systems of 92 local authorities to end corruption and fraud, particularly in procurement and that has already led to the arrest of several senior officials in local authorities.
The commission had already started working with local authorities to establish integrity committees and ensure their systems and
procedures were watertight.
Government had also amended legislation to ensure a more comprehensive legal framework for asset recovery, combating money laundering and regularisation of lifestyle audits of public officials whose assets were supposed to be commensurate with their level of income.
“The 2021 National Budget is in full support of the fight against corruption as Government set aside $3,6 billion for operations and capital requirements for all the institutions in the fight against corruption. In its 2021 National Budget, the Government has allocated $317 million to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission to amplify the fight against corruption.
“The Government has also committed to funding Zacc’s Electronic Case Management System and purchase an office for Zacc in all provinces in support of the devolution agenda.
“Zimbabwe was however, encouraged to expand the definition of ‘agent’ to include foreign public officials and officials in international organisations such as the United Nations so that they do not hide behind diplomatic immunity whilst committing acts of corruption,” Justice Matanda-Moyo said.
The United Nations estimates that the world loses about US$3,6 trillion annually from corruption of which developing countries lose about US$1,26 trillion.
In an interview on the sidelines of the commemoration, Justice Matanda-Moyo conceded that the commission had been finding it difficult to bring finality to corruption cases but said they were in the process of putting in place adequate measures to ensure suspects were not just arrested as a window dressing measure.
The “catch and release” syndrome, where corruption suspects were arrested only to be released by the courts on bail with trials continually postponed, was being ended.
“If we want to win against corruption, we really have to go all the way so what we are doing right now is that the Judicial Service Commission has actually set up Anti-Corruption Courts throughout the country and we expect the NPA to provide the prosecutors in all those courts.
“However, the biggest risk that we have is corruption itself in fighting corruption. Our institutions are not free from corruption. Be it the Zacc, police, NPA, the judiciary, we are also struggling with corruption and we want to deal with this corruption under those pillars that we have established.”
Corruption cases were by nature, very complex but the commission would continue fighting until the end.
“Corruption matters must be dealt with swiftly. Once there has been an investigation, prosecution must be swift. They must be dealt with within a short period of time because if you give these people time, they will start offering bribes (to investigators and prosecutors) and those cases will die a natural death,” she said.
Justice Matanda-Moyo said Zimbabwe had continuously evaluated progress in fighting corruption since the ratification and adoption of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) by participating in review mechanisms provided by the Convention.
“The review also noted the lack of a whistleblower protection legislative framework. As Zacc, we are pleased to note that the lay Bill is before the Attorney General’s office. We have been assured by the Minister of Justice that the Bill will be prioritised in 2021,” she said.
State institutions combating corruption and crime were now required to publish reports once every quarter giving statistics on the number of arrests, successful prosecutions or convictions and value of money or property recovered.
The father of a 9-year-old boy who was murdered and his head cooked by his uncle on Friday, 4 December 2020 in Matova Village under Chief Zimuto in Masvingo Province has spoken about the hair raising incident.
Trevor Mapxashike (also known as Mapwashike) was killed by his uncle Clever Chitiga (22) who then shaved his head before cooking it.
Chitiga in a cousin to Henry Mapwashike (48), Trevor’s father. Chitiga and Henry’s homesteads are a few metres apart.
Henry had five children and Trevor (9) was his third child and was doing Grade 2 at Matova Primary School. Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday, Henry said:
I almost collapsed, after forcing the door to one of his rooms, open. A trail of blood, which we believed to be my son’s, led us to his head which was being stewed in a big pot.
The door had been locked from inside and I had to gain entry through the window and opened it from inside.
My mother, who accompanied me to Clever’s homestead, used a stick to shove the head so that we could properly see what was in the pot and to our shock, it was my son’s head which was being stewed.
He had shaved it using a broken beer bottle and pounded it with a pestle and mortar.
… [Trevor] was an intelligent and obedient boy. He was left by his mother when he was only eight months old and was staying with my father since I had remarried.
Henry told the publication that he harboured no hard feelings towards his brother [cousin] for murdering his son. He said:
My only appeal and prayer are for the family to unite and get to the bottom of this because I think there is something behind this.
We need to sit down and cleanse our family because this is strange and bizarre. It’s unheard of.
When I got to Clever’s homestead, he had already fled from the scene after I had asked him if he had seen my son.
I believe there was juju at play because from what I know, Clever never had a history of mental illness.
In fact, his discreetness and the way he tried to conceal evidence of his diabolic act smacks of someone who is mentally stable.
He (Clever) was dull at school and had a history of violence. He once bit off his younger brother’s finger for restraining him from assaulting his nephew and also torched a car that had been left in the custody of his father for safekeeping by a friend.
… I can not eat food, I am still unable to look at cooked meat after what I saw. I am relieved that we were able to bury my son today (yesterday) at Gokomere Mission cemetery.
The pot, which he was using to cook my son’s head, was taken by the police together with the pestle and mortar, which will be used in court.-The Herald
THE Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened online applications for 2021 Form One boarding places.
The Electronic Ministry’s Application Platform (Emap) for Form One boarding enrolment opened on Monday and will run up to January 31.
Parents can now start applying online for their children.
According to the ministry, there are 262 boarding schools with a total capacity to accommodate 320 students. The Emap platform has had its share of headaches and like most platforms which experience huge traffic once a year. The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education director of communication Mr Taungana Ndoro confirmed that Emap had been opened.
“The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has opened the electronic platform for enrolling Form 1 boarding places for 2021. Parents and guardians who wish to send their children to boarding schools are advised to start applying through the platform www.emap.co.zw with effect from Monday 7 December 2020 to January 31, 2021,” he said.
“An applicant who has been offered a place at one school will not be eligible to apply or be considered for a place at any other school unless the offer is declined.
“Successful applicants will be notified through a short message service (SMS) by the respective school heads. Parents and guardians are however advised that there are limited boarding places.”
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Teachers Association (Zimta) said they were looking ahead to 2021 for new negotiations with their employer.
In a statement, Zimta president Mr Richard Gundani said it took both diplomatic persuasion and appeal to “political institutional power” to unlock the last round of talks under the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).
“True, it was a prolonged campaign which at one time was on the brink of closing the 2020 campaign without any betterment of the levels of remuneration and stalled at ZWL $3500.
“Although the outcomes were not the best from our original demand, we achieved results that had just a palliative effect, allowing for normalcy to prevail in schools,” he said.
Mr Gundani said the last round of talks in November secured for entry level D1 grade teachers a total package of $19 975 from a target of $42 432, representing 47 percent of the targeted income.
“In USD equivalent terms the targeted amount was October 2018 level of USD $520. At interbank rate the entry level award in equivalent is US$245 at the reigning auction rate of 81,6. Government agreed that the next negotiations will move towards the US$520 envisaged target,” he said.
Mr Gundani said current allowances will be built into the future awards, technically meaning they will mataphosise into the salary.
“The 2020 bonus will be inclusive of housing and transport allowances. Work in progress now and way forward. Zimta has continued to do diligent research on 2021 salary demands using available economic data and membership expectations, anchored on 2020 experiences.
“Sector specific allowances are being actively followed given that the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education endorsed previously submitted demands and were awaiting treasury concurrence,” he said.-Chronicle
THE bribery trial of ZIFA president Felton Kamambo is likely to attract the wide interest of the football community, including the world governing body FIFA, as the Zimbabwe football leader battles to clear his name on accusations of vote-buying during the 2018 elections.
The ZIFA elections, for a long time, have been marred by such allegations. But this is the first time that a case of this nature has been prosecuted in Zimbabwe.
Interestingly, former president of the association, Phillip Chiyangwa, who lost to Kamambo in the December 2018 ballot, is the complainant and one of the two main witnesses. The other witness is Kamambo’s former campaign manager, Robert Matoka, who played the middleman’s role in the alleged bribery case.
According to Article 27.1 of the FIFA Code of Ethics, which deals with issues to do with bribery, both the giver and receiver of the bribe are equally liable for the offence.
FIFA, a body that has also been tainted by allegations of corruption over the years, are clear in their statutes that they do not condone such practices.
“Persons bound by this code shall not accept, give, offer, promise, receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other advantage in order to obtain or retain business or any other improper advantage to or from anyone within or outside FIFA,” reads Article 27.1 of the FIFA statutes.
“Such acts are prohibited regardless of whether carried out directly or indirectly through, or in conjunction with, third parties.
“In particular, persons bound by this Code shall not accept, give, offer, promise, receive, request or solicit any personal or undue pecuniary or other advantage for the execution or omission of an act that is related to their official activities and is contrary to their duties or falls within their discretion.”
Kamambo, who has always maintained his innocence, is accused of bribing about 32 councillors to vote for him at the last election that ushered him into office two years ago. He got 35 votes to Chiyangwa’s 24.
The COSAFA boss withdrew from a possible second round, handing Kamambo victory, after the first round had failed to settle the contest.
Kamambo had won more votes in the first round but failed to secure enough backing, according to the ZIFA constitution, to win the contest without the need for a second round.
Bribery charges were brought up by Kamambo’s estranged election manager Matoka earlier this year and the Police Commercial Crimes Unit acted swiftly.
The duo fell out after the elections and Matoka claimed Kamambo could have used unorthodox means, including bribing the electorate, to win the watershed elections.-The Herald
Suspended MDC-T spokesperson Khaliphani Phugeni may have another day in court after the family of a minor he allegedly raped announced that it will appeal his acquittal at the High Court.
Phugeni was acquitted at the Western Commonage Court in Bulawayo by magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondeze on Monday.
On Tuesday, Phugeni celebrated his acquittal of rape charges saying he is a good man and the charges were fabricated.
He said: The charges were fabricated, and that is what the magistrate said. It’s a great day for the Judiciary.
As a country, we must hang our heads in shame for allowing a good man to be charged based on false claims, with clear impunity and without any shred of evidence provided.
This was meant to tarnish my image, vandalise my political career beyond resuscitation but the people of Zimbabwe kept coming to my inbox to tell me how much they loved me.
There are rapists out there going for our children, and I hope that no child will be disbelieved when they report a genuine rape because of this sham accusation.
The mother of the alleged victim told NewsDay that the family met and resolved to appeal at the ruling at High Court.
She said she holds no beef against Phugeni, who she said has been a family friend for years.
She added that people are trivialising rape by claiming that the family wants to tarnish Phugeni’s political image.-NewsDay
The father of a 9-year-old boy who was murdered and his head cooked by his uncle on Friday, 4 December 2020 in Matova Village under Chief Zimuto in Masvingo Province has spoken about the hair raising incident.
Trevor Mapxashike (also known as Mapwashike) was killed by his uncle Clever Chitiga (22) who then shaved his head before cooking it.
Chitiga in a cousin to Henry Mapwashike (48), Trevor’s father. Chitiga and Henry’s homesteads are a few metres apart.
Henry had five children and Trevor (9) was his third child and was doing Grade 2 at Matova Primary School. Speaking to The Herald on Tuesday, Henry said:
I almost collapsed, after forcing the door to one of his rooms, open. A trail of blood, which we believed to be my son’s, led us to his head which was being stewed in a big pot.
The door had been locked from inside and I had to gain entry through the window and opened it from inside.
My mother, who accompanied me to Clever’s homestead, used a stick to shove the head so that we could properly see what was in the pot and to our shock, it was my son’s head which was being stewed.
He had shaved it using a broken beer bottle and pounded it with a pestle and mortar.
… [Trevor] was an intelligent and obedient boy. He was left by his mother when he was only eight months old and was staying with my father since I had remarried.
Henry told the publication that he harboured no hard feelings towards his brother [cousin] for murdering his son. He said:
My only appeal and prayer are for the family to unite and get to the bottom of this because I think there is something behind this.
We need to sit down and cleanse our family because this is strange and bizarre. It’s unheard of.
When I got to Clever’s homestead, he had already fled from the scene after I had asked him if he had seen my son.
I believe there was juju at play because from what I know, Clever never had a history of mental illness.
In fact, his discreetness and the way he tried to conceal evidence of his diabolic act smacks of someone who is mentally stable.
He (Clever) was dull at school and had a history of violence. He once bit off his younger brother’s finger for restraining him from assaulting his nephew and also torched a car that had been left in the custody of his father for safekeeping by a friend.
… I can not eat food, I am still unable to look at cooked meat after what I saw. I am relieved that we were able to bury my son today (yesterday) at Gokomere Mission cemetery.
The pot, which he was using to cook my son’s head, was taken by the police together with the pestle and mortar, which will be used in court.-The Herald
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance Namibia has described Constantino Chiwenga as a political hypocrite.
The party also accused Chiwenga of abandoning local health facilities to seek medical services out of the country.
Read full statement below :
09 DECEMBER 2020
VICE PRESIDENT CONSTANTINO GUVHEYA CHIWENGA’S POLITICAL HYPOCRISY AND SELFISHNESS UNEARTHED, MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA NOTED WITH FURY.
Mdc Alliance Namibia is greatly transfixed by the political hypocrisy and selfishness exhibited in the clueless Zanupf regime.
Barely some few some months after publicly banning health tourism , ailing Chiwenga has been flown out to China for his routine medical check up. After pretending to be objective and sensitive to the financial implications of relying on foreign hospitals for medical services, the desperate Zanupf Vice President and Health Minister declared that government will no longer provide foreign currency to assist cabinet ministers to globe trot hunting medical treatment in sophisticated health facilities in the diaspora.
As an external Mdc Alliance district, we want to castigate this futile attempt to hoodwink the unsuspecting masses by paddling political lies. The nation has to know that Zanupf will never transform its corrupt tendencies.
Moreso, it is quite pathetic and illogical for our Health Minister to abandon his own hospitals which are dilapidated in favour of those in the diaspora because they are well taken care of by the host governments. We would like to urge Zanupf morons to revamp the health fraternity to benefit the general citizenry.
The Health Minister must learn to walk his talk, he must realise that it’s no longer time for political rhetoric but real delivery of his intentions to change the ugly face of our health sector. It is imperative to point out that the sorry state of our hospitals and clinics emanate from the stinking corruption and nepotism practised with impunity. Former Health Minister Obadiah Moyo looted US$60 million Covid-19 funds but he was not even detained only to be given 50 000 RTGS as his bail.
The amount could have gone a long way in assisting our people.
Moreover, Moyo Obadiah is walking free as we speak right now. Zanupf leaders must respect the basic human rights which includes basic health care and right to life. They must commence to pay more attention to the sanctity of human life by investing more on renovating the torn and tattered health fraternity to avert unnecessary expenditure by the government through careless financing of hospital bills to Zanupf officials.
Addressing journalists in his capacity as Health Minister, he reluctantly uttered that the state had halted footing the medical bills of all senior government officials in order to maintain the national medical bill. To quote him verbatim he said, “We will not export our patients . We will not make referrals to our patients. Altogether, the export bill was too high and that is what we want to do away with”. This is a clear reflection that some animals are more equal than others and this makes Zimbabwe epitomise “a new Animal Farm” owned by insensitive Zanupf morons where inequality has become a national religion.
To wind up, Mdc Alliance Namibia condemns this selective application of the law with all its organs. Zanupf must begin to respect our national coffers.
Our hospitals are being plundered by greedy and the insatiable appetite for personal egos in a frustrated regime that does not want to ensure the existence of equal health facilities for all. We demand that Chiwenga and his cronies should make sure that the basic health facilities are gotten in the country.
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC-T aspiring presidential candidate Mr Douglas Mwonzora left the city of Masvingo an embarrassed figure after failing to make an impact in the province.
Mr Mwonzora’s provincial meeting was attended by only 37 people out the 26 constituencies in the province.
Mr was on a lobbying mission in the province.
“Mr Mwonzora who was hoping to address hundreds of people in Masvingo was frustrated after finding himself in front of only 37 people.
Mwonzora addressed the paltry gathering at the MDC provincial offices in Rhodene, Masvingo,” a source told ZimEye.com.
“Mr Mwonzora was not happy with the attendance and he felt his foot soldiers failed to mobilize people to attend the meeting,” added the source.
A man, his wife and son died on the spot after a vehicle they were travelling in collided with a truck in Mbalabala along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
The wreckage
Matabeleland South acting provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Loveness Mangena confirmed the accident which occurred on Saturday at around 3PM at the 66-kilometre peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
She said Mbuso Moyo (55) was travelling with his wife Patience Ncube (40) and 13-year-old son Mpumuzi when he lost control of his vehicle and it encroached onto the lane of oncoming traffic.
“I can confirm a fatal road accident which occurred at Mbalabala area along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road where three people died on the spot. Mbuso Moyo was driving a Toyota twin cab along the said road headed towards Gwanda.
“When he got to the 66-kilometre peg, he lost control of the vehicle and encroached onto the oncoming traffic lane where a Hodo Sino Truck was approaching headed for Bulawayo.
“The driver of the truck moved to the extreme left side of his lane in order to avoid the vehicle but without luck, which resulted in a head on collision. Moyo, his wife and child died on the spot and their bodies were taken to Filabusi District Hospital mortuary,” she said.
Insp Mangena said preliminary investigations had shown that the cause of the accident was speeding. She urged motorists to adhere to road regulations and exercise extreme caution when travelling along roads especially during the rainy season.
“We urge motorists to observe road regulations and exercise extreme caution in order to avoid loss of life. Especially now that we are in the rainy season where roads will be slippery and vision will be blurred, drivers have to be very cautious and where necessary they would rather park their vehicles until it’s conducive for them to drive,” she said.
Meanwhile, police in Bulawayo are investigating a traffic accident which occurred on Monday where a pedestrian died on the spot. The accident occurred in North End opposite house number 15 Queens Road at 8.30AM.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube who confirmed the incident yesterday said the victim, whose name has been withheld because her next of kin is yet to be informed, sustained severe head injuries.
“Kudzaishe Blessing Chinyakuza, a male adult aged 24 years, was driving a Nissan Bluebird along Queens Road due north with no passengers on board. A female adult aged 49 years residing in North End Bulawayo was walking along the road due north,” said Insp Ncube.
“Circumstances are that Chinyakuza hit the woman when he lost control of the motor vehicle, which veered off to the left side of the road and hit a precast wall at House Number 13 Heany Road North End, Bulawayo.”
Insp Ncube said the woman’s body was taken to United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) mortuary for post-mortem.
“The cause of the accident was due to excessive speeding and investigations are in progress under Bulawayo Central Traffic department.
“We appeal to motorists to be considerate while behind the steering, roads are slippery during this period and there are high chances of one losing control of the vehicle and putting lives of other road users at risk,” said Insp Ncube. -Chronicle
Tinashe Sambiri|MDC Alliance vice president, Hon Lynette Karenyi-Kore, has implored the nation to remain patient and resolute as the struggle for freedom from Zanu PF oppression continues.
VP Karenyi-Kore took a swipe at Thokhozani Khupe and Douglas Mwonzora for betraying the people’s struggle.
She made the remarks at the memorial service for Mbuya Chamisa in Chiwara, Gutu on Saturday.
“The journey to the promised land is tough but let us remain patient and resolute.
There is no doubt that President Nelson Chamisa is our new vision bearer after the sad demise of our founding President Morgan Richard Tsvangirai.
Let us support our vision bearer.This man has the calling to lead.
Ignore those who have been overtaken by events.Khupe and Mwonzora have betrayed the struggle.
They opted for a path of doom so just ignore them,” said VP Karenyi-Kore.
“I know that the journey to the promised land is not a stroll in the park but you have to understand that the completion of a revolution is not an overnight process,” she added.
