LATEST ON JOB SIKHALA BAIL HEARING AT THE HIGH COURT- THE MATTER HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO FRIDAY BECAUSE THE RECORDS OF THE MAGISTRATES COURT'S PROCEEDINGS ARE YET TO BE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER WHO IS NOW ON LEAVE. #ZimbabweansLivesMatter @schikanza @MakomboreroH pic.twitter.com/OXX8Kf1neW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 9, 2020

LATEST ON JOB SIKHALA BAIL HEARING AT THE HIGH COURT- THE MATTER HAS BEEN POSTPONED TO FRIDAY BECAUSE THE RECORDS OF THE MAGISTRATES COURT'S PROCEEDINGS ARE YET TO BE SIGNED BY THE PRESIDING OFFICER WHO IS NOW ON LEAVE. #ZimbabweansLivesMatter @schikanza @MakomboreroH pic.twitter.com/OXX8Kf1neW

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 9, 2020

Paul Nyathi

The government said on Tuesday it has created more jobs than have been lost since taking over nearly three years ago.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa told a post Cabinet media briefing that over 450 000 new jobs had been created in formal and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) since late 2017.

“Jobs, jobs, jobs” was one of the promises President Emmerson Mnangagwa made on taking over from the late Robert Mugabe.

“Despite the plethora of challenges that were faced, which include, among others, foreign currency shortages, currency instability as well as natural calamities, such as droughts, cyclones and Covid-19, the formal employment figures increased from 1 083 823 in 2017 to 1 296 396 as of August, 2020 according to data from the National Social Security Authority,” Mutsvangwa said.

Most of the formal jobs had been created in the agriculture, construction and energy sectors.

“Overall, the economy added 20 percent new jobs during the period under review.”

She said at least 235 635 jobs had been created in the SMEs sector, which is dubbed the country’s engine for economic growth.

Mutsvangwa said 86 new investments and new employers were registered between 2018 and 2019.

“Forty of the businesses were in the commerce sector and 34 in fabricated metal products/machinery,” she said.

In terms of retrenchments, Mutsvangwa said the number of people losing jobs had gradually been going down since 2017 with 1 668 having been laid off in 2018, 1 461 in 2019 and 638 as at the end of June this year.

She said government was since 2017 implementing two projects in conjunction with the ILO aimed at empowering women and youths.

*HON MUSHAYI FUNERAL UPDATE*

The burial for the late MP for Kuwadzana Hon Miriam Mushayi who passed on yesterday 7 September 2020 will now be held on *Friday 11 September 2020* in Magunje -Hurungwe .

The change of day from Thursday to Friday is to allow her collegues in Parliament as well as relatives outside Zimbabwe to attend the burial as well.

The body will leave Harare for Magunje early on Friday morning and will be buried same day.

Paul Nyathi

Information and Publicity Minister, Monica Mutsvangwa, on Tuesday evening surprised many when she declared that government was extending the sale of liquor to bottle stores and probably other liquor outlets too.

The Minister made a surprise look when she made the announcement when it was made clear to her that Bottle Stores have always been selling liquor since the first day of the lockdown.

Mutsvangwa said since the start of the lockdown, only supermarkets, with their tight security and refusal to allow on-site drinking, have been able to sell alcoholic beverages when in reality some supermarkets had actually withdrew liquor from their shelves during the lockdown period.

According to the new announcement made after the cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Bottle stores and other liquor outlets can now sell alcohol, but on the strict condition that no one drinks on or around the premises.

“Following representations from the Liquor Retailers’ Association, seeking permission for liquor retailers to commence operations, Cabinet resolved that operations could resume in line with Covid-19 regulations and on condition that no liquor is consumed at their premises,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

NewZwireNewZwire

It shouldn’t have taken pressure from conservationists for the Zimbabwe government to ban mineral prospecting in the country’s largest game reserve. It should just be the law.

Last week, the Bhejane Trust, which works with Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in conservation in the Hwange area, said two concessions given to Afrochine Energy and the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group are located inside park and safari areas. Bhejane made this discovery after its monitoring teams intercepted the two companies’ workers conducting exploratory core drilling in the area.

On Tuesday, after a week of outrage and the #SaveHwangeNationalPark hashtag trending on Twitter, Cabinet finally did what it should have done all along.

“Mining on areas held by national parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining title held in National Parks,” Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced after Cabinet.

Government also banned riverbed mining, save for desiltation on the Save and Angwa rivers.

This is good news. But this is also the problem; there is a major problem with how mining and the environment are regulated.

It is great that the government has banned any mining in game parks, but there is nothing in our mining laws that makes it as expressly illegal as it should be.

The Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill, for example, says: “In deciding whether or not to grant a mineral right or title, the Cadastre Registrar shall take into account the need to conserve the natural resources in or on the land over which the mineral right or title is.”

In other words, it is left to officials to decide.

Two-faced laws
The law itself is two-faced. Six years ago, the government gazetted Statutory Instrument 92 of 2014, which banned mining on riverbeds, riverbanks, wetlands and on any area within 200 metres of riverbanks.

But there was a caveat; you could still mine on the river if you did it in partnership with the government.

Over the past five years, the government licensed at least a dozen companies to enter into joint ventures with state-owned miner ZMDC to mine gold on rivers, according to the Ministry of Mines.

Cabinet’s announcement on Monday was not clear on whether this now also falls away. There’s also no news on whether licences granted to ZCDC and ZMDC to mine on the Gache-Gache River will now be withdrawn.

And that just shows where the problem lies. If government is serious about protecting the environment, it must change the laws, and not just make press statements.

Nature vs Mining
Zimbabwe has a power deficit. Two new coal-fired units at Hwange power station are being built, adding 600MW of power when they are done. They will need to be fed. The country has estimated coal reserves of 12 billion tonnes, according to data from the Ministry of Mines, and is escalating its search for investment to exploit coal.

So, the temptation to search for minerals is strong. But a balance is needed. Zimbabwe is not the first country in the region to face the dilemma between tourism and mining.

Just last year, Zambia had to reverse a plan by Australia’s Mwembeshi Resources to build a massive copper plant in the Lower Zambezi National Park. In Mozambique, the 350 000-hectare Magoe Park is an oasis surrounded by coal mines. Some estimate that up to 60% of the land in the northern Tete province is held by coal mines.

Tanzania has downsized Selous Game Reserve by 60% – a total of 31,000 square kilometres – to make way for uranium mining. In South Africa, about two-dozen prospecting licences have been granted to coal prospectors on the rim of the Mapungubwe National Park, a UNESCO heritage site. The miners want access to a rich coal seam that runs from Zimbabwe and through the park.

In Botswana, the country has allowed energy companies such as Sasol to explore for natural gas in the Central Kalahari, Kgalagadi and Chobe parks using the controversial “fracking” drilling method.

So, Zimbabwe’s government will find this dilemma is nothing new. It’s not a new debate. Some of the problematic special grants in reserve areas were in fact issued in 2015. It’s how government responds now that matters.

Do the right thing
Instead of waiting for outrage, the government, if sincere, would have been proactive in how it manages natural resources.

Firstly, mining should not even be an idea in ecologically sensitive areas. This means no exploration should even take place there.

Secondly, mining laws should be harmonised with those governing tourism, the environment and water resources. Currently, the Mines Act gets precedence over other laws, such as the Water Act or the Environmental Management Act. Mining rights trump everything.

Across the country, riverbeds are being overrun by gold panners, many working for political elites. School grounds have been destroyed, and even a highway at the famous Boterekwa in Shurugwi was damaged recently.

All this is evidence of a ruling elite unable to curb personal greed, and protect the environment.

By banning mining in game parks, government has responded to public pressure. But that’s nowhere near enough. We need this made clear in the laws, so that those who damage the environment are legally accountable.

Without that, this will look like yet another case of a government not really interested in preserving our resources, but one just embarrassed at being caught.

State Media

The Zimbabwe Nurses Association (ZINA) has told its members employed by the Government to end their industrial action and immediately start reporting for work.

ZINA yesterday also endorsed plans announced this week, to restructure the Ministry of Health and Child Care, saying it wanted to give the Government a chance to address their concerns.

ZINA secretary-general Mr Enock Dongo told The Herald that they had communicated with their members to start reporting for duty if they could raise money for transport.

This position paves the way for the end of the industrial action which began on June 18.

“We have told our members to start reporting for duty if they are able to subsidise the Government by raising bus fare. Most of our members do not have the capacity to report for work, but we have said we are now going back to work.

“We welcome what the Vice President and Minister of Health and Child Care said that he is willing to improve the conditions of service and remuneration for health workers so we are giving them a chance to do that while we are going to work,” said Mr Dongo.

He said the restructuring of the ministry was long overdue, but implored the Government to consult widely.

“We advocated the restructuring of the ministry long back and this will enable our health system to meet international standards.

“We have the expertise to do all the clinical services but the structure which the Ministry was operating under was wrong. It demotivated staff and there were no efficient services,” said Mr Dongo.

“This restructuring must now be done in consultation with the stakeholders that matter so we are urging the Vice President to consult us as associations and not consult the same people who created the condemned structure.”

Junior doctors also reaffirmed yesterday that they were not on industrial action and were supporting the newly streamlined operations of the Ministry.

The structure has a new sustainable funding model, far greater effectiveness and a new work ethic for staff.

Some employees in the health sector had been on industrial action for several months holding out for United States dollar payments. However, the structure outlined by VP Chiwenga this week has persuaded them to go back to work.

In separate interviews with The Herald yesterday, Zimbabwe Medical Association (ZIMA) president Dr Francis Chirowa and Hospital Doctors Association secretary-general Dr Emmanuel Masosota both supported the new structure.

“Zimbabwe has well trained, qualified health professionals across the board. The only problem is that we have been losing most of our trained personnel to other countries. Our institutions only need to be capacitated with modern equipment and drugs.

“We have that capacity for this restructuring and our call is, let’s do it. There are doctors who have been on strike but we have said before that it is not the right thing to abandon patients. We have always said the best situation is to negotiate without endangering patients,” said Dr Chirowa.

Dr Masosota said their members had not downed tools and were in full support of the Government’s restructuring exercise.

“Us junior doctors and other middle level doctors are not on strike. The senior doctors and specialist doctors are the ones who were on strike but we are going to work,” said Dr Masosota.

“For most of the referrals that were being done outside the country, we actually have the capacity to do that. We have the specialists who can do it.

“Our doctors and staff here are willing to work and we need a structure that allows for this work to be done so I can say this announced restructuring is a very welcome development and we need it to be implemented,” said Dr Masosota

State Media

TRUCKS, mainly those carrying goods known as consolidated cargo, have been piling up at Beitbridge Border Post in the past five days after the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) introduced the 100 percent compliance searches.

Cross-border transporters commonly known as omalayitsha yesterday accused Zimra of implementing the new system while ill prepared.

Over 70 trucks were seen waiting at the border on the commercial arrival side and the drivers had become restless.

In separate interviews, the truckers said the revenue authority had no adequate manpower to conduct the physical examination of goods.

They said in some cases they were being made to pay additional duty despite having utilised the pre-clearance system to minimise delays.

Under the pre-clearance system, goods are declared and duty is paid for before the consignment gets to the respective port of entry.

Once these goods arrive, they are only checked for compliance making the crossing seamless.

This is opposed to a scenario where the whole clearance process is imitated upon arrival at the country’s borders.

“I have been here for four days. Nothing is moving and most of us are carrying groceries, among them perishables.

“Customs authorities want to search every vehicle. We don’t have any problem with that, but our concerns arise from the fact that they are searching between two and three trucks daily which is not attainable,” said Mr Aron Mangavha.

Another driver, who preferred anonymity, said they had tried to engage the local Zimra managers in the last three days without success.

He said the idea by Zimra to shift goal posts on import duty payments had set them on a collision course with their clients.

“This is antagonising our relationship with clients considering that declarations are made in advance and we have to go back to them asking for top ups,” said the driver.

Mr Nyasha Machaya said previously they would spend less than three hours to conclude all the border processes.

He said they were now incurring extra costs in hiring labour to offload and reload the goods, since Zimra has no adequate manpower.

“To make matters worse, we are at risk of Covid-19 infections as you can see, we are now crowded with limited ablution and related sanitation facilities,” he said.

Some truckers, mostly those plying the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road said they had suffered enough abuse within and outside the border post at the hands of security officials.

“We are concerned with the conduct of the security agencies who are always threatening us and demanding bribes despite having complied with all the border processes.

“For convenience sake, we are being made to pay R1 500 at each road block until we get to Bulawayo. This is getting out of hand,” alleged one driver.

Though, Zimra’s spokesperson, Mr Francis Chimanda could not readily respond to the issues yesterday, an official at Beitbridge said the 100 percent searches were a response to the rampant cases of smuggling involving rigid trucks (omalayitsha).

“There is an increase in cases of smuggling by these transporters, most of who making false declarations and hence the need to enforce compliance,” said the official.

In May, Zimra activated an imports relief facility to help Zimbabweans based in South Africa to send groceries and other goods home in commercial trucks through Beitbridge Border Post.

South Africa is home to thousands of Zimbabwe migrant workers, most of whom are supporting their families by sending groceries home through the services mostly of omalayitsha weekly.

Zimbabwe imports goods worth an estimated US$3 billion from South Africa annually.

Neville Mutsvangwa has been in the media over an alleged 750 000 account that was frozen by Nedbank. A source close to the saga revealed that facts surrounding the matter have been twisted to suit a narrative.

An officer of the law who is close to the investigation availed to this reporter records that show that the account had 750 000 ZWL and not 750 000 USD as claimed by social media and other media reports.

Said the source, “The fact of the matter is that Neville Mutsvangwa is a victim of cyber crime and fraud as there is a third party who has had access to the account. It was on this realisation that Neville Mutsvangwa asked the bank to freeze the account pending investigation into how his account was losing large sums of money without his authorisation.

“It is not true that Neville Mutsvangwa had 750 000 USD and it is not true that Neville Mutsvangwa was using the account for illicit activity.”

The matter is now being investigated by the police and the Reserve Bank is also monitoring the developments closely.

Byo24

State Media

Two more NatPharm board members yesterday appeared at the Harare Magistrates Courts facing allegations of failing to retire managing director Ms Florah Nancy Sifeku when her term of office expired.

Gerald Gore and Charles Enos Maponga appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Trynos Utahwashe charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers.

They were remanded to September 24 for routine remand on $3 000 bail each.

Four other NatPharm board members —chairman Billy Rigava, his deputy Rachael Chibaya, Johnson Shonhe and Harunavamwe Notburga Chifamba — have already appeared in court facing similar allegations and were also given $3 000 bail each by magistrate Victoria Mashamba.

On 1 June 2006, Sifeku was appointed NatPharm managing director on a renewable three-year contract. Renewals were granted with the last being from 1 June 2015 to 31 May 2018.

The court heard that on 31 July 2018, former NatPharm chairman Dr George Washaya wrote a notice of retirement to Sifeku, which also said the board had taken notice of her age, but granted her a final six months.

Sifeku was no longer eligible for reappointment, according to the Public Entities Corporate Governance Act, after having served for 10 years.

On 28 November 2018, NatPharm received a circular from the Office of the President and Cabinet, outlining the procedure for termination of contracts for public entities’ CEOs who had served for over 10 years, as guided by law.

The court heard that the NatPharm board chaired by Dr Washaya was dissolved, leaving the pharmaceutical company to operate from October 2018 to June 2019 without a board.

According to the State, Sifeku was reporting directly to the Minister of Health and Child Care.

On July 1, 2019, a new NatPharm board was appointed and on July 18, a human resources committee meeting chaired by Chifamba was held and the recruitment of a new managing director was raised and captured in the minutes.

But Sifeku’s contract expired and she reportedly continued to work without a contract and without the President’s approval.

Accusations against the six board members are that they failed to terminate Sifeku’s employment, which was part of their duties.

During the time Sifeku continued to work, she received salaries and benefits amounting to $631 997 and US$2 865.

Paul Nyathi

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s scandal smelling dream which he said was going to see the country exporting both coal and electricity by 2023 has gone up in flames after his cabinet on Tuesday took a bold step to immediately ban mining activities inside the National Parks.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa had personally granted exploratory rights for coal to two Chinese companies in one of the country’s iconic nature reserves, Hwange National Park.

The move to grant coal mining concessions comes as many countries move away from coal amid concerns over carbon emissions.

Across the globe, investors, developers and utilities have been moving in this direction, with a growing list of major banks including Standard Chartered, JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Morgan Stanley stepping away from coal investments.

Last month Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, visited the offices of both Afrochine Energy and Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group in Hwange, about 50 miles from the park.

During the visit, he said that Zimbabwe intended to become an energy exporter. “We must see also that this area changes and responds to growth and modernisation,” he declared.

About a third of Zimbabwe’s electricity is generated from coal-fired power plants. Hwange park is home to around 44,000 elephants, roughly of Zimbabwe’s total elephant population.

For the Zimbabwe government, the new coal mines dovetailed with an ambitious plan to be an energy exporter by 2023.

Government had said it had in its pipeline power projects of more than 5 000MW.

Afrochine Energy, which is the local unit of Chinese company Tsingshan, was expected to produce 100MW, while Zimbabwe Zhongxin Electrical Energy was expected to contribute 430MW.

Mines minister Winston Chitando said Zimbabwe could earn as much as US$3billion from these energy exports.

According to the Worldometer website, Zimbabwe holds 553 million tons (MMst) of proven coal reserves as of 2016, ranking it 38th in the world.

Zimbabwe has proven reserves equivalent to 163.3 times its annual consumption. This means it has about 163 years of coal left, at current consumption levels and excluding unproven reserves.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the ban during the post-Cabinet media briefing.

“Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining titles held in National Parks,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Paul Nyathi

A “high-powered” ANC delegation arrived in Zimbabwe on Tuesday evening, but will meet only the ruling Zanu-PF.

The ANC delegation won’t meet the opposition or civil society, according to a statement by Zanu-PF acting secretary for information and publicity Patrick Chinamasa.

“Following inquiries from various quarters and our friends from the media in particular on the purpose of this meeting, Zanu-PF wishes to make it categorically clear that this is a meeting between Zanu-PF and the ANC delegation only,” the statement reads.

A fortnight ago Zanu-PF invited the ANC for a visit, in which the South African ruling party would meet Zanu-PF’s central decision-making body, the politburo.

Zanu-PF secretary for administration Obert Mpofu told journalists that the Ace Magashule-led team that included Lindiwe Zulu, the ANC international relations chair, and Tony Yengeni, the party’s peace and stability committee chair, would be welcomed in Zimbabwe because, “They are the ones with issues, so we will hear from them.”

Last week, the ANC’s NEC resolved to send senior leaders to Harare.

International Relations Head Lindiwe Zulu and Peace and Stability Head, Tony Yengeni are part of the delegation.

The South African delegation has however expressed desire to meet with other stakeholders and opposition parties in the country. Leader of the delegation, Ace Magashule, said that they will know if they are meeting the other groups after meeting with ZANU PF.

Dozens of activists, opposition politicians and journalists in Zimbabwe have been abducted or arrested in recent weeks raising a cause for concern throughout the world on human rights abuses in Zimbabwe.

Watch video downloading below.

Paul Nyathi

Government has announced that mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect.

In a statement issued on Tuesday evening after the weekly Cabinet meeting, an announcement by Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa said: “Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining titles held in National Parks.”

This follows a public outcry and the threat of a court battle after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government granted exploratory rights for coal to two Chinese companies in one of the country’s iconic nature reserves, Hwange National Park.

Zimbabwe had granted two Chinese companies, namely Afrochine Energy and the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Coal Mining Group, concessions inside a national park and safari areas.

One of the concessions incorporated two dams, Deteema Dam and Masuma Dam, placing animals’ already strained ability to access water under additional threat.

Last year, 55 elephants were reportedly found dead near dry water pans, the victims of a devastating drought that threatened the lives of humans and wildlife alike. If the coal projects were to continue, they would be putting further strain on the national park’s holding capacity. Hwange National Park can handle 15 000 elephants but currently has more than 50 000.

In a statement, Bhejane Trust, which works with Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority on conservation in the Hwange area, said the two companies had Special Grants which could only be issued by the president.

The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (Zela) and Fedelis Chima, a Hwange local resident, on Sunday filed an urgent chamber application at the high court.

The court application said the Special Grant violated the country’s laws because it was permitted without first consulting the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism, and Hospitality, where an environmental impact assessment certificate is issued.

“The issuance of the Special Grant in February 2019 before environmental impact assessment is in violation of section 97 of the Environmental Management Act,” Zela and Chima argued.

“Authorisation of, and commencement of, mining in a protected national park is in breach of the constitutional duty on all respondents to prevent ecological degradation and promote conservation in terms of section 73(b) of the constitution of Zimbabwe,” reads the application.

The Association for Tourism Hwange has also issued a statement appealing to President Mnangagwa to “cancel all Special Grants that are within Hwange National Park and all of the National Parks of Zimbabwe.”

“As our President, save our tourism industry and preserve the livelihoods of millions of people within Zimbabwe and around the world. Hwange National Park, the wildlife and cultural shrines it contains is our heritage and a legacy to be left for our children and their children,” reads the statement.

For its part, the Zimbabwe government said it had taken “note of the ongoing discussions around the Hwange National Park and we assure the Nation that Government [would] pronounce itself in the next few days.” Government made the announcement immediately banning mining activities in national parks and rivers under stringent new regulations unveiled last night.

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa announced the ban during the post-Cabinet media briefing.

“Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining titles held in National Parks,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“All riverbed alluvial and riverbed mining on rivers is banned with immediate effect, except on the Save and Angwa rivers where desiltation will be allowed under very strict conditions. All those holding mining concessions will be given a grace period to be announced, to obtain Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and State of Works Plan acceptance by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.”

“It was noted that the granting of a mining concessions through mining claims and on special grant is not a licence for resumption of mining.

“All holders of mining titles are required to obtain approval of EIA and acceptance of Site Plan Works by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.

“This position will be strictly reinforced by the two ministries responsible for Mines and Environment,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

Minister Mutsvangwa said those who failed to regularise EIAs and site plan works would be deemed to be operating illegally and be subjected to stiff penalties.

She said the objective was to have all mining operations conducted in a manner which did not harm the environment adding that stiffer penalties would be imposed on those complying with environmental provisions.

Minister of Mines and Mining Development Winston Chitando explained that in some instances, there were special grants given to mine in restricted areas.

Additional reporting by State Media

State Media

Twenty-five MPs tested positive for Covid-19 in tests done last week, but nine had already tested positive four weeks ago and have been counted as recovered, leading MPs to worry that anti-body presence is leading to false positives.

Matabeleland North MP Dr Ruth Labode yesterday raised a point of privilege on Parliament’s testing and isolation policies.

“My concern is that 25 MPs tested positive and among those, there were about nine or so who had already tested positive four weeks ago and isolated,” she said.

Parliament guidelines require that MPs be tested after every two weeks and those who test positive, will immediately go into isolation for 14 days.

Dr Labode argued that some people who would have earlier tested positive will likely retain a positive result because of the presence of anti-bodies in their systems even though they were no longer infected or infectious and she argued that there was no need to continue isolating such people .

Clerk of Parliament Mr Kennedy Chokuda confirmed that 25 MPs had tested positive during last week’s round of testing including those who had tested positive before.

“We have decided that all those who test positive be isolated out of abundance of caution and we will continue following up on them and assisting them,” he said.

The first two legislators to test positive were diagnosed in July and Parliament immediately suspended business for a month and only resumed sitting last week, with the testing of all MPs.

The National Assembly yesterday passed the Attorney-General’s Office Amendment Bill now awaiting debate in Senate.

The Bill seeks to provide for the appointment of deputy Attorneys-General in line with the Constitution to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of the Attorney-General’s office.

The Bill also sets out the composition of the AG’s Office Board, which shall be chaired by the AG and bars Government departments from seeking legal advice from private practice without approval from the AG since the AG is the Government’s principal legal adviser in terms of the Constitution.

All legal advisers working for different ministries and departments will fall under the supervision of the AG’s Office in line with his constitutional mandate as the principal Government legal adviser.

State Media

A DELEGATION of the South African ruling African National Congress (ANC) party, which arrived in Harare last night, will today hold a crucial indaba with the Zanu PF Central Committee to discuss challenges bedevilling the region and come up remedies of tackling them.

Upon arrival at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, ANC secretary-general Ace Magashule said the South African ruling party would hold closed-door meetings with their Zanu PF counterparts led by secretary for Administration, Obert Mpofu today.

“We are going to have a meeting with Zanu PF to discuss various issues,” said Magushule.

In an earlier communiqué, Magashule said the meeting between the two parties was a bilateral engagement of former liberation movements requested by the national executive council (NEC) of the ANC to exchange notes on matters affecting the region.

Apart from Magashule, the ANC delegation includes, party national chairman Samson Gwede Mantashe, Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula (member of the NEC and Minister of Defence and Military Veterans), Tony Yengeni (member of the NEC and National Working Committee (NWC), and chairperson of the NEC on Peace and Stability), Lindiwe Zulu (member of the NEC, chairperson of the NEC on International Relations and Minister of Social Development) and Enoch Godongwana (member of NEC and chairperson of the NEC on Economic Transformation.

“We would like to have bilateral discussions with the leadership of the Central Committee of Zanu PF. We are looking forward to fruitful and constructive engagements between our two sister parties,” read the communiqué from Magashule, in part.

The ANC delegation was met at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by a team led by Defence Minister and ZANU PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri.

In a statement, Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said the ANC delegation would only meet with Zanu PF as the two parties were sister parties with a shared history, and today faced similar threats from detractors who among other things wanted to manufacture a non-existent crisis in the region.

Chinamasa said Zanu PF would use the bilateral engagement with its sister party to clear the unfounded assertions of a crisis in Zimbabwe.

“The ANC delegation will meet the Zanu PF delegation led by the Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu as part of party to party engagements. We are also aware that this visit is taking place against the backdrop of false claims of a nation in crisis. Zanu PF will take the opportunity to share the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe, South Africa and in the region candidly and frankly with their revolutionary sister the ANC.

“Following enquiries from various quarters and our friends from the media in particular on the purpose of this meeting. Zanu PF wishes to make it categorically clear that this is a meeting between the Zanu PF delegation and the ANC delegation only,” said Chinamasa.

The South African delegation will leave Zimbabwe tomorrow.

Former Harare Mayor Hebert Gomba and 6 other MDC Alliance councillors who were recalled by Thokozani Khupe are challenging the High Court to nullify their recall.

The councillors are arguing that their recall should be nullified because Khupe has no authority to recall them.
Court papers filed by their lawyer Ms Shamiso Mangwende read in part:

Applicants are challenging the recall on urgent basis for the reasons that first respondent has no authority to cause such a recall in terms of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

If first respondent (MDC-T) has such power, which is denied, the second respondent (Minister) has not established a tribunal as is required by . . . the Constitution.

The third respondent (City of Harare) has an obligation to call for a nomination date in 35 days of such recall starting August 26, 2020
The councillors are arguing that they should be allowed to conduct their constitutional mandate unless the ministry complies with certain provisions of the Constitution and ZEC following the guidance of the Minister Of Local Governance should call for a nomination day to fill the vacancies in 35 days’ time.

Gomba was recalled a few days after he was released from remand on $10000 bail after he was arrested on graft charges.-The Herald

Ministry of Health and Child Care (MoHCC) Covid-19 update as of 08 September 2020:

New cases: 90
Locals – 90
Returnees – 0
Deaths: 8
Recoveries: 22
PCR Tests Done : 521

National Recovery Rate: 74%
Active Cases: 1 693

Total Cumulative Cases: 7 388
Total Recoveries: 5 477
Total Deaths: 218

A 39 year old man from Zezani area, under Chief Tshitaudze in Beitbridge was on Tuesday jailed for an effective 18 years for raping and infecting his five year old cousin with a Sexually Transmitted Disease.

The man, who cannot be named for fear of giving up the identity of the complainant, denied two charges of rape when his trial opened before Beitbridge Regional Magistrate Mr Willard Maphios Moyo.
However, he was convicted on the strength of overwhelming evidence led by the state.

The accused was left with an effective 18 years imprisonment after Mr Moyo conditionally suspended two years of the 20 year jail term for five years.

Prosecuting, Miss Tsitsi Mtukwa told the court that sometime in May this year and in the afternoon, the accused who was alone with the survivor took her to his room and raped her once.

She said on another date unknown to the state but in the same month, the man sexually abused the minor using the same method.

The court further heard that the matter came to light on 21 May when the girl’s mother discovered some genital warts on her while bathing the minor.
The state said the woman then asked the minor about the source of the infection in the presence of her aunt and she narrated her ordeal at the hands of her cousin.

A report was in turn made to the police resulting in the accused’s arrest.-Chronicle

A KEZI man has been arrested after he fatally struck his wife with an axe for demanding a separation.

Matabeleland South provincial police spokesperson, Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele confirmed the incident which occurred on Sunday in Magololo Village Sontala area though he said the cause of the attack was yet to be ascertained.

He said Sicelo Ncube (44) met the now deceased Nanziwe Phiri (37) while she was coming from the river where she had gone to fetch water and attacked her.

“I can confirm that we recorded a murder case which occurred in Magololo Village in Sontala area.

Nanziwe Phiri was on her way from Simukwe River where she had gone to fetch water in the company of other ladies when they met her husband Sicelo Ncube who was armed with an axe. Ncube approached Phiri with saying a word, tripped her and she fell to the ground.

“He struck her with an axe on the forehead. The other ladies fled to the nearest homesteads where they alerted villagers.

Upon their return they found Phiri lying on the ground motionless and Ncube had fled the scene. The matter was reported to the police who attended the scene,” he said.

Chief Insp Ndebele said Ncube had since been arrested and was assisting police with investigations.

He said Ncube was arrested with the assistance of community members who informed police of his whereabouts.

Chief Insp Ndebele urged members of the public to desist from engaging in violence when faced with disputes.

“We would like to thank members of the public who assisted us with information that led to Ncube’s arrest. He is assisting police with investigations.

People should also desist from engaging in violence when faced with disputes. If people have domestic problems they must seek counselling,” he said.

A village head from Sontala area, Mr Andrew Dube said Ncube is suspected to have attacked his wife after she demanded a divorce. She said the couple had now been living separately.-Chronicle

08 SEPTEMBER 2020

MDC ALLIANCE NAMIBIA DEEPLY MOURNS THE UNTIMELY DEATH OF A SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PAR EXCELLENCE, HON MIRIAM MUSHAYI.

Mdc Alliance Namibia sadly received unsettling and depressing news of another substantial blow to the struggle for socio-economic transformation.

We want to console the bereaved Mushayi family as well as the political heavyweight, Mdc Alliance led by President Advocate Nelson Chamisa.

Our diligent and dedicated standing committee leader as well as MP for Kuwadzana Hon Miriam Mushayi who died yesterday, Monday 07 September 2020 will be peacefully laid to rest in Magunje-Hurungwe on Thursday.

We encourage our membership and leadership including all social democrats to give our heroine an astounding send-off in honour of the courage and varlour she had had to confront Zanupf and their surrogates.

As Mdc Alliance, we have been robbed of an ardent and gallant daughter of the national democratic revolution. May the dear soul of our fearless, dedicated and committed cadre rest in power.

She was a loyal fighter who did not waver in her fight for political, social and economic regeneration of our country.

We demand smart health services in Zimbabwe to avert the untimely and avoidable deaths the country has faced for the past two decades. Our cadres and relatives are dying because of this unsound health status of the country.

Lets go in our numbers in honour of our Heroine Hon Miriam Mushayi. Go well our leader! Go well our leader! Go well our mother! We shall continue confronting Zanupf morons so that Zimbabwe becomes liberated. Mdc Alliance is ready to fulfill your revolutionary dreams and aspirations.

I salute you ? Hon Miriam Mushayi, may your soul rest in peace.

#ZimbabweanLivesMatter
#jobwiwasikhalamustbefreenow
#godfreykurauonemustbefreenow
#FreeAllPrisonersOfConscience

Mdc Alliance Namibia
Rundu Branch Spokesperson
Robson Ruhanya

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president, Lynette Karenyi has described the late MP for Kuwadzana, Miriam Mushayi as a dedicated cadre who worked tirelessly for democratic change.

See statement below :

CONDOLENCES TO THE MUSHAYI FAMILY AND THE MDCA FAMILY.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Hon Miriam Mushayi a sister, close friend, colleague and founding Member of the MDC.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to her family, loved ones and express my gratitude for her contributions towards the fight for democracy.

I will in due course pay a special tribute to my friend and colleague.

Currently I am waiting for the official party position and arrangements.

Lynette Karenyi
MDCA Vice-President.

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MP for Kuwadzana as a true people’s leader.

In his condolence message on the death of Hon Mushayi, President Chamisa said her departure was a huge blow to the MDC Alliance family.

Said President Chamisa :

DEATH IS EVERYWHERE…

The passing on of Hon Miriam Mushayi (MP)is a huge blow to us.

This falls on previous other multiple blows. It has been torrid and terrible. Just last week it was Patson, now Miriam. Miriam even posted a message of condolence about Patson…

This life!! It never rains but it pours.Tragedies often hunt in packs and move in droves.

When sorrows come,they come not in single files but in battalions. RIP People’s Leader.

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MP for Kuwadzana as a true people’s leader.

In his condolence message on the death of Hon Mushayi, President Chamisa said her departure was a huge blow to the MDC Alliance family.

Said President Chamisa :

DEATH IS EVERYWHERE…

The passing on of Hon Miriam Mushayi (MP)is a huge blow to us.

This falls on previous other multiple blows. It has been torrid and terrible. Just last week it was Patson, now Miriam. Miriam even posted a message of condolence about Patson…

This life!! It never rains but it pours.Tragedies often hunt in packs and move in droves.

When sorrows come,they come not in single files but in battalions. RIP People’s Leader.

It was with a deep sense or shock and great sadness that I learnt about the Chivhu shooting incident on Saturday afternoon, 5th September 2020, which claimed the life of one serving member of the Zimbabwe National Army, Lance Corporal Lorance Mupanganyama, and left the second member, Corporal Peter Zvirevo, with serious gunshot injuries.

This cowardly and senseless attack by an assailant on the two soldiers who were enforcing lockdown measures aimed at mitigating the spread of the deadly Coronavirus 2019 (Covid-19) at the Police Base near the Chivhu Chicken Inn, must be condemned in the strongest possible terms by all peace-loving Zimbabweans.

Government will not tolerate anyone who attacks, harms or kills any member of the security establishment, let alone disarming and unlawfully taking arms of war in their possession. Any breach of this nature will attract severe punishment.

The role played by members of the public at the Chivhu crime scene when they rendered help to the injured soldiers and took them to the nearest health facility. is highly commendable and exemplary.

Their actions were a show of great compassion and high respect for the work our soldiers do to ensure national security and a demonstration of the spirit of Ubuntu that has come to characterize our great Nation.

On behalf of Government, the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, and on my own behalf, I wish to express my heart-felt condolences to the family of the late Lance Corporal Mupanganyama on his untimely death. May his soul of rest in eternal peace.

In the same breath, I wish speedy recovery to Corporal Peter Zvirevo who sustained injuries during the attack and to Corporal Stanalious Chiunye who was shot at yesterday, in the course of apprehending the suspected assailants.

Our hearts and prayers are with all the affected families.

A BULAWAYO woman who tripped after stepping on a slippery floor while shopping at a local Choppies Supermarket has taken the shop owners to court demanding $3,5 million in damages for pain, suffering and medical expenses.

Ms Gladys Nhira slipped while shopping at Choppies Supermarket in Entumbane suburb. She sustained serious injuries on her wrist and shoulder and had to seek medical attention.

Ms Nhira through her lawyers, Liberty Mcijo and Associates, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Nanavac Investments trading as Choppies Supermarket as the defendant.

In papers before the court, Ms Nhira said she sustained permanent disability resulting in her employer terminating her contract on medical grounds.

“Sometime in February 2019, plaintiff slipped on the oily and slippery floor in the shop of the defendant in Entumbane resulting in her falling down while she was shopping. As a result of the fall, she sustained serious injuries on her wrist and shoulder,” said Ms Nhira’s lawyers.

The lawyers said due to the severity of the injuries, Ms Nhira took long to return to work and was later relieved of her duties on medical grounds.

Upon further medical examination, it was observed that Ms Nhira sustained serious injuries both internal and external with the potential to permanent impairment.

“She suffered wrist fracture and shoulder injury and further diagnosis of the wrist fracture revealed that the problem would last for an unforeseeable future. Plaintiff is experiencing wrist and shoulder pains as the weather changes,” said the lawyers.

Ms Nhira accuses Choppies Supermarket of negligence, arguing that they failed to observe the safety standards in their supermarket.

“As a direct consequence of the injuries sustained, plaintiff who has been employed for 11 years as a tailor on a permanent basis by Pension Knitwear had her employment contract terminated,” said her lawyers.

Ms Nhira wants an order directing Choppies Supermaket to pay her $3,5 million being damages for pain and suffering, loss of employment and medical expenses incurred, including futures ones.

She said despite demand, Choppies Supermarket has refused, failed or neglected to pay the damages.-Chronicle

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Goverment has declared that it has given in into pressure from liquor retailers that have been closed as Coronavirus precautionary measure since March.

Though government had not banned liquor sales and consumption altogether, supermarkets and bottle stores have remained open throughout the lockdown period.

Speaking at a post cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Minister of Information Monica Mutsvangwa said that the outlets will however not be allowed to sale liquor for consumption within their premises.

“Following representations from the Liquor Retailers’ Association seeking permission for liquor retailers to commence operations, Cabinet resolved that operations could resume in line with COVID-19 regulations and on condition that no liquor is consumed at their premises.”

The African National Congress of South Africa delegation has arrived in Zimbabwe presumably to meet with the ruling ZANU PF Politburo in Harare on Wednesday.

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Zimbabwe today recorded eight coronavirus deaths -six of them in Harare, one in Bulawayo and another in Mashonaland East- pushing the national death toll to 218.

There were 90 new cases and only 22 recoveries.

The number of cases rose to 7 388 and that of recoveries to 5 477 leaving 1 693 active cases.

Harare now has more than 1 000 active cases.

Goverment has announced a new COVID-19 Experts Advisory Committee comprising of what it terms “experts from various fields of expertise.”

The committee will provide scientific based evidence, advice and guidance on the National COVID-19 preparedness and response to the Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri chaired Ad Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force on the Covid-19

“The public may recall that Cabinet approved the establishment of a COVID-19 Experts Advisory Committee, whose objective will be to provide science-based evidence, advice and guidance on the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response in support of timely evidence- based policy decisions.

“Today, Cabinet approved the appointed of the following members: Dr. Tonderai Mapako, Mr. Tendai Kureya, Dr. Justen Manasa, Professor Rudo Makunike-Mutasa, Dr. Alex Gasasira, Dr. Lincoln Charimari, Professor Rose Kambarami, Dr. Gladwin Muchena, Dr. Samson Shumbairerwa, Dr. Muteweye, Professor Rashida Ferrand, and Ms. Ester Massunadah,” said Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa on behalf of goverment.

“The Committee is made up of professionals in the relevant fields who are expected to deliver on this important mandate.

“Cabinet also received the results from a TIBA study on Frontline Health Workers (FHW) conducted in Bulawayo which also buttressed our efforts on the need to ensure the enhanced availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all levels of our FHWs,” said minister Mutsvangwa.

POST CABINET PRESS BRIEFING: THIRTY-FIRST MEETING: 8TH SEPTEMBER, 2020

1. ZIMBABWE’S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS
(COVID-19)

Cabinet received an update on the steps that are being taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic from the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs, Honourable O.C.Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri, Chairperson of the Ad- Hoc Inter-Ministerial Task Force on the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Cabinet noted that the country has now recorded six thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven (6 837) confirmed COVID-19 cases, compared to the six thousand three hundred and eighty-eight (6 388) reported the previous week. A total of five thousand three hundred and forty-five (5 345) persons had recovered from the virus, compared to the five thousand and seventy-eight (5 078) recoveries that were reported last week. Harare and Bulawayo Metropolitan Provinces are the epicenters of the pandemic, while community transmissions account for the majority of the new cases. The loss of 206 lives to the pandemic is sincerely regretted and all efforts are being made to ably manage the situation.

The number of testing laboratories countrywide has increased to 32, following the inclusion of the Dangerous Pathogens Laboratory, Unki Mine and PSI on the inventory of the testing laboratories. Health Care Workers and other frontline workers continue to be prioritized in the testing regime.
The public may recall that Cabinet approved the establishment of a COVID-19 Experts Advisory Committee, whose objective will be to provide science-based evidence, advice and guidance on the National COVID-19 Preparedness and Response in support of timely evidence- based policy decisions. Today, Cabinet approved the appointed of the following members: Dr. Tonderai Mapako, Mr. Tendai Kureya, Dr. Justen Manasa, Professor Rudo Makunike-Mutasa, Dr. Alex Gasasira, Dr. Lincoln Charimari, Professor Rose Kambarami, Dr. Gladwin Muchena, Dr. Samson Shumbairerwa, Dr. Muteweye, Professor Rashida Ferrand, and Ms. Ester Masunda. The Committee is made up of professionals in the relevant fields who are expected to deliver on this important mandate.

Cabinet also received the results from a TIBA study on Frontline Health Workers (FHW) conducted in Bulawayo which also buttressed our efforts on the need to ensure the enhanced availability of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at all levels of our FHWs.

Government, through Treasury, has released ZW$205 million for the drilling of ten (10) specialised boreholes and the rehabilitation of ten (10) under the Epping Forest Project. Four of the ten boreholes have so far been drilled. The Epping Forest and the Mtshabezi/Inyankuni Water Project aim to improve raw water supplies to the City of Bulawayo. To date, the total number of boreholes drilled by Government and its partners as part of the COVID-19 response is two hundred and twenty-two (222).

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has up-scaled efforts in preparation for the 14 and 28 September, 2020 re-opening of Cambridge and ZIMSEC examination-administering schools, respectively. The Ministry is currently procuring PPE, infrared thermometers, disinfectants and other hygiene products to the tune of ZW$654 147 907.

The Risk and Communication Sub-Committee is increasing public awareness to ensure there is co-sharing of information dissemination and enforcement of COVID-19 regulations. Under this initiative, community health clubs will be set up and community volunteers trained to carry out outreach programmes. The Volunteers will educate communities on key protective and preventive measures. The campaign will also target potential hotspots, which include churches, funerals and bus termini.

Following representations from the Liquor Retailers’ Association seeking permission for liquor retailers to commence operations, Cabinet resolved that operations could resume in line with COVID-19 regulations and on condition that no liquor is consumed at their premises.

2. STATE OF PREPAREDNESS BY THE CIVIL AVIATION AUTHORITY OF ZIMBABWE FOR THE OPENING OF AIRPORTS FOR BOTH DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS

Cabinet approved the opening up of the country’s skies to both domestic and international flights effective 10th September and 1st October, 2020, respectively. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) have been put in place for the reopening of international and some domestic airports. The National Guidelines for Aviation Safety and Security have been developed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) to ensure the safety of both the travellers and airport staff. These are additional to temperature testing, social distancing, sanitization, and mandatory wearing of masks. All travellers will be required to have a PCR COVID-19 Clearance Certificate issued by a recognized facility within 48 hours from the date of departure, in line with WHO guidelines.

3.0 RIVERBED MINING AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

Cabinet considered a paper which was co-presented by the Ministers of Mines and Mining Development and Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry on the status of riverbed mining/drenching and the environmental challenges thereof. Having noted the challenges and the need to put in place measures to carry out sustainable mining operations in the sector, Cabinet directed as follows:
1. Riverbed and Alluvial Mining on Rivers

(a) All riverbed alluvial and riverbed mining on rivers is banned with immediate effect, except on the Save and Angwa rivers where desiltation will be allowed under very strict conditions.

2. Introduction of “Orderly Mining Initiatives”

(a) All those holding mining concessions will be given a grace period to be announced to obtain Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and State of Works Plan acceptance by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.

(b) It was noted that the granting of a Mining Concessions through mining claims and on special grant is not a license for resumption of mining. All holders of mining title are required to obtain approval of EIA and acceptance of Site Plan Works by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. This position will be strictly reinforced by the two Ministries responsible for Mines and Environment.

(c) Those who fail to regularize EIA and Site Plan Works will be deemed to be operating illegally and will be subject to stiff penalties which are being reviewed.

(d) The whole objective is to have all mining operations conducted in a manner which does not harm the environment. Stiff penalties shall be aimed at all those who are not complying with environmental provisions.

3. Mining in National Parks

(a) Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining title held in National Parks.

4.0 OPERATIONALISATION OF THE VETERANS OF THE LIBERATION STRUGGLE ACT, 2020

Following the repeal of the War Veterans Act (Chapter 11:15) and the subsequent enactment of the Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Act (Chapter 17:12), at today’s sitting, Cabinet considered and approved the proposals on the operationalisation of the Act as presented by the Minister of Defence and War Veterans Affairs. The Liberation Struggle Act encompasses all categories of Veterans of the Struggle, namely War Veterans, Ex-Political Prisoners, Detainees and Restrictees, Non-Combatant Cadres, and War Collaborators.

The new Act shall be operationalised through the following proposals:

a) Establishment of a structure for welfare and economic empowerment of Veterans of the Liberation Struggle;
b) establishment of a Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Fund and Capitalisation of the Fund;
c) putting in place a vetting system for war collaborators and non-combatant cadres;
d) appointment of a new Veterans of the Liberation Struggle Board; and
e) conversion of Power Zimbabwe Company into a Holdings Parastatal.

5.0 JOB CREATION TRENDS SINCE THE ADVENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC

The Ministers of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and Industry and Commerce, and Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development informed Cabinet on job creation trends in all sectors of the economy since the advent of the Second Republic. Despite the plethora of challenges that were faced, which include, among others, foreign currency shortages, currency instability as well as natural calamities, such as droughts, cyclones and COVID-19, the formal employment figures increased from 1 083 823 in 2017 to 1 296 396 as of August, 2020 according to data from the National Social Security Authority (NSSA). Most of the jobs were created in the agriculture sector with a 41% growth rate, followed by construction (40%) and the energy sector (37%). Overall, the economy added 20% new jobs during the period under review.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are a major sector in terms of employment generation since the advent of the Second Republic. In the small and medium enterprises sector, a total of 235 635 jobs were created. The majority of the jobs (22%) were in agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, retail trade (21%), manufacturing (15%), mining (9%) and education (8%).

In terms of investments, 86 new investments and new employers were registered between 2018 and 2019. Forty (40) of the businesses were in the commerce sector and 34 in fabricated metal products/machinery. Regarding retrenchments, the statistics from the Retrenchment Board show a declining trend since the advent of the Second Republic. In 2017, 4 493 workers were laid off, whereas 1 668 lost their jobs in 2018 and 1 461 in 2019. By the end of June 2020, a total of 638 workers had been laid off.

The Government, with support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO), is implementing two major projects since 2017. These two are the Empowerment for Women and Youth Project (E4WAY) in Zimbabwe and the Green Enterprise Innovation and Development Project, which are meant to economically empower women and youths.

Goverment has announced that it is opening airports to start operating after a five month closure due to the Coronavirus scourge that hit the country in March.

The skies open up on 10 September 2020 for domestic flights while international flights will resume on 1 October 2020.

All people arriving will be required to have PCR test for Covid-19 that is negative from a reputable laboratory. This has to be within 48 hours of arrival.

As reported earlier this week, quarantine will no longer be required at port of entry if one has a test certificate.

All passengers will have to wear masks

#PostCabinetBriefing
Mining on areas held by National Parks is banned with immediate effect. Steps are being undertaken to immediately cancel all mining title held in national parks. pic.twitter.com/XbUwfcLvKY

— Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting (@InfoMinZW) September 8, 2020

JUST IN: Our board member Beatrice Mtetwa files application for review at High Court seeking to overturn a ban imposed by Magistrate Nduna barring her from representing Hopewell Chin’ono arrested in July&charged with inciting people to revolt against President Mnangagwa’s govt. pic.twitter.com/FvwXt80JZA

— ZLHR (@ZLHRLawyers) September 8, 2020

COVID-19 Update: As at 08 September 2020, Zimbabwe had 7 388 confirmed cases, including 5 477 recoveries and 218 deaths. pic.twitter.com/7iqymHVwIQ

— Ministry of HealthZW (@MoHCCZim) September 8, 2020

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Ministry Of Defence Loses US$2,7 Million To Bogus Travel Agency
Ministry Of Defence Loses US$2,7 Million To Bogus Travel Agency
By Shorai Murwira on September 8, 2020

Ministry of Defence and War Veterans Affairs lost USD$2 700 000 to a bogus travel agency which fraudulently submitted invoices and got paid for non-existent air tickets for 79 Zimbabwe National Army officers who wanted to travel outside the country.

The accused, Moreen Tatenda Nago appeared at the Harare Magistrates court today facing fraud charges.

Allegations are that on 6 November 2016, Nago and her co-accused Shepherd Chiriga who is already on bail pending trial registered their own company called Cheryl Ethan Travel Services Private Limited.

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It is said that sometimes in July 2019, the accused person in connivance with Chiriga and the other accused Danison Muvandi, who is on the run, hatched a plan to deceive the ministry of defence through representation that Cheryl Ethan Travel Services (PVT) had purchased air tickets for 79 Zimbabwe National Army Officers who wanted to travel outside the country.

The state is of the case that the trio presented an invoice to the ministry with a total amount of US$ 2 700 546 and the invoice purported as if Cheryl Ethan Travel Services had rendered travel services to the ministry of defence and war veterans affairs yet in the truth and in actual fact the accused knew that Cheryl Travel Services had not purchased the said air tickets for the army members to travel during the time in question.

Muvandi, who is the Director of Finance in the ministry of defence and war veterans affairs recommended and authorized payment into Cherly Ethan Travel Private Limited company on the 16th of July 2019.

The money was later transferred into different accounts of the three accused persons.

However, investigations were carried out and it was found out that the trio did not render any travel services to government.

The complainant in this matter is the state represented by Ambassador Mark Gray Marongwe who is the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Defense and War Veterans Affairs.

ZANU PF PRESS STATEMENT ON THE VISITING AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS (ANC) DELEGATION

ZANU PF is expecting the African National Congress (ANC) delegation to arrive in the country today for an engagement with the ZANU PF delegation tomorrow to discuss issues of mutual interest.

The ANC delegation will meet ZANU PF delegation led by the Secretary for A ministration Dr O. M. Mpofu as part of Party to Party engagements. We are also aware that this visit is taking place against the backdrop, of false claims of a nation in crisis. Zanu PF will take the oppotunity to the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe, South Africa and in the region candidly and frankly with their revolutionary sister the ANC.

Following inquiries from various quarters and our friends from the media in particular the purpose of this meeting, ZANU FP wishes to make it categoncal clear that this is a meeting between the ZANU PF delegation an the NC delegation only

P.A Chinamasa

Acting Secretary for Information and Publicity & Party Spokesperson

Paul Nyathi

The Zimbabwe Dollar this week marginally gained and closed the official forex auction stronger as it traded a few cents lower than last week’s official rate of $83.32, ZWL per $1.

According to this week’s auction, the Zimbabwe dollar will trade at $82.69 per $1

This was contained in the communique from the RBZ about the bank’s auction results after today’s auction.

Zanu PF said on Tuesday a top delegation from the governing African National Congress (ANC) of South Africa will only meet its Zimbabwean counterpart, contrary to local opposition hopes the fact-finding mission will also include consultations with them,

The visit by the six-member ANC delegation, led by its Secretary General, Ace Magashule , is on a fact finding mission following recent frenzied social media reports of a political crisis in the country.

The new reports prompted South African Presidents, Cyril Ramaphosa to send envoys to Harare last month to assess the situation.

The visit by the ANC delegation is a follow up to thatearlier vist by the special envoys.

Government has dismissed the social media reports of a political crisis in the country, which are mainly being pushed by the country’s main opposition in cahoots with western embassies.

Zanu PF acting spokesperson Patrick Chinamasa said delegations from the two parties will meet on Wednesday.

“The ANC delegation will meet with the Zanu PF delegation led by the Secretary for Administration, Dr Obert Mpofu as part of party to party engagements,” Chinamasa said.

“Zanu PF wishes to make it categorically clear that this is a meeting between the Zanu PF and the ANC delegation only.”

He added,” We are also aware that this visit is taking place against the backdrop of false claims on a nation in crisis. Zanu PF will take the opportunity to share the reality on the ground in Zimbabwe, South Africa and the region candidly and frankly with their revolutionary sister the ANC.”

Opposition and other stakeholders in Zimbabwe, which are alleging that there is a crisis in the country, were also hoping to meet with the South African delegation.

The hopes had been fuelled by President Ramaphosa, who in a speech before dispatching the delegation, had hinted on the possibly of them meeting with other stakeholders in Zimbabwe.

But the official letter written by the ANC to Zanu PF only requested for a “bilateral meeting.”

– New Ziana

The Zimbabwean Environmental Law Association, ZELA,has applied to the High Court to stop a Chinese firm from mining coal in Hwange National Park.

The Non Governmental Organisation argues that the creation of a coal mine in the park by the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Mining Group Tongmao Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd would cause “devastating” ecological degradation and force wildlife to flee.

The mining may cause a decline in tourism and decrease the incomes of local residents who rely on it for income, while poaching and conflict between people and wildlife could increase, the organization argued.

More than 45,000 elephants are estimated to live in Hwange park along with more than 100 mammal and 400 bird species, including buffalos, leopards, and lions, that are already struggling for food and water in the vast savannah due to a prolonged drought.

The mining license was granted by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government to the Chinese firm in February, 2019, and the firm has started exploratory work in the park, according to Bhejane Trust, a wildlife conservation organization which works in the park in partnership with the national parks agency.

Drilling, land clearance, road-building and geological surveys related to the planned coal mining project inside the park, which sprawls for more than 14,500 square kilometers (5,600 square miles), pose a threat to the reserve, the organization said in its application filed this week.

“There is acute risk of irreversible ecological degradation including unmitigated loss of animal and vegetative species, reduction of animal habitats of many rare species including black rhino, pangolin, elephant, and wild (painted) dogs,” said the organization.

The mine is planned to cover 105 square kilometers (40.54 square miles) in the Sinematella Camp area of Hwange park, according to court papers. The area is “one of the two only heavily wooded segments of the National Park comprising of mineral springs, salt springs, thermal springs, ecologically active waterholes, various dams and pans,” said the document. The mine may pollute the water sources in a perennially dry area of the park, said the document.

The area for the proposed mine “represents the only habitat with black rhino in the whole of the Matabeleland North province and provides a vital safe haven for these and other endangered and specially protected animals,” said a statement by the Hwange Area Stakeholders, a grouping of interested parties such as safari operators, animal welfare groups and residents.

The legal effort to stop mining in Hwange park comes as Zimbabwean wildlife officials are investigating the cause of the deaths of more than 20 elephants in a forest area near the national park. It is suggested that the young elephants that died may have eaten poisonous plants because normal vegetation has dried up from lack of rainfall.

Zimbabwe, constantly plagued by power shortages, is heavily reliant on coal and hydropower for electricity. Chinese firms have been involved in multi-billion dollar projects to boost coal-fired power plants. Several Chinese firms also mine gold, diamonds and other minerals in Zimbabwe.

The country’s ministry of environment, climate, tourism and hospitality on Monday said the government “will pronounce itself” on the matter “in the next few days.”

Additional: reporting New York Times

The Guardian

Rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs and other endangered species face a new threat in Zimbabwe’s Hwange national park: Chinese mining companies.

Zhongxin Coal Mining Group and Afrochine Smelting have received permission from the government to begin environmental impact assessments for drilling, land clearance, road building and geological surveys at two proposed sites inside the park, which is home to almost 10% of Africa’s remaining wild elephants.

If this leads to a new mine, conservationists warn it will shrink and disturb the habitat of many rare species including black rhino, pangolin and painted dogs, and devastate safari tourism, which is a vital source of income for local people.

Hwange, which is the size of Belgium, boasts the largest diversity of mammals among the world’s national parks.

“This is one of the greatest game parks in the world and the mines would be in one of the most pristine areas of the park. The last black rhino population in Hwange Park lives there, so do 10,000 elephants and 3,000 buffalo,” said Trevor Lane, who has worked for the Bhejane Trust in Hwange for more than a decade.

“If it goes ahead it will be an end to the park. It would kill the tourist industry which is worth hundreds of millions of dollars.”

He expressed hope that the project would be shelved but warned of protests if it moved forward. “I’m cautious at this early stage. Let’s see what the government says. But a lot of people are ready to take action if it goes ahead. There would be a huge campaign against it.”

The proposed coal exploration would involve geochemical and geophysical prospecting and construction of mobile camps along the road to Sinamatella Camp in Deka Safari Area, according to documents seen by the Guardian.

SustiGlobal, the consultancy that is conducting the environmental impact assessment, said the ministry of mines had approved an initial prospectus for exploring inside the perimeter of the park, which is normally forbidden.

“We passed the prospectus stage,” said Oliver Mutasa, the chief environmental consultant of SustiGlobal. “We are now conducting an environmental impact assessment and receiving comment from various stakeholders. After that, we will wait for permission from the ministry before drilling.”

Local media say the mining concessions have been personally granted by the country’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, who has previously expressed strong support for coal. This year, he visited the construction site of a thermal power plant in Hwange, which was scheduled to open in October.

Conservationists say surveyors have begun taking samples, which should not be allowed before the environmental assessment. A month ago, the rhino monitoring team of the Bhejane Trust said it came across a Chinese team drilling for coal without prior consultation with the area manager.

There are several open-cast mines outside the park, and a similar method of extraction could be used inside the perimeter where coal deposits are said to be close to the surface.

Mutasa said such speculation was premature: “The proposals are only for exploration. “The boreholes will tell us where the mineral is and determine what kind of mine and what quantities.”

Safari operators and conservation groups warn that any type of mine would harm the environment.

Stephen Long of Bhejane Trust, which works with Zimbabwe’s National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority in conservation of the Hwange area, said mines would bring noise and pollution.

“There is already a lot of Chinese investment in coal in Hwange area outside the park, much of it grossly polluting. Air quality in parts of Hwange must be as bad as most big cities, probably worse, and it is hard not to feel that the Chinese have already polluted their own country and are now exporting their pollution to poor countries such as ours. Zimbabweans are unlikely to see much benefit from the mines,” he said.

“When the rest of the world is getting out of coal and recognising the climate emergency, why is Zimbabwe expanding its use of the stuff and planning, according to the president, [to use it] for decades ahead?”

Residents of Lukosi village in Hwange reportedly filed a petition this year complaining of air and water pollution by other mining companies along Nekabandama Road and upstream of the Deka River.

Paul Nyathi

A group of stakeholders from the Hwange Game Reserve has called on President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and block the issuance of coal mining rights to Chinese Investors inside the Hwange National Park.

The stakeholders made the appeal to Mnangagwa through a statement issued out on Tuesday.

“We humbly request that you cancel all Special Grants that are within Hwange National Park and all of the National Parks of Zimbabwe,” reads part of the statement.

“Travel agents and tourists will cancel their travel itineraries and tours scheduled to arrive in Hwange National Park and will seek alternative destinations in other countries.”

“Special Mining Grants were issued for concessions in areas that already had been allocated to other safari operators who have invested millions of dollars in tourism infrastructure. Lawsuits will ensue, seeking compensation for losses due to mining operations.

“Every safari camp, tour operator and activity provider will likely lose their business as a direct result of mining in Hwange National Park,” states the statement.

Farai Dziva|MDC Alliance vice president, Lynette Karenyi has described the late MP for Kuwadzana, Miriam Mushayi as a dedicated cadre who worked tirelessly for democratic change.

See statement below :

CONDOLENCES TO THE MUSHAYI FAMILY AND THE MDCA FAMILY.

I am deeply saddened by the passing of Hon Miriam Mushayi a sister, close friend, colleague and founding Member of the MDC.

I would like to extend my deepest condolences to her family, loved ones and express my gratitude for her contributions towards the fight for democracy.

I will in due course pay a special tribute to my friend and colleague.

Currently I am waiting for the official party position and arrangements.

Lynette Karenyi
MDCA Vice-President.

Farai Dziva|President Nelson Chamisa has described the late MP for Kuwadzana as a true people’s leader.

In his condolence message on the death of Hon Mushayi, President Chamisa said her departure was a huge blow to the MDC Alliance family.

Said President Chamisa :

DEATH IS EVERYWHERE…

The passing on of Hon Miriam Mushayi (MP)is a huge blow to us.

This falls on previous other multiple blows. It has been torrid and terrible. Just last week it was Patson, now Miriam. Miriam even posted a message of condolence about Patson…

This life!! It never rains but it pours.Tragedies often hunt in packs and move in droves.

When sorrows come,they come not in single files but in battalions. RIP People’s Leader.

Watch the live video loading below…

By A Correspondent| Embattled opposition MDC-T Secretary General Douglas Mwonzora has mourned the late Kuwadzana legislator Miriam Mushayi saying she was a key member in the struggle for electoral reforms.

Posting on Twitter, Mwonzora said through Mushayi’s efforts, the 2018 elections had the much needed biometric voter registration and a code of conduct for political parties.

“Sad to learn of the death of Hon. Miriam Mushayi. She was a key member in the struggle for electoral reforms that brought the BVR &the code of conduct for political parties. Self effacing yet charming, intelligent and tolerant she was just an enigma,” said Mwonzora.

Mushayi passed on last night though the cause of death has not been officially communicated.

By A Correspondent- A delegation from South Africa’s ruling African National Congress (ANC) led by the party’s secretary-general Ace Magashule is expected in the country this Tuesday for meetings with the ruling ZANU PF party.

Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Obert Mpofu on Monday said the two parties will focus on issues to do with economic and political cooperation, rather than the claims of a crisis in Zimbabwe.

He said:

I can confirm that all is set for the Zanu PF-ANC talks. We have been briefed that our revolutionary counterpart the ANC is sending its top brass ahead of the indaba scheduled for this Wednesday.

… However, in this instance, we have no problem to tackle at length considering that the crisis alarm is not founded on what is prevailing on the ground.

South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mphakama Mbete also confirmed the arrival of the ANC delegation. He said:

I can confirm that the ANC nine-member delegation will arrive in Zimbabwe today, but I don’t have the exact time.

Last week President Emmerson Mnangagwa dismissed claims that there is a crisis in Zimbabwe.

Speaking during a meeting of the Political Actors Dialogue (POLAD), a grouping of over a dozen small political party leaders he defeated in 2018, he said:

In the wake of the arrest of some elements whose actions sought not only to incite the public to gather against the set rules (of Covid-19)… subversive allegations of a crisis have been made mainly in the social media circles.

I wish to unequivocally state that there is no crisis in Zimbabwe as elections were held in July 2018 and a winner was declared in terms of the country’s constitution.-statemedia

By Jane Mlambo| Former Deputy minister of Higher Education, Dr Godfrey Gandawa has poured cold water on the meeting between sister revolutionary parties ANC and Zanu PF on the deteriorating political situation in Zimbabwe saying the varied understanding of crisis will mean the conversation starts at cross purposes.

In a Twitter thread, Gandawa said the Zimbabwean crisis is being understood from very different angles with the MDC Alliance taking it from a bilateral perspective based on the 2018 elections while former G40 members believes it emanated from the November 2017 military coup.

“At the risk of being the bearer of bad news, the ANC delegation that arrives in Harare today will not achieve any meaningful outcome. This is because what is widely described as a crisis, means different things to the stakeholders. The conversation starts at cross purposes.

“The MDC believes that the crisis is a bilateral dispute between itself and Zanu PF, which can only be resolved by Zanu PF surrendering power to the legitimate winner of the 2018 election. Over the past two years, this has found expression as the ‘crisis of legitimacy’.

“Meanwhile, the so-called G40 believes that the crisis arises from the 2017 coup which ushered in the Mnangagwa regime. The 2017 coup is viewed as the genesis of military interference and state capture. To fix Zimbabwe, the coup must be cured,” said Gandawa.

According to Gandawa, all these narratives do not fit into the ANC’s understanding of the Zimbabwean crisis as they recognise President Emmerson Mnangagwa as the legitimate leader of the country.

He said the ANC is not worried about MDC Alliance or G40 grievances as they are more concerned about helping their counterparts stabilize the situation.

“Unfortunately, the South African government does not accept any of these arguments. It recognises Mnangagwa as the legitimate president elected in 2018 and affirmed by the Constitutional Court decision rejecting the challenge to his victory. That matter is settled.

“As far as the ANC and Ramaphosa’s envoys are concerned, they are not in Harare to negotiate a transfer of power or to relitigate the coup or the 2018 election. As they have repeatedly said, they want to help Zanu PF stabilize the situation so that it can survive this crisis,” added Gandawa.

By A Correspondent- A Bulawayo woman has taken Choppies Supermarket owners to court demanding $3,5 million in damages for pain, suffering and medical expenses after slipped and fell on the floor during a shopping errand.

Gladys Nhira said she suffered permanent injuries after she slipped on a slippery floor while shopping at Choppies Supermarket in Entumbane suburb in February 2019.

Through her lawyers, Liberty Mcijo and Associates, Nhira has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Nanavac Investments trading as Choppies Supermarket as the defendant. Her lawyers wrote:

She suffered a wrist fracture and shoulder injury and further diagnosis of the wrist fracture revealed that the problem would last for an unforeseeable future. Plaintiff is experiencing wrist and shoulder pains as the weather changes.

As a direct consequence of the injuries sustained, plaintiff who has been employed for 11 years as a tailor on a permanent basis by Pension Knitwear had her employment contract terminated.

Choppies Supermarket is yet to respond.-statemedia

By A Correspondent | Briefly responding to the issue of conflicting serial numbers from guns recovered from the two killed suspected soldier-killers in Chivhu at the weekend, the ZRP spokesperson, Paul Nyathi last night told ZimEye the public should not rely on leaked information, they should wait for official announcements by the force.

He said: “Aaah investigations are in progress, and [on] those serial numbers, people are giving reference to leaked information, eeh, the police will release official information as what we have been doing all along, that is what I can say at the moment.

“eeh so I can’t talk about something which has been leaked on the social media platforms, with all due respect…”

It was further stressed to him: I had to ask because they are different serial numbers and they are official ZRP memos.

To this he replied saying: “If you could phone me tomorrow,” the Police Spokesperson said responding to the questions below:

Did you notice this:

And it follows the stolen weapons are waiting for another attack.

The shot soldiers were armed with ZA 52410 and ZA49103

The recovered are the following: AKs serial numbers were ZA 48889 and ZA 54490.

These are completely different sets of weapons. pic.twitter.com/VzQCRWVAjQ

— ZimEye (@ZimEye) September 7, 2020

The African National Congress (ANC) delegation led by secretary-general Cde Ace Magashule is expected in the country today for bilateral engagements with their Zanu PF counterparts.

This comes as the two parties are strengthening cooperation in the wake of a renewed onslaught against former liberation movements by Western powers, who are working with opposition parties in the region, some churches and a select media to manufacture a non-existent crisis in Zimbabwe.

Zanu PF Secretary for Administration Dr Obert Mpofu yesterday said the two parties will exchange notes on economic and political cooperation.

“I can confirm that all is set for the Zanu PF-ANC talks. We have been briefed that our revolutionary counterpart the ANC is sending its top brass ahead of the indaba scheduled for this Wednesday.

“Considering that this whole crisis narrative constitutes a peripheral concern, we are certain that obvious rationality will shift our discussion focus to other more important issues,” he said.

The more pressing details that the two parties are likely to spend time deliberating on are centred on the political threats posed by the two countries’ detractors as well as economic cooperation.

“As political parties unified by the permanent effects of colonial infiltration, in our respective national interests, we ought to emerge from this dialogue more ideologically clear to create firm buffers against existential shocks exerted on us by forces working in the interest of fragmenting African liberation movements.

“An obviously foreseen resolution will be our heightened inter-party solidarities aimed at building a strong foundation for African solutions for African problems in the region.

“However, in this instance we have no problem to tackle at length considering that the crisis alarm is not founded on what is prevailing on the ground,” he said.

The dialogue, Cde Mpofu said, comes at an opportune time considering the favourable policy environment recently enabled by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) pact.

“As ZANU PF, this dialogue is beyond politics, this dialogue is set to strengthen our bilateral ties in making the SADC an optimal hub for extensive investment opportunities. We have more to fight for on the economic solidarity front than anything else. So our agenda will be predicated on real issues and nothing else,” he said.

Dr Mpofu added: “In essence this is an opportunity for our liberation sisterhood as ZANU PF and the ANC to be concretised in the service of a plethora of genuine concerns affecting both ZANU PF and the ANC.”

South African Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mphakama Mbete also confirmed the arrival of the ANC delegation.

“I can confirm that the ANC nine-member delegation will arrive in Zimbabwe today, but I don’t have the exact time,” he said.

War veterans’ chairman Cde Christopher Mutsvangwa weighed in saying their association is behind the dialogue between the two sister revolutionary parties.

“The two revolutionary parties were born out of the protracted liberation struggle. We shared the same trenches during the liberation struggle.

“We share the same blood, so the opposition and some other rogue elements should not draw boundaries between the two sister parties,” said Cde Mutsvangwa.

-State Media

Two more people from Bulawayo died of coronavirus on Monday bringing to 41 the number of people that have died of the virus in the city so far.

The national tally now stands at 210.

Eight people have died of coronavirus this month and six of them are from Bulawayo.

There were 182 new cases and 82 recoveries on Monday.

The total number of cases rose to 7 298 and that of recoveries to 5 455 leaving 1 633 active cases.

The number of active cases in Bulawayo, however, continues to decline and now stands at 76 while those in Harare have risen to 977.