Fredrick Moyo

Fish industry workers are incapacitated as they are facing a number of difficulties among them non-payment of wages, low wages and also high inflation just like any other Zimbabwean, a workers union has said.
The Federation of Food and Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe (FFAWUZ) General Secretary and The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) First Deputy Secretary General Runesu Dzimiri made the remark in Iceland where he presented on issues affecting workers in Seafood industry under the theme: Claiming workers’ Rights: Fighting for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Speaking at the event Dzimiri said fish industry workers are suffering to make ends meet as they are affected by poor protective clothing; low wages compared way below the Poverty Datum Line (PDL), inflation and also casualization of labour.
“Workers in the industry, just like any other Zimbabwean are suffering from high inflation (230percent by January 2023); low wages compared to the Poverty Datum Line; casualization of labour, job insecurity, victimisation for blog to a political party of their choice, lack of maternity leave and benefits; sexual harassment; lack of proper and adequate sanitary facilities and protective clothing; lack of training on Occupational Safety and Health (OSHE),” said Dzimiri.
He also added that workers are also going for several months without receiving their monthly salaries.
“Another major challenge facing workers is the non-payment of wages. Some workers go for several months without being paid,” added Dzimiri.
The fish industry in Zimbabwe falls under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
The Fisheries department is mandated to carry out research on sustainable fresh water tilapia fish species production, nutrition, health, and conservation of indigenous species.
According to official statistics, Zimbabwe’s fish output averages 18,400 tonnes every year, yet demand is estimated at 60,000 tonnes yearly and the biggest fish processing company in Zimbabwe is Lake Harvest in which FFAWUZ have got 150 members (45 men, 95 women) at Lake harvest processing department.

Perpetua Murungweni

Local authorities have been said to be important to sustainable tourism and should not be left out in working towards achieving a sustainable Tourism Zimbabwe.
Speaking during ZTA provincial workshop held at Chevron Hotel on March 30, Masvingo Great Zimbabwe Publicity Association Chairperson Dr Phanos Matura urged all tourism stakeholders to work hand in hand with local authorities and engage local communities in working towards achieving a sustainable Tourism Zimbabwe.
“In order to achieve a sustainable Tourism Zimbabwe by the year 2030, I urge you all that there is need to work hand in hand with local authorities and there is also need to support one another by buying from the local markets and employing workers from the local communities.
“Engaging local authorities is very important as it helps in preserving our cultures and heritage, by engaging with the local authorities tourists will have better knowledge of the norms, values and language of the area they are visiting, this will help them to enjoy their tours,” said Dr Matura.
Nyaradzai Maduro of National Museum and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) added that as a stakeholder in tourism, they work with local authorities by allowing full participation of local communities at Great Zimbabwe monuments.
“NMMZ promotes and empowers local authorities by ensuring full participation of local communities at Great Zimbabwe monuments. Local communities are given a chance to participate in traditional dances, showcase and sell their African traditional products such as poultry and sculptures,” said Maduro.
Tsitsi Munetsi of ZTA who presented on sustainable Tourism indicators also encouraged the stakeholders to negotiate with local communities saying there is need to respect them in order to get their support.
“Community support is a major sustainable tourism indicator that shows the growth and achievement of a sustainable Tourism Zimbabwe. I urge you all stakeholders here to respect local communities, culturally interact with them and respect what they believe in order to get their support,” said Munetsi.
Sustainable Tourism was defined as sustainable practices in and by the tourism industry. It is tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.

TellZim Reporter

MASVINGO – City Council recorded a total of 308 sewer blockages in one month and found 95 wheel barrows of grit in the grit channels.
This was revealed in the council minutes of Public Works and Planning Committee meeting dated March 9, 2023.
The minutes also reported that council removed 128 bins of waste, a development which reveals that residents were mostly to blame in terms of sewer blockages.
“It was reported that a total of 308 blockages had been recorded and attended to during the month of February 2023, whilst 95 wheelbarrows of grit had been removed from the grit channels and one hundred and twenty eight bins of waste were removed from the grit screens,” read the minutes.
It was also reported that the Raw Pump Station was not operational due to some breakdown but the requisitions for the purchase of the replacements were already done.
“It was reported that the pump station was not operational due to breakdown of the installed electrical components for the 160 KW star Delta Controller. It was noted that the stoppage of the pump from operation was made to protect electric motor from damage due to faulty contractor and overloads.
“It was reported that requisition for purchase of required spares for the Star Delta Control controller for pump number 2 had been done,” added the minutes.
The minutes further revealed that Rujeko Pump Station was operational.

Brighton Chiseva

MASVINGO – Barely two years after opening doors to its pioneer classes, Junior High School is already a household name in the province and abroad.

The school scooped a Diamond award for being an outstanding private school in Masvingo at the recently held Megafest Awards on March 31.

The Megafest Awards, which are done annually, are meant to recognize outstanding organizations and individuals in the societies in different categories.

School head Shirley Makausi said she was happy for the recognition which is a clear testimony that they were a force to reckon.

She said the award will push them to do more as good deeds are always rewarded saying the recognition was a result of spirited efforts by the school management, teachers and pupils to bring the best results in whatever they do as a school.

“As a school, we are very happy and excited. It is very nice to be recognized and appreciated. This award will definitely propel us to move forward with confidence and strive towards greater heights,” said Makausi.

Her sentiments were supported by the School Director Noah Marima of the Junior brand which owns Junior Driving School, Junior Security Services among others, who said the recognition was a milestone in the history of the school.

He said being a new entry into the industry; the recognition was well appreciated considering that they were competing with others who have been in the trade for years.

“We are here to make history, the award is a good achievement on our part. We opened recently and there are a number of other schools which were established well before us, so scooping an award ahead of others means we are a force to reckon, it gives us the push we need to strive for more and we are not stopping there since the sky is the limit,” said Marima.

Junior High School opened doors in 2022 for its first classes with its Primary School opening in January 2023.

The school is located in the verdant suburb of Rhodene, along Harare – Masvingo Highway close to the scenic and bald mountain range of Mangwandi.

The school offers Cambridge curriculum among other unique aspects with a special niche in sciences and has a team of experienced teachers.

It has a good teacher pupil ratio allowing teachers to deal with every leaner and has beautiful double storey classroom block and well-furnished classes as well as neat sporting facilities.

The school offers both boarding and day school facilities and has top of the range school bus and other vehicles and boast of its meals that are prepared with utmost perfection by experienced chefs and dieticians.

TellZim Reporter

Concerns have been raised at Masvingo City Council over continued illegal mining activities taking place on the hills adjacent to Hillside suburb with fears that continuous environmental degradation can lead to serious consequences on part of residents.
The hills are where the city’s water storage tanks are situated.
Speaking during a full council meeting held on March 27 at the Civic Centre councillor Alec Tabe called upon the local authority to devise ways to ensure safety is guaranteed for the residents and their properties adjacent to the hills.
“What mitigatory measures have council especially the Public Works Committee put in place concerning the threats posed to residents and properties as well as council water storage tanks by the continued illegal mining activities by artisanal miners?
“We have witnessed enormous destruction resulting from such illegal activities with the recent example being of that primary school in Kwekwe (Phoenix) which succumbed to illegal mining,” said Tabe.
Public Works Committee chairperson Sengerayi Manyanga said it would be proper for council led by the Town Clerk (Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa) and Mayor Collen Maboke to engage stakeholders like the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to address the issue.
“I think the matter needs to be deliberated on in the public works committee but we would also ask the TC and Mayor to help us in form of even writing an official letter to the police to help stop the activities since we passed a resolution against such activities.
“The ZRP maybe the rightful authority to help us address the issue by arresting the culprits as that may also be helpful. If there is need for us to invite the ZRP as part of engagement efforts and ask them to work alongside our municipal police, then we can go that way. Some of these activities may be done during the night,” said Manyanga.