Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru– The Zimbabwe Association of Community Radio Stations (ZACRAS) joined the nation and rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day and commended government efforts towards licensing of community radio stations.
The World Press Freedom celebrations are commemorated annually on May 3 as efforts to recognize the role and importance of the press in information dissemination across the globe.
In a statement ZACRAS national chairperson Tobias Saratiel said the licensing of the stations was in line with completing the drive of establishing a three tier broadcasting system.
“As ZACRAS, we take the opportunity to acknowledge and commend efforts made by the government of Zimbabwe to license 14 community radio stations in the country as part of the drive to complete the three tier broadcasting system.
“ZACRAS has over the years been advocating for the licensing of community radio stations, which have so far been licensed across the country’s ten provinces with the association working closely with government and other partners to ensure that all radio stations go on air. As part of its mandate, the association is rolling out a series of capacity building programmes that will see licensed community radio stations go on air before the end of the Broadcasting Services Act’s recommended 18 months period and providing the crucial, locally produced developmental news,” said Saratiel.
He further said community radios have played a significant role in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic through timely information dissemination.
“Community radio stations have played an important role during the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw some of the stations being part of the government’s Covid-19 provincial taskforces in the process of communicating accurate and relevant information.
“The licensing of community radios will go a long way in promoting access to information and participation by marginalized and under-represented communities in Zimbabwe. As the country continues to battle the Covid-19 pandemic, ZACRAS remains cognizant of the fact that there are communities which are not regularly accessing relevant information needed to make critical decisions. It remains ZACRAS’ conviction that the existence of community radios in Zimbabwe will greatly assist in local and timely dissemination of information on Covid-19 as has been witnessed in other countries such as India and Ethiopia among others,” he added.
Meanwhile ZACRAS has noted a number of recommendations to be adopted by government in promoting the rights of journalists.
“We thereby note the following recommendations to the government that we obtain full respect of the editorial and programming independence of community radio stations and the use the Community Broadcasting Fund in an equitable manner that will ensure community radio stations benefit.
“We also call for the promotion of foreign investment in broadcasting a situation that will improve the sustainability of community broadcasters,” read some of the recommendations by ZACRAS.
The 2022 World Press Freedom Day (WPFD) commemorations are running under the theme ‘Journalism Under Digital Siege.

Tendai Charumbira

Three Gokomere schools officials who were arrested last year on allegations of embezzling school funds appeared in court on April 10, 2022, after which it was postponed to May 13, 2022.

The three accused appeared before magistrate Farai Gwitima.

CPS head Mhangarai Celestino Masakadza (50), Gokomere High deputy head Cephas Vhurumuku and Priest in Charge John Magadzire (40) are being represented by Collen Maboke of Ruvengo and Maboke Legal practitioners who argued that Gokomere is run by Roman Catholic Church and is not a government school hence mismanagement of school funds should have been reported by the Roman Catholic Church.

He also argued that parents who were paying school fees made the report but not even one parent came to testify as there was no School Development Committee (SDC) because it was during Covid-19.

The State represented by Noel Mandebvu said the accused persons in May 2021 made payment transactions through ZB bank debt card with no payment vouchers, invoices or receipts amounting to ZW$1 4477 373  and an audit done in May 2021 showed massive corrupt dealings of unsupported receipts.

The audit also revealed that the school’s fourth account held by Standard Chartered bank in the name of John Magadzire received ZW$ 1 722 697 in levies but a total of ZW$ 1 456 062 was spent on non-school related transactions.

The accused persons allegedly did not elect a SDC thereby violating statutory instrument 87 of 1992 Section 8 (1) that requires the election of SDCs by parents at every Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The trio was dragged to court alongside Gokomere High School head Acquanos Mazhunga and Alex Mawaya sometime last year following Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC)’s intervention after parents with children at the learning institution approached them.

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI- Town Council vice chairperson and ward 3 councillor Ropafadzo Makumire who recently graduated from the Mandela-Washington Fellowship’s Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) recently united various stakeholders towards the fight to end drug abuse as he held a community Mental Health awareness programme at Chitsanga Hall.
The Ministry of Health and Child Care and Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) pledged to work together with the community towards eradicating ballooning drug abuse cases in Chiredzi,
Various stakeholders and community leadership last week converged at Chitsanga Hall to discuss solutions towards curbing the exponentially growing drug abuse in the sugarcane town, where the Ministry of Health said it is gradually being overwhelmed by the growing number of drug abuse cases while they are also urging all those addicts who need help to come forward.
Speaking during the engagement meeting at Chitsanga Hall, Chiredzi District Medical Officer Doctor Brian Dhlandhlara said the issue of drug abuse has become a pandemic such that government has developed a master plan to help mitigate the growing cases of drug abuse in our communities.
“Drug abuse have become a pandemic. Initially, budget towards drug abuse patients is limited to such an extent that we are now draining funds from other departments to help cater for drug abuse patients. More than 60% of admissions at the hospital are now being cases of drug abuse, which means the cases are growing rapidly.
“So the government developed a master plan to help in the reduction of drug abuse as well as the distribution. We are opening hands to all those who seek help and government has decriminalized those who want to receive medical care.
“The master plan includes the reduction of demand through decriminalizing those drug users who wish to seek help, educational awareness, supply reduction where we will work in tandem with the ZRP to cut the supply chain of drugs, training of mental health nurses as well as establishing halfway houses where psychologists will be availed to help people,” said Dr Dhlandhlara.
Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association (CHIRRA) chairperson Jonathan Shonhiwa urged parents to take extra care of their children than letting maids take care of everything.
Shonhiwa also urged the police to work hand in glove with the community in order to curb the trade of drugs.
“Parents should take extra care of their children whenever they come back from school. Most parents no longer have that care children need from them which makes it easier for them to engage in illicit drug abuse. The police also should provide suggestion boxes where cases involving those dealing with drugs will be reported as some of the drug lords have a strong connection with the police,” said Shonhiwa.
United Chiredzi Residents and Ratepayers Association Advocate Officer Constance Chikumbo also urged council to develop fallen infrastructure for recreational facilities where youths can spend much of their time.
“The state of recreational facilities such as Chitsanga Hall, the Tennis Court and Tshovani Stadium needs a facelift in order support our future generations. These recreational facilities will help freshen up their minds,” said Chikumbo.
Drug and substance abuse has been rampant among the youthful generation.

…NSSA orders cooling tower to be barricaded for safety reasons

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru – The death of a Gweru man who was employed as a truck driver at Chinese owned JIN YI chrome smelting plant last week has raised eyebrows among residents who still have to come to terms with the demise of Chesia Mdala (39).
The company currently operating with a capacity of 740 workers is believed to be among one of the big chrome smelting and ferrochrome exporting plants in Midlands.
As family members continue to demand answers to what really transpired, Mdala is believed to have drowned in a cooling tower which contained hot water as he was fetching water to wash his truck last week Wednesday at around 2 pm.
Speaking to TellZim News during an interview, the deceased’s wife (name withheld for ethical reasons) said his husband’s body was found floating the next day, Thursday 28 April 2022 around 8 am.
The deceased was however buried the same day he was retrieved as his body was said to be in a decomposing state due to the hot water burns.
“What we only heard is that he took his truck to a pond to wash it around 2 pm. He then took a blue bucket with him and from there we only heard that he was found dead at the tower holding a bucket in his left hand.
“One thing I am failing to understand is their explanation that he drowned around 2 pm and someone came to take the truck and saw his phone but failed to take action. When someone disembarks the vehicle, they usually take with them the car keys and some valuables. We still want to know what really happened to my husband,” the deceased’s wife demanded.
Mdala’s mother, (name withheld) was short of words to describe the death of his son whom she had seen a few hours before the incident.
“I am not convinced by these people at all. My son passed by home around 2 pm in a jovial mood only or him to fail to return home. They are saying he wanted to wash his car but I am failing to understand.
“These people know what they did to my son, I am still failing to come to terms with his death despite the whole narration,” she said.
Meanwhile family members are still suspecting foul play on the incident.
JIN YI Enterprises incoming Administrator Tongesai Svidzi said the company had since rendered funeral assistance to the deceased’s family.
“The incident occurred while the old management was still in place. As for me and the incoming team, we are the new administration which is incoming and we await induction, so we also heard of the issue though it was already attended to by the outgoing management, so I will only answer what I know with regards to the matter.
“As a company, yes we reached the family and funeral assistance in form of cash amounting to US$ 2 500 was given. What happened is we suspect that Mdala might have slipped off the stoop while fetching water to wash the truck at the cooling tower. Mdala reported to work on the day the incident happened (that is Wednesday April 27, 2022). He was one of our drivers and had just secured his employment last month (March). So his duties were those to go and ferry gas cylinders and any other duties which would be assigned by the authorities,” said Svidzi.
He also confirmed that one of the deceased’s work colleagues is the one who went to check on him only to discover that he had passed on.
“So upon returning from his tasks around 2 pm, it is said he went to the cooling tower with the intention to wash his truck, so he went with his bucket but what then happened at the tower no one witnessed it. As time went by, one of his colleague drivers who had his truck as well checked on him. After seeing Mdala’s truck parked by the tower, he found the car keys and the deceased’s phone inside. So he just assumed the deceased had taken a walk and drove the truck and parked it at the parking bay .He then surrendered the keys and the cellphone to the guards so that they could hand over the phone to him when he returns.
“The following morning our manager received a call from the deceased’s wife saying she had not heard anything from her husband since the previous day. The manager (as he was on his way to work) said he would check on Mdala upon reaching the work station and on the other hand the deceased’s brother in law, Asani Mahlati had already reported that the now deceased was missing to the authorities.
“So an alarm was raised while searching, the now deceased was found floating in the cooling tower with his body swollen as it had slept in hot water all night. The police were informed and so were National Social Security Association (NSSA) and Environmental Management Agency (EMA) and they all came. They conducted investigations on the matter and Mdala’s relatives took the body,” Svidzi added.
He further said the tower had already been fenced following a directive from NSSA to barricade the pond for safety purposes.
“We were given an order to have the tower fenced for the safety of workers and this has been done .The area is now fenced and is a no go area. Before it was fenced, it was a no go area but workers still preferred to fetch water there since it is a central point. From investigations conducted, we greatly believe that the now deceased might have slipped into the pool coincidentally after stepping on the froth produced by the water as that froth is slippery if stepped on,” he added.
However, a police report could not be obtained on the matter by the time of writing this article.

Tinaani Nyabereka

Gweru- The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has called upon Chinese employers in the country to desist from breaching the labour laws of Zimbabwe through various forms of harassment and abuse at the work places.
Addressing scores of workers commemorating the Workers’ Day at Mkoba stadium in Gweru, ZCTU Deputy Secretary General Kudakwashe Munengiwa said there is need for employers to respect and adhere to the laws of the land ensuring fair labour practices.
“Let me also take this moment to warn the Chinese who are busy breaching our labour laws. You are going about crushing and beating workers in your work places. After that you demand that workers should not report acts of abuse and ill treatment. We condemn abuse against workers and we are coming for you soon, be warned,” said Munengiwa.
He also highlighted that about 70percent of the country’s population was now living in poverty before calling on government to consider US$ salaries.
“It is saddening to note that about 70percent of our population is now living in poverty, people are struggling. We want our salaries in US dollars. Why do you want to earn the dollar alone at the top and not together with your people? We want our wages in American dollar considering that the bond note is losing value daily. Let’s just dollarize for us to survive.
“If that demand is not met, we are going to meet in the streets soon and we will not tire until our demand as workers is met by the employer. By demanding US$, we are not fighting anyone but we are confronting the poverty people face daily. As leaders, spare us the Russia- Ukraine war blames, we don’t share any borders with them,” argued Munengiwa.
Mkoba Constituency Member of Parliament, Amos Chibaya said looking at this year’s theme of the workers day, the salaries tabled for workers were pathetic.
“In line with the theme, ‘restoration of workers dignity’, workers no longer have dignity. I was in Parliament speaking on the welfare of workers recently and even tasked the Ministers of Finance and Labour to have the wages of workers reviewed.
“Some of the Ministers were even shocked to hear that the minimum wage was below ZW $24 000. I told them to adjust wages to suit the Poverty Datum Line (PDL). It is just saddening to note that we have experienced a significant change as a family of six now requires ZW $92 000 to survive. As workers, let it be known that you are allowed to demonstrate as it is your constitutional right,” said Chibaya.
Women Coalition of Zimbabwe (WCoZ) Midlands Chapter representative Precious Mutumwa called for the recognition of the work done by women in the nation saying they are entitled to a better wage.
“Let’s also recognize the role being played by mothers not only in the work environment but even at home. Households stand strong today because women are working, looking after children, making sure that the family is fed.
“Please also remunerate us at our homes, we are workers, working for the family and nation as we are carrying the burden on our shoulders,” said Mutumwa.
Latest findings from Zimstats reveal that the Total Consumption Poverty Line (TCPL) for one person stood at $9 144 in February 2022 translating to $54 864 for a family of six.
However, the figure is way below that of the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) which pegged the cost of living at $72 000 for a family of six as at January 2022.

Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI-Councilors have bemoaned the state of the just completed roads (Denhe, Magwaza and Molly) which were contracted to Tensor Systems by the local authority under the Emergency Roads Rehabilitation Program (ERRP) for poor workmanship citing that they have already started to develop potholes soon after completion.
There have been growing concerns from the communities over shoddy jobs by the Category ‘A’ construction companies that have been contracted on the second phase of the ERRP, including Fossil Contracting, over poor workmanship being exhibited on their construction works.
Debating during the recent full council meeting, councillors came guns blazing against the company which was contracted towards Denhe, Magwaza and Molly roads over its poor workmanship.
Speaking after the presentation of the Environment Committee report, chairperson of the Finance Committee Roger Chikonye posed a question on the criteria used to certify roads which he said from the layman’s views, were not properly done.
“I have a question, though it is not a reflection of the just presented report, what criteria is being used to certify these roads after the contractor has completed construction. Because there have been growing concerns from laymen perspectives that the roads are not up to standard,” said Chikonye.
Ward 4 councillor Liberty Macharaga also came in support of Cllr Chikonye that the type of materials compared from what was being used by Bitumen World on the Ngundu-Tanganda highway were far much different.
“This should be a matter of urgency. The quality of materials that were used on the construction of these roads are poor as compared to what Bitumen World is using on the highway. The stones are not even clinging with the tar,” said Macharaga.
Ropafadzo Makumire who was the Acting chairperson suggested for a separate meeting to deliberate fully on the matter as it was of public concern.
“We should convene a separate meeting to deliberate on these issues. This is a matter of public concern as the quality of work on some of these roads is very worrisome. Even a laymen can tell that the road was not professionally done,” added Makumire.
Acting Town Secretary Engineer Wesley Kauma said the roads were inspected and the contractor was given key areas to look on meaning they are yet to pass.
“The first monitoring visit was contacted and some areas which need corrections were noted. The contractor will soon revisit and correct the areas noted before the second inspection comes. So in general the roads are not yet certified. More so after the inspections, the contractor will be closely monitoring the roads for a year for its durability,” said Kauma.
Meanwhile Fossil Contracting was ordered to re-do some parts of Lion Drive around Chigarapasi after it developed potholes, hours after it was opened to traffic.