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70yr old dies in Mashava mine shaft collapse

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70yr old dies in Mashava mine shaft collapse
File picture

Leslie Karumbidza

MASVINGO– A 70-year- old artisanal miner recently lost his life when a mine shaft which he was in collapsed, burying him and his two wives.

Maxwell Johnsaya of Mushandike Resettlement, Mashava, was prospecting for gold together with his two wives; Sunungura Johnsaya (62) and Haruzive Johnsaya (30) along Chamugwaku stream. 

The trio had been prospecting since the early hours of June 13, but at around 3pm, the three who were inside the shaft were caught unaware and got trapped. 

However, the deceased’s two wives were rescued after a minor who had accompanied them called for help. 

Masvingo provincial police spokesperson, Kudakwashe Dhewa confirmed the tragic incident and urged those who engage in mining activities to take precautionary measures.

 “Maxwell and his wives left the house at around 7am in the morning going to Chamugwaku stream in Mashava. At around 3pm, the mine shaft which they were in collapsed, trapping him and his two wives underneath. 

“A minor who witnessed the event then rushed to look for help from one Pedzisai Jonhasya. Pedzisai then teamed up with another villager and went to the shaft where they managed to rescue Maxwell’s two wives but Maxwell had already died. We urge those who are into mining to take all necessary safety measures to avoid loss of life,” said Dhewa. 

Maxwell’s wives were rushed to Masvingo Provincial Hospital for treatment and the police managed to retrieve Maxwell’s body which was later buried at his homestead.

ZUPCO defies council directive to use Mucheke Rank

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ZUPCO defies council directive to use Mucheke Rank
 Long distance buses loading at old Croco motors

Wayne Ncube

MASVINGO– Masvingo city council has shifted the blame on its failure to move buses back to Mucheke Rank to Zimbabwe United Passenger Company (ZUPCO) which they accused of ignoring their communication.

Masvingo Mayor Councillor Collen Maboke said ZUPCO refused to move its buses to Mucheke terminus saying that they were given the directive by government to remain at their operating points in the CBD. 

“ZUPCO has refused to move its buses to Mucheke Terminus because they told us they were given the ‘directive’ to remain at their operating points in the CBD by government and we have sent a letter for the negotiations of the terms of the move hence we are now waiting for the response,” he said.

He went on to say that the other buses besides ZUPCO only go to Mucheke terminus to buy vouchers and use the CBD as a pick up point for their passengers while in rare cases they just send conductors to purchase them.

“The other buses only go to Mucheke Terminus to purchase vouchers and come back to CBD to collect their passengers,” said Maboke.

When contacted for comment, ZUPCO Masvingo manager Wiseman Ziweni denied the allegations and said his fleet still use Mucheke terminus though he refused to shed more light on the matter saying he had left the office for the day. 

 The use of the CBD as a picking point for buses have seen a surge in the littering of the environment in town as travellers resort to use undesignated points as toilets to relieve themselves.

Youths digitalise fight against climate change effects

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Youths digitalise fight against climate change effects
Some of MAYA members after planting trees at Marymount Teachers college in Mutare

Courage Dutiro

A new trend is emerging in the country’s fight against climate change and its effects as youths continue to intensify the use of digital information technology in the fight against effects of climate change in the country.

Zimbabwe has been hit hard by a series of climate-induced disasters such as; droughts, pests, heat waves, cyclonic disasters like cyclone Eline (2000), Dineo (2017) and Idai (2019) which ravaged the Eastern Highlands. 

Unicef Youth Climate Advocate Nkosilathi Nyathi told TellZim News that most young people were geared to advocate for climate related issues but Covid-19 has hampered the efforts.

“Covid-19 came at a time when most young people were geared to take the lead on climate frontlines, the pandemic has grounded us but that doesn’t mean the fight for climate justice is grounded too. 

“As a climate change Ambassador, I have not been able to have a face to face conversation with critical people due to strict Covid-19 restrictions, but I think it’s high time we take this thematic concern digitally. We have seen the light at the end of the tunnel through the use of social media to relay our message,” said Nyathi.

He added that inclusivity was a noble move in the construction of internet-connected youth centers especially in marginalized communities where young people are facing harsh realities of climate change.

 “The issue at hand is for us to shape a more sustainable and a much resilient escape route with those on the ground, who are facing the harshest experience of this reality. To enhance more youth inclusion, there must be frequent outreach programs to remote areas where most young people are experiencing the realities of climate change. It is also vital to channel funds to build internet-connected youth centers and have more climate awareness programs,” he added.

Manica Youth Assembly (MAYA) environmental analyst, Mellisa Mhaka echoed the same sentiments saying that social media platforms were instrumental in raising awareness on climate change.

“We are doing awareness campaigns on environmental issues through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. We are educating people on how to react to natural hazards in the future.

“Also we have embarked on afforestation and reforestation projects in mountainous areas for example, we have the re-greening Mutare project in Dangamvura Mountain. This helps to reduce climate-induced disasters as they act as windbreaks and compact the soil. This also helps to reduce the intensity of climate change-induced hazards,” said Mhaka.

Climate shocks such as droughts, floods, heat stress, sea-level rise, storm damage, pests and other impacts can be more regular and intense if adaptation and mitigation are not implemented meaningfully and quickly.

Social Economic Action and Transformation for Humanity (SEATH) spokesperson, Tendai Mafuka said her organization was also using digital platforms to gather and disseminate information about climate change with Masvingo youths. 

“Covid-19 regulations do not allow people to host gatherings, we are now using digital social platforms to collect ideas from others and sharing information on the four main issues. These issues include Agriculture, Forestry and other land uses (Afolu), Industrial processes and product use (IPPU), Waste Management and Energy. We are raising awareness through social media and getting into details of climate change and its effects,” she said.

Researches indicate that due to climatic changes surface water  in the country will be reduced significantly by 2080.

No daily limit on national IDs- Masvingo Registry

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No daily limit on national IDs- Masvingo Registry
People queuing for IDs at Masvingo registry’s offices

George Chimwayange 

The Masvingo Registry office has denied allegations circulating on social media platforms that it is issuing a maximum of 25 identity cards a day. 

Masvingo District Registrar Lawrence Mapara said they are not limiting the number of applications on daily basis but it is aiming to reduce overcrowding at the office hence their move to group applicants. 

“We are working overtime sometimes since we are trying our best to make sure that everyone who would have registered on any particular day is cleared though we also need to curb the spread of Covid-19,” said Mapara.

Mapara also encouraged people to bring all the required papers so that they will not delay others and or get inconvenienced during the applications. 

“We are giving out national identity cards to those who have required papers and those who have letters from their councilors as proof of residence as well as the intended use of the identity document,” Mapara said.  

He however pointed out that though getting an identity document is a basic right for every citizen, the Covid-19 pandemic has made it difficult for his office to fulfill its constitutional mandate as they are expected to adhere to national health guidelines.

As a result they will only prioritise those whom they feel are greatly in need of the documents.

Most of the people who are collecting the national identity cards are school children who want to register for Zimbabwe School Examination Council (ZIMSEC) national examinations.

Chief Bere dismisses three village heads, headman over land scandal

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Chief Bere dismisses three village heads, headman over land scandal
File picture of Chief Bere

Clayton Shereni

MASVINGO- Three village heads and a headman were recently dismissed from their traditional leadership roles by Chief Bere after they allegedly parceled out state land to tens of families in the Mushandike area without the Chief’s consent. 

Chief Bere born Phineas Tafirei relieved the quartet of their duties after they were fingered in a land scandal where they stand accused of giving land to desperate home seekers. 

This was confirmed by Chief Bere’s spokesperson, David Masomere who said the four were dismissed and fined beasts which they are yet to deliver to the chief. 

“The four were found guilty when they appeared before the Chief’s court and they were ordered to pay a fine in form of a beast each, which they are yet to deliver. They were allocating land without the consent of the chief and they invaded some farms including black owned farms,” said Masomere. 

Masomere however refused to disclose the names of the village heads but investigations by TellZim News identified them as Macwean Shanyurai, Major Makanyezi, Wickliffe Hadzirabwi and the other was only identified as Chikozho. 

It is alleged that the quartet were demanding a fee ranging from US$200-500 for varying pieces of land without issuing any papers to confirm ownership. 

The four allegedly invaded different farms including the Maponga farm where they had pegged pieces of land for sale. 

Contacted for comment, Shanyurai said the verdict of Chief Bere’s court was not fair since there was no evidence to prove that he parceled out land to any villager. 

“Today (June 18) we were in a meeting as the Bere clansmen to deliberate on that issue. The chief wasn’t forthcoming and we tried to engage the Provincial Development Coordinator (PDC) to discuss on the technicalities of the allegations but the Chief didn’t comply. How can I be found guilty where there is no evidence? I asked them to bring one person who can testify that I gave them land and they couldn’t, they are just alleging that I had some people who were acting on my behalf,” said Shanyurai. 

Masvingo Provincial Development Coordinator Jefta Sakupwanya confirmed meeting the Bere family but said the meeting was not only limited to land dispute issues. 

“I met them, there were some family issues which they wanted to discuss with me. You can’t pick only one issue because this meeting didn’t only focus on land but involved a lot of family issues which they thought were supposed to be deliberated upon,” said Sakupwanya. 

Chief Bere has reportedly ordered the four to evict the beneficiaries of the alleged illegal allocation of land or face criminal prosecution. 

The Bere chieftainship was in 2019 also embroiled in a land dispute with the Mudenge family after they reportedly tried to grab the late Stanislaus Mudenge’s farm which is in Bere’s jurisdiction. 

Village heads in different villages across the country have been accused of illegally parceling out land and continuous efforts by the government to stop them continues to fall on deaf ears.

Zaka fish farmer loses 2000 breams to thieves

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Zaka fish farmer loses 2000 breams to thieves

The fish pond which had close to 2000 breams

Terrence Ndowora

A Zaka fish farmer from Chinorumba area was left counting losses after thieves took advantage of the night and poor security at his homestead and wiped his fish pond which had close to 2000 breams, TellZim News has learnt. 

Kufakunesu Musasiyashe from Muhope village under Chief Nhema in Zaka said he suspects that the thieves used nets to catch caught all the fish which he said were close to 2000 breams.

Musasiyashe said the loss affected his business adventure as he was targeting to sell the fish in a few months’ time. 

“I wanted to maximize on profits so I decided to keep the fish in the pond a bit since they were 4 months old and weighing a total of about 400kgs. My target was to harvest them when they get to eight months and that’s how I lost the whole pond,” said Musasiyashe.

He went on to say he won’t be stopped by the loss as he is planning to construct more ponds and do the project at a larger scale. 

“I will not be deterred by this. In fact it has motivated me to do more and I will make a living out of it so I intent to construct three more ponds and some of the material is already in place,” said Musasiyashe. 

Musasiyashe started fish farming in February 2020, a project which he says has grown in leaps and bounces to help him look after his family. 

He said he has a passion in fish farming and used the internet to research information about fish farming.

“I have a passion in fish farming and I started this project after researching about fish farming on the internet. I watched YouTube videos and surfed the internet on how other farmers in and outside the country were doing it. My dream is to become one of the best fish farmers in the district,” said Musasiyashe.

“E-learning the only solution to Covid-19 in tertiary institutions’’- Lecturers

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“E-learning the only solution to Covid-19 in tertiary institutions’’- Lecturers

 Blessed Chauke

Lecturers in most tertiary institutions in Masvingo have voiced their concern over the recent increase in cases of Covid-19 at the institutions of higher learning as they feel e-learning is the only way to go.

After the declaration of Morgenster Teachers’ College as a Covid-19 hotspot on June 12, lecturers have suggested that e-learning is the best way to arrest the surge. 

Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) lecturer Dr Khensani Madlome (African Languages) said government has to avail e- learning resources to students as a way of encouraging it in the face of the recent outbreaks.

“E-learning is the best way to curb the spread of Covid-19 in higher learning institutions hence government should avail funds and e-learning resources to avoid overcrowding in colleges and universities.

“Because of volumes of people moving and mixing in colleges, the risk of spreading the virus is very high,” Dr Madlome said.

Dr Ester Rutoro a lecturer at Reformed Church University concurred with agreed with Dr Madlome and said e-learning will surely reduce the risk of future Covid-19 outbreaks at campuses.

“In the face of Covid-19 infections cases rising at higher education institutions, e –learning can be a very effective measure against future occurrences.

“There are a number of factors that encourage the rapid spread of the virus at colleges and universities. There is congestion in the limited facilities that are at hand, looking at the ever rising student populations such as in libraries, ablution facilities, halls and canteens.

“E-learning is a strategy that can effectively decongest the limited available facilities. It is also the fact that higher education students come from all corners of the country some of which have already been declared Covid-19 hotspots,” said Rutoro.

She added that government should enforce compliance to Covid-19 restriction measures in the said institutions to ensure that all students and staff are tested for Covid-19 before they enter into institutions at the beginning of the term or semester.

A lecturer from Midlands State University (MSU) (who requested anonymity) said e – learning is the best way if both students and lectures are provided with materials to use.

“E- Learning is the way to go if both students and lecturers are provided materials to work with. We are using WhatsApp which is cheaper but not ideal instead of zoom or Google classroom. 

“Students need to see or hear the lecturer’s voice to be convinced that they are learning. The government should provide grants for students, equip lecturers with requisite skills of handling lectures online and enforce colleges and universities to hold workshops and seminars for online lectures,” the lecturer said.

One GZU Master of Arts in Religion student Tinashe Mugoyana said although e- learning reduces the chances of spreading the virus, it has its challenges.

“E-learning reduces the chances of spreading the virus although it has got its challenges.

“The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare should roll out more vaccination and more awareness campaigns,” said Mugoyana.

Government has since declared several districts around the country Covid-19 hotspots, which include Mhangura, Chinhoyi and Chidamoyo (Mashonaland West) Chiredzi, Masvingo District, Nkulumane, Emakhandeni and Northern Suburbs (Bulawayo) and Mt Darwin (Mashonaland Central).

Zaka man stabs wife over relish

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Zaka man stabs wife over relish

Tendai Mbede

A 35-year-old Zaka man last week appeared before Chiredzi Regional Magistrate Judith Zuyu facing attempted murder charges after he allegedly stabbed his wife over failure to find relish. 

Ngonidzashe Chineunye pleaded not guilty to the attempted murder allegations in which he is being accused of stabbing Juliet Magomana(32) with a knife on the stomach over failure to find relish on May 30 last year.

It is the state case that on the fateful night Chineunye came from a beer hall and found his wife seated with their two kids in the bedroom behind Chivheya Shop at Tetenu Business Centre and asked for his supper after which he was told there was no relish which infuriated him.

Magomana allegedly went out to look for the relish after which Chineunye followed and stabbed her once above the navel before vanishing into the darkness.

Magomana was later ferried to Nyajena Clinic before being transferred to Masvingo General Hospital as her condition got worse.

In his defence, Chineunye denied the allegations saying he found his wife with a boyfriend and claimed he is the one who was assaulted.

He further claimed that his wife fell into a rubbish pit with broken bottles after sensing danger which led to the injury she sustained. 

The case was postponed to June 20, 2021.

Stakeholders react to banning of ‘high risk’ sport codes

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Stakeholders react to banning of ‘high risk’ sport codes
Taurayi Mangwiro

Wayne Ncube

Masvingo- The surge in Covid-19 positive cases has prompted action on the part of government, which has seen the immediate ban of sporting activities classified as high risk sports, a move that has been received with mixed emotions by stakeholders in the sports fraternity.

A few months ago, the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) gave a waiver to almost all sports codes to resume action but following World Health Organization (WHO) protocols. 

Fans, technical personnel and players who were geared for action had their joy cut short after Vice President who also doubles as the Minister for Health and Child Care Constantino Chiwenga announced Covid-19 restrictions which banned sporting activities. 

Speaking to TellZim News, Masvingo boxing promoter, Tawanda Zishiri of D1 promotions said the ban had thrown everything which they had planned in disarray and called on the government to review the set rules and regulations since talent was going to waste. 

“The restrictions are unfair to us because we also earn a living through sport. We are law abiding citizens and they could have easily allowed us to continue whilst they monitor our activities. 

“In the short period which they allowed us to resume matches, we followed all protocols and participated in Harare boxing tourneys where everyone who participated was tested. These continuous bans on some sporting activities hinders sport development in the country,” said Zishiri. 

Triangle United head coach, Taurayi Mangwiro said the government directive crashed their hopes of a smooth season but stated that they will implement individual trainings for players to stay fit.

“Just like anyone else we are affected by this government decision to suspend some sporting activities which include football. We had hoped that since we had been allowed to resume action we were going to have a smooth season.

“However, we have no other plan but to accept the restrictions put in place to try and curb the spread of Covid-19. We will still keep our faith and our players will continue working on individual trainings to maintain shape and fitness,” said Mangwiro. 

Masvingo Volleyball Association Chairperson, Clemence Muzondo told TellZim News that all morale and hype which was in camp ahead of tournaments which were planned had gone into thin air. 

“We are greatly disappointed by this development. Clubs were gearing up for a tournament which was slated for this coming weekend only to be told that it has been cancelled. We await communication on the next step from our motherboard.

However, a few days after the announcement, the SRC issued out Statutory Instrument (SI) 170 of 2021 which gave a waiver to ‘low risk’ sport codes which include table tennis, athletics and tennis. 

“Pursuant to the recently Gazetted Statutory Instrument 170 of 2021 the following sports codes classified as low risks are hereby authorized to resume their activities in accordance with their previously approved protocols encompassing national and World Health Organization guidelines.

The sports code are Archery, Angling, Cricket, Equestrian, Polo, Shooting, Wood ball, Table Tennis, Aquatics, Bass, Cycling, Rowing, Polocrosse, Tennis, Triathlon, Horse racing, Badminton, Athletics, Chess, Draughts, Golf, Motor Sport, Lawn Bowls and Teqball,” reads SI 170 of 2021.

COTRAD holds voter registration campaign in Masvingo

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COTRAD holds voter registration campaign in Masvingo

George Chimwayange 

Community Tolerance Reconciliation and Development (COTRAD) has launched a voter registration mobilization campaign in Masvingo Province through online and offline platforms.

The campaign kicked off on June 16 on national broadcaster ZBC television and local radio stations, bulk messages, electronic fliers on whatsapp groups and other social media platforms.

COTRAD programmes manager Zivanai Muzorodzi said that if too many young people neglect their right to vote, they could become a demoted group.

“Many youths want to register but they are facing transport challenges to get to the main registration centres,” said Muzorodzi.

 He also mentioned that they have organized first time voter tournaments in Masvingo, Zaka and Chiredzi as their main aim is to notify youths that ZEC offices are open for registration and community markets which is done every month in different wards.  

The campaign is mainly targeting young men and women, especially those who are reaching voting age and older people who have not voted previously despite being legible to do so.

The level of participation of youths in electoral processes is worrying despite the fact that they represent over 60% of the national population.

In Masvingo only six people registered to vote in May 2021 therefore COTRAD has begun the campaign to educate young people about their roles as citizens, their rights and responsibilities, the importance of voting, and how best to make choices in voting.

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