TellZim Reporter

The local Cold Storage Company (CSC) Masvingo depot is set to resume operations in 2018 following a deal which will see National Social Security Authority (NSSA) injecting US$20 million into the revival of the plant.
CSC Masvingo has the potential to become the single biggest employer in town if operations are resumed.
Breaking the news in an exclusive interview with TellZim News this week, the deputy minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Davis Marapira said he was pleased to announce that CSC will be revived by end of 2018.
“We are certainly going to see the revival of CSC within the next 12 months. As we speak right now, NSSA has since offered to put $20 million so that CSC can begin to operate again. This is almost a done deal, we are going to see full operations at CSC in 2018,” said Marapira.
Apart from NSSA, Marapira said there were other private players who are going to inject more capital so that the beef producing giant will be able to run at full capacity.
“We have other private individuals and organisations who are going to inject capital at CSC. I can assure you that we will have CSC resuming normal operations very soon,” added Marapira.
Before it crumbled, CSC was one of the biggest employers in Masvingo.
If it is fully revived, CSC has the capacity to employ over 1000 people thereby creating the much needed jobs.
NSSA marketing and communications executive Tendai Mutseyekwa could not be reached for a comment by the time of going to print.local

Upenyu Chaota

Retired Lieutenant General Engelbert Rugeje has assumed the most senior Zanu PF post in Masvingo province after President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s recent politburo appointments that saw him dislodging the long-time godfather Josaya Hungwe who now ranks a lowly fifth on the hierarchy of power in the revolutionary party.
Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje, who hails from Bikita, was appointed national secretary for the commissariat; a position which automatically making him the most senior and high ranking Zanu PF politburo member from Masvingo.
Other heavyweights in the politburo from the province include Lovemore Matuke—national secretary for security, Paul Mangwana— national secretary for legal affairs and Pupurai Togarepi—national secretary for youth affairs.
After the military’s Operation Restore Legacy which saw the resignation of former President Robert Mugabe, the new President Emmerson Mnangagwa has begun appointing high ranking military officials to all strategic positions, with Masvingo – his perceived political bedrock – now under the former military man.
Although Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje’s mobile went unanswered by the time of going to print, Masvingo provincial chairperson Ezra Chadzamira said he was confident with the appointment of Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje as the national commissar.
“In as far as who is the most senior in the province is concerned, I cannot comment on that but you have to go and check the Zanu PF politburo hierarchy. As a province, however, we welcome the appointment of Lt Gen Rugeje.
“He is a man we know very well and he is a dedicated cadre. In 2013, Gen Rugeje worked very hard together with Lovemore Matuke to deliver all the 26 constituencies to Zanu PF,” said Chadzamira.
He praised Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje as a man who follows protocol and does not tolerate short cuts, saying the province will be better with him.
“Lt Gen Rugeje is a no nonsense man who follows protocol not what used to be done by others who ran the commissariat like their own personal tuckshop,” said Chadzamira.
Political analyst Dr Takavafira Zhou said the appointment of Rtd Lt Gen Rugeje to the national commissariat is an indication that Zanu PF is strategically positioning itself for the 2018 elections.
“Gen Rugeje has a history of violence and intimidation since 2008 and this goes to show that any dream for a free and fair election next year will remain a dream.
“We know how Gen Rugeje operates and opposition forces have to brace up for a bitter election campaign next year,” said Dr Zhou.local

…police accused of stealing $500, P1 000 from loot
…investigating officer ‘given $30 via EcoCash’

Clever Taperamoyo

MASVINGO – A daring group of alleged fraudsters who duped dozens of desperate job seekers of their money in an elaborate scheme that involved registering many sim cards using inaccurate details and placing fake newspaper notices appeared in court on Monday facing fraud charges.
Patricia Magazini (34), Beauty Dzviti (29), Jairos Mupamhadzi (35), Respina Manjeru (45), Herbert Munyikwa (45) and Martha Nyapokoto (46) allegedly placed a fake advert in the Herald of September 19, 2017 with a list of names of applicants who had purportedly been accepted for a nurse training course at Masvingo General Hospital.
The advert was a culmination of a long-running fraud scheme going back into 2016; ripping off a total of US$60 000 from at least 55 unsuspecting victims.
Mupamhadzi, Manjeru, Munyikwa and Nyapokoto were granted free and unconditional bail as defined by Section 50 of the Constitution on condition that they were over-detained by the police.
Magazini and Dzviti, who is an EcoCash agent at Jerera growth point, were granted US$300 bail each and were ordered to report to Chikato Police Station and Zaka Police Station respectively. They were also ordered to surrender any travelling documents they might have.
December, 29 was set as the date for continuation of their trial.
It was in court, however, that Magazini made startling allegations against some police officers who arrested them, saying they took US$500 and P1 000 from her so that they could help lessen the criminal case. She also alleged that after her arrest, one investigating officer identified as Gwande asked for US$30 so that she could help her, and she sent him the money via EcoCash.
Led by prosecutor Fidelicy Nyamukondiwa the court heard that in January 2016, Magazini defrauded many job seekers by promising that she could organise for them nursing training opportunities at Masvingo General Hospital.
She used Econet sim cards which were registered in different names to receive money through EcoCash from more than 55 applicants around the country.
She later deactivated the sim cards before registering others with false addresses so that she could defraud more desperate job seekers.
At the beginning of 2017, Magazini expanded her empire of operations and recruited more job seekers. With the aid of Dzviti, she bought and registered more Buddie sim cards without any identity particulars.
The court also heard that the lines were used to receive money from Mupamhadzi who later on recruited Manjeru into the syndicate. Manjeru also fooled many job seekers; collecting thousands of dollars and promising them services he could not render.
Manjeru later on roped in Munyikwa and Nyapokoto into the scheme after introducing them to Magazini.
To placate their victims while extorting more money from them, the syndicate placed the fake newspaper notice that led many to believe the fraudsters were for real.
The court heard that the accused persons then advised the complaints to check their names in the Herald. Those with their names on the list were advised to seek police clearance and were given a list of uniforms to buy.
The alleged fraudsters then demanded payment ranging from US$500 to US$1 200 ‘to facilitate enrollment into the course’.  The victims were told that they will be dropped if they failed to pay the money.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – A 26-year-old Mwenezi police officer, Brian Siyabonga was left nursing a swollen left palm and later referred to hospital after he was bitten by a motorist whom he had stopped at a roadblock along the Masvingo-Beitbridge highway, the Mwenezi Magistrates’ court heard.
Amos Hananda (26) of House Number 100 Dulibadzimu, Beitbridge, appeared before magistrate Langton Ndokera facing charges of contravening section 176 of the Criminal Law Act Chapter 9:23 ‘assaulting or resisting peace officer’.
Hananda pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 30 days behind bars or alternatively pay a fine of US$120.
State facts as presented by prosecutor Willard Chasi were that on November 3 at around 15:00 hrs, police officers who included Siyabonga, Ziyamba, Chibhaki, Moyo, Lameck and Tshuma were manning a roadblock at the 168 kilometre peg along the Masvingo-Beitbridge Road.
Upon arriving at the checkpoint, Hananda, who was driving a commuter omnibus with dysfunctional tail lights and had no operator’s licence, was informed of the offences. He was also informed that he had previously been warned of the same offence at the same place.
Hananda was ordered to drive his vehicle to Rutenga Police Post but he refused. Constable Lameck tried to handcuff him but he was pushed away. It was at this stage that Constable Siyabonga took the handcuffs intending to handcuff Hananda but he too was bitten on the left palm.
With the help of Sergeant Mabuto who was passing through the roadblock, the police officers managed to arrest Hananda.
Siyabonga sustained a swollen left palm and was referred to Neshuro District Hospital. A medical report was produced as exhibit in court.local

MWENEZI – The man whom TellZim News reported as having helped his mother to brutalise her boyfriend’s wife has disappeared before serving the full community service sentence handed to him by the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court.
Hardely Mbuderi (25) was supposed to serve 350 hours of community service at Chitanga Primary School after he was convicted alongside his mother, Sinikiwe Mbuderi (41) for assaulting Nyengeterai Gondo in September this year.
TellZim News was informed by reliable sources that Hardley had left for South Africa without notifying authorities at Chitanga Primary School where he was serving his sentence.
The assault happened when Gondo had gone to Lundi business centre to look for her errant husband Tyson Moyo when she met the co-accused who then teamed up and assaulted her.
Both Hardley and Sinikiwe were convicted of the offence by magistrate Honest Musiiwa although they had pleaded not guilty.
The two were each sentenced to 15 months imprisonment but five months were conditionally suspended. The remaining ten months for each were set aside on condition that they will each perform 350 hours of community service at Chitanga Primary School and Lundi Clinic.
During her trial, Sinikiwe admitted having an affair with Gondo’s husband but denied assaulting hee.local

CHIREDZI – The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport will soon visit Ngundu -Tanganda highway to assess the damage by cane haulage trucks from Green Fuel and to also engage local companies towards the refurbishment of the highway.
Chairperson of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport, Dexter Nduna who is also Member of Parliament for Chegutu West said his committee was engaging miners and big agricultural to find a way forward.
Speaking after the commissioning of Nandi-Mkwasine railway line recently, Nduna indicated that his committee will be coming back to assess the highway and encourage companies that use it to help in its refurbishment.
Besides Green Fuels, Tongaat Hullet Zimbabwe haulage trucks also use the same route to transport sugarcane from Middle Sabi to its mill.
Ngundu – Tanganda Road is in very bad shape especially along the section that stretches Save – Checheche growth point
 “In a few days to come, we are coming back to assess Ngundu – Tanganda Road which was mainly damaged by Green Fuel. We need their help so that we can refurbishment the road.
“We will not be interfering with programmes in the (Transport) ministry but we just want to join hands with them so that the local companies will help in the refurbishment of the road,” Nduna said.
He also said the country’s roads were very old and would require US$20 billion for their refurbishment yet the government was still resource-constrained to meet those targets.
“Most of our roads are very bad and they require something like US$20 billion but we don’t have that money at the moment. We are still struggling to pay the US$206 million dollars that was requested for the completion of Plumtree – Mutare highway,” said Nduna.local

MASVINGO – Prison Ministry International Zimbabwe (PMIZ) recently hosted a Christmas party and donated various goods to assist the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS)’s Mutimurefu Prison.
PMIZ is board comprised of different pastors from various denominations aiming to resocialise inmates and former inmates for the purpose of effectively reintegrating them back into society.
The organisation conducted a service for both inmates at Masvingo Remand Prison and Mutimurefu before donating 260kg of beef, 900 plates and table spoons, 26 litres of cooking oil, cabbages, welding rods and other goods.
PMIZ regional coordinator and Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) pastor, Reverend Donald Ndoni, who was the guest of honour at the event, encouraged inmates to have positive mind sets and conform to rehabilitative processes.
“The prisons and correctional services nowadays have various courses that one can pursue while in prison. I therefore plead with you to take that as an opportunity to equip yourselves so that society can benefit from you skills in future,” Ndoni said.
The programme was initiated by AFM Hillside Assembly which saw it as opportunity to partner their pastors to extend a helping hand to prisoners under the PMIZ ambit.
Mutimurefu station chaplain, Nyasha Chuma applauded the church for extending a unique and significant gesture of goodwill for the benefit inmates.
“The church has devoted itself to mobilising resources to invest in the rehabilitation of offenders. It has sacrificed to put us first and share with us the love of God,” Chuma said.local