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Fastjet recognised as Best African Low-Cost Airline at World Airline Awards
Paris, 20 June 2017 – African’s low-cost airline fastjet was recognised today as Africa’s Best Low-Cost Airline at the World Airline Awards, presented by Skytrax, at the Paris Air Show in France. This is the airline’s first World Airline Award and its second accolade in two years after winning the World Travel Awards Best African Low-Cost Airline in 2015. The award is based on votes from customers making use of an airline’s services and counts as chief executive Nico Bezuidenhout’s fourth World Airline Award for an airline under his leadership.
“The award is a welcome accolade and suggests that fastjet is on the right trajectory,” says Bezuidenhout who states that while 2017 has been a challenging year, the airline has is righting itself and a solid foundation for measured growth has been established.
“(The) Recognition as the Best Low-Cost Airline in Africa comes as the stabilisation plan concludes and our focus broadens to commercial stability and positive movement in terms of network, distribution and fleet.” He adds, that fastjet’s plans, to assume the role of Africa’s first pan-continental low-cost airline, are well underway.
Fastjet’s leading on-time performance and its continued focus on making access to air travel simpler and more affordable has stood the business in good stead. “We offer a solid product that offers exacting standards across all the check-boxes,” says Bezuidenhout, “and above all else I would like to acknowledge our people, the fastjet team, whose efforts have embraced our culture and our mantra and have expressed it through creating a positive customer experience. The award belongs to everyone at fastjet who have made it possible.”
Commenting on the Award, Edward Plaisted, CEO of Skytrax said: “Fastjet continues to develop quality standards in the African low-cost market and their product and service offering has proved very popular with passengers in the 2017 awards. It is a fabulous achievement to win this award for the first time and should serve as encouragement to the airline staff and management for future development.”business
Mwenezi ZCC pastor impregnates married woman
TellZim Reporter
MWENEZI – Pastor John Mabheja of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) is in the middle of a scandal after a married woman he allegedly impregnated was dumped at his homestead.
The pastor, who resides in Pikinini village under Chief Mawarire and leads the church’s Manyuchi congregation, had reportedly been engaged in an adulterous affair with the wife of a fellow villager who could only be identified as Taruvinga, who works in South Africa.
Sources said the woman has since given birth at her parents’ homestead in Chivi where she relocated after being dumped at Mabheja’s homestead.
The sources said after the affair was discovered, Mabheja was taken to family courts and was ordered to pay Taruvinga R4000 and a further US$90 which Taruvinga used to travel from South Africa when the scandal began to unravel.
In their testimony at the family meeting, both Mabheja and Taruvinga’s wife are said to have admitted that they had been seeing each other.
They also allegedly told the family gathering that they had considered carrying out an abortion before the pregnancy had become apparent.
Mabheja is said to have failed to raise the money he was ordered to pay Taruvinga and has since left for South Africa to look for work to raise the money.
Other sources, however, said the pastor was simply too embarrassed to face the public and was in hiding at a relative’s homestead in ward 13, Mariot resettlements.local
Chivhu prophet in court for rape
Elliot Jinjika
CHIVHU – A popular self-styled prophet from Zuvarashe Apostolic Church in Zimbabwe, Brighton Dzambi (50) of Shadaya village under Chief Neshangwe, last week appeared before magistrate Winfilda Tiyatara facing allegations of raping a 40-year-old woman.
Dzambi was not asked to plead before the court but was placed on remand with the State alleging that sometime in March but on an unknown date, the complainant and her sister approached the self-proclaimed prophet who informed them that they were haunted by evil spirits and they needed to be cleansed.
The two sisters kept on visiting the prophet until April 27 at around 20:00 hrs when Dzambi ordered the complainant to a secluded place near his homestead where he removed his clothes. Dzambi then allegedly told the complainant to also remove her clothes and she obliged.
He allegedly ordered the woman to lie on the ground facing upwards and raped her once claiming that it was part of the cleansing process.
After the alleged rape, Dzambi allegedly inserted his fingers into the complainant’s genitals where he purportedly removed an egg shaped stone and beads which he said were the cause for her anguish.
The woman, who stays in Dzivarasekwa 4, Harare, revealed the rape on June 6 2017 to her younger sister.
On June 13, the two women went to make a police report at Sadza Police Station leading to the arrest of Dzambi.local
‘Tsvangirai, Mujuru sober up’
Morgan Tsvangirai and Joice Mujuru
Upenyu Chaota
MASVINGO – MDC-T leader Morgan Tsvangirai and his National People’s Party (NPP) counterpart Joice Mujuru, both of who are locked in a bitter contest to lead the envisaged grand coalition of opposition parties, have been urged to sober up as the much anticipated 2018 general elections fast approach.
Mujuru and Tsvangirai, have of late been working publicly to undo each other with each trying to portray themselves as the best candidate to lead the grand coalition.
Political analyst Dr Takavafira Zhou highlighted that the coalition was now long overdue and challenged both Tsvangirai and Mujuru to sober up.
Dr Zhou said the two leaders should first put the interest of the nation before their personal egos.
“There is no doubt even in Mujuru’s mind that Tsvangirai is a better leader of the coalition. It should be noted that Mujuru is only in opposition because she was fired from Zanu PF and she is more emotional rather than rational.
“Mujuru still has skeletons in her closet and Zimbabweans are not ready to trust her as a leader. She still has a lot to learn from opposition politics but her input into the coalition will go a long way. She will bring the liberation struggle ingredient which will appeal to some disgruntled war veterans,” said Dr Zhou.
While Zanu PF seems to have already hit the ground running in preparation for the harmonised 2018 elections, opposition parties are still to conclude the coalition talks by which they are expected to choose a single candidate to face the 94-year-old President Robert Mugabe.
Insinuations coming from MDC-T youth leaders and other members point to a no deal for opposition parties unless Tsvangirai is proclaimed leader of the proposed coalition.
Mujuru’s party, on the other hand, is also making indications that it will not accept a deal that would make their leader play second fiddle to anybody.
MDC-T national youth boss, Happymore Chidziva said their long-held stance that Tsvangirai should lead the coalition still stood.
“As MDC youth assembly, we are very clear and supportive of our leader. President Tsvangirai has been tasked to represent the party in coalition talks with one objective of being the leader.
“We know others also want to lead but Tsvangirai is a tried and tested brand. He is the only one who has defeated Mugabe in an election,” said Chidziva.
He said all progressive parties approaching the coalition table should rally behind Tsvangirai lest they risk being accused of being enemies of progress.
“Tsvangirai is the only leader who can guarantee Mugabe’s defeat and has a huge following. We are not saying we do not need other parties but in as far as leading the coalition is concerned, we are not compromising.
“We want a coalition leadership which is trusted by the electorate, a leadership which is not questionable or is suspected to have links to Zanu PF. I am not pointing fingers but we stand clear on that position,” said Chidziva.
Mujuru also has been publicly claiming that she is a better candidate to lead the coalition citing her war credentials and her appealing to thousands who benefited from the infamous land invasions at the turn of the millennium.topnews
Zanu PF Chiredzi ward 2 candidate assaulted for ‘dating married woman’
Beatific Gumbwanda
CHIREDZI – Zanu PF Ward 2 candidate for the by-elections slated for August 5, 2017, has been embroiled in a fight for allegedly dating a married police woman stationed at Chiredzi Police Station.
Obert Ngwenya was reportedly stoned while at BancABC branch in town last week by one George Marumbini who accused him of having an affair with his wife.
When contacted for comment, Ngwenya said confirmed the fracas but deneied allegations that he was dating Memory Marumbini, wife to George Marumbini, claiming that it was a smear campaign by party rivals who were not happy with his success at the primaries.
“Marumbini is accusing me for dating his wife. I was stoned at BancABC by Marumbini after he had received an anonymous call alleging me to be dating his wife,” said Ngwenya.
“As we head towards our ward 2 by-election, it seems more enemies than friends are growing and they are trying to bring me down. They realised that I have many supporters in the camp and they are trying to create bad blood between me and police officers,” he added.
However, Marumbini sternly refused to give his side of the story, choosing to simply say it was a family matter which he could discuss only with his close relatives.
“I can’t discuss this issue with people who are not my family members, thank you,” said Marumbini.politics
‘Mugabe’s interface meetings; a cycle of same empty promises’
President Robert Gabriel Mugabe
Itai Muzondo
MASVINGO – Opposition youths in the province have dismissed President Robert Mugabe’s impending visit as a waste of resources at a time when most young people stand hardest hit by the country’s economic challenges.
President Mugabe will visit Masvingo on June 30 for the third leg of his ‘Presidential Youth Interface’ meetings that started in Marondera before moving to Mutare last week.
Speaking to TellZim News in different interviews, the youths argued that ordinary young people will gain nothing from the meetings which they rubbished as a recycled dose of empty promises from the veteran leader.
MDC-T National Youth Chairperson, Happyson ‘Bvondo’ Chidziva was scathing in his censure of the meetings, saying they were nothing but a repeat of the same ‘nothingness’.
“These are useless tours because Mugabe has nothing to useful to tell and is no longer capable of defining the future. He is not only old but is ancient too. He cannot connect with the youth today unless he wants to do trivial storytelling,” Chidziva said.
National People’s Party (NPP) provincial youth chairperson for Masvingo, Trust Muganji also dismissed Mugabe’s tours as a waste of resources.
“I think these guys are simply wasting resources. These tours do not change the economic situation in any way. The visit to Masvingo would be relevant only if it was going to bring the promised two million jobs. As youths, we cannot waste time by going there to listen to lies. All we can promise them is that we will speak through the ballot,” Muganji said.
However, Zanu PF deputy youth chairperson Brian Munyoro had a different opinion, choosing to say the meetings were an important platform for youths to devise solutions for their challenges.
“The party created this platform for all youths and not for Zanu PF youths only as many would like to perceive these gatherings. That can obviously never be a waste of resources. Instead, the meetings present a chance for youths to be heard so I urge all youths who are concerned with building a better Zimbabwe and creating a better future for themselves to join us on June 30 when it will be our turn to meet the President,” Munyoro said.
At the Marondera gathering, a fawning Zanu PF national youth chairperson Kudzanai Chipanga shocked many by declaring that President Mugabe and his wife Grace will one day be sitting beside God in heaven, vetting those who will be eligible to enter God’s Kingdom.
In Mutare, party youth league official Innocent Hamandishe was ridiculed for overzealously dressing down invited Zim Dancehall artiste Soul Jah Love.top news
Bikita man killed in Syria bomb explosion
A photo of Costa Munoda taken from his Facebook account
Upenyu Chaota
BIKITA – A local man working for a demining company in war-ravaged Syria was on Monday killed in a massive explosion that happened as he tried to neutralise a landmine.
Costa Munoda was working for a demining company called Tetratec in the tattered Middle-Eastern country by the time of his death.
He was from Mukore in Bikita and was a close relative of Zimbabwe People First (ZimPF) elder Rtd Col Claudius Makova.
“I have just been informed that Costa Munoda has been killed in a bomb explosion in Syria while in the field,” said Makova.
Before going to Syria, Munoda once worked for Makova who then ran a demining company funded by the European Union but later on moved to Syria after Makova’s company closed down.
“I owned the biggest demining company in the world and Munoda used to work for me. After the European Union withdrew its funding, the company closed down and most of my workers are dotted around the globe,” said Makova.
He said repatriation of the body and funeral arrangements were yet to be made and will be announced in due course.
Munoda’s friend, Charles Chifedza, who is based in Canada took to social media to express his sadness over the loss of his ‘brother’.
“Rest in eternal peace Costa Munoda my brother. It’s a sad chapter, you shall forever live on in our hearts,” said Chifedza in a Facebook post.local
‘Two Musiso High teachers dating one pupil’
Brighton Chiseva
ZAKA – Two teachers from Musiso High School are alleged to be dating a pupil who is doing her Ordinary Levels at the same school, TellZim news has learnt.
A source who is privy to what is happening said the alleged affairs came to light last week when senior teacher, Climate Mutero was tipped off that there was a pupil in one of the accused teachers’ office.
Acting on the tipoff, Mutero allegedly went and found the pupil (name supplied) in the office alone.
When asked what she was doing there, she reportedly responded saying she was waiting for her boyfriend and was later taken for a disciplinary hearing.
“The student stunned the disciplinary committee when she revealed that one of its members had proposed love to her and at one time had asked her to remove her wrapping cloth (Zambia) so that he could admire her legs,” said the source.
In the hearing, the source said, the girl tried to protect one of the teachers (names supplied) but failed as there was overwhelming evidence that she was in love with him.
The matter was reported to the responsible authority and to the District Schools Inspector (DSI) and the Public Service Commission (PSC).
No comment could be obtained from the DSI and the Provincial Education Director (PED) Zedius Chitiga said he was not aware of the matter.
“I have not received any information about that but if it was reported then maybe it is on its way,” said Chitiga.
The school has recently been plagued by reports of indiscipline since last year including cases of students being caught out of bounds drinking alcohol.
Last year some ‘A’ Level pupils at the school hired a kombi and went to Gutu for a sports event without the authority and knowledge of the school.
Three teachers including deputy head are said to have transferred from the school in what seemed to be a protest over the way things are run at the school.local
Chivhu taxi driver ‘rapes’ stranded woman
Dickson Mapuranga
CHIVHU – A recently-divorced taxi driver, Tafara Prosper Muchena (33) last week appeared before magistrate Winfilda Tiyatara facing charges of raping a 20-year old married woman who was stranded near the Innscor Food Court.
The State alleged that on June 16 around 02:00 hrs, Muchena, who was not asked to plead but was placed on remand until 30 June, lured the stranded woman by offering to charge her phone that had run out of power as she waited for transport at Masvingo station along the highway.
The woman is said to have later went into Muchena’s car to check on the phone so that she could communicate with people at home but Muchena drove the car and parked close to the food outlet where he allegedly fondled her breasts, grabbed her by the neck and raped her once.
After the act, the accused tried to convince the woman to marry him but she refused but he tried to buy her trust by leaving his national identity card, phone number and his jacket with her before driving off to his place of residence.
The victim took advantage of those items and made a report at Chivhu Police Camp around 04:00 hrs.
Nicholas Mabvongodze stood for the State.local