It’s here; the Thursday Night Live is finally here! The Charles Austin Theatre in response to the ever-increasing arts popularity in the Province are planning to launch the Thursday Night Live aka TNL on the 5th September 2013 at 7pm.
The Thursday Night Live is an open mic session for artists that features live performances in spoken word, dance, stand-up comedy, dj slam and music. Once the TNL is launched it will take place every Thursday at the Charles Austin Theatre. The management of the Charles Austin Theatre said that this was a two-way pronged approach in realizing and showcasing talents and also providing entertainment for the local people.
What it virtually means is that the TNL provides a platform for upcoming artists to improve their skills and facilitate grooming as well as providing space for professionals to increase their market base and do what they love best.
With the help of the Resident Artistic Director, the upcoming artists are able to make use of the Theatre for rehearsals and perfect their skill for an audience at the TNL. The lack of entertainment will now be a thing of the past.
The aim is to identify, nurture and expose the talent that is in our City. If you think or you know you have one ounce of talent in your veins, this is the place for you – the TNL. Masvingo will never be the same again!
Everyone is welcome to the Launch of the TNL, we have so much to be proud of as a Province. Some of the acts lined up for the launch include poetry, music, stand-up comedy, dance and disk joking.
The Theatre has been underutilized and yet there is so much abundant talent in Masvingo. In line with making the Charles Austin Theatre a provincial hub of cultural activities, the TNL will certainly go a long way in providing a platform for artists to showcase their talents.
Theatre introducesThursday Night Live
CSC to resume operations – Minister
COLD STORAGE COMMISSION (CSC)-Masvingo branch is set to resume operations before end of year,a Cabinet Minister has said.
Addressing National Consultative Forum (NCF) meeting at a local hotel in Masvingo recently Minister of Small to Medium Enterprise Sithembiso Nyoni said the company has a great potential to resume normal operations and Zanu PF Government would ensure that the aspirations of the people of Masvingo were met.
She said CSC is a sleeping giant which if resuscitated can bring back life to the ancient city as a number of companies will benefit.
“CSC is a sleeping giant on which Government expended its energy in building. The infrastructure is still up to scratch and what is for the local leadership led by Minister of State,
Kudakwashe Bhasikiti to spearhead the resumption of operations. Once in operation the company will have ripple effect,” she said.
Kudakwashe Bhasikiti to spearhead the resumption of operations. Once in operation the company will have ripple effect,” she said.
The secretary for Business Development Liaison Committee for Zanu PF said the company presents an opportunity for rural livestock farmers to benefit as they can supply their animals.
“Small rural farmers with cattle and small livestock can supply cattle and goats to CSC. There is no reason why the company can be left to die when there is a lot of livestock in the province. Our grandmothers and grandfathers down in Zaka, Chivi, Mwenezi and other districts in the province have the capacity to sustain the company. It is against this background that i challenge the provincial leadership to see to it that the company gets the necessary support to start operations before the year end,” she said.
She said Masvingo is a special province and has brilliant people who can make things happen adding that their bigger brains should be demonstrated on the resumption of operations at CSC.
“We all know that this province is special and has people with brains. We have drawn our manifesto that is pregnant with positive plans and we would make deliberate efforts to revive all industries in the country,” she said
She said people should stop mourning about sanctions since there is nothing new.
“Instead of making excuses on sanctions people should work. While it is a reality that sanctions are biting us, we should not always attribute our failures to sanctions because they have been with us for the past decade. Let us all work and never under estimate your efforts as individuals and groups in Masvingo.
“We are not a fierce party that should be dreaded by people. We want a good rapport with business community so that we get inputs and feedback related to the party’s efforts in reviving industries and creation of employment,” she said.
Local companies urged to participate at Sanganai
TOURISM players operating in Masvingo have been urged to take
advantage of the Sanganai/Hlanganani and showcase their wares.
Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair has been slated for 10-12 October at
the Harare Conference Centre in Harare.
The fair runs under the theme, “Where the World Meets Africa”
More than 900 exhibitors have registered for the premier tourism
showcase of which 43 are foreign exhibitors.
In an interview Great Zimbabwe Chamber of Businesses(ZGCB) secretary
general Mr Oliver Baloyi said companies should take advantage of big
platforms to exhibit their products to a bigger audience.
“Tourism fairs of the magnitude of Sanganai/Hlanganani present players
with an opportunity to exhibit their wares to the world. Small to
Medium Enterprises should take advantage to market their products by
showcasing at these foras,” he said.
Mr Baloyi said lodges and hotels in the province should thrive to
market their products to the outside world.
“Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair is a world event that brings
together world players in the tourism sector. This is an opportunity
for local players to learn international best practices” he said.
He said Masvingo is home to one of the best natural wonders in the
country and world at large that it should be represented at the
tourism fair,in a big way.
“We have on of the best natural Wonder in the form of Great Zimbabwe
monuments from which the name of the country was derived from. This
means that the province should have a number of exhibitors at the fair
so as to justify our being a tourism hub,” he said.
Mr Baloyi who is also Masvingo Chamber of SMEs chairperson said there
are a number of advantages in showcasing wares to the world audience.
“In tourism,what matters most is being known. If the world knows your
existence,the potential to do well in the industry are very high. Our
culture and heritage here is very unique thus our people should take
this opportunity to exhibit to the outside world,” he said.
A total of 120 buyers will grace the occasion and the Zimbabwe Tourism
Authority chief executive officer Mr Karikoga Kaseke has reportedly
said the fair hinged on buyers and hoped the number would increase.
This year’s edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani comes hard on the heels of
the succeful co-hosting of United Nation World Tourism
Organisation(UNWTO) general assembly by Zambia and Zimbabwe
advantage of the Sanganai/Hlanganani and showcase their wares.
Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair has been slated for 10-12 October at
the Harare Conference Centre in Harare.
The fair runs under the theme, “Where the World Meets Africa”
More than 900 exhibitors have registered for the premier tourism
showcase of which 43 are foreign exhibitors.
In an interview Great Zimbabwe Chamber of Businesses(ZGCB) secretary
general Mr Oliver Baloyi said companies should take advantage of big
platforms to exhibit their products to a bigger audience.
“Tourism fairs of the magnitude of Sanganai/Hlanganani present players
with an opportunity to exhibit their wares to the world. Small to
Medium Enterprises should take advantage to market their products by
showcasing at these foras,” he said.
Mr Baloyi said lodges and hotels in the province should thrive to
market their products to the outside world.
“Sanganai/Hlanganani Tourism Fair is a world event that brings
together world players in the tourism sector. This is an opportunity
for local players to learn international best practices” he said.
He said Masvingo is home to one of the best natural wonders in the
country and world at large that it should be represented at the
tourism fair,in a big way.
“We have on of the best natural Wonder in the form of Great Zimbabwe
monuments from which the name of the country was derived from. This
means that the province should have a number of exhibitors at the fair
so as to justify our being a tourism hub,” he said.
Mr Baloyi who is also Masvingo Chamber of SMEs chairperson said there
are a number of advantages in showcasing wares to the world audience.
“In tourism,what matters most is being known. If the world knows your
existence,the potential to do well in the industry are very high. Our
culture and heritage here is very unique thus our people should take
this opportunity to exhibit to the outside world,” he said.
A total of 120 buyers will grace the occasion and the Zimbabwe Tourism
Authority chief executive officer Mr Karikoga Kaseke has reportedly
said the fair hinged on buyers and hoped the number would increase.
This year’s edition of Sanganai/Hlanganani comes hard on the heels of
the succeful co-hosting of United Nation World Tourism
Organisation(UNWTO) general assembly by Zambia and Zimbabwe
MURRA speaks out on council’s attached property
The following is MURRA’s press statement :
There is a threat to the provision of social services in Masvingo since the beginning of a spate of attachments on Council movable properties after the city council of Masvingo lost its case against its workers at the courts of law. Ambulances, garbage compactors, fire brigade vehicles, computers, motor vehicles and other accessories have been attached by the messenger of court and are now awaiting auction. This means that service delivery is going to be negatively affected. Council owes its lower grade workers a staggering USD $ 3, 5 million.
The issue now is, where are the city fathers going to get the money to pay the workers? In the event that they get the money it also means that, according to the court ruling, the workers ‘salaries have to be hiked by more than 160% and the least paid worker will now take home a minimum of 800 USD, which to us is not sustainable considering that the money will come from the residents through the payment of rates .Industry and commerce gurus will agree with us to say the money is just too much considering the prevalent economic environment. The statutory obligation is that 70% of revenue collected should go towards service delivery and 30% towards administration and salaries but in the situation that we are faced with the reverse will be true.
Questions to quickly arise are; will the property raise the required US$3.5 million? What then happens to service delivery when garbage trucks fire trucks and ambulances are sold? And the workers, where will they work? Is selling council property the most plausible solution to this dilemma? What then should we do as residents?, Should we just sit down on our laurels and watch ? What then will happen next?
As MURRA we stand guided by our vision to advocate for world class municipal services and we are committed to effective civic participation by residents in determining efficient and affordable municipal services. Having consulted with residents on this issue, none were pleased on the possibility of having their property sold as it would eliminate the possibility of efficient service delivery
We are reliably informed that the central government, through different government departments, owes Masvingo city council around USD$ 6 million. Wouldn’t it make sense for the central government to pay their debt so that the council may offset its debt instead of transferring the burden to the ordinary residents, most of who earn far below the poverty datum line?
As MURRA we believe that though the courts ruled in favor of the workers, government should intervene to save the people of Masvingo from this looming catastrophe. If the government decides to ignore then it means that service delivery in Masvingo will collapse and this has negative impacts on the lives of the residents of Masvingo and is also a threat to the outbreak of several diseases.
On the 20th of December 2012, we wrote a letter to the police asking for permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration but we were not granted the permission and they strongly warned us against taking such action and threatened to arrest whoever would have taken part in that demonstration. Our purely democratic right to freely express our disgruntlement was thwarted by the powers that be.