By Virginia Njovo

A bizarre string of thefts has hit Runyararo West and Rujeko suburbs with thieves targeting an unlikely prize: septic tank covers, leaving residents to deal with costly replacements and potential health hazards
Thieves allegedly sell the stolen lids to iron smelters who manufacturing three legged pots and other iron materials leaving several open pits that pose serious risks to children and pets in the residential areas.
Masvingo Provincial Spokesperson Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa urged members of the public to report such cases to the police since some of the cases were not reported.
“Some of these cases are not reported, I urge Masvingo residents to report such cases to the police,” said Inspector Dhewa.
Residents who spoke to this publication said the open pits release foul smells and were posing a risk to young children and pets.
One victim Memory Kanyume from Samson Kanyemba Street in Runyararo West said one morning five households woke to find septic lids gone at their house.
“On September 26, I woke up to bad odour in our residence only to realize that my septic tank lid was missing. Afterwards I realised that four of my neighbours had theirs missing too. We could not trace the thieves and reported the matter to the police at KMP Police Base.
Kanyume said they had resorted to using metal sheets as an alternative for the lids and called upon responsible authorities to improve security in neighbourhoods.
“We are currently using metal sheets as lids since we cannot leave these pits open. We are appealing to local authorities to put up street lights as a security measure. We further appeal to the police to increase patrols because the thieves may end up robbing people,” she said.
In Timothy Mapfudze Street, Runyararo West suburb a number of households lost their lids too with three lids having been stolen on the night of October 1. One of the victims Ratidzo Antonio said the rate at which the lids were getting stolen was alarming.
“The rate at which septic tank lids are going missing is alarming we appeal for to the police to investigate and arrest the thieves,” said Antonio.
Sources said the lids cost around US$400 and were at Mucheke Rank for US$20 or even less where they are later used to manufacture three legged pots and other iron materials like hoes and axes.
Another source said recently, a whole street was raided in Rujeko C with residents waking up to open manholes but the matter was not reported.

By Beatific Gumbwanda

CHIREDZI – Over 1 000 families who were set to be evicted from Chilonga Communal lands to pave way for the Kwekwe based company, Dendairy’s multi-million dollar lucerne project on their 13 000 hectares of land will nolonger be evicted but reorganized and incorporated into the new scheme, it has been learnt.
The matter came out in parliament recently after Chiredzi Central Member of Parliament, Ropafadzo Makumire asked the minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka on the measures being taken by the government to support the victims with alternative.
In his response, Dr Masuka highlighted that the government had come up with a new model of reorganization rather than relocation in order to accommodate the communities in the existing model.
“The proposed farm development plan shows that instead of relocation, there will be reorganization. The existing homestead will be incorporated in the new scheme and the current Chilonga Irrigation will be expanded to cater for some of the villagers whose fields are going to be affected by the Lucerne project,” said Masuka.
Dr Masuka said that a new irrigation block will be developed along the river to cater for the affected villagers.
“A new irrigation block is going to be developed along Runde River on the eastern side of the project. This again will be for the villagers affected by the lucerne project. The villagers will be free to grow crops of their choice or to grow lucerne as out-growers. In short, there are plans for coexistence and not relocation of the Chilonga community,” said Masuka.
Government enacted the Statutory Instrument 50 of 2021 (Communal Land Setting aside of land (Chiredzi, notice 2021,) where the Minister of Local Government, July Moyo said villagers occupying the land should start packing their belongings in order to pave way for the grass project.
“Any person occupying or using the land specified in the schedule, otherwise than by virtue of a right held in terms of the Mines and Minerals Act (Chapter 21, 05), is ordered to depart permanently with all of his or her property from the said land by the date of publication of this notice, unless he or she acquires rights in terms of section (9) (1) of the Communal Land Act (Chapter (20, 04),” reads the notice.
In Statutory Instrument 51 of 2021 under the Communal Land (Excision of Land) (Notice 2021), President Mnangagwa ruled that the 13k ha had ceased from being part of Chiredzi Communal Lands.
“His Excellence, in terms of section 61 (1) (b) of the communal Land Act (Chapter 20:04), hereby makes the following notice:-This notice might be cited as the communal land (Excision Land) Notice, 2021.
“The area of land described hereunder in terms of the schedule shall cease to be part of the Chiredzi Communal Land,” reads the notice.
Dendairy, a private milk producer, is the major investor of the project targeting around 10 000 hectares of arable land for the lucerne production project meant for local and international markets.
The company was allocated some 12 940 hectares in the Sengwe communal lands for its multi-million dollar lucerne project, which was met with hostilities by villagers whose land was to be occupied and families displaced to pave way for the project.
Chingwizi Villagers who were relocated from Tugwi-Mukosi, paving way for the expansion of the dam after it had flooded in February 2014 are yet to get proper land houses, ten years after the disaster, a fear which had grappled Chilonga villagers.

By Staff Reporter

Junior Enterprise, which runs best private schools in the province, Junior High and Primary Schools, a driving school, Security Company, and a construction company, has made history by clinching an unprecedented three awards in a single month.
The impressive haul includes the Best Private School, Best Entrepreneur by Sundrive Business Annual Business Awards and the outstanding Driving School of the year at the just ended Masvingo Agricultural Show.
Junior Enterprise’s Director Noah Marima said the prestigious recognitions demonstrate the enterprise’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and social responsibility.
“We are thrilled and humbled by this incredible achievement. Our team’s dedication and passion has driven our success, and we are grateful for the support from our partners and community.
“We have a culture of excellence and we are happy to see our schools, driving school and individuals receive recognition for their hard work and dedication. These awards reflect our enterprise’s commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction,” said Marima.
Earlier this year, Marima was crowned businessman of the year at the Megafest annual business awards where school category of the Megafest was taken by Junior High School.
Junior Primary School, which is Cambridge centre, took home the coveted award at the annual Sundrive Business Awards, recognizing its commitment to academic excellence and holistic development.
The Director, Marima received the prestigious Best Entrepreneur of the year 2024 award for visionary leadership and entrepreneurial excellence.
Junior Driving School was honored for its exceptional training programmes and road safety initiatives as well as neat display at the Masvingo Agricultural Show.
The achievements come a few months after the organisation won other accolades in different dicsiplines.
Four Learners from Junior Primary excelled in the national tennis tournament held recently securing multiple awards in various categories.
The school bus driver Tongesai Mudyiwa won a top prize in the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe provincial competition and secured a place at the national competitions to be held in Bulawayo demonstrating exceptional driving skills and safety awareness.
Junior Enterprise is one of the leading businesses in Masvingo and beyond with diverse interests in education, transportation, construction and security.

By Beverly Bizeki

As calls to have locals benefit from natural resources through beneficiation of minerals increase, Sinomine owned Bikita Minerals has revealed its intentions to have a new lithium smelter plant in Masvingo Province.
This was revealed by Sinomine Manager Xuadong Gong during the tour of the mine by Mines and Mining Development Parliamentary Portfolio Committee who said the company had intentions to keep investing in the country and plans for the smelter, which cost US$500 million, were already underway.
“Despite ongoing fluctuations in the prices of lithium globally, Sinomine has plans to keep investing in Zimbabwe with a projected new lithium smelter to be constructed at Lake Mutirikwi for the benefit of the communities in the mining area,” said Gong.
Parliamentarians who visited the mine queried the mine officials on why the company did not sub-contract local transporters for them to benefit as well. Gong said it was difficult to find local transporters with the handling capacity which is why the company opted for international transporters.
“Some products should be sent to the final customer in pallets and such handling capacity is not easy to find locally. The previous owners of the mine also used foreign trucks although 50 percent are local,” said Gong.
“All of our contractors get paid after reaching a milestone but it is only the local contractors who get paid first as they do not have capacity so we pay them first and they do the work. In some instances the local contractors after getting paid, quit before meeting their obligations,” said Gong.
Bikita Minerals Finance Manager, Amanda Makausi said plans for the new smelter were at an advanced stage with the feasibility study under way.
“Before introduction of the beneficiation policy by government, our phase two investment plan and expansion of the mine was to have a smelting plant to produce lithium sulphate, a further value addition to the product we are mining here.
“Feasibility studies are underway and we expect to invest at least US$400 to US$500 million, a project which we believe is going to change the face of Masvingo province and we are committed to increasing the provincial GDP,” said Makausi.
Makausi however said they were facing challenges in logistics as the company had a shortage of containers to transport lithium products to the port for shipping which is why it resorted to using flatbed trucks and 1 tonne bags.
“The reason why we use flat back trucks and pack our products in 1 tonne bags is because there is a huge shortage of containers. We would have loved to containerise at the mine and take products to the port but there are no required containers in Zimbabwe,” said Makausi.
She went on to say the mine had another challenge of taking a longer route to Beira as they could not use Birchenough Bridge due to the bridge’s weight limitations although they had plans to construct a new one.
“The other challenge that we face in terms of logistics is that the Beira route is shorter but we have to take a longer route. From here we go via Chivhu since we cannot use the Birchenough Bridge because of its weight limitations.
“It is against that background again that as Bikita Minerals being a responsible citizen, we would like to construct a new Birchenough Bridge. We have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ministry of transport, conducted a feasibility study and the designing of the bridge is underway. We would like the support of the committee on mining in getting benefits that accrue from that proposed public private partnership agreement. We have plans to set aside about US$40 million to construct that bridge which is to benefit the whole country,” said Makausi.
Bikita Minerals is one of the biggest lithium producers in the region. The company has since grown its capacity over the past two years after Sinomine took over with investments worth about US$200 million.

By TellZim Reporter

After years of success in business, Beatrice Ngilazi (nee Shava) who runs Arlytatim Hardware is now sharing her musical gift with the world, unveiling her debut gospel album, ‘Great God’, a testament to her faith and talent on Friday October 11.
A trailblazing businesswoman, Ngilazi is breaking new ground with the release of her debut album, inspiring listeners to find strength in faith at Alliance Church in Masvingo.
The multi-talented, Ngilazi, who is a teacher by profession and has two singles prior to the album said it featured ten tracks with a gospel message.
“The main message in the album Great God is that of our Lord Jesus Christ being the Great God, the supreme King over all.
“No collaborations were done in the album and the songs are, Kunyangwe zvikaoma sei, Moyo wangu rumbidza Jehova, Adonai great God, Ngoni dzake, Hakuna umwe wakaita saJesu, Ndinomutenda, Mwari baba, Rumbidzwai Jehova, The unchangeable God and Shongwe Yedu,” said Ngilazi.
Ngilazi said her favorite track on the album is Shongwe Yedu which praises God as a pillar of fire and cloud, leading his children through and through, as He did with the children of Israel.
The Mberengwa-born artist said she had a passion for singing for the Lord Jesus Christ from a tender age and draws inspiration from South African gospel singer Hlengiwe Mhlaba.
Guest performances during the launch will be done by Worshipper Larry Gunda and Worshipper Wedzerai, both gospel ministers.
The album launch show will start from 5:30pm and admission.