By Beverly Bizeki

Craft Properties, a civil and construction company headquartered in Kadoma donated 10 wheelchairs to persons with disabilities (PWDs) in Masvingo as part of its corporate social responsibility on June 7, 2024.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the City Town hall, Craft Properties Chief Executive Officer Kudakwashe Taruberekera said the donation was meant to assist PWDs in mobility to reduce the burden on those who look after them.
“We have observed that usually PWDs face challenges of discrimination from people in their surroundings hence we have seen that it is better when they are able to move around for themselves unlike when they have to depend on other people for mobility.
Taruberekera said the programme which begun in Kadoma saw 10 people from Kadoma getting wheelchairs while 10 received residential stands and five people with albinism received residential stands also.
“The programme started in Kadoma where we donated 10 wheelchairs as well and 10 residential stands to PWDs. We have plans to build houses for those who have received stands when we get partnerships. This is to ease accommodation challenges for the less privileged with hopes that they will also help others with same challenges as them,” said Taruberekera.
In his speech Masvingo City Mayor Alec Tabe thanked Craft Properties for the initiative which he said was crucial in improving lives of PWDs.
“Access to proper mobility equipment is a fundamental right, yet far too many in our city lack the means to obtain these. Today we take an important step in rectifying this injustice and ensure that those in need can participate fully in the social fabric of our community. These wheelchairs represent improved physical mobility, renewed dignity, independence and opportunity.
“I want to thank Craft Properties Holdings for their tremendous generosity and commitment to making a difference in the lives of or citizens. To our new wheelchair users, I encourage you to make the most of this gift,” said Tabe.
Martha Mambara, grandmother to 15-year-old Simbarashe Mashiri, one of the beneficiaries expressed her heartfelt gratitude as she was responsible for her grandson’s mobility whom she said could neither talk nor walk.
“My grandson cannot walk or do anything by himself and relies on others for mobility. Since he had no wheelchair he had no freedom to move or play around with other children and could not attend school. I am grateful now that he has a wheelchair which will assist him in moving around independently,” said Mambara.

By Decide Nhendo

Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira has applauded the teamwork spirit that has been instilled by town clerk Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa to Masvingo City Council.
Speaking at the Town Clerk Achievements Celebrations at Charles Austin Theatre recently, Minister Chadzamira said Engineer Mukaratirwa’s teamwork spirit was clearly bearing fruits as depicted by lifetime achievements.
“We gather here to celebrate a remarkable achievement by our very own city of Masvingo team, led by Engineer Mukaratirwa. When he took the relm at Masvingo, he instilled teamwork and what we have witnessed for the past years has been truly exceptional.
“Through team work, Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa has fostered an organizational culture built on innovation, collaboration, and genuine commitments to the sustainable development of the city of Masvingo and the province at large,” said Chadzamira.
Chadzamira said Engineer Mukaratirwa’s ideas and devotion to his job was important to the city’s progress and development as a result the city had achieved great milestones and quality service delivery.
“Engineer Mukaratirwa’s vision, strategic thinking, and unwavering dedication to duty has propelled the city of Masvingo to new heights.
“Under Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa’s leadership the city of Masvingo achieved some truly remarkable milestones with most achievements from 2021 to 2023 Masvingo’s water supply increased from 8 million to 10 million liters a day,” said Chadzamira.
Speaking at the celebrations Eng. Mukaratirwa said he was happy to be part of those celebrating, saying the achievement was not his alone, but it came from collective efforts from different stakeholders.
“I feel so humbled to stand before you today as we celebrate the achievements we have managed to scoop. I thank all stakeholders here present and this award belongs to us all together, as a province and we should take this pride of being recognized especially by the highest office of the land,” said Mukaratirwa.
Engineer Mukaratirwa said their task to provide quality services to residents was not an easy one as at times it could be time-consuming as they also have disagreements in council meetings.
“Service provision is not easy for us as council that’s why I said this award is ours together. I want to thank the previous council and the current one led by Mayor Aleck Tabe for the support they give us
“Sometimes when we get into council meetings we almost get to midnight discussing, sometimes we smile at each other, sometimes we also say harsh words to each other but ultimately fighting to offer citizens services they require,” said Eng. Mukaratirwa.
Masvingo City Mayor Aleck Tabe applauded Minister Chadzamira for his openness, saying he always hearkens to their pleas and suggestions as council which has resulted in Masvingo city’s progress.
“Honourable minister we thank you for listening to our pleas and suggestions and this has caused in our city being one of the best when it comes to service delivery; sir we urge you to keep your doors open to us,” said Tabe.
Tabe said council was going to fulfill all its intended projects with some already under the way.
“We have projects we are running like regravelling of roads including 4.1 Barrack Roads, Manhede Street, Mbudzi Main Road including others.
“The council is also aiming to upgrade Mucheke stadium to meet Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) and Confederation of African Football (CAF), he said they were also going to work with Charles Austin to promote culture.
“We have already located an area along Mutare Road near Telone offices where we have already started to work on a park. So I am sure my council is going to work on these projects including others not mentioned for residents to have better lives,” said Tabe.
Engineer Edward Mukaratirwa won President Mnangangwa’s Award for the Best Town Clerk in Zimbabwe in 2023 of which the awards are run by the Government to recognize excellent performance in service delivery.
At the 64th edition of Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Masvingo City Council won the most innovative creative local authority award which shows that the city is performing well in terms of providing services to residents.

By Theresa Takafuma

Mbuya Kanengoni, a traditional healer from Masvingo claims to have come face-to-face with vendors who sell vulture body parts that are then used for belief/faith -based purposes in Chiredzi.
She said they told her how people use the various scavenger bird parts to foretell, heal and summon spirits, adding that the so called sprouting Christian ministry churches were the biggest culprits in this practice.
The elderly traditional healer however distanced the organizations she is affiliated to, ZINATHA and Traditional Medical Practitioners Council of Zimbabwe (TMPCZ), from the use of vulture body parts in traditional medicine, saying she had done some research work with conservationists in trying to protect the endangered vultures.
“Last year I worked with a researcher from Birdlife Zimbabwe and we went to Chiredzi where we saw people selling vulture body parts, from heads, feathers, claws, bones and even the brains. We asked them what the parts were used for and they told us that self-styled prophets are the ones who buy the parts because they believe that they get superpowers from them.
“They said it was mainly ministry prophets who use the vulture parts to create talismans that they use in prophesying, which is why they end up being able to tell people’s names and addresses like, ‘your name is James, you stay at house number this and that’ as if they are accurately prophesying,” Mbuya Kanengoni said.
According to her, traditional healers registered under the ZINATHA do not use vultures in their trade, as they receive awareness from conservationist organisations like Birdlife Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Department.
Bishop Joshua Musiiwa, who is the Newlife Apostolic Church leader however said he believe that those who use vultures in prophesying are just black magicians who manipulate the vulture parts to use their dark magic charms.
“I believe this is hurombwa (use of charms for riches or power) because there is no way we can just take a vulture’s head, crush it, steam or use it anyhow without putting charms and someone then starts prophesying or healing. It is just the use of charms disguised in the use of vultures.
“My worry however is that, those in remote areas where these things are rampant do not have enough information that can deter them from senselessly killing vultures. I hope Birdlife gets to these areas so that even those who go there to buy do not find them,” Musiiwa said.
The vulture population in Zimbabwe is severely endangered, with five species namely the white-backed, white-headed, hooded, lappet-faced and Cape Vultures being critically vulnerable, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
While 61 percent of the vulture population decline in Africa is attributed to poisoning, 29 percent is still attributed to use in traditional medicine, where faith and traditional healers use vulture body parts for rituals.
On May 22, 2024 Birdlife Zimbabwe, an organization that promotes birds conservation, in conjunction with TMPCZ held a training workshop for traditional, faith-based healers, herbalists and other relevant stakeholders in Masvingo to raise awareness against the use of vultures in belief-based healing.
Speaking on the side-lines of the workshop, Birdlife Zimbabwe Preventing Extinctions Programme Manager Leeroy Gerald Moyo said what key issue was for traditional healers to know that indeed, vultures were endangered and there were laws that govern the scavenger birds.
“Various aspects came out of the workshop as some denied using vulture body parts for traditional medicine, but some do use them; however the most important thing was for them to know that there are laws that govern these vultures.
“They may use other alternatives like plants amomg other things, instead of vultures because they are endangered. We were mainly looking at the Parks and Wildlife Act Chapter 20:14 which stresses that vultures are part of the specially protected animals,” Moyo said.
Reports have also shown that those involved in vulture parts trading make brisk business as they are much sought-out for in traditional healing circles, with one full bird costing approximately US$600.
There have also been reports of traders cutting the birds to sell single body parts, with one traditional healer who refused to be named saying a head could cost between US$60 and US$100 around Chiredzi and Triangle.
“The parts are believed to work for varying purposes, for example, a head has different healing purposes to a feather, and bones serve a different purpose with wings for example,” said the healer.
TMPCZ Chief Licensing Officer Jennifer Mauzhende said the council saw it fit to collaborate with Birdlife Zimbabwe to raise awareness against the use of vultures, as there has been a lot of speculation alleging that traditional and faith healers, as well as herbalists licensed under them were the ones using vultures in medicine.
“As a council that works with traditional and faith healers, herbalists, distributors and traditional birth attendants, we saw it fit to educate them that they should look for other things to use in their work, not vultures.
“They have to know that being caught with any vulture part is a liable offence that warrants arrest. Here they were taught about the role of vultures in nature and eccosysterm, so that they do not abuse them,” Mauzhende said.
Seasoned traditional healers also argue that the use of vulture body parts in belief-based healing is a new phenomenon introduced not very long ago because healers always used other materials, be it in healing, fortune telling or foreseeing.
Sekuru Chikunya, a seasoned traditional herbalist who is also TMPCZ Masvingo Provincial Chairperson said traditional healers and prophets used to look for various other things to use in healing and ritual performance, not vultures.
“Since time immemorial, no one really used vultures for healing. We always knew that if a person gets possessed by ancestral spirits, those spirits were the ones who would make the person dream of the herbs and medicines to use.
“For prophets we knew that they would pray using salt and milk to heal people. Those of the masowe sect used muchakata tree barks (mobola plum), and no one used vultures, it is a new phenomenon in traditional and belief-based healing,” Sekuru Chikunya said.
Studies have shown that there are ecological consequences to the vulture population decline, which include changes in the community composition of scavengers at carcasses in the wild, increasing potential for disease transmission between mammalian scavengers.
The Zimbabwe Vulture Action Plan has been put in place to reduce the threats to vultures in the country, in order to protect what remains of the endangered scavenger bird.

…Mourners smuggle goods in coffins

By Brighton Chiseva

The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) at Beit Bridge Border Post has revealed shocking statistics of Zimbabweans who die in neighboring South Africa, with the port of entry recording an average of 100 deceased people per week which translates to 400 per month.
The revelation was made during a tour of the upgraded border post by journalists from Masvingo, Chiredzi, Zvishavane and Beit-Bridge following a customs and exercise training for journalists held at Flamboyant Hotel on June 10 and 11.
Addressing journalists, Port Health Officer Silibaziso Nkala said causes of death on the bodies they inspect varied from chronic illnesses, accidents, gunshots and knife stabs, among others.
“Here we clear bodies’ of people who die in South Africa. So when they get here we verify to make sure they are carrying bodies because people can do anything in the name of smuggling.
“On average we record plus or minus 100 per week so on average we process 100 deceased people passing through here into the country, locally and we have very few who will be in transit. The causes of deaths vary with some dying from chronic illnesses, accidents, stab wounds and gunshots,” said Nkala.
She said they were however worried about people who try to smuggle other goods together with their dead relatives and said they had trouble oftentimes trying to educate mourners-cum-smugglers.
“We also have a duty to make sure that people are not mixing dead bodies with other goods, we have mourners who try to smuggle goods like fuel which they hide in coffins and hearses, but in most cases, we bust them because we do a thorough search before they are allowed to pass.
“We then educate them about the dangers of smuggling goods and that they cannot pass without being detected here,” said Nkala.
She further said the port also processed several dead people entering South Africa from Zimbabwe saying most of them would be truck drivers or their spouses.
“We do record some dead bodies who cross to South Africa from Zimbabwe but mainly they are truck drivers or their spouses who would have died in Zimbabwe or other countries and pass through here to South Africa,” said Nkala
She said the facility was open every day but people preferred weekends especially Fridays to pass so that they bury their loved ones during the weekend.
“We are open 24/7 but people mainly come on Fridays since they will be at work during the week and would want to bury their relatives during the weekend,” she said
She also said there were children who were born in South Africa who will be going back home for the first time.
ZIMRA BeitBridge Regional Manager for Customs and Exercise Lonto Ndlovu lamented the porousness of the border saying people could smuggle a lot of things since the border area stretches for more than 100km and they could not be everywhere to monitor.
This then means that the number of people who cross into the country could be bigger than the recorded one, as other people use illegal entry points.
“The border area is so porous and we cannot be everywhere to monitor all entry points, people use these illegal routes to smuggle goods in and out of the country,” said Ndlovu.
The tax collector is now using the aid of drones to monitor the entry points, and the drones can monitor the border area for 10km radius.
Data from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows that more than a million Zimbabweans are living in South Africa and most of them have entered the country illegally.
The number of deaths recorded from the neighboring country has resulted in the proliferation of funeral insurance companies that transport the deceased back home.

By Perpetua Murungweni

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) on June 13, 2024 commissioned Better Schools Programme in Zimbabwe centre (BSPZ) at Chivi Growth Point which is the district education headquarters.
Speaking at the commissioning, MoPSE Permanent Secretary Moses Mhike said the centre will enhance quality of education in the district.
“This initiative marks a significant milestone in our ongoing commitment to enhancing the quality of education in Chivi District. It represents an investment in the future of our children, our community and the nation.
“The BSPZ will assist in the provision, promotion and development of inclusive quality and relevant education in primary and secondary schools and this event signifies a major step forward in our commitment to providing quality education for all,” said Mhike.
Mhike said the centre is a demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to education provision and as well as a symbol of hope and is where the skills of learners are shaped.
“Chivi BSPZ centre is more than just a physical structure, it is a shining example, a symbol of hope and progress, which is also a demonstration of the Ministry’s commitment to education provision. This centre should be a place where minds are shaped, skills honoured and characters formed.
“Education is the cornerstone of progress and development in the society. This centre should serve as an anchor of progress and acceptance to move the Ministry’s full realisation of the intended education outcomes amongst our children.
“It will serve as a hub for novelty cooperation and support enabling our teachers, district personnel and school heads to work together more effectively to achieve the goals of the ministry. Education is not just a responsibility of schools and teachers but a collective endeavour that requires active participation from parents, community members and policymakers,” said Mhike.
The Permanent secretary also acknowledged the efforts of all those who contributed to the success of the programme and urged all stakeholders to join hands in supporting the BSPZ program.
“As we commission this centre we want to acknowledge the tireless efforts by the Chivi Rural District council in availing land upon which this structure stands and my deepest gratitude goes to all those who contributed to the realisation of this program, your collective efforts have been instrumental in bringing us to this momentous occasion.
“I urge all stakeholders to join hands in supporting this program and ensuring its sustainability for generations to come. As Ministry we are going to be equipping the centre with laptops, you have done your part and we will do our part,” said Mhike.