A Subaru belonging to the shooter was burnt by the mob after the shooting incident. Pic by Shingirai Vambe

HARARE – It has been over two weeks now with vendors having to play cat and mouse games against the police in the central business district (CBD) of the capital, with several incidences of retaliatory attacks against alleged police heavy handedness.
Videos of agitated vendors throwing stones at police vehicles, and of police smashing a vehicle windscreen among many other acts of brutality, have been circulating on social media.
Teargas canisters thrown randomly, thereby affecting other innocent street users have also been a regular dose for vendors as well as other members of the public.
In some few recorded incidents, staff from the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) were asked to lie down at a restaurant near Karigamombe Centre, and were then thoroughly beaten by the members of the police.
On Friday evening last week, a High court of Zimbabwe staff member was caught in the cross fire, and was beaten and kicked by the members of the police force.
Various informal traders’ groupings including the Samuel Mangoma-led Viset condemned the relentless war against vendors, saying it was wrong for government to blame vendors for the cholera outbreak when it had not solved glaring service delivery shortcomings especially in such areas as the provision of safe water for domestic use and sewer reticulation.
Meanwhile, a Harare man was shot dead reportedly at point blank range on Wednesday, October 10 after a dispute which arose after a motorist had refused to pay for a parking bay to the marshals who control the area at the corner of Angwa Street and Kwame Nkrumah Avenue.
The motorist’s reason for refusing to pay was that the marshals were not authorised to collect parking fees, arguing that he would pay only to City of Harare employees.
The name of the dead man was said to be Grashem Wakapiwa, a Kuwadzana 2 resident, who reportedly has now left behind a five-month pregnant wife.
Before the shooting incident, a group of people had accosted the motorist demanding that he pay the parking fee but the motorist began to run away, with several people in hot pursuit.
Wakapiwa reportedly joined the chase and was shot in the head, with another non-fatal shot hitting a woman who was close by.
The crowd then turned onto the gunman’s parked Subaru car which reportedly had a stash of Zanu PF regalia on board, and set it alight.
“The Zimbabwe Republic Police would like to confirm the death of a 40 year old man following a shooting incident that occurred at the corner of Angwa Street and Kwame Nkrumah near QV Pharmacy, Harare today, 10 October 2018 in the morning,” read part of a police press statement issued later in the day.
The statement also reads that the 24-year-old shooter and ‘the four men who had incited the violence’ were quickly arrested.local

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – Villagers of Mwenezi West on the border with Mberengwa district, have raised concerns over the increase in stock theft cases in the area, with some of them saying there is a highly organised racket which has become a law unto itself.
The worst affected cattle ranchers are in Ward 10 under Chief Mazetese where cattle are reportedly being stolen daily, with the meat sold to butchers in Mberengwa.
Newly-elected Ward 10 councillor, Pilate Sayi said cases of stock theft were rife in the area but he could not corroborate claims that suspects were well-known local people acting with impunity.
“Cases of stock theft are there and I have received a lot of complaints with regards to that issue but I do not have suspects or the buyers of the stolen cattle,” said Sayi.
Some villagers however said some cases of stock theft were well documented and they involved clear suspects.
“Recently there were about 10 cattle with a brand from Mberengwa district that were secretly rebranded with a Mwenezi mark at Chirindi dip tank. Again, another incident happened at a cattle market at Chikumbire dip tank. There were some sizeable number of cattle that were destined for auctioning there but they disappeared after people raised the red flag and questioned their origins.
“People who are doing that are locals who seal our cattle for sale in Mberengwa. Livestock with Mberengwa brands are regularly seen and clandestinely rebranded here in Mwenezi West. It seems criminals here are conniving with the ones from Mberengwa because our cattle are being stolen at an alarming rate,” said a resident of Ward 10.
Other villagers said cases of stock theft were increasing because of very little police presence, with the Mlelezi police base being far away from where most of the cases are happening.
“A notorious cattle rustler called Chomwenye was recently caught by the police after a long period of tormenting the community but he is now out of custody on bail, and is boasting about it. People have realised that filing police reports in such matters is a waste of time as the criminals always engage lawyers and they get away with it” said another villager.local

Some wood workers at Mandava business centre mill around dejectedly after their workshops were destroyed by a raging inferno on Monday morning, October 08

Miriro Maphosa

ZVISHAVANE – Woodwork entrepreneurs in the early hours of Monday morning lost furniture worthy over US$30 000 after a raging inferno engulfed their workshops at Mandava business centre.
Simon Murombedzi, who is son to the owner of the premises, told TellZim News that he started to feel some unusual heat while asleep and he saw some huge flames covering the whole place surrounding the workshops.
“I woke up and informed some workmates before contacting the Zvishavane fire and rescue team to come and rescue us. I applaud the fire and rescue team for their quick response. Fortunately, there were no injuries or casualties,” said Murombedzi.
One of the workshop owners, Thulani Ncube told TellZim News that the fire started around 02:30 hrs but the cause of the fire was unknown.
“At around 3 am I received a call from one of my colleagues informing me that my workshop was on fire. Immediately, I rushed to the scene and found that I had lost my furniture worth $10 000,”said Ncube.
“I appeal to well-wishers to help with donations in the form of shades or any other materials that can help us to continue with our operations,” he pleaded.local

The suspected illegal immigrants arrive at the Mwenezi Magistrates’ Court for their initial appearance

Cephas Shava

MWENEZI – Seven Malawi nationals who crossed the country illegally on their way to South Africa were last week intercepted by police in Mwenezi and were arrested for illegal immigration.
The suspects, Mike Wilson (18), Ibrahim Sitambule (20), Julio Mbilu (25), Ibra Witness (19), Austin Amiri (23), Wongani Kachali (22) and Moreen Chimbwira (18) who reside in various areas of Malawi’s Lilongwe and Blantyre cities were not formally charged when they appeared before magistrate Honest Musiiwa.
They will face charges of Contravening Section 29 (1) (a) as read with Section 29 (2a) of the Immigration Act Chapter 4:2 ‘Alien enter or remain in Zimbabwe without a permit’.
The suspects, one of them a woman, told the court that they did not understand any other language except Chewa and were remanded in custody and referred to Masvingo Magistrates’ Court were their case will be heard was to be heard on October 11.
It is the State case that on October 03, 2018 at around 02:00 hrs, Mwenezi police officers who were manning a roadblock at the 174 kilometre peg along Masvingo-Beitbridge Road intercepted an Urban Connect Bus registration number AEG 6386, which was destined for Beitbridge.
Upon searching the bus, the police officers came across the accused persons whom they ordered to produce their travelling documents.
After failing to produce the required documents, the seven suspects were immediately arrested.
Willard Chasi appeared for the State.

ZSMIWU secretary general, Faster Gono

CHIREDZI – The Zimbabwe Milling Industry Workers Union (ZISMIWU) and Zimbabwe Sugar Milling Industry Employers Association (ZISMIEA) have clashed once again in yet another wage deadlock, with the Labour Court referring the case yet again to retired Justice George Smith who last year arbitrated in another dispute and awarded employees a 15 percent increase.
The Labour Court recently appointed the now famed Justice Smith arbitrator in the latest dispute between the two parties.
In last year’s arbitration ruling made on June 19, Justice Smith awarded workers the 15 percent increase they sought. The employers, after initially showing a strong determination to continue resisting, finally capitulated and agreed to the wage increase.
A copy of a recent referral letter to Justice Smith seen by TellZim News makes it clear ZSMIWU and ZISMIEA agreed appoint him arbitrator in the latest dispute.
ZISMIWU has made a proposal for a 69 percent wage increase, but ZISMIEA argues that it can only afford to raise the wages by 4.83 percent.
“You are hereby appointed in terms of section 93 (5) of the Labour Act (Chapter 28:01) as arbitrator in the matter of ZSMIWU and ZISMIEA.
“The following shall be the terms of reference; To determine whether or not to increase the wage for ZSMIWU or 4.83% offered by the ZSMIEA. If the answer to the above is in the affirmative the arbitrator is to determine the rate of such increase,” reads part of the letter.
ZSMIWU secretary general, Faster Gono, told TellZim News in a telephone interview it was grossly unreasonable for the employer to table a 4.83 percent increase, which he said translated, on average, to a mere US$10 more for every employee.
Gono argued the union was convinced a 69 percent increase was affordable and the most reasonable, saying it would give the least paid employee a minimum of US$350 per month.
“We are currently in Harare to seek consensus on the arbitration date as Justice Smith has agreed to preside over our case. It’s no longer fit for the company to increase wages by a measly $10. That was a trend of the (former ZISMIWU secretary general Addmore) Hwarare era which is no longer tenable.
“Frankly speaking, can honest and fair people really stand up with confidence and say they genuinely find it unreasonable if we make sure the lowest paid employee gets a basic salary of $350?” said Gono.local

Precila Takabvirakare

Chief Serima, born Vengai Rushwaya, (47) of Rossal Farm Chatsworth on Tuesday, October 09, appeared in the Gutu Magistrates’ Court facing the charges of assault.
He was charged for contravening Section 89(1) (a) of The Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.
Magistrate Victor Mahamadi postponed the matter to October 24 for continuation of trial.
State facts, as presented by Millicent Azangwe, are that on March 29 at around 19:00 hrs, Rushwaya was in his car which was parked near Flyover Nightclub at Chatsworth business centre when Raphael Mudahondo arrived.
Mudahondo greeted him by way of shaking hands and Rushwaya told him to remove his hat if he was serious in greeting him but Mudahondo refused. Mudahondo then left as he was about to go home but Rushwaya disembarked from his car and grabbed him from the back.
He then called two other unidentified people who were in a tractor which was closeby to assist him in further assaulting Mudahondo.
Rushwaya dragged Mudahondo for about 50 metres away from the place to the middle of the dusty Chatsworth-Zimuto Road and started hitting him with fists several times on his body.
Acting in concert with the two accomplices, Rushwaya further kicked Mudahondo with booted feet twice on his private parts and left him unconscious.
Moments later, Mudahondo gained consciousness and discovered that the three assailants were gone and he went to report the matter to the police leading to Rushwaya’s arrest.local

Darlington Kanyongo

ZVISHAVANE – There is a new craze for Indian aphrodisiacs and other related herbs commonly known as Indian sweets in the town, with one enterprising merchant of the products saying she is making a killing out of the rush.
An Indian woman who has adopted the name Tariro for use in business circles, said her business, which she started in November 2017, has gained popularity in the town and in the neighbouring Mberengwa district, boasting more than 100 regular customers.
"When I started this business last year, it was a bit difficult since customers had no knowledge of these wonderful things but as for now, several men and women are aware of the products and the demand is going up," Tariro said.
She said her customers were from a demographic cross section; men and women, married and unmarried, younger and older.
She said the rising popularity of her merchandise had made her economically independent as she no longer relied on her husband's income for all things she needs.
"This business made me independent. I no longer ask money for my basic needs as I get an average of $20 profit on a daily basis from the sales.
Her products include Gogo gigi manzi, Kuze kuze imbawala, Sexy lip balm, Rocky coffee for men, Sour prume, Love drop, black seed.
"My products are natural with no side effects. Each sweet has its own special use for example Gogo gigi is a sweet used by women for vagina tightening, Black seed is used for cleansing the womb, Chiname is used by women to manipulate men's movement and behaviour, while Rocky coffee for men maximises men's performance in bed," she said.
A widowed woman who has been a consumer of Indian sweets said the products helped her a lot and had given her hope.
"I am 36-years-old but since I started using these sweets, I felt like I am 20 years younger. I have not experienced any side effects so these sweets are really good for me,” she said.local