Jubilee Mahlamvana

ZVISHAVANE – The chairperson and principal of Bert Properties, Cuthbert Mphame has promised to drill a borehole to the long suffering Bilashava primary school in Zvishavane before end of this year.
Bert Properties is a leading residential stand and property development company in Zvishavane.
Speaking at a price giving and early childhood development (ECD) graduation ceremony last week where he was the guest of honour, Mphame promised to end the perennial water woes at the school.
“I have heard your continuous cries for water at this school. I will therefore drill a borehole for you before the end of this year,” Mphame said.
Bilashava Primary School was founded in 1927 and has struggled with inadequate resources ever since.
Water problems have forced staff members at the school to travel to Zvishavane town, a distance of 13 kilometres, just to fetch water.
The pledge by Mphame was therefore met with joy by parents and all members of staff who expressed hope that the water problems could soon be a thing of the past.
District inspector for Public Works Commission, Aleck Mdhumo was also present at the prize giving ceremony and he witnessed the Mphame’s promise.
Mphame, however, refuted speculations that he aspires to be the Zvishavane-Ngezi constituency legislator in 2018.
He said his organisation’s works of charity were simply an exercise of corporate social responsibility to the Siboza community, and not in any way a strategy to gain political mileage.
“There is no vacancy yet and as such, I cannot aspire for that which does not exist,” Mphame said.news

MASVINGO – Two Chitungwiza men last week appeared in court facing charges of fraud arising from the theft of 30 tonnes of asbestos roofing destined for Major Family Savings (MFS) Group  branches in Masvingo.
Arnold Mutandwa (32) and Fidelis Sibanda Mamunde (33) both of 14365 Unit O, Seke, Chitungwiza, who were represented by Collen Maboke of Ruvengo, Maboke and Company Legal Practitioners, appeared before Masvingo Magistrate Victor Mohammed.
Appearing for the State, James Murambiza told the court that the accused persons, in the company of their accomplices, Ferdinand Pikirai and Ngarunde Tapfumanei connived and diverted a 30-tonne truck loaded with asbestos sheets from Turnall Holdings in Bulawayo and took it to Harare.
The asbestos sheets were destined for MFS Group branches at Nyika and Jerera.
The accused persons allegedly took the truck to an open space near Coca Cola in Graniteside where they offloaded the asbestos sheets and proceeded to sell them.  The total value of the asbestos sheets was pegged at US$25 624. 75 and nothing was recovered.
It is said that Mutandwa later sold a Nokia 306 handset which he had allegedly used during the commission of the offence to Matanga Dambwa from whom it was recovered.
The accused persons later led police details to their accomplice, Tapfumanei, who is the proprietor of Kyle Hardware in Chitungwiza.
The pair was remanded to December 2, 2016 after being granted bail to the sum of US$100 each.
The State had originally opposed bail arguing that the accused persons were a flight risk as they had committed a similar offence before, and was also afraid that the pair may interfere with State witnesses.
The court heard that the accused persons have a previous case whereby they allegedly diverted a 30-tonne truck of timber from Wattle Company.
 A docket against them was opened at Penhalonga Police Station and the matter is still to be finalised.news

MASVINGO – Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) Masvingo is set to host a revival this week from November 24 – 27, 2016 at the church’s RCZ Hillside assembly.
The revival will run under the theme “Simuka udye kuti urege kukundwa nerwendo” a theme that was derived from 1st Kings 18.
The revival is inter-denominational and is meant to help Christians to firmly root their faith in God through teachings from the Bible.
The conference is also aimed at bringing new converts so as to add the new believers to the RCZ flock.
Masvingo Congregation pastor Reverend Emison Mukucha said all people are welcome to attend the revival which he said will help uplift people and restore their faith in the glory of God.
“This is a revival that is different from other revivals that we have held before because it is all about strengthening each other as believers in the word of God and getting to know each other in the word.
“We therefore invite all to attend this important revival so that we all get to know the right way of the Lord as Christians,” said Mukucha.
He said lives will be transformed and hope will be restored through ministering the word of God and worshipping Him.news

File pic

…maternity services suspended

Increase Gumbo

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi’s council-run clinic, Tshovani Polyclinic, the only clinic which is run by Chiredzi Town Council, has gone for 12 months without running water from the tapes and, as a result, the maternity ward has since been closed, TellZim News can reveal.
Masvingo Provincial Medical Director (PMD), Amadeus Shamu, Zimbabwe Diabetes Association President Dr John Chamunorwa Mangwiro, Chiredzi District Medical Officer, Dr David Tarumbwa, Chief Tshovani and other stakeholders toured the intitution last Monday and witnessed the rot.
A staffer at the clinic narrated how the clinic has been operating for the past one year without even a drop of water coming from the taps.
“The situation here is pathetic, we have been operating for many months without water and the clinic has suspended maternity services,” said the official.
The official also lamented the fact that apart from having inadequate water supply, the clinic has also been operating for many years without enough staff.
“It’s not water alone that we do not have but we are also understaffed. We are only ten and the clinic needs at least 24 staff members for two shifts but we only have one shift because of inadequate staff,” said the official.
Dr Mangwiro expressed regret of the situation and recommended that the government together with the council should look at the issue and improve services at the clinic.
“I think the situation here needs the government to work closely with the council and provide for the necessities so that the clinic here can be fully utilised. There are very good machines here for maternity, there is space but it’s being underutilised because of a simple matter,” said Mangwiro.
Chiredzi Districtict Medical Officer, Doctor David Tarumbwa echoed the same sentiments stating that there was need to revive the maternity ward at the clinic since expecting mothers do not have another option except Chiredzi General Hospital which is now functioning under severe strain.news

Increase Gumbo

CHIREDZI – Chiredzi district has for the first time hosted the 2016 Wold Diabetes Day commemorations, a move which is set to raise diabetes awareness in the district.
More than 800 people in the district were screened for eye diabetes and blood pressure for free during the occasion, thanks to the efforts of the Zimbabwe Diabetes Association (ZDA).
The celebrations were graced by various medical experts, Chiredzi district Members of Parliament (MPs), Tongaat Hullet staff and other stakeholders.
Minister of Health and Childcare, Dr David Parirenyatwa, in a speech read on his behalf by Provincial Medical Director (PMD) Dr Amadeus Shamu, said the 2016 world diabetes celebrations came at a time when the discovery of insulin was made.
Two Canadian physicians; Dr Frederick G. Banting and Professor John MacLeod were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1923 “for the discovery of insulin” after they had successfully tested their new ‘discovery’ on a severely diabetic 14-year-old boy in January 1922.
“This year’s commemorations come at a time when medical experts discovered insulin which was given to diabetes patients to prolong their lives,” said Dr Parirenyatwa.
He urged people to take care of their health by eating green vegetables and traditional foods.
“I urge people to eat lots of vegetables and traditional foods such as madora and harurwa and monitor their eating habits while exercising every day in order to reduce chances of becoming diabetic,” said Parirenytwa.
Members of the public who attended the event urged government to make provisions for free diabetes and BP testing at all health centres in the country.
 “I am also grateful that we received a training here on what diabetes is and from now onwards, I can monitor my health,” said Monica Chaguma.
ZDA president, Dr John Chamunorwa Mangwiro encouraged people to monitor their health since diabetes is spreading in Zimbabwe at an alarming rate.
Medical experts estimate that millions more people would be diabetic at younger ages within the next few years due to the rapid spread of the chronic condition worldwide.news

ZVISHAVANE – The Zimbabwe Network for People Living with HIV (ZNNP+), in collaboration with the National Aids Council (NAC) recently hosted the Midlands ARV Beauty contest in Kwekwe as part of efforts to fight the HIV virus.
The event kicked off with all the 10 districts in Midlands participating in the pageant which also sought to fight the stigma of HIV and Aids.
The adult female category was won by Rumbidzai Maswaure from Gweru who became Miss ARV in that category while Emmanuel Siziba from Mberengwa won the adult male category.
Fadzai Musengwa took the first position in the adolescent female category with Alexander Matambo of Chirumhanzu taking first position in the adolescent category and became Mr ARV in that category.
The Young People’s Network (YPN) also sent representatives to take part in the modeling contest.
The ZNNP+ Zvishavane chairperson Maida Banda was very happy about the event as it gave them time to meet with others and celebrate.
“I am so delighted to attend such a colourful event, it is so relieving especially for us positive people because we get to enjoy and forget about our status and other problems we face in our day to day lives,” said Banda.
One of the contestants who talked to TellZim News said she was looking forward to the National ARV Beauty Contest to be held in December.
“I am already looking forward for the national contest because I am confident I will get a prize, everyone gets a prize for participating in such events,” she said.news