OUTRAGE AFTER WINKY D SHOW CUT SHORT

 
WINKY D‘s show was disrupted by the cops last night in Chitungwiza at Damview leading to a premature end. The artist was hit in the head by a bottle. This was Winky D’s first live performance since the launch of his collaborative album project EUREKA…

  WINKY D‘s show was disrupted by the cops last night in Chitungwiza at Damview leading to a premature end. The artist was hit in the head by a bottle. This was Winky D’s first live performance since the launch of his collaborative album project EUREKA EUREKA @RangahT #winkyd pic.twitter.com/MStcuFF9bO— earGROUND ® (@earGROUNDzw) March 5, 2023

Massive investments spur Zim’s mineral revenues

Source: Massive investments spur Zim’s mineral revenues – The Standard A significant rise in investments into Zimbabwe’s mining industry in the past five years has spurred a 100% rise in revenues in the sector, a senior government official said on Friday. Pfungwa Kunaka, permanent secretary in the ministry of Mines and Mining Development, told Standardbusiness […]

Source: Massive investments spur Zim’s mineral revenues – The Standard

A significant rise in investments into Zimbabwe’s mining industry in the past five years has spurred a 100% rise in revenues in the sector, a senior government official said on Friday.

Pfungwa Kunaka, permanent secretary in the ministry of Mines and Mining Development, told Standardbusiness that revenues in the sector have rocketed by 100% since a new government came into office in 2017.

He said the sector generated US$5,4 billion in 2022, compared to US$2,7 billion in 2017.

A string of investors has made forays into the country’s mining industry in the past few years.

Inroads into subsectors like lithium and chrome have seen several mines being opened, although concerns over factors like high costs and taxes continue to be raised.

“There have been major investments into diamonds, gold, platinum, coal, lithium, chrome, ferrochrome and steel among others,” Kunaka told Standardbusiness.

“There are also significant investments in the exploration of oil and gas in Muzarabani.

“As a result, in 2022, the mining industry generated US$5,4 billion in export revenue compared to US$2,7 billion realised in 2017, representing about 100% growth in terms of mineral exports revenue.”

Major mining projects underway in Zimbabwe include a steel plant that is being established at Manhize near Mvuma, and a US$300 million lithium mine that is taking shape in Goromonzi, championed by Chinese investors.

Zimbabwe had targeted to grow mineral export revenues to US$12 billion by the end of this year.

But a series of global and domestic shocks in the past three years have affected the plan.

At the end of last year, the Chamber of Mines of Zimbabwe said revenues were likely to reach US$7 billion this year.

The growth will be driven by gold, platinum, diamonds, chrome, iron ore, coal, lithium and other strategic minerals.

Gold exports are expected to reach US$4 billion while platinum exports are seen at US$3 billion this year, according to official statistics.

Diamonds are expected to generate US$1 billion while chrome, nickel, and steel will also realise US$1 billion, bolstered by the resuscitation of previously closed mines and expansion of existing operations.

Kunaka said with regard to the use of mercury in some mining operations, government had taken a stance to ratify an agreement reached at the Minamata Convention, which aims to reduce and eventually eradicate mercury on the domestic landscape.

According to the mines secretary, with the use of mercury mainly prevalent in the small-scale gold mining sector, strategies were being implemented by government to address the issue.

He also added that government has since suspended processing of applications for new mining titles seeking rights to extract five strategic minerals namely diamonds, copper, lithium, nickel and rare earth minerals.

“The upcoming Mines and Minerals Amendment Bill has declared minerals as strategic,” Kunaka said.

“The ministry noted that some miners were not declaring the discovery of different minerals from the ones that they are registered for.

“This non-declaration has led to prejudice to the growth of the mining sector economy particularly in some instances where high-value minerals are involved.”

Zimbabwe yet to receive Starlink application

Source: Zimbabwe yet to receive Starlink application – The Standard Twitter CEO Elon Musk THE government says Starlink, an American internet service provider controlled by billionaire investor Elon Musk is yet to submit an application for a licence to operate in Zimbabwe. There have been reports that Musk, one of the world’s richest people, was […]

Source: Zimbabwe yet to receive Starlink application – The Standard

Twitter CEO Elon Musk

THE government says Starlink, an American internet service provider controlled by billionaire investor Elon Musk is yet to submit an application for a licence to operate in Zimbabwe.

There have been reports that Musk, one of the world’s richest people, was moving to pounce on opportunities in Zimbabwe through Starlink, which is aggressively expanding into a number of destinations.

News of Starlink’s interest on Zimbabwe had held markets spellbound since the announcement was made in December.

On its website, Starlink informs consumers to get ready for its entry into the Zimbabwean market.

The website says; “Order now to reserve your Starlink. Starlink is targeting service in your area starting in 2023.

“Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis”.

The information is contained in a section on the Zimbabwean market.

In response to inquiries by Standardbusiness on whether the firm had already secured a licence to operate in the country, the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) said: “No application as yet from Starlink”.

Starlink is currently planning a major launch around the world between now and 2024.

The reason why local consumers have shown so much interest in Starlink is due to its internet speeds and lower costs compared to those prevailing on the domestic market.

In terms of speed, Starlink provides between 50 to 200 megabytes per second (mbps), faster than the local offering which typically ranges up to 25 mbps on average.

There are three Starlink plans to choose from.

Starlink’s internet service includes a US$599 installation fee and US$110 monthly subscription while its Starlink’s RV (high-speed, low-latency internet while in-motion) internet service has a monthly charge of US$135 plus a one-time equipment fee of US$599.

Lastly, prices for Starlink Business start at US$500 per month plus a one-time US$2 500 price for the necessary equipment.

These are lower than what is offered on the market.

A local analyst said if Starlink invests in Zimbabwe, it will offer an alternative to what is already in the market.

“This is an alternative to the current internet service providers,” Zimbabwe Information and Communication Technology (ZICT) chairman Jacob Mutisi said.

“Remember satellite makes it easier to provide internet access to remote areas.

“It will not push out existing players, but will increase competition to service provision.

“This is a faster internet and does not need cabling.

“Yes, it is way cheaper and will increase competition. I believe it will force local providers to push their prices down.

“They (local players) will need to spend more to improve their services.

“The government also should be proactive to make internet access affordable.

“Zimbabwe is a digital economy and services that exist need internet connectivity like payment platforms, CCTV services just to name a few.”

At the mercy of sex predators: Shurugwi teen girls caught up between rock and hard place

Source: At the mercy of sex predators: Shurugwi teen girls caught up between rock and hard place – The Standard Elizabeth Gudhu (right) and some behaviour change facilitators at Chironde Clinic in Shurugwi For Nokuthula Zhou* being an adolescent in Gutsaruzhinji, a resettlement area, on the foot of the Boterekwa escarpment in Shurugwi was not […]

Source: At the mercy of sex predators: Shurugwi teen girls caught up between rock and hard place – The Standard

Elizabeth Gudhu (right) and some behaviour change facilitators at Chironde Clinic in Shurugwi

For Nokuthula Zhou* being an adolescent in Gutsaruzhinji, a resettlement area, on the foot of the Boterekwa escarpment in Shurugwi was not a bed of roses.

She had to stomach her church’s dogma that allows elderly men to marry “teenage” wives and simultaneously battling love “bids” from the marauding illegal gold panners on her way to and from Chironde Secondary School, 7km away.

 At the same time, Zhou had to contain growth spurts and puberty changes.

The now 27-year-old mother of one recounted how as an adolescent girl, 14 years ago, she was at the mercy of suitors, mainly elderly men in white robes and dirty overalls.

She was between a rock and a hard place.

“We were alienated from the congregation after my mother withdrew me from a church conference after she learnt that an elderly congregant wanted to take me as his third wife,” Zhou, who now operates a grocery shop in Mkoba suburb, Gweru, said.

A former member of the Johanne Marange African Apostolic Church, Zhou said she saw some of her friends being forced to marry elderly men in church while others were lured by the power of gold.

“My father said he was raised in a polygamous family and he never wanted us to be in such situations when we got married,” Zhou said.

“He said he was in this church because of his late father, but he was prepared to leave for anything that he did not believe in, that’s why he was forced out after my mother refused to hand me over to this elderly suitor.

“We were forced to abandon our home in Chironde to live in Shurugwi town where my father was working.”

Gutsaruzhinji is one of the resettlement areas set up by government as a cooperative shortly after independence with the aim of improving the livelihoods of rural communities.

However, despite the community being dominated by the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church there has been diminishing influence of the church’s doctrine and belief system over its members’ behaviour and conduct due to the invasion of the area by illegal gold miners.

Some members of the church also joined the illegal gold mining bandwagon and inherited all the malevolent acts that go with it.

A handful of villagers in Gutsaruzhinji have remained devoted to the church and are living by its dogma, while others have chosen to be part of the sect although sidelining some harmful practices.

“I am a member of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Church, and at 18, no one has bothered to marry me in church,” said Elizabeth Gudhu.

“My parents do not tolerate that and they have told me that I will marry whomever I want when I am ready.”

Gudhu, who desires to do a sewing course before she gets married, said she was among a few girls in the church with the privilege of having parents that protect their daughters.

“I think I am one of the luckiest,” she said.

“Instead, I am now moving around the community raising awareness on the dangers of early marriages.

“My other task is to engage members of our church to seek medical help in clinics or hospitals.”

Gudhu is among scores of adolescent girls and young women in Shurugwi district who have been engaged by a local non-governmental organisation — Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust (Awet) as behaviour change facilitators.

Awet programmes manager for Ward 18 in Shurugwi Ntombizodwa Revesai said her group was an inter-faith based organisation that is mandated to advance the rights of adolescents and women issues and mainstreaming of gender in apostolic church activities.

Chironde Clinic in ward 18 under Tongogara Rural District Council in Shurugwi

“We intend to change the negative perceptions society holds about the apostolic community through dealing with contemporary issues facing the apostolic community whilst being sensitive to the members’ expectations,” said Revesai.

She said her organisation was fully cognisant of the fact that apostolic churches have different beliefs, norms, values and perceptions on key social issues such as early/child marriage, education, HIV and Aids, maternal new-born child health, gender-based violence as well as adolescent sexual reproductive health and rights, among others.

Moreblessing Dhavu, who is a behaviour change facilitator in Ward 18 explained some of the situations that they have come across during the execution of their duties.

“There is a lot of gender-based violence in this community, mainly from members of the church and from illegal gold miners,” she said.

“Young girls bear the brunt of these people and they have no one to protect them.

“We have a situation where a violent illegal gold miner (referred to as Bhuru in local lingo) impregnated twins aged 15 years and he has refused to take responsibility.

“No one in the community wants to approach him because he is violent.

“It is his habit to impregnate young girls and refuse to take responsibility.”

Dhavu said families with their teenage girls were living in fear of the marauding illegal gold miners.

NAC district Aids coordinator for Shurugwi Peter Muzarakuza

“Some of these makorokozas are locals, but we now have others who came from other places lured by gold and they set up homes here,” she said.

“We have engaged police and community leaders over these issues, but they are yet to be addressed.”

Dhavu, however, said despite these challenges, she and her colleagues were moving around the community raising awareness on a number of issues.

“Part of my job is to visit homes of the apostolic church members whom I encourage to seek medical help when they fall ill,” she said.

“We condemn early or child marriages.

“As behaviour change facilitators, we are trying to change the mind-set of the community with regard to health-seeking behaviour.

“We sometimes face barriers as some families don’t allow us at their homes.”

Dhavu said they have seen a lot of improvement in the health-seeking behaviours of the apostolic church women.

“Some women even visit clinics secretly to get help while others would go to Shurugwi Hospital or Zvamabande clinic at Donga away from the community,” she said.

Peter Muzarakuza, the National Aids Council (NAC) district Aids coordinator for Shurugwi said they were working with a number of organisations in addressing issues that drive the spread of HIV.

“In this mining area of Shurugwi, there is thehigh risk of women in the apostolic sects engaging in unprotected sex because of their religious beliefs that family planning is against reproduction,” he said.

“The majority of girls and young women are married off early and are often faced with violence.”

According to data from NAC, Shurugwi is the epicentre of HIV in the Midlands Province, with the highest HIV infection rate of 15,62% while the HIV incidence rate is pegged at 0,4%.

Muzarakuza said Awet programmes in ward 18 were meant to help adolescent girls and young women embrace sexual and reproductive health rights.

Revesai said they noted some change of behaviour in the community.

“We conduct behaviour change training focusing on basic facts about HIV, hygiene, and the menstrual cycle and we noted a lot of change,” she said.

“A significant number of apostolic members are being tested for HIV, especially when they come for neonatal booking.

“The need for health education is high among the Marange Apostolic sect.”

Revesai said the apostolic church members were now making their own sanitary wear with funding from Unki Mine for personal use, for donation in the community, and resale at a lower price.

“We recently purchased 30 singer sewing machines and two over-locking machines for use by the girls and young women in manufacturing the sanitary pads,” she said.

NAC provincial manager for Midlands Mambeu Shumba said they have come up with a cocktail of intervention programmes in mining communities such as Shurugwi.

“We have programmes where we raise awareness on HIV and Aids, especially targeting these hotspot areas like Shurugwi,” he said.

“We also have peer-led intervention programmes in these communities and we also have condom distribution programmes.”

Mambeu said they have also partnered a number of organisations to address other issues such as gender-based violence, which is rife in mining communities.

Gender-based violence is a cause and consequence of HIV — it increases the risk of HIV transmission and is used against people living with HIV and key populations at higher risk of HIV infection.

According to UNAids, in 2020, 4 900 young women or adolescent girls aged 15-24 became infected with HIV every week.

One in three women and adolescent girls around the world have suffered physical and/or sexual violence from their husbands, male partners or strangers.

“Gender-based violence is rampant here, particularly for adolescent girls and young women who have to endure the violent illegal gold miners and apostolic church members,” Dhavu said.

“We need to get rid of these harmful practices.”

Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko said no one was above the law and communities should report to the police any act of violence.

“Everyone is subject to the constitution and the law and no-one including Mabhuru is above the law,” he said.

“As police we are mandated to protect communities, including those with rogue elements.

“We only act when a report is made.”

Mahoko encouraged communities to report cases of gender-based violence and other forms of violence.

* Not her real name

Minister drawn into forex scandal 

Source: Minister drawn into forex scandal – The Standard Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe and police commissioner General Godwin Matanga have been dragged to court for refusing to arrest a Chinese national who used to supply leather products to the army, prisons and police for corruption and money laundering. Chinese […]

Source: Minister drawn into forex scandal – The Standard

Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe

Home Affairs minister Kazembe Kazembe and police commissioner General Godwin Matanga have been dragged to court for refusing to arrest a Chinese national who used to supply leather products to the army, prisons and police for corruption and money laundering.

Chinese national Li Song, who was a co-director of Eagle Italian Leather Company, allegedly cooked documents for the purpose of buying foreign currency from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) before transferring the money into an offshore Mauritius bank account for CureChem Company.

Eagle Italian Leather company supplies leather products to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).

The applicant, Francesco Marconati, cited officer in charge, Commercial Crimes Division, Detective Assistant Inspector Rungano Paduze, Detective Sergeant Tadious Shenjere, Matanga and Kazembe as the respondents respectively in his High Court application.

Marconati is the director of Eagle Italian Leather Company with 51% shareholding and is being represented by Obey Shava of Shava Law Chambers.

 

 

According to Marconati, sometime in August 2021, Song hatched a plan to steal from the company and generated a profoma invoice number ZIMBP2119 dated August 20, 2021.

The profoma invoice was purportedly raised by Curechem Holdings Limited domiciled at Number 201/2A, 2nd Floor, 1 Cybercity, Ebene, Mauritius.

The invoice was quoting 60 tonnes of hydrate lime at the price of US$13 800 and 60 tonnes sodium cyanide for US$144 000 for Strengthened Investments Private Limited.

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Armed with the invoice, Song allegedly approached Ecobank Zimbabwe’s Borrowdale branch, Harare and applied for foreign currency through the RBZ Foreign Exchange Auction System.

 

 

On September 6, 2021, Song allegedly made a transfer of $6 538 625 from Marconati’s Ecobank local currency account number 5712000009793 for the purchase of foreign currency at RBZ.

On March 28, 2022, the complainant’s foreign currency account number 5783600044545 was credited with US$157 275.15 from the RBZ Foreign Exchange Auction System.

On April 12, 2022, the accused transferred US$78 266.06 and US$77 461.65 on  April 13, 2022 into Curechem Holdings Limited’s bank account in Mauritius.

Marconati alleges that this was in violation of the country’s laws.

After the externalisation of funds was discovered, on October 7, 2021, the company passed a resolution to remove Song as one of the directors and the matter was reported to the police.

Marconati said preliminary investigations were done by Bulawayo Police before the matter was referred to CCD Harare.

According to Marconatti, the case was being handled by Detective Sergeant Shenjere.

“A warrant of search and seizure was issued to Detective Sergeant Shenjere in respect of any documents required from Ecobank Zimbabwe for purposes of his investigations,” Marconatti submitted.

“On or about December 13, 2022, my lawyers wrote to the officer-in-charge CCD following up on the progress and requesting the police to at least communicate anything in case they are facing any challenges.

“Nothing to date has been communicated.”

He added: “I submit that the police have failed to perform any of the duties outlined above.

“I reported the case in 2021, and to date, Song has not been taken to court despite the availability of overwhelming evidence and the fact that some cases l reported are straightforward.”

In his application, Marconati is seeking a declaratory relief ascertaining his right to equal protection and benefit from the law.

Marconati said the failure by the police to investigate and submit dockets in respect of complaints he filed between 2021 and 2022 violates his right to equality before the law.

“The respondents have breached their constitutional duty by refusing to act upon the complaints I filed with them, which complaints relate to offences committed in violation of my property rights,” he submitted.

“Respondents have refused to protect my rights through the use of the criminal justice system, which protection and benefit l am entitled to by operation of the law.

“I have been deprived of this right. I have been treated differently.

“All my complaints, despite respondents admitting that there was a reasonable suspicion that a crime was committed, were neither investigated nor prosecuted.

“My attempts to assert my rights have been futile so far.”

He added: “I am left with no option but to approach this court for the vindication of my rights as I am constitutionally entitled to do.

“The failure by the police to perform their duties is detrimental to my property and business interests at large.

“What is now apparent is that instead of maintaining law and order; the police are aiding, abetting and harbouring a criminal offence.

“The police have become an impediment to law and order, which is not what it was established for.

“It is clear that someone within the police service is protecting Song at the expense of maintaining law and order.”