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Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi confirmed that Tshuma will be extradited to the UK once all the paperwork has been finalised.

Source: Zimbabwean man accused of killing his family in the UK to remain behind bars in SA | The Citizen

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BEDFORD, England – A post-mortem examination has confirmed that a mother and her two young daughters, whose bodies were discovered at their home in Great Denham, died from blunt force injuries, as the man accused of their murders made his first court appearance in South Africa.

The bodies of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma, 42, her 15-year-old daughter Natalie, and five-year-old Nala were found at their home on Carnoustie Drive last week after police forced entry into the property following concerns raised by relatives and neighbours who had not seen the family for several days.

The forensic findings were released on Monday, coinciding with the first court appearance of the family’s husband and father, Ndodana Mkhanyisi Tshuma, 45, also known as Mark, before the Johannesburg Magistrates’ Court. He was remanded in custody pending further legal proceedings.

British authorities allege that Tshuma fled the United Kingdom shortly after the killings. He was arrested in South Africa following an international manhunt. On July 8, Bedfordshire Police released CCTV images of the suspect and confirmed that he was wanted on three counts of murder.

The case has drawn widespread attention in both the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe, where the victims have family ties, prompting close cooperation between British and South African law enforcement agencies.

Detective Inspector Lee Martin, the senior investigating officer, said the investigation remains active and appealed to the public to avoid speculation that could prejudice ongoing legal proceedings.

“The Crown Prosecution Service has authorised three charges of murder, and our investigation remains ongoing,” Martin said. “At this stage, we are unable to comment further on the circumstances surrounding the deaths. We will continue working closely with the CPS and our international law enforcement partners as the judicial process progresses.”

Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings, and extradition proceedings are expected to form part of the next stage of the case as UK authorities seek to return Tshuma to Britain to face trial.

The post Post-Mortem Confirms Mother and Two Daughters Died from Blunt Force Injuries as Murder Suspect Appears in South African Court appeared first on The Zimbabwe Mail.

Source: Churches mobilise support for Zimbabweans fleeing SA violence  -Newsday Zimbabwe

BULAWAYO, Jul. 13 (NewsDay Live) – Churches have launched an emergency support programme to assist thousands of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa following anti-migrant protests and xenophobic violence.

Zimbabwe Heads of Christian Denominations (ZHOCD) leader Bishop Lazarus Mpande Khanye said churches in Bulawayo had partnered with government agencies to provide temporary accommodation, food, counselling and transport for returnees arriving through Beitbridge Border Post.

“We met with other churches in Bulawayo to discuss how we could assist returnees coming through Beitbridge after the government and other well-wishers donated buses to transport people from Musina,” Khanye told NewsDay.

“We made arrangements to find venues where these people could be accommodated upon arrival.”

Khanye said many of the returnees were arriving with few personal belongings after fleeing the unrest and were being provided with meals, spiritual counselling, prayer services and transport to their home areas.

The church-led initiative is being coordinated with the Bulawayo Civil Protection Committee under the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, alongside government departments responsible for civil registration, health services and disaster response.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube said officials from several government departments had been deployed to reception centres to assist returnees, particularly those who lost identity documents while fleeing South Africa.

“Upon arrival, the civil registration desk collects their details for birth certificate and national identity registration. We have several departments here assisting returnees with critical issues,” Ncube said.

The intervention comes as Zimbabwe experiences a growing influx of citizens returning from South Africa following anti-migrant protests that have displaced both documented and undocumented foreign nationals.

Church leaders said they would continue working with government and humanitarian partners to ensure returnees receive immediate humanitarian assistance while calling for longer-term programmes to help them reintegrate into their communities and rebuild their livelihoods.

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Source: Government activates emergency response as Zimbabweans return from South Africa -Newsday Zimbabwe

BULAWAYO, Jul. 13 (NewsDay Live) – The government has activated a multi-agency emergency response to assist thousands of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa following anti-migrant protests and xenophobic violence.

Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Judith Ncube said reception centres had been established to provide returning citizens with civil registration, healthcare and other essential services as authorities manage the growing influx.

Speaking at the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa’s Njube Assembly in Bulawayo, where returnees are being received, Ncube said officials from several government departments had been deployed to support those arriving from South Africa.

“Upon arrival, the civil registration desk collects their details for birth certificate and national identity registration. We have several departments here assisting returnees with critical issues,” she said.

Ncube said many returnees had crossed the border without identity documents or other personal belongings after fleeing the unrest, prompting the Civil Registry Department to expedite the processing of national identity cards and birth certificates.

She added that health workers, local government officials and other state agencies were also providing medical assessments, psychosocial support and other emergency services.

The reception programme comes as increasing numbers of Zimbabweans return home after anti-migrant protests spread across parts of South Africa, forcing many foreign nationals to leave their homes and workplaces.

While concerns have been raised about the pressure the influx could place on local resources, Ncube said the government remained committed to assisting all returning Zimbabwean citizens.

Civic organisations in Bulawayo have meanwhile called on authorities to complement the emergency response with longer-term reintegration programmes, including employment support, skills development and social protection measures, as more returnees continue to arrive.

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Source: ZESA reserves 150MW for winter wheat farming -Newsday Zimbabwe

Winter wheat farmers have been assured of adequate support this season with the country’s power utility reportedly also reserving 150 megawatts for the season.

Permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Obert Jiri, said the government had put in place comprehensive measures to ensure farmers have the necessary support from planting through to harvest.

He said seed availability had not been a challenge ahead of the wheat season, while fertiliser supplies had been secured despite pressures on global markets.

“Seed was never a stumbling block going into this season. On fertiliser, there were some challenges in the global market, but we had anticipated that and ensured that there were adequate supplies in the country before the season started,” he said.

Jiri said water availability had also remained stable, particularly for irrigation farmers who account for the bulk of wheat production.

Power supply, which remains critical for irrigation based wheat farming, has received special attention, with the ministry working closely with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) and Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC).

“We have meetings with ZESA and ZETDC every two weeks to make sure that farmers have adequate power for irrigation,” he said.

The permanent secretary said ZESA had reserved 150 megawatts specifically for wheat farmers, adding that no major power interruptions had affected irrigation activities during the current season.

“So far, we are assuring our farmers that there is no challenge as far as power is concerned for their yield,” Jiri said.

He said farmers had been organised into wheat clusters, with each cluster linked to ZESA through dedicated communication platforms to ensure faults were reported and attended to quickly.

With production targets on track, the ministry has now shifted focus towards improving yields, with a target of increasing productivity by 30 percent through better irrigation scheduling, fertiliser management and effective pest control.

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