Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Maritime, aviation added to national response plan – herald

Zvamaida Murwira

Senior Reporter

GOVERNMENT will include maritime and aviation issues in its national multi-hazard contingency plan to unlock assistance and cover during carnages, as happened in the Kariba ferry disaster.

It also emerged that the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) disbursed US$20 000 to complement Government initiatives in mitigating costs for the deceased and survivors in the  Rural Infrastructure Development Agency ferry, which has since been declared a State of Disaster.

This was said by Civil Protection Unit Chief Director in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, Mr Nathan Nkomo, during a Star FM current Affairs radio programme, Muriro on Monday, which unpacked the Rida owned ferry boat disaster that claimed several lives.

Mr Nkomo said the Kariba maritime disaster provided a learning curve on disaster management and identified gaps that ought to be plugged.

“When you look at our national multi-hazard contingency plan, the maritime-related disasters are not included in the national multi-hazard contingency plan.

“These are the areas where compliance must be of high note and these are the areas we omitted to include: maritime-related disasters. But it’s a lesson. Every disaster is a learning curve,” said Mr Nkomo.

“So we have learned that we should not leave any area behind, be it aviation, be it maritime issues. They must also be included in the national multi-hazard contingency plan because the national multi-hazard contingency plan is a rallying tool for all ministries, departments and agencies to deal with disasters in their respective areas.”

He said several organisations had partnered with the Government in providing assistance to families to mitigate the effects of the disaster.

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Source: Kariba ferry heads to mainland for probe – herald

Walter Nyamukondiwa in KARIBA

ENGINEERS and technical experts yesterday moved a gantry to the Twin Sister Islands in Lake Kariba to overturn the capsized RIDA Mbuya Nehanda ferry ahead of its towing to mainland Kariba for a full-scale investigation.

This came as the death toll rose to 95 following the recovery of another body.

Divers conducted a final sweep of the vessel’s compartments to establish whether any bodies remained inside, before the ferry is lifted and towed to Andora Harbour for further investigations. The technical probe will seek to establish whether structural or mechanical factors contributed to the tragedy, with preliminary investigations pointing to human error compounded by rough weather conditions.

Freelance specialist diver Mr Wonder Mujokeri confirmed that the gantry had arrived at the vessel’s location.

“We conducted final searches of the ferry’s compartments to rule out the possibility of any bodies remaining,” said Mr Mujokeri.

“The gantry arrived this afternoon (yesterday) to overturn the boat and prepare it for towing to the mainland.”

The operation marks the beginning of the inquiry ordered by Government as authorities seek answers over the deaths of 95 people.

Meanwhile, the holding camp for survivors at Mahombekombe Primary School is now empty after all 67 people who had been accommodated there returned to their homes.

Local Government Services director for Mashonaland West province, Mrs Cecilia Chitiyo, said all six bodies that had remained unclaimed at Kariba District Hospital had been positively identified and collected for burial.

“However, the relatives later said the body was not that of their relative and returned it, meaning we now have one unclaimed body,” said Mrs Chitiyo.

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Source: Mutapa moves to formalise Phoenix Prince artisanal mining – herald

Nelson Gahadza

Senior Business Reporter

State-owned Mutapa Gold Resources is moving to formalise artisanal mining operations at Phoenix Prince mining lease in Bindura following years of unauthorised activity, with contractual arrangements aimed at improving production, safety and gold accountability.

Small-scale and artisanal mining accounts for more than 60 percent of Zimbabwe’s gold production, which reached a record 46,7 tonnes last year, up from 36,48 tonnes the prior year.

Zimbabwe is targeting 50 tonnes of gold this year. Deliveries to the Fidelity Gold Refinery reached 26.05 tonnes between January and July 2026, putting the country at 52,1 percent of its annual goal.

The 160-hectare Phoenix Prince lease is owned by the gold-mining group’s subsidiary, Freda Rebeca, one of Zimbabwe’s largest gold miners.

Under the new model, miners, shaft operators and service providers will continue operating under Mutapa’s supervision, with the company overseeing production, safety, costs and the movement of gold. In return, Mutapa will receive 30 percent of gross revenue generated by the operations.

Mutapa Gold general manager for contract mining, Engineer Tirivashe Vere, said the company inherited more than four years of unauthorised mining at Phoenix Prince and had opted for reorganisation rather than eviction.

“Phoenix Prince is an extension of Mining Lease 21, which belongs to Freda Rebecca Mine and Mutapa Gold Resources.

“As we have taken over the footprint of the Phoenix Prince area, we intend to formalise what the artisanal miners or operators were working on there,” he said.

The 160-hectare area has more than 50 artisanal miners who have already been reinstated, while draft contracts have been issued to processors operating round mills, leach tanks and carbon-in-pulp plants.

“Mutapa expects to finalise all agreements by the end of this month.

Eng Vere said historical production is estimated at 1 000 tonnes of ore per day, noting that Mutapa expects contractors, initially, to process between 300 and 400 tonnes daily, or about 9 000 tonnes a month.

“At an indicative grade of 1 gram per tonne and recovery of 60 to 70 percent, the company sees scope to build a more structured and productive operation,” he said.

Eng Vere said grades vary across Phoenix Prince, with some deposits close to the surface and others extending deeper underground; hence has commenced exploration to establish the economic potential of the resource.

Mutapa plans to formalise the entire value chain, requiring all participants to have a legal identity and pass due diligence.

“There is no contract without a head,” Mr Vere said, emphasising the need for clearly identified parties responsible for operations.

He noted that access and site management will also be tightened, with shaft operators barred from holding claims for speculative purposes.

“Project managers will supervise daily activities, while non-performing contractors risk losing their contracts and if you are not performing, you are going to be chucked out,” Eng Vere said.

He also highlighted that Mutapa will introduce identity checks, access controls and restrictions on outside interactions to reduce conflicts and gold leakages.

The company will also deploy geologists, mining engineers, metallurgists and surveyors to assess underground conditions, monitor production volumes and coordinates and provide technical support.

“We’re also going to do the exercise of looking at the whole citing of works and that brings up maybe cancelling off some of the unsafe areas, bringing up new safer working zones, or rearranging what is there,” said Eng Vere.

In the longer term, Eng Vere said Mutapa sees potential for some artisanal miners to transition into deeper, mechanised operations where operations can reach depths of about 1 000 metres.

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Source: Geopolitical tensions, SA unrest exert pressure on Nampak costs – herald

Business Reporter

Nampak Zimbabwe expects heightened geopolitical tensions and the recent unrest in South Africa to maintain pressure on operating costs despite an anticipated recovery in tobacco packaging and plastics volumes.

Group managing director and executive director Mr John van Gend said tensions in the Gulf region and the Russia-Ukraine conflict were likely to continue driving volatility in fuel and raw material prices, while anti-immigrant demonstrations in South Africa could weigh on regional economic activity.

Nampak, however, noted that the operating environment remained relatively stable during the quarter, supported by stable ZiG and subdued inflation.

However, tight management of ZiG liquidity continued to shift a greater proportion of transactions towards the United States dollar.

“The recent anti-immigrant demonstrations in South Africa may negatively affect regional economic activity through increased repatriation of foreign nationals and disruption to diaspora remittance flows,” van Gend said in the company’s trading update for the third quarter ended June 30, 2026.

He said unreliable electricity supplies, particularly in Ruwa, also increased the company’s reliance on generators, adding to production costs.

Rising fuel and raw material prices further squeezed margins across the group.

In terms of performance Nampaks group revenue for the nine months to June 30, 2026 rose 9 percent to US$67,8 million, while volumes increased 16 percent compared with the prior year.

The volume growth was largely driven by a substantial carry-over of late-season tobacco case orders from the local tobacco industry during the first quarter.

Third-quarter volumes increased year-on-year, supported by improved demand for plastic and tobacco packaging.

However, metal packaging volumes declined significantly due to subdued market demand and raw material supply chain disruptions.

Despite the improved revenue and volume performance, profitability remained under pressure from rising costs and competitive market pricing.

In the printing and converting segment, Hunyani Corrugated Products recorded a 26 percent increase in volumes for the nine months, benefiting from the larger tobacco crop and increased carton demand during the first quarter.

Third-quarter tobacco sector sales volumes rose three percent year-on-year, with management expecting demand to remain resilient through the end of the tobacco season.

Commercial carton volumes, however, fell nine percent as some customers shifted to in-house manufacturing.

The Cartons, Labels and Sacks division recorded an eight percent decline in third-quarter sales volumes and a five percent decline for the nine months, with the business focusing on operational efficiencies to improve competitiveness.

In the plastics and metals segment, Mega Pak recorded an eight percent increase in nine-month volumes, while third-quarter sales volumes jumped 14 percent year-on-year as demand recovered across product categories.

However, margin compression and increased power outages in Ruwa weighed on performance.

Although investment in generators helped minimise production disruptions, competitive pressures limited the company’s ability to pass on higher energy costs to customers.

Carnaud Metalbox recorded a four percent increase in nine-month volumes after recovering from production-related stoppages in the first quarter.

Third-quarter volumes rose 14 percent, supported by a 33 percent increase in HDPE volumes following stronger customer demand and capacity enhancements.

Going forward, Nampak said it expects to benefit from the larger tobacco crop in its paper operations and continued volume recovery in plastics.

Nampak said it remains focused on improving operational efficiency, controlling costs and strengthening cash generation to support sustainable growth.

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Source: FBC opens Gwanda service centre to bring banking services closer to customers – herald

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu sukulwenkosi.dube@chronicle.co.zw

GWANDA residents and businesses will no longer have to travel to Bulawayo or Zvishavane to access selected FBC financial services following the opening of a new service centre in the Matabeleland South provincial capital.

The new facility, located at the Nssa Complex, is expected to reduce the cost and inconvenience of accessing banking and financial services for residents while providing cross-border traders and travellers with a safer way to manage their money when travelling to South Africa.

The service centre offers banking solutions through FBC Bank and Crown Bank, insurance services through FBC Insurance and micro-financing facilities through Micro Plan.

One of the key products being introduced to the Gwanda market is the FBC Rand MasterCard, a South African rand-denominated payment solution designed to meet the needs of cross-border traders and travellers.

The card allows clients to load South African currency directly onto the card for use in South Africa and on international MasterCard platforms, reducing the need to carry large amounts of cash.

In an interview, FBC Holdings head of group marketing Mr Roy Nyakunuwa said the new service centre formed part of the financial services group’s strategy to bring services closer to customers.

“We are commissioning an FBC service centre in Gwanda today. The service centre offers banking solutions for FBC Bank and Crown Bank. It also offers insurance solutions through FBC

Insurance and micro financing through Micro Plan,” he said.

“Micro Plan was already existing in Gwanda but we have moved it to the new service centre in Nssa Complex.”

Mr Nyakunuwa said customers would be able to open accounts, apply for loans, obtain MasterCards and access other banking services at the centre.

He said the Rand MasterCard was particularly suited to Gwanda because of the town’s proximity to South Africa and the significant movement of traders between Gwanda, Musina and Johannesburg.

“One of the most interesting solutions we have for the Gwanda market is the FBC Rand MasterCard. This is a MasterCard purely denominated in Rands where clients can directly load their Rands onto the card,” said Mr Nyakunuwa.

The product, he said, would help reduce the security risks associated with carrying large amounts of cash while travelling.

Mr Nyakunuwa said there had been reports of travellers being robbed while travelling along the highway to South Africa carrying substantial sums of money.

“After taking into account the proximity of Gwanda to South Africa and the trade which happens between Gwanda, Musina and Johannesburg, where people travel quite often to get wares for resale and business, we are offering a safe and secure solution which travellers can use as they travel to South Africa,” he said.

Mr Nyakunuwa said bringing services closer to customers was a deliberate response to concerns raised by clients who had previously been forced to travel long distances to access banking services.

“We are a customer-obsessed institution and we listen to what our customers say to us. Our customers were travelling from Gwanda to Bulawayo or Zvishavane to access banking services. We are now cutting that distance and we are saying we have brought banking closer to the people,” he said.

The new service centre has been welcomed by Gwanda residents, some of whom said travelling to other cities for basic banking services had been costly and inconvenient.

Ms Talent Ncube said the opening of the centre was a long-awaited development.

“It comes as a huge relief to see FBC open a branch here in Gwanda. I was even considering switching banks and moving to one which has a branch in Gwanda,” she said.

“It has been a huge inconvenience for me to be travelling to Bulawayo to get banking services. Even when faced with a small problem, I was being told that I have to visit my nearest FBC branch and that’s in Bulawayo.”

Ms Ncube said she had previously postponed replacing a worn-out ATM card because of the distance she had to travel.

“I was supposed to get my ATM card replaced because it’s worn out, but I was always contemplating because of the distance I was supposed to travel, about 130km just for an ATM card replacement,” she said.

For local businesses, the Rand MasterCard is expected to provide an additional payment option for traders who frequently travel to South Africa to source stock.

Mr Nkanyiso Moyo, a Gwanda businessman, said he intended to open an account with FBC so that he could use the Rand MasterCard when travelling to South Africa.

The development comes as Gwanda continues to expand as a mining and commercial hub, with its strategic proximity to the Beitbridge corridor creating opportunities for cross-border trade and other economic activity.

FBC Holdings has a diversified financial services portfolio covering commercial banking, mortgage financing, short-term insurance, reinsurance, securities trading and micro-financing.

Its subsidiaries include FBC Bank Limited, FBC Building Society, FBC Reinsurance, FBC Securities, Micro-Plan Financial Services and FBC Insurance.

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