BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

BULAWAYO municipal police are reportedly making a killing from commuter omnibus operators who pick and drop passengers at undesignated points.

The picking and dropping of passengers at undesignated points is an offence under council’s by-laws.

In the past, municipal police would clamp and tow away vehicles operating from these areas, with offenders paying fines.

However, of late, it is now free for all with even unregistered kombis allegedly operating freely after paying $5 to corrupt municipal police.

“The municipal police are now like our new rank marshals, where for one to be allowed to load passengers, they must have paid a fee of $5 to them,” Nkosi Ndlovu, a kombi driver, said.

A number of undesignated pick-up and drop-off points mushroomed in the central business district (CBD) after the closure of the Basch Street terminus, popularly known as Egodini.

South African civil engineering firm, Terracorta, was awarded a tender to develop Egodini into a state-of-the-art regional transport hub and mall at a cost of $60 million.

“I used to rank at Egodini, but after its closure, I now look for passengers outside Tredgold Building, but after paying the $5 to the municipal police,” one of the kombi drivers, Richard Moyo, said.

Bulawayo City Council director of security and enforcement, Sikhangele Zhou, recently said council was not aware of the shenanigans by municipal police and urged people to report to council.

“If any allegations are brought forward, they will be investigated and anyone found to be taking bribes will be brought to book,” she said.

However, this is all happening despite the council having a public transport policy that regulates the services of commuter transport operators in the city.

Under the policy, only vehicles registered under a company are allowed to provide public transport in the city to guarantee a controlled and organised transport system that ensures the safety of residents.

It was unveiled in 2011.

The public transport policy (PTP) calls for among others, having timetables and properly designated pick up and drop off points to ensure an efficient and reliable public transport system.

Currently, three commuter omnibus companies Tshova Mubaiwa Cooperative, Bulawayo City Transport Trust and Bulawayo United Pubic Transport Association are registered under BCC’s PTP.

Editorial Comment

YESTERDAY, Christmas Eve, was reminiscent of the 2008 version when thousands of citizens woke up in the early hours of the morning to join long meandering queues to access their trillion Zimbabwe dollars stuck in banks. By the end of day on that 2008 Christmas Eve, citizens across the country left banking halls dejected after only a few had managed to withdraw bundles of dollars that were not even enough to board a commuter omnibus back home as the Zimbabwe dollar made its last frantic kicks before it succumbed to marauding hyperinflation in the new year.

And yesterday, as the sun set thousands of citizens left banking halls empty handed and headed back home for a gloomy Christmas after failing to access just $100 of the resuscitated Zimbabwe dollar in a cruel repeat of the 2008 ordeal. Also queuing elsewhere were other citizens waiting for fuel supplies at service stations that have been perpetually dry for months. This was despite Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube having promised the nation a Christmas box full of enough fuel and food.

“We are doing everything we can to make sure that there is more fuel. You know we import the product so we will be allocating as much foreign currency as we can through the lines of credit.
Of course, the queues are long, but you know what is happening with the queues as well. Everyone gets afraid and then they queue even if they don’t have to, to make sure that their three or two cars have fuel so there is a sharp increase in demand for fuel,” so said Ncube.

But today, many will be celebrating Christmas on empty tanks and stomachs simply because Ncube delivered an empty Christmas box to the nation. There was no fuel in the box, serve at some isolated service stations. Neither was there the promised food, in whatever form he had envisaged to deliver it to more than seven million people staring hunger in the face.

It is also quite unsettling to note that the Finance minister is convinced that people park in fuel queues for the kicks. The minister also believes that everyone in this country has more than one car, which has given rise to the prevailing fuel crisis. Ncube’s attitude clearly shows that his life is worlds apart from that of the majority of Zimbabwean who barely managing to keep their noses above the water. It is now evident that he has never parked his car in a fuel queue, even for just five minutes. Neither has he ever experienced what it is like to sleep on an empty stomach, because if he ever did he would not even have made the empty promises to a hungry and immobile people who are fast forgetting what Christmas entailed. The same applies to his principal, President Emmerson Mnangagwa who keeps rambling on about the good times ahead despite evidence to the contrary.

BY TERRY MADYAUTA

Despite leading FC Platinum to their third Castle Lager Premier Soccer League title on the trot, interim coach Lizwe Sweswe has not passed the test and is set to revert to his position as assistant coach with the club on the hunt for a substantive coach to fill the void left by Norman Mapeza.

FC Platinum defeated Caps United last Saturday to clinch the title and many expected that Sweswe would be elevated to the top post, but the hierarchy at the platinum miners is not convinced he can take them where they want.

NewsDay Sport is informed that Dynamos and Highlanders coaches Tonderai Ndiraya and Pieter de Jongh have been sounded over the job in the last few months.

De Jongh’s contract with Highlanders expires at the end of this month.

FC Platinum spokesperson Chido Chizondo said that Sweswe still had a contract as an assistant coach that runs until next year.

“We are still participating in the Champions League and coach Sweswe has a running contract until 2020. If there are any changes, we will advise,” she said.

While in the domestic league he passed the test by winning the title, it is in the Caf Champions League where he appears to be falling short with the team struggling in the group phase where they are yet to regitster at least a draw after two matches.

FC Platinum kicked off the group stage with a 2-1 defeat to Al Hilal of Sudan before being pummelled 3-0 by Tunisia’s Etoile du Sahel at Barbourfields Stadium two weeks ago. The Zvishavane-based side had set its sights on improving from their previous outing last year.

They wanted to step up and at least progress to the knockout stages of the tournament, but from the way they have fared so far they are likely to fall by the wayside.

While they sought improvement the results so far have shown that they have regressed after shipping in five goals and scoring one in the two matches.

To his credit though, it was Sweswe who led the team to the group stage of the premier continental club showcase, yet doubts over his capabilities still remain.

He will preside over the team in their next Champions League match against Egyptian giants Al Ahly next Saturday.

After that they will host the eight-time continental champions on Valentine’s Day.

Meanwhile, FC Platinum has signed Manica Diamonds midfielder Stanley Ngala as they make their first step towards fortifying their squad for next year.

Triangle’s Ralph Kawondera will also officially become an FC Platinum player once his contract runs out at the end of this month.

More arrivals are expected in the next three months as the platinum miners look to beef up their squad considering they lost a number of players this year and that they will be playing in the 2020-21 Caf Champions League that kicks off in August.

BY VENERANDA LANGA/PHYLLIS MBANJE

HEALTH minister Obadiah Moyo has told Parliament that Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) drugs, whose side effects cause abnormal fat distribution in patients’ bodies, were no longer in use in the country as more effective regimens were being administered.

Moyo revealed this in a ministerial statement issued on his behalf in the National Assembly on Thursday last week by Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation minister Kirsty Coventry.

The Health ministry has over the years successfully rolled out the ART programme with over 1,1 million people receiving the life-prolonging medication.

The Health Committee had demanded that the minister issue a statement in the House on anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs shortages and alleged issuance of expired drugs.

“We select the best available ARV regimens for people living with HIV in Zimbabwe, based on their safety, availability in the global market and cost,” Moyo said.

“We have abnormal distribution of fat among people living with HIV as one of the side effects of some ARVs that were used during the earlier years when the ART programme was introduced in Zimbabwe and these medicines that include stophavine and donus were phased out of our national programme some years back and, therefore, we stopped buying these drugs,” he said.

Moyo said the Health ministry had introduced a new drug called dolutegravir (DTG), which has fewer side effects.

“DTG is effective and causes a rapid treatment response with evidence of viral suppression. The ministry will continue to mobilise resources to ensure that the best ARV medicines are available to all that are in need of them. The ministry advises lifestyle changes including low fat diets, regular exercise and cessation of smoking,” he said.

“We normally adapt treatment recommendations from the World Health Organisation as advised by the multi-disciplinary team of experts from our own Zimbabwe National Medicines and Therapeutic Policies Advisory Committee.”

Norton MP Temba Mliswa demanded that Moyo must personally avail himself in Parliament so that MPs can ask follow up questions instead of sending Coventry to issue the statement on his behalf.

In a related matter, Indian pharmaceutical firm Cipla has come up with a strawberry-flavoured, four-in-one ARV drug for pediatrics which costs less than a dollar per day.

Treating HIV in children has been a challenge because the drugs come as hard pills or bitter syrups, which have proved to be kids and babies unfriendly.

However, quadrimune, a pleasantly tasting, heat-stable medicine is currently under review by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in children between 3kg and 25kg bodyweight.

Commenting on the development, director for the AIDS and TB unit in the Health ministry Owen Mugurungi said it was the ideal option.

“This is what we have always preferred. A dispersible tablet which makes it easier for the young ones to take. We welcome this development,” he said.

The quadrimune was developed in partnership by Cipla and the not-for-profit Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) with financial support from Unitaid and other donors.

If it receives FDA tentative approval in 2020, the drug will represent a major improvement in the treatment of HIV in young children and will replace older, bitter-tasting medicines, medicines requiring refrigeration, or regimens that are no longer recommended by the World Health Organisation.

Bernard Pécoul, executive director of DNDi said: “Mothers were often forced to bury the syrup in the sand to keep it cool, because it required refrigeration.”

It is estimated that 1,8 million children are living with HIV, almost 90% of them living in sub-Saharan Africa. Only an estimated 54% of these children have access to HIV treatment and over 300 children are dying from the disease every day.

“We still have challenges in access to treatment for some children. Their guardians or foster parents may not be forthcoming in presenting the children to get tested and be out on treatment,” Mugurungi made an impassioned plea for guardians to seek treatment for the children.

By Freeman Makopa

Harare basketball league will launch a new-look Super Saturday schedule today where top teams will battle it out at the City Sports Centre.

Unlike in the past where the Super Saturday featured two of the biggest teams, the new concept will see four giants battling it out on the same day and at the same venue.

Harare Basketball Association (HBA) president David Pick said this was aimed at giving the game a fresh and more attractive look.

“Super Saturday is a new initiative. We have always had a scenario where we fixture two of the biggest teams in one weekend, but this is a new initiative whereby all the top-four teams get to play each other in both the men’s A and B leagues as wells as the women’s A and B,” he said.

“We are taking this as a huge marketing drive, whereby people come and watch the most exciting games all packed up in one venue. We are also appealing for sponsors out there to come and witness what basketball is all about,” he said.

Pick said since they had covered half of the season, the games would mark the end of the first half of the season, adding that they were expecting fun-filled action.

HBA has witnessed surprises in the past weeks with big teams, Hornets and JBC losing to Foxes and HLF Raiderz respectively in the men’s category.

Hornets will look to bounce back from last week’s stumble as they bid to win the title.

HBA has been linked with various initiatives aimed at returning the sport to its former glory and are working on introducing more female coaches in the league.

However, like any other sporting organisation, HBA has bemoaned lack of funding as the main hindrance to the growth of the sport.

Some of the top fixtures to look forward to today include top-of-the-table clash between JBC and Hornets in the men’s category which will be the last fixture setting off at 8:30pm.

Before that Foxes will take on HLF Raiderz and in the women’s section Bunnies will do battle with Harare City Hornets.

By PRAISEMORE SITHOLE

Gwanda residents have accused their municipality of trying to defraud them of their housing stands by claiming they had failed to develop them.

The municipality announced in November that it was repossessing 215 residential stands which have remained undeveloped for a long period.

It then gave December 5 as the deadline, a cut-off residents are contesting.

“Notice is hereby given in terms of Section 152 (2) of the Urban Councils Act (Chapter 29:15) that it is the intention of the municipality of Gwanda to repossess and re-allocate the residential stands listed here under to other applicants on the council waiting list following that the original holders have failed to develop the said stands,” read the notice.

However, the residents have refused to be cowed into submission accusing the local authority of using sinister means to repossess what belongs to them.

Gwanda Residents Association (GRA) chairperson Bekezela Fuzwayo said they were not going to stand idle and let council grab the stands in violation of the Urban Councils Act.

“Surprisingly, some of the stands listed for repossession already have title deeds and certainly makes it impossible for council to move on them,” Fuzwayo said.

“The residents association is involved on the matter and is making investigations on it. It has since emerged that the council resolution to repossess the stands was done irregularly without following due processes.

“We have since noted that (this is a) council fund raising move by threatening to repossess the stands. We are aware of the huge back log in salary payments that council is trying to clear using proceeds from land sales which on its own is criminal,” Fuzwayo said.

Gwanda mayor, Jastone Mazhale, however, shot down the claim by residents indicating that the aim of the notice was to encourage stand holders to develop their land adding that some of the stands had gone for about 20 years without being developed.

Mazhale argued the municipality desired to see development in the town.

However, residents insisted that the local authority was using irregular means to repossess their stands.

BY NQOBANI NDLOVU

ZAPU has said the country’s dire socio-economic crisis has outrun political populism and is calling for a national transitional governing authority (NTGA) to right the ills facing the nation.

Sky-high prices of basics have taken away the Christmas cheer from millions of Zimbabweans at a time the El Niño-induced drought is also stalking the nation.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa has, however, said the austerity policies have been dumped to usher in a time of prosperity for many, but Zapu said there is no hope without a NTGA.

“It must be clear to all and sundry that the economic situation has outrun political populism just as it has done so. With the military back up of certain individuals. The solution will have to be based on a national consensus that is all inclusive,” Zapu presidential spokesperson Mkhululi Zulu said.

“We have said it before that the prevailing socio-economic meltdown cannot be solved by political party affiliations or party memberships. We are astounded that this has fallen on deaf ears, particularly of those currently believing to be political gurus in our country hence awarding themselves the prerogative to solve the problem.”

Zapu also ruled out the implementation of political and economic reforms without the NTGA.

“It is only this NTGA that can facilitate free, fair, credible and acceptable elections. It has been very clear from the very onset that the current governance system will lead to the current socio-economic nightmare. This win-at-all cost attitude with one emerging as the most powerful has these disastrous repercussions where as a nation there is no national consensus on many issues,” Zulu said.

“We cannot be part of a global community if we have a government that chooses to have its own definitions of socio-economic normalcy just because the political leaders are militarily installed, backed and savagely protected even as they squander national resources.”

BY DARLINGTON MWASHITA

FOUR employees at K&M Mine syndicate in Rosebank, Bubi district, Matabeleland North province last week appeared in court facing allegations of stealing six tonnes of gold ore from their employer.

Nyarai Mkandla (27), Nchobeni Mudenda (26), Brian Ncube (19) and Jefter Garu (22) were not asked to plead to theft charges when they appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Nomasiko Ndlovu on Thursday.

They were remanded in custody to January 3.

The court was told that Mkandla, Mudenda, Ncube and Garu left their workplace on December 13 following an annual shutdown of the mine.

Acting in common purpose with other accomplices who are still at large, they then went back to the mine armed with machetes and using a vehicle which has not described.

They allegedly assaulted the mine co-owner, Milton Mathe and three employees several times all over their bodies.

Mkandla, Mudenda, Ncube and Garu allegedly loaded gold ore into empty cement bags and forced Prince Fuzani, an employee to load it into their vehicle. It is the State case that they also took Mathe’s generator.

The court was told that after looting the gold ore they sold it to millers.

The total value of stolen gold ore and the generator is US$19 000 and nothing was recovered.

A report made to the police led to the arrest of the four.

BY SPORTS REPORTER

NEWSDAYSport has once again reaffirmed itself as the best in sports reporting after its senior reporter Henry Mhara won the best sports journalist of the year award in print media at the Sports Journalists Association (Spoja) ceremony held in Harare last Friday.

Mhara, a multiple award winner, beat competition from other reporters from rival media houses to win the award, held to honour the most outstanding sports journalists in the land.
In their third year running, the awards were this year sponsored by Exide and Multimedia.

Excelling journalists from the electronic and online media and photographers were also rewarded.

“The awards honour journalists who have done outstanding work throughout the year in the print, electronic, multimedia as well as video and photography. This dovetails with one of Spoja’s key objectives of honouring media practitioners for their contribution to the development of sport in Zimbabwe. The awards are the country’s most prestigious sports journalists’ competition,” Spoja chairman Ian Zvoma said.

The prestige of the Spoja awards, Zvoma said, was anchored on the high calibre of the judges, with the country’s sports editors sitting on the adjudication panel.

The chairman of the adjudication panel, Steve Vickers said they were impressed with the submissions they received this year, and had a tough time to pick the winners.

Apart from the awards, Spoja also officially-handed certificates to journalists who successfully completed Level Two Football coaching course this year, which was facilitated by the association, which represents the interests and welfare of sports journalists in the country.

Mhara said he was humbled to receive the award. “It’s a great honour and I’m happy to be recognised for the hard work that I’m putting to grow sport in the country. Credit also goes to my workmates, for my success is theirs too.”

Mhara, who was named the first runner-up last year, has won other awards before, including the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists’ sports reporter of the year in 2016. In the same year, he came second in the prestigious African Fact-Checking Awards, one of the top awards on the continent. The award honours the best investigative fact-checking story carried out by African journalists, reporting that exposes misleading claims made by leading public figures across the continent.

Mhara was also a runner-up in the Regional Annual Sports Awards in 2017.

Spoja awards winners
Sports journalist of the year print media award winner: Henry Mhara (NewsDay)
First runner-up: Langton Nyakwenda (Sunday Mail)
Second runner-up: Godknows Matarutse (Daily News)
Sports journalist of the year electronic media award winner: Yvonne Mangunda (StarFM)
First runner-up: Francis Nyamutsamba (Zbc)
Second runner-up: Lawrence Trusida (Classic263)
Photographer of the year: Wilson Kakurira (ZTN)
Videographer of the year: Wilson Kakurira (ZTN)
Multimedia journalist of the year: Yvonne Mangunda (StarFM)
Emerging journalist of the year female: Blesssing Malinganiza (H Metro)
Emerging journalist of the year male: Clayton Shereni (TellZim)

BY MISHMA CHAKANYUKA

The black market for foreign currency is driving business in the country, with nearly all businesses and travellers in Zimbabwe obtaining their requirements from the illegal market, a survey by the Anti-Corruption Trust of Southern Africa (ACT-SA) has shown.

The government set up an interbank market in February this year for foreign currency trade, but the platform has been hit by shortages of hard currency.

In its survey titled Government’s failure to restore sanity in the financial sector: A case of illegal money changers, ACT-SA said travellers and businesses acquire foreign currency from the black market, even though they know it’s illegal.

“Considering that 100% of the respondents obtained foreign currency from the black market, a follow-up question, was asked on whether they were aware that buying from the black market was illegal. Again, all the respondents (100%) pointed out that they were fully aware of the illegal nature of transacting at the black market,” ACT-SA said.

“That said, they have no choice since their banks do not give foreign currency. Another follow-up question was asked on why businesses and travellers, among others, prefer buying foreign currency from the black market than banks and bureau de changes.

“This was testified by 50% of the respondents, while another group of respondents feel that there is no paperwork and questions asked at the black market than at local banks and bureau de changes.”

ACT-SA added that one of the reasons for illegal money changers not being arrested is that the majority of them are politically linked.

“Regardless of the illegal nature of the black market, the participants are not arrested. The research sought to understand, why there were no arrests against illegal money changers, among other players in the black market,” the report read.

“A significant majority (60%) pointed out that illegal money changers are politically connected and, hence, are not being arrested. There are no arrests because of the fact that there is no law outlawing the changing of money in the streets.”

The research also showed that the law enforcement agents were to blame for the existence of the black market because of inaction or the turning of a blind eye to the illegal activities.
For example, the survey under review highlights how in May the police raided offices reportedly belonging to Neville Mutsvangwa, the son of Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa and former presidential adviser Chris Mutsvangwa, and found
US$200 000.

Despite this, it was the four detectives who had raided the office who were arrested for under-declaring the money seized.

The case of Neville, who has long been alleged to be a major foreign currency dealer, spilled into Parliament the following month.

ACT-SA recommended that relevant authorities should strengthen laws dealing with illegal money changers and that local banks should give foreign currency to entities and individuals who only need it for business outside the country.

Commenting on the issue, economist John Robertson said banks should be disciplined in order to get rid of the black market because they are the ones who are sustaining it.

“The banks have to be disciplined; they are the ones sustaining the black market. Some of the banks are complicit on the issue of foreign currency exchange rates,” he said.

“The black market has become a serious problem causer in this country as it has contributed to the rise in inflation, increases in prices and rise in everyone’s cost of living. It has also caused distortion in tax revenues and has led to reduced investor confidence in the country.”