Guest Column: Fr Oskar Wermter SJ

ARE we in control of time, or is time controlling us, from hour to hour, day to day, and year to year? This is a time of waiting, of expectation and preparation for a child. Is he actually on his way? Yes, he is, but he comes in his own good time. We live in time, but time is not under our control.

At laying the dead to rest, we used to pray for the one among the mourners to follow the friend, brother or mother just buried. Who will it be? When will it be? How much time has he or she left? People do not really like to ask “morbid” questions like that. But can we avoid them? Are they not obvious?

A woman, who is expecting, is counting the months and weeks, finally the days and hours. Can she work out a “time table” that is reliable, a plan to tell her what is to come? Today everything can be manipulated, organised, managed. We talk about the wisdom of “time management”. (Or is it folly? )

So many of us go buying and selling on the “labour market”. What is it we are selling? Time! The time of our lives, unpredictable, uncertain. Ourselves actually. If we have sold our working time, we are tied down. Time no longer belongs to us. It belongs now to the one who has hired us and wants value for money.

We no longer belong to ourselves. Some of us would pay soothsayers or prophets (but real prophets are not for hire!) heaps of money if they could tell us the truth of events to come which they can’t and won’t.

Time is flowing fast like a river, a stream which does not stop. Like the Rhine, or the Zambezi, the Nile, the Amazon or Congo it ends in the sea or ocean. Like them, we cannot give the stream of our life a different direction. We are carried by our fate to an end predetermined by the Lord and Creator. Or so it would seem. This kind of “time” is called “chronos” in Greek.

But life is not monotonous. It has its surprises, its sudden turns and unexpected vistas. There is more than floods and flowing streams ever the same. There are sudden crises and challenges, as well as opportunities never thought of nor hoped for. In every life of individuals, communities, nations, there is a very special, extraordinary time, a chance given just once, but perhaps never again an opportunity you must grab now, or you will have missed it for good.

The ancestors knew this long before us. They used to say, “Chawawana batisisa mudzimu haupe kaviri” (“What you have, hold on to it, the spirits will not give twice”). In biblical Greek we call this “kairos” (see Mark 1:15; Revelation 1:3): the time is fulfilled! Christian churches in South Africa recognised this challenge during the final phase of the anti-apartheid struggle. They produced the “Kairos-Document”. It was a unique time, moment and opportunity to call out, “Now or never!” This was their “moment of grace”!

Maybe when the leaders of the forces of liberation accepted a certain compromise at Lancaster and thereby made Independence possible, this was their “kairos” and “moment of grace”.
When a young man finally meets the woman of his life maybe that is his “kairos”, which may not come again.

If only our leaders would have the blinkers removed from their eyes and grab the opportunity (kairos) of creating a united, peaceful and blessed country! Making use of the right, the opportune moment is not an act of arrogance, pride and triumph. We are not gods, we have no divine privileges. At this “moment of grace” we accept humbly that we are poor servants of one another and of the entire nation. This is not a time to take advantage of and get rich by. This is not a time of grabbing, but of receiving a blessing for the good of even “the least of our brothers”.

And maybe our “medicine men” could also learn to jump across their own shadow and recognise that their justified interest in well-equipped hospitals can be reconciled with achieving the common good for all of us. This “moment of grace” will be the last chance to resolve current contradictions and put an end to the present hopeless stalemate. Only the humble find the way forward.

Now is the time (‘kairos’). Don’t waste it. “The spirit does not give twice”.

 Fr Oskar Wermter is social commentator and he writes in his personal capacity

Editorial Comment

PARENTS countrywide are reeling from the shocker school fees hike for next term with some schools demanding as much as $12 000.

School authorities from across the country have been wantonly increasing fees and most affected are the Form 1 pupils who are also burdened with buying new school uniforms.

For many the festive season will not be as cheerful as they will be busy scrounging to put together the amorous fees which the ministry said it has not approved.

This has not, however, stopped the schools from increasing the fees and parents for Form 1 pupils are being forced to pay in order to secure places for their children.

With an average civil servant earning less than $1 000, it defies all logic on how they are then supposed to come up with the fees in less than a month and premised on the December salary.

Although it is a fact that basic commodities have gone up, there is no justification for the figures and parents have every right to question the practice. Mission schools have also joined the bandwagon.

Private schools have also not been left out in the madness and are charging exorbitant amounts which are clearly beyond the means of many hard-working parents.

Surely demanding that a parent pay over $75 000 in school levy per term is a new level of greediness and there is no justification.

People are already seized with other financial commitments and this will only exacerbate the crisis.

Come January, many pupils will not be able to go back to their former schools and once again there will be another stampede for local day schools which are cheaper. This will compromise the quality of education and disturb the smooth flow of lessons.

Private unregistered colleges will once again thrive under such confusion.

It is shameful that the government has not taken decisive steps to halt this madness and restore order within schools. It is clear that cases of corruption and maladministration will crop up.

The education sector has received its fair share of issues from teachers’ incapacitation and this round of fees increase will further drive the quality into the doldrums.

Our plea to the education minister is to take concrete steps in addressing this matter as an emergency. Parents have a right to enjoy the festive seasons without worrying about school fees.

It would be sad if students drop out of school completely, undoing years of building up the country’s education system which is still highly recognised in the region and beyond.

BY Richard Muponde

TWO passengers died on the spot while 48 others escaped with injuries when a speeding bus overturned at the corner of Robert Mugabe and Chiremba roads in Harare yesterday morning.

Reports said the bus, belonging to Abdul and Sons, was travelling from Epworth to the central business district when the accident happened.

The injured were rescued by passers-by and motorists before the arrival of the fire brigade and ambulance services.

National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the accident.

“We confirm that two people died on the spot while 48 others were injured when an Abdul and Sons bus coming from Epworth failed to negotiate a curve allegedly due to speeding and collided with an Inter Africa bus coming from Mabvuku, leading in it overturning at the intersection of Robert Mugabe and Chiremba roads,” Nyathi said.

Witnesses said the bus driver did not stop at a rail crossing before failing to negotiate a sharp curve, resulting in the collision with another bus.

“The bus was speeding and overtaking private cars. It even overtook me and we spoke about it hinting that the driver won’t go far without being involved in an accident. Moments later, when I arrived at the intersection, I was shocked to see the bus lying on its side. We had to help retrieve the injured from the mangled bus,” Tatenda Munhuwani, a motorist from Cranborne, said.

A resident of Epworth, Marian Usayihwevhu, who missed the bus as she arrived moments after it took off from the loading point said the driver was known for speeding.

SUCCESS LIFE: Jonah Nyoni

Everyone wants to be successful, but not everyone wants to put in the effort. This article looks at the behaviours of the majority and the minority. If you want success don’t follow what the masses are doing. Success is basically the opposite of what the majority do. The masses have rituals that lead to poverty and on the other hand successful people have rituals that lead to riches and significance. If success was easy most people would be successful, but that is not the case.

Design and desire

The majority of people think they must get a life they deserve. The few successful people know that they get a life they design. Everyone has a desire, wish and want, but life is not like that, you get what you fight for.

Acceptance and creation

A majority of the people accept what life offers them. Successful people don’t accept life as is, but they create the kind of a life they want. Most people accept an average, mediocre and low life. Successful people are aggressive and don’t accept poverty.

Fate and faith

Most of the people think that everything happens by fate. On the other hand the few and successful know that everything happens by faith. Fate says life happens to me. Faith says I create my own life because God created me with that power.

Control

The successful minority have control over their lives. The overwhelming majority feel and think they are controlled by life and by their bosses.

Locus and focus

The majority of people focus on what they don’t have or external forces. Such people have an external locus. The few successful focus on what they can do with their innate abilities, endowments, abilities and what they have. They have internal locus. The majority are hunting for external possibilities. The few successful ones are tapping from their internal resources.

Intentionality and accidental

Few people do things internationally. The majority think success is by accident or life happens to them.

Job-mindset and work-mindset

The majority are job-minded. The few are purpose-minded. People that are job-minded feel the government should provide jobs. A proper government must create an opportunity for people to be entrepreneurial. Everyone might not have a job, but everyone has something to do; work. Work on your craft even though there are less jobs.

TV and Library

The majority have big TVs and a small or no library. The majority watch too much TV. The successful few have mastered how to be watched on TV. A select few have a big library and they hunt for ideas. The majority hardly read a single quality book per year. The successful minority read books all times.

Pay and play

The majority party and play. The successful minority are eyeing for the next bounce of the ball. All people must both pay and play, but must know when to do it. People must learn to pay first and play later. We always choose between pain and pleasure. Pain is always the process to refine your passion and purpose. Learn from hard and painful moments. Get time to cry, but don’t cry forever. Take time to list all lessons in hard times. Tony Robbins says, when we win we party, but when we lose we ponder. Learn to make the best out of hard times.

Jonah Nyoni is an author, success coach and certified leadership/business trainer. He is the author of Inspiration for Success and Success Within Reach.

By RICHARD MUPONDE

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has arrested 10 Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officers and agents based at Beitbridge Border Post over alleged smuggling of 433 vehicles into the country.

Four supervisors are still under investigation, of which one of them has since been suspended after being implicated in the scam.

In a statement released on Wednesday, Zacc confirmed the arrest of the officials, who are likely to appear in court today.

“A team of Zacc officers on the above-mentioned operation have achieved the following. About 10 Zimra officers and agents have been arrested and they are likely to appear at Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court probably by end of this week. Four supervisors are also implicated in the smuggling scam and one supervisor was suspended and the other three are still at work. There are three companies which were contracted by Zimra to clear vehicles and goods, (and they) were also arrested and are likely to appear in court as soon as possible,” Zacc said.

According to a section of the Customs and Excise Act, any person who smuggles any goods shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding level 14 or three times the duty-paid value of the goods, whichever is the greater.

The offence also attracts imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years or both.

Offenders are also liable to paying costs of investigations, where smuggled goods were discovered by the use of any mechanical scanning device.

A fortnight ago, Zimra recalled 433 vehicles after it was detected that they were smuggled and did not pay customs and excise duty.

Zimra officials, allegedly working hand in glove with some unscrupulous shipping agents or third parties, are believed to be behind the scheme, whose epicentre was at Beitbridge, the country and region’s busiest port.

The scheme, run by various syndicates, was exposed after some vehicles were intercepted by the department and other government agencies.

Other ports might have been involved in the scam, which exposes how porous the customs and excise systems could be.

The government recently enacted another legislation that provides for the forfeiture of any goods or assets deemed to have been acquired from proceeds of crime.

At Beitbridge, some shipping agents known to have been beneficiaries of this smuggling ring have built massive houses and drive expensive vehicles.

Zimra spokesperson Francis Chimanda asked for questions to be emailed to him, but had not responded at the time of going to print last night.

DANCEHALL president Winky D is set to honour his multitude of fans by having them coin the title for his new album to be officially launched at the Harare International Conference Centre on New Year’s Eve.

BY WINSTONE ANTONIO

The musician’s manager, Jonathan Banda, told NewsDay Life & Style on Wednesday that they will use interactive platforms to get the fans’ input.

“We would prefer to use the interactive platform like Sasai where people will interact and probably come up with the album title,” he said.

Banda, however, said the decision to launch the album on December 31 was not a result of pressure from fans, although calls for new material had reached fever pitch as the musician had only released the duet MuGarden alongside Gemma Griffiths this year.

“There was no pressure from the fans, but it was the feedback from the fans which gave us the sense of self-assessment as a democratic musical family. The fans look after us and we look after them and nobody should feel guilty about that,” he said.

Winky D, who announced the album launch date on his Facebook page, said the event will be used to shut down the year as he continued to attract corporate brands courtesy of his clean lyrics and professional approach to music.

“Blessed MaGAFA the wait is over, let’s SHUTDOWN 2019 in style. Supported by Ownai Online Marketplace, EcoSure, Sasai Global #haisikidsgame (sic),” he posted.

Although the poster advertising the launch has no supporting acts yet, Banda said they will be joined by other artistes.

“Music is a promotional platform, so there is no way we can go solo at the launch. We are not selfish. Will do it with others just like what we did the last time,” he said.

Winky D’s brand continues to attract corporates and the launch has also received endorsement from some of the prime corporate brands EcoSure, Sasai and Ownai.

The artiste’s music has also hit a popular chord with mainly young people in high-density areas struggling to find jobs against the grim backdrop of high unemployment and pervasive poverty.

A FORENSIC audit on the 2014 African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region V Under-20 Youth Games hosted in Bulawayo has unearthed massive financial impropriety involving over US$5 million, with senior government officials and members of the security forces among those fingered in corrupt deals.

BY HENRY MHARA

The report, dated March 13, 2018, shows that millions of dollars could have been embezzled through poor financial management, excessive pricing, non-delivery of goods and services, substandard works, contract incompetency, payment to dormant shelf companies, fraud and other various corrupt deals.

NewsDay is in possession of the report compiled by Deloitte, which shows that the government availed US$17 733 566 for sport infrastructure refurbishment and other operational expenses for the games.

However, a huge chunk of that money was allegedly misappropriated or abused.

All the corruption and embezzlement of the funds happened under then Sports minister Andrew Langa, who lost his ministerial post the following year.

Langa had initially set a budget of US$46 million for the preparations and hosting of the games, but government availed $17 million.

He claimed after the games that the sporting facilities had been refurbished to meet international standards.

The hosting of the games required refurbishment of Barbourfields, Luveve and White City stadiums, Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC), Bulawayo Swimming Pool and the Games Village at Hillside Teachers College as well as the procurement of ancillary equipment, goods and services.

But the government was not satisfied with the workmanship in relation to amounts paid and owing to contractors for work that had been done.

The government in May 2016 then requested that a forensic audit be done on the AUSC Games, which has since unearthed massive corruption.

The corrupt deals included awarding of contracts to companies without following tender procedures.
Raising eyebrows was the awarding of contracts to Drawcard Enterprises and Gimtrac for the rehabilitation of sports infrastructure to the tune of US$1 179 993,49 and US$2 091 040, respectively, without adhering to tender requirements.

Hillary Mukaratirwa, the director architectural services in the Local Government, Public Works and National Housing ministry, said they awarded contracts to the two companies without going to tender “due to the limited time before the commencement of the games”.

Drawcard’s work included the laying of a tartan track at the White City Stadium. But the report noted that they did a shoddy job and 300m of the track requires relaying and over US$1 million is needed to redo the job.

Three other companies; Olimas Engineering, Nextchir Construction and Asphalt Products, were also awarded contracts worth thousands of dollars, without meeting tender requirements. Inevitably, they either failed to do the job completely or did substandard work.

Olimas Engineering got a contract for US$214 923 for the installation of the heating system at Bulawayo Swimming Pool and years after the games, the system is non-functional.
The report also shows that there were companies on the creditors’ schedule, who were not owed as they were either paid in full or did not supply goods or services. Five suppliers with a total claim of US$7 968 appeared on the schedule.

Fifteen suppliers with invoices amounting to US$96 450 could not be located, with most of them having ceased operations or were “unknown at the given addresses”.

Local organising committee (Loc) chief accountant David Mubariki could not explain the reasons for the existence of the entities on the list.

The list also showed that there were claims of unpaid travel and subsistence allowances for Loc officials. A total of US$ 317 305 in allowances owed could not be substantiated through appropriate documentation such as authorised claim forms. There was no documentation detailing to whom these allowances were due.

The Loc officials were accused of increasing their daily allowances without following due process. Treasury set the daily allowance for bed and breakfast, lunch and dinner at a total US$55 a person, but the officials were paying themselves US$150 instead.

Instances of poor financial management and weak internal control resulted in the payment for goods valued at US$2 216 328 without appropriate documentation such as internal requisitions, three quotations and purchase orders. An amount of US$131 825 was withdrawn from one of the Loc FBC Bank account, but could not be traced to payment vouchers.

“The use of cash increases the risk of misappropriation and/or theft. US$131 825,91 cannot be traced to payment vouchers indicative of an expenditure unaccounted for,” the report reads.
The report also showed that some companies could have over-priced their goods and services to reap off Loc.

“We examined the CMED claim amounting to US$293 691. We noted that CMED charged a rate of US$1 503 per day for a rental of a Mercedes Benz minibus for the duration of 19 days. The rate used should have been US$150 per day, which would have been consistent with the other CMED invoices for a vehicle of a similar size. The creditors amount of US$293 691 is overstated by US$25 707.”

It is alleged that at least over US$1 million was diverted towards projects not related to the games and the amount was never recovered.

“We examined the IDBZ Bank statement and noted a payment of US$1 000 000 to China Nanchang Engineering for works on Mutange and Tokwe Mukosi dams. The instruction letter was issued by Fidelis Ngorora, director (public sector investment programme) in the Finance and Economic Development ministry. According to the letter, Treasury was to repay the money during the same week it was diverted. As at the reporting date, the money had not been repaid,” read the report
Loc also received goods and services amounting to US$114 613 after the closure of the games on December 14. The goods included beds, play station consoles, shoes, printers, television sets, sports regalia and other consumables. The beds were given to Hillside Teachers College. It could not be ascertained how the other items were distributed.

The auditors complained that they faced difficulties in accessing records, including the games asset register.

“Based on our observations, the quality of workmanship at numerous locations was not commensurate with the expenditure incurred. Games sites are still incomplete and have not been officially handed over to the Local Government Public Works and National Housing ministry, as such they have not been maintained since the completion of the games.”

HOLY smoke! It is little wonder this country is not going anywhere. It appears the majority of our leaders are operating from outer space, somewhere beyond Mars in yonder galaxies.

NewsDay Comment

What some of our ministers’ utter more than startles; it stinks to high heaven, and is such an insult to our nationhood that these opportunistic leaders should not be allowed anywhere near critical institutions of our economy.

How, in God’s name, can Environment and Tourism minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu honestly sit in front of a foreign media camera and utter stinking lies to the world that Zimbabweans are exaggerating the hunger in this country.

Asked by a BBC journalist whether he has ever been to Mbare where children are going to bed hungry, he said: “There tends to be also issues of exaggerating certain issues.”

Strangely, in the same breath, Ndlovu said the country is currently importing 70% of its grain to avert famine. So why import all that grain if people are exaggerating issues of hunger? So, again, why send an SOS to the world out there if issues are being exaggerated?

It is also quite sad that Ndlovu’s tone appears to suggest that, because Mbare was mentioned, the only people who are hungry are those living outside towns and cities. He appears to be conveniently forgetting that the urban areas are fed by those living in the countryside and so if there is a drought, it follows that there would be little to no food reaching those in towns.

He also seems unaware of the fact that government’s ill-informed austerity measures have impoverished workers in urban areas to such an extent that their salaries can no longer buy enough to feed families. This has given rise to hunger visiting urbanites in such a big way for the first time in recent memory.

The austerity measures have quadrupled several times over the prices of basic food commodities, while salaries have drastically depreciated in real terms, yet Ndlovu dares to say “there tends to be issues of exaggerating certain issues”.

Nothing, but downright shock must have forced the BBC journalist to ask whether Ndlovu has been to Harare’s Mbare. The journalist, indeed, did a good job of exposing the tendencies in government circles to lie outrightly, deny facts and hide behind a finger at every turn.

Surely, how could Ndlovu fail to see and be touched by the hunger situation in Zimbabwe which a visitor flying from thousands of kilometres away is able to witness soon after touching down? President Emmerson Mnangagwa should be using these kinds of incidents to arm himself so that whenever he decides to reshuffle his Cabinet, he can get rid of some of these unstable characters who have a knack for lying and embarrassing him and the nation.

Yes, Ndlovu is a likeable character, young and energetic. No doubt he wants to impress his handlers, a case of self deployment to score political points. We hope he learns to tell the truth fast, for the truth alone shall set him free. To his advantage, being a first timer in government makes him corruption-free.

We’re also worried about those of his colleagues who may be career politicians. It is our hope that it’s just this incident. Whoever set up Ndlovu, a political apprentice, to appear on the global arena to represent the country certainly hates the President.

It is our view that Mnangagwa has taken long to assert his authority. Instead of dealing with his enemies in government, who are eagerly waiting for every opportunity for him to fail, he is concentrating too much on the opposition.

But the opposition MDC, led by Nelson Chamisa, has no ability to derail government programmes.

The real threat is at all levels of government structures, who can’t wait to see his back. It is these people who continue to set Mnangagwa up and use various strategies for him to fall.

Clearly, those close to him or in Zanu PF don’t like him.

The President must look beyond his nose!