JOHANNESBURG — DJ Zinhle (pictured) caused a traffic jam like the ones you find at Noord taxi rank with her mind-blowing Cosmopolitan magazine cover. Sis posted a picture of the cover on Instagram, where she wrote: “Own the summer!!!”
Minister of Transport Mbaweezy would have needed to leave everything and come to Jozi to control the traffic, because wow beku rough shem.
Jealous down! She looked like a dream and caused umrivithi, a heatwave and load-shedding, siyakuvuma Sis, salute.
Denise Zimba was watching and couldn’t help, but gush over Zinhle. She also praised her work ethic.
“The way this woman deserves everything she gets! Hardest working human, so loving, loyal and humble! Best mommy ever!! Love you too much Sis,” she tweeted. Some of us are queuing for gym memberships, holding the magazine as motivation.
December is around the corner, we also want to own summer, noma kanjani.
TEACHERS have declared that they have become so incapacitated financially that they are now only able to work two days per work starting today until government has heeded their demands for a massive salary hike to match the high cost of living.
In a letter to the chairperson of the Public Service Commission (PSC) Vincent Hungwe, the Progressive Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ) gave notice that its members were now incapacitated and unable to report for duty five days a week, unless salaries are adjusted.
“We give notice of incapacitation and with effect from Monday October 21, 2019, our members will be reporting for duty twice a week at most,” PTUZ secretary-general Raymond Majongwe wrote.
Majongwe said owing to the poor salaries, teachers were unable to buy themselves new clothes to properly meet government’s formal dress code.
“Mr chairman, teachers would also like to advise and notify you that because of their plight they will no longer be able to abide by the strict dress code rules as the little pertinence they are getting is not adequate to feed them and their families, let alone buy formal clothing. It is only logical, therefore, that the dress code be ignored until further notice,” he said.
Teachers are demanding that government pays them the equivalent of their last United States dollar salaries at the prevailing interbank rate.
At the time government banned the US dollar and a basket of other foreign currencies and introduced the exclusive use of the local currency in June, the lowest paid teacher was getting USD$500 after deductions, which would translate to $7 900 at the current interbank rate.
PTUZ joined the Amalgamated Rural Teachers’ Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), who also declared incapacitation last week, dumping the chalk over poor salaries.
The development comes as Grade 7, Form 4 and Upper 6 classes are sitting for their final public examinations.
Efforts to get a comment from Hungwe were fruitless as his phone went unanswered.He also did not respond to questions sent to his WhatsApp number.
WHEN neither side can achieve the upper hand in a game of chess, it is only a matter of time before a stalemate is declared.
In a protracted battle in which no one enjoys the upper hand, the question is not if, but when there will be an impasse. Chess is, of course, a world away from the painful deadlock between States and terror groups characterised by the loss of lives and social upheaval – but it’s a useful analogy.
In the real world, countries in the horn of Africa, the Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel have formed coalitions against groups such as al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province and the Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin. Military campaigns against some of these groups have dragged on for more than a decade, sustained by shrinking budgets largely bankrolled from outside the continent.
The African Union Mission in Somalia, the Multinational Joint Taskforce and the G5 Sahel have managed very complex counter-terrorism operations with a measure of success.
However, as time passes, battles build into a war of attrition with little prospect of a total military victory. This is because opposing sides show no sign of capitulation.
This situation raises two questions. The first is whether the predominant approach by affected countries, anchored by the use of force, is capable of delivering a lasting solution? The answer is no. Militarised responses have helped, but are unsustainable in the long term. This is because of the multi-dimensional nature of violent extremism or terrorism.
Another issue is that African countries and external actors have shifting financial priorities and capacities. At its peak, the African Union Mission in Somalia in the horn of Africa deployed over 22 000 uniformed personnel at a cost of roughly US$1 billion a year. The Lake Chad Basin operation has been similarly expensive.
This leads to the second question: Is it possible to begin to systematically explore an alternative strategy? As a researcher focused on transnational threats and international crime, this question is what led to my policy brief published by the Institute for Security Studies in Pretoria.
The Global Terrorism Index lists al-Shabaab, Boko Haram and its breakaway faction, Islamic State West Africa province, among the deadliest terror groups globally. All three demand a strict form of Islamic government or caliphate to replace existing State authorities they perceive as secular.
There have been calls to initiate some form of dialogue with some of these groups. But their rigid ideological stance and factional dynamics complicate efforts. It is difficult to identify specific individuals or factions to dialogue with.
Attempts at dialogue have also been short-lived due to other factors. Governments lacked political will and discretion. There was also a lack of consensus regarding objectives, process and expected outcomes.
This is particularly the case with the Lake Chad Basin. Nigeria witnessed mediatory talks with family members of the slain Boko Haram leader Mohammed Yusuf in 2011.
Later in 2012, Boko Haram itself voluntarily chose the president of the Supreme Council of Sharia in Nigeria as a mediator with the government. In 2011, one of the key individuals on Boko Haram’s side was unexpectedly assassinated. In 2012, the mediator on behalf of Boko Haram withdrew from talks while blaming the government for leaks to the media. What’s at stake when considering dialogue?
The complex and sensitive option of dialogue should not be viewed as a one-off event. It should also not be understood as a one-size-fits-all strategy for ending terror in Africa. Rather, dialogue should be more deeply explored as a complementary approach that goes beyond the short-sighted use of military might.
There is the unfolding case of dialogue between the United States and the Taliban in Afghanistan. It is still being tested, but remains a process which offers hope. Where do we start? First, countries must overcome the limits of the assumption that terror groups can be defeated with guns and bombs. If this was possible, there would be peace in terror-affected countries by now.
In addition, the no-negotiation attitude by governments should be re-articulated and steered away from the prevalent perception that States are weak if they decide to talk to terror groups.
Second is the question of timing. It is often assumed that dialogue should only be initiated when terror groups are on the defensive.
This is misleading: Governments hardly ever choose to talk when terror groups are on the back foot. In fact, it is at this point that States feel a military triumph is in sight and, therefore, a final blow is all that is needed.
Based on evidence in reality and beyond textbook suggestions, there is really no “perfect” period for dialogue. Governments hardly ever initiate dialogue when terror groups are on the defensive.
A good example is the case of Nigeria when the government announced in late 2015 that Boko Haram was “technically defeated”. Following this, nothing happened – and then there was a resurgence of violence that continues today.
Third, in terms of actors or entities to engage, governments should start with communities affected by terror attacks. Assessing how communities feel about dialogue is essential. Communities also have an in-depth understanding of how these terror groups work.
This would also help identify, among other things, potential third parties.Depending on the local context, a mix of individuals and groups to consult could include militants’ relatives, Islamic clerics, mediation experts, women’s groups, youth organisations, traditional institutions, clan representatives and civil society organisations. Co-ordination and engagement with local actors must be conducted in a way that doesn’t compromise their safety.
Governments should also address the ever-present socio-economic challenges facing communities; this will help to establish trust and sustain engagement. Truth and reconciliation platforms should also be created to facilitate healing in communities.
Fourth, a dedicated commission should be established in affected countries and tasked with developing a communication strategy. Such a commission should involve representatives from affected countries, while maintaining a discreet strategy that is divided into phases of engagement.
Finally, the global community’s contribution must go beyond providing military aid to genuinely supporting the facilitation of talks, or at least endorsing consideration of the idea. Western-backed airstrikes are counter-productive.
External actors can play a more constructive role, but one which will attain more impact if affected African States demonstrate political will and lead the way in establishing and owning the roadmap for this process.
if the economic environment remains unstable by the year ending March 31, 2020, National Foods Holdings Limited (NFHL) expects an 84,6% revenue growth to $1,05 billion spurred by inflationary pressure that is currently pushing up prices.
This comes as the company’s revenue increased 90% to $566 million compared to the previous financial year (FY)’s $297 000 million due to the inflationary-driven price increases. “We forecast revenue growth of 84,6% to $1,05bn in FY20, with inflationary pressure causing run-rate in pricing. We anticipate that inflationary pressures will catalyse revenue uplift from higher product pricing,” said NFHL.
FY19 commenced on April 1, 2019 and ended on June 30, 2019 and FY20 are the 12 months ending at March 31, 2020.
NFHL also expects gross profit margin to reduce from 33,9% recorded in FY19 to 25,5% in FY20 with the before tax profit margins declining from 14,5% recorded in FY19 to $144,2 million, a 13,8% drop in FY20. Pure oil sales are expected to grow to 50% due to the upward price revision, despite the foreign currency shortages needed to import soyabeans used to make the commodity.
The pure oil contribution in the half year ended June 30, 2019 tumbled 41% to $3,1 million as the company focused more on reducing its foreign liabilities due to the shortage of foreign currency in the country.
The company also intends to support the local farming schemes of various cereal crops to facilitate the availability of the crops in the country.
“With efforts to mitigate the reliance on imported raw materials, the group intends to continuously support local agriculture with a variety of cereal crops planted during the year through two substantial contract farming schemes.”
Due to the subdued rainfall in the 2018/19 farming season in Zimbabwe, resulting in a drought, the company foresees a comparative advantage since NFHL tends to perform better under such circumstances in which they leverage their balance sheet to import at scale.
“The government of Zimbabwe has indicated that the country will need to import 800 000MT (metric tonnes) of grain to meet the national grain requirement of 1,8 million MT (which includes both national demand of human and livestock consumption). We see some comparative advantage as National Foods tends to perform better under such circumstances which they can leverage their balance sheet to import at scale,” said
The company expects capacity revival on maize availability after the government lifted the ban of importation of maize as opposed to relying on the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) alone.
NFHL says it is wary of the ability of the government to sustain the same level of subsidies through GMB in comparison to the prior years leading the country to rely on significant imports hence, compelling the government to allow the private sector to directly import most grains.
Chivi residents are at crossroads with their local authority over what they termed unfair building levies charged by the council-run Madyangove Primary School.
Chivi Rural District Council (RDC) recently levied $21 per child to fund the construction of the new school, which has an enrolment of 1 700 pupils.
Parents and residents are arguing that council should use money from its coffers to fund the project, instead of levying one school to build another in a different location.
“We know that $21 is no longer valuable because of the runaway inflation we are currently experiencing, but we are saying council should learn to fund its projects from its own pocket. It should not burden parents during these trying times, considering that Chivi is the hardest hit area by the ravaging drought,” Johnson Zuvarimwe, a Chivi resident, said.
“This is not the right time to start any project, let alone building a school. It is unfortunate that we no longer have a viable residents association here in Chivi. It would have defended us from the abuse we are currently enduring from council. There is lack of checks and balances and that is why our council is taking us for a ride.”
Tadios Matseketu, a parent whose child recently set for Grade 7 examinations at the school, said he was failing to understand why the school would want a building levy from someone who is leaving the school.
“If they had demanded their building levy at the beginning of the year we would have not complained, but demanding it a week before the Grade 7 pupils write their exams is unacceptable. It will be armtwisting us into submission,” Matseketu said.
Chivi RDC chief executive officer Tariro Matavire, defended the construction of the school saying it would help ease congestion at the only primary school at the growth point. “We just want to decongest the only school we have. We are going to name it Madyangove B, although the schools will be some distance apart. So we have no choice, but to collect the levy from the existing school,” Matavire said.
“If parents have problems with it they can write a letter to council as a team airing their grievances. This issue has, however, been finalised and others have already agreed to the levy.”
THE opposition Zapu party has vowed to go ahead with its planned sit-in at Mpilo Central Hospital and United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) nursing school today in protest over unfair enrolment of student nurses.
This comes amid reports that the two institutions recently enrolled trainees from other regions and overlooked applications from the Matabeleland region.
Vice-President Kembo Mohadi and Bulawayo Metropolitan Affairs minister Judith Ncube have also condemned the questionable recruitment, saying it was against government policy. Yesterday, the Health ministry warned activists and politicians against “unwarranted” visits to hospitals after Zapu activists stormed Mpilo and UBH in protest.
Activists, political actors and other stakeholders from the region have questioned the recruitment processes of trainee nurses at Mpilo and UBH following revelations that the majority were from outside Matabeleland.
Mpilo clinical director Solwayo Ngwenya, who also heads the school of nursing, has been quoted saying the selection process was done in Harare after the introduction of an online nurses’ application platform.
Zapu yesterday said it would stage a sit-in at the two biggest referral hospitals in Bulawyao to protest against the unfair recruitment despite warnings by the Health ministry to stay away from the health institutions.
“When the government has to resort to propaganda to hide their inefficiencies, it is the duty of politicians to go and find out the truth for themselves, therefore, they lack the moral ground from barring politicians from visiting hospitals,” Zapu southern region spokesperson Patrick Ndlovu said.
“We don’t think it’s fair for the lessons to go ahead while this issue is unresolved. Hospitals are not PR [public relations] venues for the First Lady (Auxillia Mnangagwa) to prop up her dubious image.”
Zapu deputy national organising secretary Ndodana Moyo added: “Government must just address this issue instead of threatening political actors, activists and other stakeholders for raising concern over this issue.
“We are going ahead with our intended programme to stop lessons to stop this unfair recruitment. We invite all progressive people of Matabeleland to come in their numbers and correct this anomaly. Zipra [Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army] did it, we will also do it.”
MDC Midlands has resolved to start conducting primary elections to choose party parliamentary candidates for 2023 elections as part of its strategy to wrest the rural vote from Zanu PF.
In the Midlands, the MDC has four MPs out of 28 constituencies. These are Settlement Chikwinya (Mbizo), Amos Chibaya (Mkoba), Brian Dube (Gweru Urban) and Livingston Chimina (Chiwundura).
Josiah Makombe, the MDC Midlands provincial chairperson, told Southern Eye on the sidelines of a district assembly meeting in Shurugwi recently that the exercise would kick-start shortly and in the next six months, the province targets to have finished conducting primary elections in constituencies where there is no sitting MP from the party.
“In the past, we have had cases where candidates are chosen just two weeks before election day. Those who will have lost in those elections or fail to qualify because of other reasons, in some instances would stand as parallel candidates, thereby costing the party by dividing the vote,” he said.
“So in order to tackle that problem, we are soon going for primary elections so that by the time elections come in 2023 or any day, everyone will be clear and all sticking issues will have been resolved.”
In last year’s polls, MDC Midlands was affected by a divided vote after some of its members stood as independent candidates.Such developments were experienced in Shurugwi South and Vungu, where Edmund Mukaratigwa and Omega Sibanda, respectively, grabbed the seats for Zanu PF after MDC fielded dual candidates following disputes at primary elections shortly before the nomination court sat.
In Kwekwe Central, some MDC supporters cast protest votes against party candidate Blessing Chebundo, whom they accused of having been imposed.The development saw him losing to National Patriotic Front candidate Masango Matambanadzo, who had been sacked from Zanu PF.
Makombe said the primary elections would only be held in constituencies where the sitting MP is from Zanu PF.“We do not want to disturb our own sitting MPs, so the primary polls will only happen in areas where the current MP is from Zanu PF or any other party,” he said.
Makombe said going forward, the plan is to make inroads into the Zanu PF-dominated constituencies, which are mostly in rural areas.
“Once we choose our candidates, they should start working. It will be different from a situation where an aspiring candidate uses their resources only to be disappointed a few weeks before elections after losing at primary elections. We want our candidates to be clear,” he said.
A SOUTH AFRICAN economist, Nisha Sewdass, has urged the Zimbabwean authorities to think outside the box and in a disruptive way to rescue the nation from economic rot. Sewdass made the remarks at the launch of the Zimbabwe National Trade Policy vision and Export Promotion Strategy in Bulawayo on Thursday last week.
The policy was launched at the ZimTrade exporters conference, which was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.Sewdass said Zimbabwe needed to urgently devise ways to get itself out of the current economic quagmire.
Sewdass, a professor at the College of Economics and Management Science at the University of South Africa, said businesspeople should engage in disruptive thinking, surprise the market over and over with exciting, unexpected solutions and products or services.
She said according to RMB Investment statistics, Zimbabwe was ranked 34 out of 53 African countries in investment rankings in 2018.
“This is an improvement from 2017 where Zimbabwe was ranked 45 out of 53 marking an improvement with 11 places. In investment rankings, prioritising economic activity, Zimbabwe was ranked 34 out of 53 Africans,” Sewdass said.
She said Zimbabwe, however, had a good reputation and in terms of infrastructure, it was ranked number 20 in Africa, although in ICT development indexes, it was ranked number 136 out of 176 worldwide.
“According to the global competitiveness index 2017/18, Zimbabwe was ranked 124 out of 137 countries. In goods market efficiency, it was ranked 131 out 137 countries, imports percent GDP [gross domestic product] 87 out of 137, exports GDP 97 out of 137, technological readiness 121 out of 137 and in capacity for innovation it was 90 out of 137,” the South African economist added.
She also noted that South Africa remained the largest market for Zimbabwean products, taking 52% of the total exports.
“What if the President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa finds cheaper markets elsewhere, what will you do when they start exporting somewhere cheaper? I urge you to diversify,” she added.
“United Arab Emirates takes 18% of the market share; other markets include Mozambique (10%), Zambia (1%), China (1%) and Botswana (1%).
“In 1992, Zimbabwe export market risk was evenly spread across the globe, most export markets were in developed countries. In 2017, South Africa (63%) was now Zimbabwe’s dominant export destination, therefore, there is no spread of risk at all,” Sewdass said.
She added that large import bill on manufactured products, export of jobs and low export earnings, export of raw materials meant that there was no development in the country’s manufacturing sector.
Sewdass warned that mineral resources are finite and continual extraction leads to depletion. She also urged businesspeople to digitise agriculture through the use of drones as they integrated drone imagery with other data sources to develop and disseminate customised farmer advice.
Sewdass also said such technology had proved effective in Australia, Kenya and Tanzania, among others.
GOVERNMENT has been urged to craft innovative and sustainable healthcare financing policies and protect the poor and vulnerable groups through implementing a comprehensive national health financial strategy.
Community Working Group on Health (CWGH) executive director Itai Rusike said this in his 2020 CWGH national health strategy budget paper.
Rusike noted that Zimbabwe’s health sector was grossly underfunded compared to neighbouring countries in the Sadc region to the extent that government in 2019 spent US$41 per capita (per person) on health, which is grossly inadequate.
“Government spends a relatively small share of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care and the lower levels of per capita health expenditure indicate that health expenditure in the country is insufficient to guarantee adequate access and quality of healthcare,” Rusike said.
“Per capita health allocation stands at about US$41 in 2019 up from US$31 in 2018, while per capita health spending is US$650 in South Africa, US$90 in Zambia and US$200 in Angola, and the inadequate public financing of health has resulted in an overreliance on out-of-pocket and external financing, which is highly unsustainable,” he said.
With the prolonged strike of medical doctors at Zimbabwe’s health institutions, poor people are the worst affected because they can not access medical treatment from private institutions.
Rusike said what made the country’s health situation worse was the fact that most of the health financing was donor sourced, which is unsustainable.
“Development partners are expected to complement the 2019 budget appropriations. The Global Fund, for instance, is expected to provide US$75 million. The high dependency on external financing is unreliable, unpredictable, unsustainable and highly dependent on the political environment, raising concerns on the sustainability of health financing and the vulnerability of government’s budget should external funding be withdrawn,” CWGH director said.
Rusike said the main sources of health financing in Zimbabwe are employers (28,4%), followed by households (25%), external financing (24,9%) and government at the lowest at (21,4%).
“There is an over-reliance on out-of-pocket and external financing. Out-of-pocket payments by households have driven many households deeper into poverty. The high dependency on external financing is unreliable, unpredictable, unsustainable and highly dependent on the political environment, raising concerns on the sustainability of health financing institutions and the vulnerability of government’s budget should external funding be withdrawn,” he said.
Rusike said donor funding was dwindling owing to global economic constraints, and, therefore, government must respect the Abuja Treaty requirements that health should get at least 15% of the National Budget.
He said high out-of-pocket spending in health has turned many households poor.“The free user-fee policy for pregnant women, under-fives and those aged 65 years and above has not been backed by resources and has resulted in over-crowding at the tertiary institutions. Moreover, the blanket cover does not look at ability to pay,” he said.
Rusike adjudged the health situation in the country as currently in a critical situation due to macroeconomic instability.“Public health sector allocation stood at 8,9% in 2019. Employment costs, however, constitute 66% of the total health budget. The Abuja 15% target remains an elusive target for the country. The sub-Saharan African average is 13%. As of 2015, Rwanda was spending at least 23% of its budget on health care,” he said.
On shortages of health personnel, Rusike said high drop-out rates in public sector health care posts have resulted in vacancy rates of over 50% for doctors, midwives, laboratory and environmental health staff, exacerbated by the fact that Zimbabwe’s nurses’ establishment was last reviewed in 1983 yet the population has increased significantly.
Meanwhile, acting general treasurer of Zimbabwe Hospitals Doctors’ Association Peter Mungofa said most doctors were now considering job opportunities in other countries as government has failed to meet their demands.
“Nothing has changed despite President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa’s chilling threats. What has changed is that doctors are enquiring about going to work outside the country and our fear is that very few doctors will remain in the country,” Mungofa said.
Mungofa said they were shocked by Mnangagwa’s threats when they thought he was going to resolve the issue of salaries and doctors’ conditions of service.
ORGANISERS of the biggest braai event, the Castle Lager National Braai Fest last week unveiled a star-studded line-up of top local entertainers, who are set to add the sparkle at the two-day event set for this Friday and Saturday at Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare.
The popular and strictly no-under-18 fest funded by Delta Beverages through their Castle Lager brand makes a return after it was cancelled last year, following an outbreak of cholera.
Dancehall chanter Killer T and urban groover EXQ will open the festival, taking turns to entertain merrymakers alongside wheelspinners DJ Starvo, Raydizz, Legendary Sounds, Merciless Zimbabwe and Silence Dosh.
The programme of the opening day, according to the fest organisers, will kick-off at 4pm to pave way for other scheduled national events on the same day.
The heat will be turned up on the final day of the fest when dancehall president Winky D shares the stage with fellow chanter Freeman and hip-hop sensation Takura, while Judgment Yard, DJ Storm, Gary B and emcee Templeman, DJ Mbale and DJ Cesh, among others will be rocking it on the decks.
Speaking at the Castle Braai Day internal launch on Friday, Delta Beverages acting general manager Stanley Muchenje said they will be pomp and funfair for meat, beer and music lovers at the fest.
“The concept of this year was a bit different from the usual. You would know that we normally just run one day, but this time around we took it to a number of the key cities in the country so we started with Kadoma, then we went to Chinhoyi, Mutare, Gweru, Bulawayo and Masvingo,” he said.
“It has been running and it will run until we go to the (final Friday and Saturday event). While we have started here, at source, at home with this function today (Friday) we are also not saying you are not invited we want to see you all on Saturday. We are making plans so that every department gets their entry tickets to come and join us.”
In a recent statement, Delta corporate affairs executive, Patricia Murambinda said: “We are calling all braai patrons of all popular braai spot areas in and around Harare to come and enjoy their favourite braai at Old Hararians Sports Club on October 25 and 26.”
“Castle Lager, as the flagship lager beer brand for Delta Beverages, is giving all braai lovers a platform to come together and set their own record braaing, enjoy their favourite lager while listening to good music. We have doubled the fun and doubled activities for our consumers of Castle lager and the event is now bigger, better and we promise a lot of excitement.”
Delta Beverages has been running the festival through their Castle Lager brand since 2016, with the inaugural edition setting a record, where over 12 000kg of meat were consumed in one day.
The second edition of the braai fest, held in 2017, saw a staggering 15 000kg of meat going on the braai stands with proceeds from the event being channelled towards charity.
