PADENGA Holdings says it is optimistic about the remaining six months of the year and achieving operational and financial targets for the period.

BY MISHMA CHAKANYUKA

The company, which is engaged in the production and sale of crocodile skins and meat, anticipates to sell out its entire production this year as demand from the European Union (EU) remains firm.

Chief executive officer, Gary Sharp, told the company’s annual general meeting that demand for crocodile meat within the EU remains strong particularly in the absence of ostrich and venison (Game animal meat) which was prohibited in South Africa.

“On the meat front, recent amendments to EU legislation necessitated the establishment of bi-lateral trade agreements between Zimbabwe and individual EU member countries. Protocols have since been established with both Belgium and Switzerland,” Sharp said.

“Discussions are in progress for the final volumes for the FY19 contract, but we are assured that our full production will be sold. There is no current interest from the Asian market for crocodile meat. We will continue to maintain sales promotions of low value cuts into the local market to preserve our market share in the absence of sales into Asia.”

Since the beginning of the year, Padenga has harvested 4 299 crocodiles to date and the harvestable crop in pens is in line with the group’s expectations and is set to meet its 2019 targets.

“The first sales grading of the year was conducted at the end of February 2019 with a total of 2 120 skins being graded and achieving an 87% first grade ratio with the bulk of these skins being from last season’s harvest,” Sharp said.

The United States operation commenced harvesting in January and a total of 13 922 skins were processed.

“Conditions are favourable for another above average egg collection season but competition for hatchlings appears less intense as producers assess the implications of pressure from the premium brands to implement operational changes consistent with best practice, ethical production systems and sustainability,” he said.

Sharp said the company will cut its capital expenditure in 2019 but continue to focus on infrastructure that will improve skin quality, production efficiencies, increase growth rates and enhance animal welfare.

Padenga commissioned its first phase of solar array at the northern farms last week which is now feeding into the national grid and the other arrays are expected to be completed by year end.

“We commissioned the first 330kWp phase of the solar array last week at the northern farms which is now feeding into the national grid to offset the electricity the operation uses daily. An additional 470kWp solar array is complete and we are moving rapidly to commission that later this year,” Sharp said.

“The final 400kWp array to complete the planned 1,2MW installation will commence shortly for completion by year end.”

A 60-YEAR-OLD woman reportedly collapsed and died after she received news from the Bulilima district administrator’s office that she was being evicted from her illegal settlement at Sibantubanye.

BY RICHARD MUPONDE

The elderly woman, whose name could not be immediately verified, collapsed and died on Monday afternoon at her homestead at Sibantubanye Resettlement area, a few kilometres outside Plumtree Town, along Thekwane Road.

According to reports, the resettled farmers were declared illegal settlers on State land.

The DA’s office then gave the affected farmers 30-day notices to vacate the area or get forcibly removed.

On receiving the news, the woman reportedly collapsed and died on the spot.

Matabeleland South police spokesperson Chief Inspector Philisani Ndebele yesterday confirmed receiving a report of sudden death from Plumtree.

“I don’t have the full details, but I received information of a sudden death of a 60-year-old woman from Thekwane area, who collapsed and died on Monday. I am still to get her full name and other details. Her body was conveyed to Plumtree District Hospital for post-mortem,” Ndebele said.

A source close to the matter said the elderly woman was part of several families resettled at Sibantubanye area of Thekwane.

“On Monday, the villagers received notices of eviction from the DA’s office, informing them that they were illegal settlers who should vacate the area or face forced evictions. The granny did not take the news lightly and started gasping for air,” he said.

“She collapsed and other villagers tried to resuscitate her, but it was too late as she had already died. Police came and collected her body to Plumtree District Hospital mortuary.”

Government embarked on evictions of resettled farmers in December last year, arguing that it was rationalising the land reform programme and weeding out illegal
settlers.

(CNN)Since the United Kingdom voted for Brexit three years ago, the European Union has been struggling to work out a structure for its future relations with the country.

While debates about the unpredictability of economic and political relationships between the EU and Britain continue to linger, thousands of miles away, the African Union (AU) is creating a close-knit relationship among its own 55 member nations.

In 2013, the AU designed Agenda 2063, a framework with set objectives to aid the socio-economic transformation of the continent over the next 50 years.
The vision is to maintain integration of Africans on the continent, according to Khabele Matlosa, the organization’s Director of political affairs.

“The goal is to realize the union of an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa driven by its own citizens,” he told CNN. One of the ways the union is doing this is through the proposed launch of a continental passport known as the AU passport.The passport will grant visa-free access to every member state so Africans can move freely across the continent.

Presently, only Seychelles and the Republic of Benin have no visa restrictions for Africa travelers.

KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Sudan’s military ruler on Wednesday offered to resume a dialogue on a transition to democracy, one day after he scrapped all agreements with an opposition alliance.

The offer by the head of Sudan’s ruling military council, Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, came as the number of people killed since security forces stormed a protest camp in Khartoum on Monday rose to 60, according to a medical group linked to the opposition.

In a message for the Muslim Eid al-Fitr broadcast on state television, Burhan paid homage to the uprising that began in December and culminated with the military overthrow and arrest of President Omar al-Bashir in April. He was still ready to hand over power to an elected government, he said.

“We in the military council, extend our hands to negotiations without shackles except the interests of the homeland,” Burhan said.

Burhan had previously announced he was skipping any negotiations with protest groups and said he would organise elections within nine months.

His decision came after security forces stormed a protest camp site outside the Defence Ministry in central Khartoum in an operation that resulted in the death of at least 35 people, according to the doctors’ group.

The association said more people had been killed since then throughout Khartoum and its twin city of Omdruman.

Zimbabwe-born Springbok prop Tendai Mtawarira has been named Tourism Ambassador for destination Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwe Toirism Authority’s main objective for the appointment is to increase tourism traffic into destination Zimbabwe.

This comes as the global trend in tourism today calls for destinations to appoint Tourism Ambassadors as advocates for the destination offerings.

Zimbabwe is bidding to lure an ambitious three million visitors by end of 2019, having received 2,5 million visitors in 2018.

Mtawarira was conferred the honour this morning at a Harare hotel by the Minister of Environment, Tourism & Hospitality Industry, Hon. Priscah Mupfumira.

“The concept of Tourism Brand Ambassadors is widely used as a tool for promoting many destinations across the globe,” Mupfumira said.

“People are appointed Tourism Ambassadors for their ability to significantly contribute to the promotion of destinations with the main objective of increasing tourism traffic.

“Tourism Ambassadors could be nationals of Zimbabwe or non –nationals for which the titles would be Tourism Ambassador for the former and Honorary Tourism Ambassador for the latter. The term of office varies from a minimum period of a year to a period as determined by my Ministry.

“The person chosen must have excelled in a particular discipline, be it sport, music, art, business, beauty pageants or charity workthereby giving them influence on the international arena. The individual must be of high integrity, must be apolitical and also able to defend the interests of Destination Zimbabwe.”

Acting Chief Executive of the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority Rita Likukuma said the veteran Sharks front rower, The Beast, who is famous for being the first black Springbok to play 100 Tests and even eclipsed Adriaan Strauss as South Africa’s most capped Super Rugby player, is an opinion leader whose help would be strategic in positioning Destination Zimbabwe as a destination of choice.

“Given all his fame on the global rugby arena, he has remained grounded. His humility is worth admiring and his involvement with two major charities here in Zimbabwe, both committed to helping children in school and sport has earned himself the status of philanthropist. His love for Zimbabwe shines through his dedication and hard work, and above all leading by example on whatever he does in his life,” Likukuma said.

BY BLESSED MHLANGA

THOUSANDS of families risk being left homeless as government is mooting a massive eviction and property destruction programme to clear out illegal settlers occupying Harare wetlands and council land.

Harare Metropolitan Affairs minister Oliver Chidawu has declared war on thousands of illegal settlers allocated land by mostly Zanu PF cooperatives and land barons at the height of former President Robert Mugabe’s campaign to retain political power in urban areas.

Over 10 000 homesteads in Budiriro, Crowborough, Kambuzuma, Harare City Council farms and other areas have been targeted for demolition as government moves to thwart a potential humanitarian crisis.

“We have to be bold and tackle the issue of illegal settlers, but we are going to do it with a human face, we are asking all those who know they are illegally-settled to move out on their own. If they fail to do that, we are going to remove them by force. We can’t allow these illegal settlements because they are a threat to wetlands and cause massive pollution to our water bodies,” he said.

Zimbabwe is in the grip of a deep economic crisis characterised by high unemployment estimated at above 80% and illegal settlements are growing in every city as local authorities struggle to meet the demand for housing.

Chidawu’s declaration evokes memories of government’s 2005 slum-clearance operation called Operation Murambatsvina, meaning to “drive out the filth” which displaced some 700 000 Zimbabweans, according to human rights groups in a military-style operation that ran for two months.

Zanu PF led urban land invasions with most of its top brass at that time ripping off desperate homeseekers by parcelling out thousands of stands under the guise of empowerment.

The illegal settlements have now overrun council’s capacity to provide enough potable water and treat sewerage.

Chidawu said the homes will be destroyed by force if the owners do not find alternative accommodation by themselves.

“We can’t call that empowerment, we also cannot have soft hearts, because in doing so we put the greater Harare at risk of cholera and other diseases. We have to act and all people on wetlands, and illegal settlers must stop construction and move out or be moved by force,” he said.

Engineers have also added their voice, saying government must ensure that construction on wetlands is stopped forthwith.

Zimbabwe Institution of Engineers’ information communication technology division chairman Jacob Kudzayi Mutisi said: “The construction and development is so rampant that all ventilation and wetland areas in the likes of Mabelreign and Sundridge have all been sold out and under some kind of construction development. As engineers, we are hereby requesting the government, local authorities and construction firms to immediately stop all developments and constructions that are taking place on all wetlands and strategic open spaces.”

Zimbabwe is a signatory to the 1971 Ramsar Convention on Wetlands and has domesticated provisions for the protection of wetlands under the Environmental Management Act (Cap 20:27), Statutory Instrument 7 of 2007 on Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessment and Ecosystems Protection) Regulations.

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

Government has begun a process to formulate a law to deal with cartels and corporates that are allegedly monopolising their sectors for profiteering purposes.

Addressing a post-Cabinet Press conference in Harare yesterday, Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa said the proposed changes will be contained in the Competition Act administered by Industry minister Mangaliso Ndlovu.

Mutsvangwa said under the changes, cartels accused of causing price hikes and controlling market performance would be “effectively dealt with”.

“The principles seek to align with the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Key provisions include the following, introduction of a corporate leniency programme so as to facilitate the successful
investigation of cartels,” she said.

Ndlovu told the Press conference that the proposed change to the law will see the Competition and Tariffs Commission being empowered to probe and fine cartels for economic sabotage.

“We would want to get to the bottom of this issue. The whole idea is not to target people, but to create competition. It is not a secret that we have some people who collude with others
to hike prices and we are saying let us have competition,” Ndlovu said. He charged that the food sector and the sugar industry had operators with monopolistic tendencies.

“The Act seeks to empower the commission to levy administrative penalties on companies that violate the competition laws,” Ndlovu added.

Some Zanu PF and senior government officials have accused cartels of controlling the economy much to the disadvantage of ordinary citizens.

The proposed changes will also empower the Competition and Tariffs Commission to probe unfair business conduct and fine those found wanting.

Cabinet also received a report on projects that had been ear-marked under the 100-day plan with the Minister for Presidential Affairs Joram Gumbo reporting that at least 60% of set projects were on target, while 16% were ahead of target.

“Ministers that had all their priority progressing well, either on target or ahead of target are as follows, Environment, Tourism and Hospitality, Finance and Economic Development, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, Information, Mines and Mining Development,” Mutsvangwa said.

She said those that failed were due to pricing challenges as well as lack of foreign currency.

Cabinet also received a report on the proposed amendments to Attorney-General’s Act which seeks to provide terms for appointing a Deputy Attorney-General.

Cabinet was also briefed on the fuel situation and the electricity crisis with Energy minister Fortune Chasi saying: “On the electricity front, strategies would be implemented to cushion farmers and other critical entities from the ongoing drought-induced load -shedding.”

BY VENERANDA LANGA

The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) yesterday said there was lack of urgency in dealing with problems in the health sector, resulting in costs dramatically rising with people now being charged in United States dollars despite earning RTGS dollars.

AHFoZ chairperson Stanford Sisya appeared before the Ruth Labode-led Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Health, where he disclosed that the only company supplying oxygen to hospitals in the country, BOC Gases had also upped charges.

He said patients on dialysis, a procedure to remove waste products and excess fluid from the blood when kidneys stop working properly, now fork out US$200 per session which is way out of reach of many Zimbabweans.

“Fuel queues are treated with urgency, but when it comes to healthcare, people are suffering and dying at hospitals or homes, and right now, we only have one source of oxygen and the
company supplying that is charging for its cans which they never used to charge for the oxygen container,” Sisya said.

“Now patients are asked to pay ZWL$28 rentals per cylinder for oxygen and the costs have gone up.”
Chinhoyi MP Peter Mataruse (Zanu PF), a member of the committee and a medical practitioner, said while Feruka was producing oxygen, BOC Gases was monopolising the supply of oxygen to hospitals because the infrastructure for oxygen at hospitals was theirs.

“BOC Gases owns the infrastructure at hospitals and so Feruka cannot go into their containers to supply oxygen,” Mataruse said.

The committee said it would be better for the oxygen supply companies to agree to share the infrastructure in order to assist sick people that are desperately in need of oxygen.

Sisya said AHFoZ has 29 members with 1,3 million Zimbabweans contributing to their different medical aid schemes (10% of the population). Some of the challenges experienced by members
were that medical services are charged in US dollars and if one cannot fork out hard currency they are charged using black market rates.

“For example, dialysis costs US$200 and it means in RTGS dollars, a patient has to fork out $1 600 per session when they need dialysis three times a week. Our members are not paid in US$ and as AHfoz, we propose that if the RTGS dollars is the official currency, then the US$ should be pulled off because it is causing distortions in the medical sector,” he said.

Sisya added that there were also cases of double-dipping by medical practitioners where, for example, they are reimbursed ZWL$35 by AHFoZ for consultation fees, but they also charge patients US$20 or US$35 as consultation fees.

Specialist doctors are said to be charging as much as US$250.

AHFoZ chief executive officer Shylet Sanyanga said it was sad that drugs for diabetes, for example, were going up with patients forking out US$53.

BY HENRY MHARA IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

MIDFIELDERS Thabani Kamusoko (pictured) and Butholezwe Ncube might have earned themselves tickets to the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals after good performances in Zimbabwe’s 2-0 win over Comoros in the quarterfinals of the Cosafa Cup in South Africa on Saturday.

Impeccable sources told NewsDay Sport that the dreadlocked Kamusoko, who was voted man of the match against Comoros, has secured his spot in the final 23-man squad, while Ncube is charming the technical team as well.

Goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze who had a dream season with Baroka in the South African topflight league has also been impressing at training, and could be picked ahead of Talbert Shumba for the third goalkeeper spot in the final squad.

Three goalkeepers will travel to the Afcon, and first choice goaltender George Chigova and Edmore Sibanda seem to have automatic places on the plane.

“Thabani did well and the coach was convinced he is the sort of player that he needs to add some steel in midfield. He will definitely be on the plane to Egypt,” said the source.

“Butholezwe is likely to be picked. He is a very good player, and Mhofu (Warriors coach Sunday Chidzambga) likes his kind of play. He has one foot in, and so is Chipezeze. He is doing fantastic at training, and should be able to nudge Talbert out of the way.”

The trio did not participate in the Afcon qualifiers and are some of the few players likely to gatecrash their way into the travelling party.

Warriors assistant coach Rahman Gumbo confirmed that the bulk of the final 23-man squad are players that took part in the qualifiers.

“There is a squad that we have been working with from the beginning of the qualifiers, and to be honest it would be very unfair to drop somebody who has been there from the start unless there are injuries. But there are some players who have come in now and have given us some very good performances so much that they could be part of the Afcon squad,” said Gumbo.

Dr Rush, as Gumbo is affectionately known, will take charge of the Warriors in their Cosafa Cup semi-final clash against old enemies Zambia at the Moses Mabhida Stadium this evening.
Kick off is 7.30pm.

Chidzambga was forced to abort this tournament and return to Harare on Sunday following the passing on of his father back home.

Gumbo said more players will be given a chance against Zambia to stake a claim in the team to the Afcon.

England-based striker Admiral Muskwe is expected to be given his first start, an opportunity which he will have to use to have a chance to make it to Afcon.

“So far these games have given us a clear indication of who is going to be in the final 23, but that will depend on how we will finish the Cosafa tournament.”

The Warriors face Chipolopolo for the third time in a row in this Cosafa competition, having played a thrilling final in last year’s edition when Zimbabwe had to come from 2 goals down to win the match 4-2.

“We knew that we might come up against one of the strong teams in the semi-finals, and we wanted that because it’s good for us in terms of Afcon preparations. At the same time it would be nice to defend the Cosafa Cup. We want to give all the players a run around so that they get game time and you might probably see some new players featuring in the game against Zambia.

“Zambia have always been one of our biggest rivals, but in the past two years we have had a good run against them and we hope to continue with that good run.

“This match is important in that we have not had many friendly games, so there is pressure on the team to do the preparation and at the same time try to defend our title,” the coach said.

Striker Evans Rusike has been ruled out of today’s match due to an injury he picked in the Comoros game.

The big striker suffered a soft tissue contusion on the chest wall, and although the injury doesn’t look too serious, the Warriors technical team does not want to take chances.

Young Walter Musona is also down with an ankle injury, and is out of the Cosafa tournament.

Mhofu will pick 18 players to travel to Nigeria on Thursday for a friendly match against the Super Eagles on Saturday, while the other group will remain behind to finish the Cosafa tournament.