BY SILAS NKALA

SIMALU Mining (Pvt) Limited has been barred from invading and conducting business at 10 claims belonging to nine Gwanda small-scale miners operating as Lushonkwe Nqama Small-Scale.

Patrick Dube, Zibion Sibanda, Sifiso Ndlovu, Angelina Dube, Ntokozo Ngwenya, Misheck Nyathi, Zodwa Moyo, Tshinyiwe Ncube and Nozipho Sibanda, through their lawyer Dumisani Dube, filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court challenging the fraudulent acquisition of their claims.

They cited Simalu Mining (Pvt) Ltd, Ntokozo Hlongwane, Casper Ndlovu, Major Maseko, Naphtal Ncube, Rachael Nthala, the provincial mining director Matabeleland South, Scrap Crushers (Pvt) Limited, the Matabeleland South Province Affairs minister Abednicho Ncube, the officer commanding Matabeleland South police and the Sheriff of the High Court as respondents.

In their particulars of the claim, they submitted that Scrap Crushers (Pvt) Ltd, which holds several claims within Lushonkwe Community agreed to cede to them Orient 1, Orient 2, Lady Annah 4, Lady Annah 5, Lady Annah 6, Lady Annah 7, Lady Annah 8, Lady Annah 9, Lady Annah 10 and Lady Annah 11, held under registration numbers 37537-46.

“The community subsequently delegated some committee members to oversee the process of legal transfer, logistics and payment of arrears and transfers. The said members registered a company Simalu Mining (Private) Limited, (first defendant), without the knowledge, blessing and authority of the plaintiffs and other community members,” the claim read.

On December 3, 2018 community members reported the fraudulent transfer of the claims to Simalu Mining to the (Mines) minister who advised the defendants to transfer the claims back to Lushonkwe Nqama Trust.

“On February 27, 2019, plaintiffs submitted all the requisite papers to the provincial mining director for Matabeleland South. Despite numerous demands for the defendants to transfer the claims to the plaintiffs there has been no transfer of the stolen claims.”

“Wherefore, plaintiffs pray for an order for the cancellation of the transfer of ten (10) gold mining blocks … as it was done fraudulently, unlawfully and through misrepresentation and, therefore, void ab initio.”

Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Evangelista Kabasa last week ordered the applicants to be allowed access to the mine claims and carry out their normal activities.

“The applicants’ agents, assigners and or employees shall accompany the Sheriff, Messenger of Court, Gwanda and members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police and Mines ministry to identify the mining claims and shafts referred to,” Kabasa ruled. “The first and second defendants (Simalu and Hlongwane) and any other person acting through them are hereby interdicted …from conducting any mining activities, works, surveys, prospecting and pegging on the (claims) and any other shafts being worked by applicants.”

Justice Kabasa ordered Simalu Mining and Hlongwane to pay the cost of suit.

BY PRECIOUS CHIDA

FASHION designer-cum-hip-hop artiste Tadiwanashe “Que” Nyanga has taken his third fashion collection for a two months exhibition and cultural exchange programme to Germany.

The designer, who is also a Jibilika dancer is also set to perform at the shows where he will be showcasing his designs.

Speaking to NewsDay Life & Style from Germany yesterday, Nyanga said the collection which he took to Botswana last year was meant to showcase their street culture and build a strong hip hop culture in Zimbabwe.

“Ngoma nehosho is the drum and the shakers which were and are still used in the village during their traditional ceremonies where they would show case their culture. The garments fashioned their lifestyle and it was the pulse of the village. So we want to showcase pulse of the city street culture and our life in the city,” he said.

“I intend to improve my craft and build a strong vibrant hip hop culture foundation in Zimbabwe that has our own identity, not imitating the Western culture or South Africa.”

Nyanga added that his project will be a fusion of both fashion and music which has seen him producing a track with the same theme.

“I have recorded Ngoma nehosho sound track featuring Ulenni Okandlovu which talks about our culture and defining the pulse of the city which is dropping soon. Ngoma nehosho is more than fashion. I am still going to collaborate with different creatives from Germany and we are going to record a track fusing different cultures and hosting fashion and dance workshops,” he said.

Nyanga said he will be pushing Ngoma nehosho for the whole of 2020 through shows in Zimbabwe and around southern Africa. The artiste, who started his own fashion label titled Que in 2018, created a label that tells the story of the modern “African” people.

He combines traditional and modern forms, which saw him go for multi-disciplinary fashion shows at the Denor Fashion Festival in Gaborone, Botswana last year.

Editorial comment

Cases of faith healers and “prophets” who tell people with HIV and Aids to stop taking their life-saving drugs have become rampant in Zimbabwe with many people mortgaging their lives away simply because someone told them divine healing could reverse the condition.

It makes sad reading that many people are dying after defaulting on their medication which has been proven to actually prolong life and offer them a chance to fend for their families.

Antiretroviral drugs although they do not effectively kill the virus, they target and block different stages of the virus’ life cycle. By doing so, the virus is unable to replicate and weaken the human body’s immune system.

And so when patients deliberately stop taking them, the virus can re-emerge (rebound) and multiply. This leaves the body defenceless and unable to fight off any opportunistic infections. The unfortunate ones die while others will have to be initiated to the second line of treatment which is more expensive. Currently, there are challenges with some drugs on this line, more reason why people should stick to their first-line treatment regime.

These “fake” prophets and faith healers must be taken to task for misleading their congregants and sending them to an early grave. This perennial problem has remained a huge headache for health workers and programmers who are working tirelessly to stem further spread of the disease.

There has to be a legal framework which compels these men of the cloth to desist from making false claims of faith healing. Mere cautioning and awareness raising is not enough in the absence of actual deterrent measures because thousands are in awe of these “men of God” who take advantage of the desperation of the patients to be healed completely.

It is common knowledge that to date there is no known cure (scientifically) of the disease and it is just downright irresponsible of the faith healers to claim otherwise. They should be condemned in the strongest terms because they wield so much power over hapless people who would do anything to be totally rid of the scourge which continues to kill millions every year globally.

The National Aids Council is on the right path of trying to engage further with the church in a bid to get them to understand why it is important to let those on ARVs continue with their medication unless told otherwise by qualified medical personnel.

The responsibility, however, also lies with the congregants who are allowing themselves to be hoodwinked and led astray. They owe it to their families to stay alive and continue to be productive and contribute to the country’s economy which clearly needs more people on board. It is most disheartening when parents decide to stop medication even for the sake of their minor children who have no say in the matter.

Miracle healing when it comes to HIV should be questioned and interrogated. Evidence so far has shown that those who stopped their medication have either died or are struggling with their health.

BY FIDELITY MHLANGA

CEMENT producer, Lafarge Zimbabwe chief executive Siame Kaulule has left his position, a year after assuming the post, NewsDay Business has established.

Kaulule joined the company from Lafarge Holcim in the United Kingdom where he was general manager for retail.

He succeeded Amal Naiel, who spent five years in the post.

According to a memo gleaned by NewsDay Business, Kaulule said he had left Zimbabwe to assume a different post at the Lafarge group’s operations in South Africa.

“I would like to share with you some significant development in the last few days. I have been asked by the group to take on the leadership of our cement and Ash Resources business in South Africa.

“While I did not expect to be communicating this type of news this soon in my tenure at Manresa, I have to accept the re-assignment knowing that it is a testament to the work that we have done together,” a communique from Kaulule read.

He gave credit to the staff for enduring the tough business operating environment in the country.

“I would have loved to share this news with you in person, but my travel schedule and how quickly things have moved did not make this possible. I am saddened to be sharing this bitter sweet moment with you via email, but we will have the chance to have a face-to-face discussion once I return,” he said.

“Looking back on my time in Zimbabwe, we have confronted seemingly insurmountable business challenges daily. I have seen our teams navigate these hurdles and mountains in ways that have not only made Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe a better company, but also made all of us far stronger.”

Efforts to get a comment from Lafarge yesterday were futile as questions emailed to the company had not been responded to at the time of going to print.

Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe is a unit of dual-listed Swiss-based Lafarge Holcim and trades its shares on the Euronext and Swiss stock exchanges.

The company swung to profitability in the six months to June 2019, recording a ZWL$2,9 million profit in the reviewed period from a ZWL$1,8 million loss in the same period prior year.

Revenue for the period went up 169% to ZWL$87,5 million in the period under review from ZWL$32,5 million in the same period in 2018.

BY KENNETH NYANGANI

SMALL-SCALE miners in Mutasa district said Mutasa Rural District Council’s failure to rehabilitate roads that link gold claims and milling plants had adversely affected gold production.

The miners made the remarks at a Green Governance Zimbabwe Trust-organised workshop in the district recently.

Samuel Mandara, a miner, said they were paying road levy every month despite the council’s reluctance to rehabilitate roads.

He said they had been greatly affected particularly this rainy season.

“As small-scale miners we are struggling to transport gold ore to gold millers because of poor roads. We are paying $60 road levy to Mutasa Rural District Council, but nothing is being done and this is affecting our production,” he said.

“The roads are in a bad state especially in this rainy season, something needs to be done. We end up repairing the roads on our own and this is not good at all,” he said
Zimbabwe Miners Federation treasurer-general Lufeyi Shato, who also attended the meeting said: “Roads has been a cause of concern for us miners and we are really affected. Something needs to be done. Mining is a combination of things, we also need water and electricity among others,” he said.

Council chief executive officer Tonderai Bandure’s mobile phone went unanswered when attempts were made to contact him for comment.

In a related matter, residents in the leafy suburb of Murambi Gardens in Mutare have accused town clerk Joshua Maligwa of prioritising the maintenance of a road that leads to his “doorstep” disregarding some areas in the suburb.

Some residents in the affluent suburb said they were concerned about the poor state of roads.

“We have discovered that the town clerk (Joshua Maligwa) is prioritising the road that leads to his doorstep. He has minimised potholes in his street. We have realised that the road has been patched, disregarding other roads nearby,” said one resident on condition of anonymity.

Another resident said Maligwa was abusing his office “to summon a workforce to patch his tarmac road, disregarding neighbouring roads”.

NewsDay visited Spathodia Avenue over the weekend where the town clerk stays and saw that it had been rehabilitated, while the nearby Sanhanga Road is in bad shape.

United Mutare Residents Ratepayers Trust (UMMRT) director Sebastian Bakare refused to comment on the Maligwa matter.

Last week, he wrote to Mutare City Council complaining about poor roads in Murambi where he also stays.

Mayor Blessing Tandi said he had received the letter, but refused to comment further preferring to be paid a visit at his office.

“I have received the letter, but l don’t prefer to give you my comment through telephone, visit my office,” he said
Bakare yesterday said council was taking residents for granted.

“Mutare City Council is taking us for fools. There is no seriousness in addressing our issues. They should let us know what they are doing with our money,” he said.

“We have been paying roads levy and street light levy in Murambi Gardens but there is no development. We have been paying faithfully these levies. At least council should notify us where the money is going, maybe we can understand.”

Maligwa’s mobile phone went unanswered yesterday.

BY FORTUNE MBELE

ZIMBABWE junior squash ace Ryan Gwidzima grabbed silver at the boys Under-15 silver event two final of the Dunlop Manchester Junior Open, losing to England Junior champion Alexander Broadbridge at Grove Park Squash Club on Sunday.

Gwidzima (14) won his first game 11-2, before losing the second and third 11-9, 11-5 respectively and squared it up on the fourth with a narrow 13-11 triumph and then succumbed to the English junior champion 11-9 in the last game of the final to lose 3-2.

The teenage squash sensation, who is on scholarship at Wycliffe College in England, courtesy of the Ryan Gwidzima Trust, had accounted for another Briton Bilen Malik 3-1 (10-12, 11-8, 13-11, 11-0) to make it to the final.

A post on the trust’s Facebook page after the final yesterday read: “After saving a couple of match balls in the fourth game, Ryan (Gwidzima) battled hard and unfortunately lost 11-9 in the fifth! Well done to his opponent (Broadbridge) and thank you to the organisers of the event.” Up next for Gwidzima is a national schools event where he will be representing Wycliffe College and the German Junior Open, where he will be representing Zimbabwe.

“Ryan will be playing in the national schools second round event this week for Key Stage 4 for Wycliffe College, and then looking forward to the German Junior Open at the end of February in Hamburg,” the trust added.

In his first tournament of the year, Gwdzima, a product of Suburbs Squash Club in Bulawayo, was humbled in the Dunlop British Junior Open early in January losing to England’s Rishi Srivastava 11-4, 11-6 and 11-5 (3-0) at the University of Birmingham in the second round after being drawn in the competition on a bye.

Tayne Turnock, another Zimbabwean also took part in the Dunlop British Junior Open, crashing out in the first round with a 3-0 (11-4, 11-8 and 11-3) defeat to Scottish John Meehan in the boys Under-19 category.

Turnock is the Safeguard Zimbabwe Open Squash champion after he beat Zambian Ken Mwape 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-8) in the final at Suburbs Squash Club in Bulawayo last year in August.

BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA

INDEPENDENT electoral watchdog, Zimbabwe Electoral Support Network (Zesn), has expressed concern over growing voter apathy after less than half of registered voters turned out for Kuwadzana and Mwenezi by-elections over the weekend.

In the elections held over the weekend in Kuwadzana, Adonia Shoko of MDC won the by-election with 1 517 votes against Zanu PF candidate Lloyd Makuwe’s 718 votes.

Zanu PF’s Samuel Kwinika, however, walloped MDC’s Shepherd Dzuda in Mwenezi, garnering 1 811 votes against a humiliating 27 votes for the opposition party.

Although Zesn observed that the elections were generally peaceful, a departure from the history of past violent elections, the dwindling number of voters was a worrying trend.

Zesn observed that voters shunned the by-elections with the number of votes decreasing drastically, particularly in Kuwadzana.

“As with many other by-elections held before, Zesn observed worrying voter apathy in the by-elections, voter population dropped by 55 in Kuwadzana from 11 180 to 11 125, voter turnout was 20% in Kuwadzana,” Zesn said in statement yesterday.

It noted that in Kuwadzana there was a decrease of over 7 000 votes between the total votes cast in the harmonised polls and by-elections for both parties.

“There was a decrease of over 7 000 votes between the total votes cast in the harmonised elections and the by-election in Kuwadzana. Votes for Zanu PF decreased by 1 324 while for the MDC Alliance there was a decrease of 5 353 votes between the 2018 harmonised elections and the by-election.”

In Mwenezi, the MDC Alliance lost to Zanu PF by a margin of 1 784 votes. The seat was uncontested in the 2018 harmonised elections. Turnout was comparatively higher in Mwenezi where 50% of the registered voters cast their vote.

Zesn applauded voters for a peaceful election.

“The network commends voters in Mwenezi and Kuwadzana for casting their votes in peace, but is nevertheless dismayed by the voter apathy during municipal by-elections which continues to persist in the country”.

The electoral watchdog urged political parties to encourage their supporters to take part in by-elections to reduce voter indifference.

“Political parties should encourage their supporters to participate in municipal by-elections so as to address voter apathy.”

BY TAWANDA TAFIRENYIKA

FORMER Dynamos and Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa (pictured) is causing anxiety among the Nyasa Bullets ranks as he delays signing a new contract the Malawian club has tabled after the two parties agreed in principle.

According to Malawi newspaper, The Nation, while the Malawian football giants’ chief administration officer Albert Chigoga said the two parties had signed a new deal, Pasuwa’s representative in Malawi, Felix Ngamanya Sapao insisted the ex-Warriors gaffer was yet to append his signature as negotiations were still going on.

“We have finalised the deal and he (Pasuwa) has signed a two-year contract extension,” Chigoga was quoted as saying.

But Sapao said negotiations were still on-going and he was yet to sign the deal. He also disclosed that the Zimbabwean had since returned to his native home as he pondered his next step.

He said: “Pasuwa has not signed the contract yet. There are some issues that need to be sorted out first.”

The paper, which quoted an unnamed source, said Pasuwa returned to Harare on Saturday in frustration after failing to agree on some terms of the contract having spent more than a week in that country hoping to sign a new deal after which he would get down to business.

“Initially, Pasuwa committed to sign the contract, but changed his mind upon noticing that some terms had been changed.

“He was here for the past 10 days to conclude the deal and was supposed to get down to work on Tuesday (today) for pre-season training, but he has since returned to Zimbabwe,” the source said.

Pasuwa is also understood to be weighing his options with reports suggesting his success as coach has attracted the interest of a number of teams in the region including those in Tanzania.

His local representative, Gibson Mahachi could not be reached for comment yesterday.

The former Warriors coach won back-to-back TNM Super League titles with Big Bullets having also shepherded the Zimbabwe senior soccer team to the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Gabon.

He led Dynamos to four straight league titles between 2011 and 2014.