North Korea’s advancing missile and nuclear programmes are the “most urgent and dangerous” threat to US national security, US defence secretary Jim Mattis said.

Mattis said the “most urgent and dangerous threat to peace and security is North Korea”, adding that its “continued pursuit of nuclear weapons and the means to deliver them has increased in pace and scope”, a statement he has made in the past.

The US focus on North Korea has been sharpened by dozens of missile launches and two nuclear tests since the start of 2016 and by Pyongyang’s vow to develop a nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile capable of hitting the US mainland.

“The regime’s nuclear weapons programme is a clear and present danger to all, and the regime’s provocative actions, manifestly illegal under international law, have not abated despite the United Nations’ censure and sanctions,” Mattis said in a written statement to the House Armed Services Committee on Monday.

Earlier this month, the UN Security Council expanded targeted sanctions against North Korea after its repeated missile tests, adopting the first such resolution agreed by the United States and China since President Donald Trump took office.

Pyongyang slammed the latest round of sanctions as “mean”.

Mattis, speaking before the panel, warned of the potential losses in the case of conflict with North Korea.

“It would be a war like nothing we have seen since 1953 and we would have to deal with it with whatever level of force was necessary . . . It would be a very, very serious war,” Mattis said, referring to the Korean war, which ended in 1953 and killed more than a million civilians.

Last week, South Korea’s top national security adviser said Seoul did not aim to change its agreement on the deployment of a US anti-missile system to protect against North Korea, despite a decision to delay its full installation.

Also on Monday, a report by a US-based think-tank said that the North’s effort to circumvent international sanctions on its nuclear and missile programmes is complex, but could be defeated by targeting relatively few Chinese firms.

The C4ADS report said a small number of interconnected Chinese firms accounted  for the vast proportion of trade with North Korea, leaving the impoverished country’s procurement network vulnerable to targeted, enforced sanctions.

“A concerted effort by the international community to target specific sanctions-violating entities is needed,” the report said.

It added that it was a mistake to think that sanctions could not succeed against a country like North Korea, which was less isolated than it appeared.

“Although to date economic coercion has been ineffective in persuading North Korea to abandon its pursuit of nuclear weapons, this does not mean it cannot work,” it said.

The report said a relatively small number of Chinese companies — 5 233 — traded with North Korea from 2013 to 2016, compared with the 67 163 that exported to South Korea.

Separately, former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Dennis Rodman was expected to arrive in North Korea yesterday.

This will be the latest of at least four visits the basketball player has made to Pyongyang, most recently in 2014 when he attracted much criticism after being filmed singing happy birthday to his “friend for like” North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Rodman told reporters at Beijing’s international airport that he is going to North Korea to open a door, but has no plans to discuss the four US citizens being held by Pyongyang.

US media quoted a senior Trump administration official who said Rodman is “going as private citizen”. — Al Jazeera

A shoemaker, Mr Tabanda Gumbo arranges new men’s shoes that he manufactures for sale on a pavement along Leopold Takawira Avenue in Bulawayo in this file photo. Mr Gumbo is self employed

Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu
As a large number of people gathered near St. Joseph’s Mission in the Matobo District’s Semokwe Communal Land on June 10 to celebrate the late Vice President Dr Joshua Nkomo’s birthday centenary, one could recall how that pioneer of Zimbabwe’s modern African nationalism attached much importance to self-reliance.

That concept would often come up whenever he discussed socio-economic development in both a pre- and a post-independence Zimbabwe.

Dr Nkomo seldom discussed the liberation of Zimbabwe without mentioning in the same breath the country’s economic, social, cultural and political development.

While he attached a great deal of importance to investment, he emphasised the vital need for the indigenous people to exploit and utilise their own natural resources.

He would mention the San community as an example of a community that had survived throughout ages and ages by sheer self-reliance.

“The San would have long become extinct if they had not adapted their lives to the harsh and most difficult conditions under which they were forced by circumstances to live in the Kalahari Desert,” he would often say.

“They developed self-reliance by adopting innovative modes of existence to make life comfortable in that environment”.

He was referring to various aspects of the San’s way of life, an existence created and shaped by cruel socio-economic conditions imposed on them by well-known historical developments.

The San people learnt to be innovative not only in economic terms but also socially, culturally and politically.

In a free Zimbabwe, we have not heard much, if at all, about self-reliance. We have instead heard about donors, and actually seen a great deal of their activities.

There is so much of that phenomenon in various African states that it is creating, if it has not already, a beggars’ syndrome.

That was not what Dr Nkomo advocated. He was for self-reliance in communities to create their own social and cultural infrastructure and systems, to produce their own food, and to manage their own projects.

Communities can and should identify projects such as gardens, clinics, schools, dip — tanks and, in certain unique cases, church buildings. Such projects can range in location from villages, wards to districts.

In terms of time, that is to say duration, they can either be short-term, medium-term or long-term, and can be headed by traditional or elected leadership.

Self-reliance projects can be family or community- owned and managed, depending on their respective types. For churches, it is most advisable for them to be community rather than individually-owned to avert an individual leader enriching himself or herself as has been the case at a number of well-known churches.

An individual-owned church can easily misinterpret and subvert biblical doctrines to suit the individual’s own selfish or, at times insane wishes or imagination. A church owned and run by a community tends to be more doctrinally appropriate.

A community with a good leadership can quite easily erect small social facilities such as clinics, kindergartens or teachers’ cottages.

Such projects can be treated on a short-term or medium-term basis, depending on the size of the community and that of the project.

The cost of the project will determine the contribution each eligible community member will make.

It will also depend on the material to be used for its construction and the equipment to be installed.

Construction of such projects can and should be done by local labour and management to reduce expenses.

Similarly, some of the material used such as bricks and timber could, if not should, be produced or procured locally.

We can in this way see that communities can develop their own social infrastructure by raising money locally, by using local man-power and management, local material and, to top it all, by the local leadership motivating not just the community but the workers as well.

Those five Ms: money, manpower, management, material and motivation if properly applied or utilised together will create self-reliance, a concept Dr Nkomo talked about a great deal during the liberation struggle.

Not only did he talk about it, but he actually initiated communal development projects in the form of immoveable properties, agricultural, tourist and hospitality services projects in various parts of Zimbabwe after independence.

The projects were, most regrettably, either destroyed or disturbed by insecurity that convulsed the country, especially Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces, from about 1982-83 to December 1987 when the PF – Zapu and Zanu Unity Accord was signed.

Self-reliance should be adopted by all of this country’s universities, polytechnic colleges and other educational institutions. It should be a cause of embarrassment for any school in Zimbabwe not to have a garden from which pupils and students can grow plants, and, in some cases, even fruit trees in orchards.

Such projects can indicate to young people that not only food, but money comes from the ground, and that Zimbabwe’s national economy is indeed agriculturally based. That is what Dr Nkomo meant when he said if you want money; reverse the word “mali” (money) to “lima” (plough).

Self-reliance should surely be shown practically by some of Zimbabwe’s technical universities, and other educational institutions converting the country’s plentiful sunlight into usable electrical energy. That would be extremely plausible self-reliance at national level.

It is impossible to appreciate why Zimbabwe is still relying on hydro and in some cases even on thermal energy in this day and age. What are the constraints in this regard?

In the rural areas, self-reliance should lead to the production of coffins, products that are very much in demand. Coffin-manufacturers should be found wherever there is a hospital.

Self-reliance implies being more or less self- sufficient from the cradle to the coffin. That is what the San community has promoted to achieve self-preservation for centuries, not that they use coffins. They use hides or skins instead.

Saul Gwakuba Ndlovu is a retired, Bulawayo- based journalist. He can be contacted on cell 0734 328 136 or through email. sgwakuba@gmail.com

Erol Akbay

Harare Bureau
BLACK Rhinos coach Stanford “Stix” Mtizwa is concerned that the long lay-off by his team may affect their rhythm this afternoon when they host Highlanders in a Castle Lager Premiership tie at Morris Depot.

The last time they were in action was on May 28 when they beat Yadah 1-0 at the same venue.

“We had a long break, our last league game was supposed to be against Caps United and it was postponed. Sometimes this tends to affect the rhythm, these breaks.

“But we are ready for the match. Highlanders are a big team just like Dynamos with a huge following, so we really need to be at our best to achieve what we want. We must play and not let them play us,” said the coach.

He received a huge boost when he was voted the best coach for May together with his defender Sydney Linyama.

“We also want a win and maintain the momentum we have set. The last time Rhinos was relegated they were on 23 points, we haven’t achieved that, once we achieve that, then we can start saying something.

“We are on number two, yes, but we are not yet there,” said Mtizwa.

However, the team will be without defenders Farai Banda and Wilson Chakanyuka.

Banda is suspended while Chakanyuka and Wonder Kapinda, who missed the last game with an injury, haven’t made full recovery.

“We are happy though, two of our defenders Sydney Linyama and Jameson Mukombwe are back from the national team, they are okay and have joined the rest of team in training,” he said.

Highlanders coach Erol Akbay is also confident that his team will roar on the road.

Bosso have collected four points in their last two encounters with a 2-0 victory against Triangle and a point picked at Mandava.

“We are playing good football and not complaining at the moment but I think it will not be an easy game for us as we understand Black Rhinos are also playing well.

“We would want to score more goals going forward and everyone is ready for this game,” he said.

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
THE deputy headmaster of Makhulela Primary School in Bulilima District committed suicide by hanging after squandering $500 in school funds on beer.

Headman Ndolwane said Themba Nyathi (50) was found hanging by a rope from the roof of his cottage located within the school premises on Monday morning.

He said Nyathi allegedly committed suicide as school authorities were looking for him after he was sent to withdraw $500 from the bank, but did not report for duty for a week after withdrawing the money.

Nyathi reportedly also tried to commit suicide during last school holiday while at his parent’s home in Old Magwegwe Suburb, Bulawayo.

“There is a deputy headmaster from Makhulela Primary School who was found hanging from his cottage on Monday morning. He is suspected to have hanged himself on Sunday night. Nyathi’s body was found by another teacher who shares a cottage with him.

“The teacher became curious after Nyathi didn’t report for duty on Monday morning and went back to check on him only to find his body hanging from the roof of his bedroom,” he said.

Headman Ndolwane said during the last school holiday, Nyathi allegedly tried to hang himself in a bushy area in Bulawayo after accusing his  mother of selling five of his cattle without his permission.

He said Nyathi was stopped by a passerby who found him climbing a tree while holding a  rope.

Headman Ndolwane said Nyathi was well known for his drinking habits.

The senior village head of the area, Mr Luka Khupe said Nyathi was reportedly assigned to withdraw $500 from the school account on Monday last week. He said Nyathi did not return with the money but absconded from work.

Mr Khupe said school authorities tried to locate him but failed and there were claims that he squandered the money on booze.

“A week before he died Nyathi was assigned to withdraw $500 from the bank in Plumtree.

“He was supposed to surrender the money at the school on the same day but he didn’t.

“He squandered the money on beer and didn’t report for duty that week.

“He only returned to the school on Sunday evening and he was expected to report for duty on Monday morning.

“When he was found hanging he had $100 in his pocket and it’s suspected that it was part of the money which he was supposed to surrender to the school,” he said.

@DubeMatutu

Another US appeals court stomped on President Donald Trump’s revised travel ban, saying the administration violated federal immigration law and failed to provide a valid reason for keeping people from six mostly Muslim nations from coming.

The decision by a unanimous  three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals helps keep the travel ban blocked and deals Trump a second big legal defeat on the policy in less than three weeks.

The administration has appealed another ruling against the ban to the Supreme Court, which is likely to consider the cases in tandem.

The White House said it is confident the high court will uphold Trump’s executive order.

The 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia last month cited the president’s campaign statements calling for a “total and complete shutdown” on Muslims entering the US as evidence the 90-day ban was unconstitutionally “steeped in animus and directed at a single religious group”, rather than necessary for national security.

The 9th Circuit, which heard arguments in Seattle last month in Hawaii’s challenge to the ban, found no need to analyse Trump’s campaign statements. It ruled based on immigration law, not the Constitution.

“Immigration, even for the president, is not a one-person show,” the judges said. “National security is not a ‘talismanic incantation’ that, once invoked, can support any and all exercise of executive power.”

Judges Michael Hawkins, Ronald Gould and Richard Paez – all appointed by President Bill Clinton — said the travel ban violated immigration law by discriminating against people based on their nationality when it comes to issuing visas and by failing to demonstrate their entry would hurt American interests.

The president’s order did not tie citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen to “terrorist organisations” or identify them as contributors to “active conflict”, the court said. It also did not provide any link between their nationality and their propensity to commit terrorism.

“In short, the order does not provide a rationale explaining why permitting entry of nationals from the six designated countries under current protocols would be detrimental to the interests of the United States,” the ruling said.

The judges pointed to a June 6 tweet by Trump saying the order was aimed at “dangerous countries”. That helped demonstrate he was not assessing whether the roughly 180 million citizens of the six countries had ties to terrorism, they said.

Because of the conflict with immigration law, the judges said they didn’t need to consider whether it also violated the Constitution’s prohibition on the government favouring or disfavouring any religion. The 4th Circuit found the policy unconstitutional on that basis.

Attorney-General Jeff Sessions denounced the ruling. “Recent attacks confirm that the threat to our nation is immediate and real.

Certain countries shelter or sponsor terrorist groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, and we may be unable to obtain any reliable background information on individuals from these war-torn, failed states,” Sessions said in a statement.

Trump also criticised the ruling on Twitter, saying it came at a “dangerous time” in history.

“Frankly, I think any lawyer worth their salt 100 percent agrees that the president’s fully within his rights and his responsibilities to do what is necessary to protect the country,” spokesman Sean Spicer said.

Hawaii Attorney General Douglas Chin said the new ruling proved that “our system of checks and balances, enshrined in the Constitution for more than 225 years, remains in place”. — AFP

The Government has for a long time demonstrated a strong resolve to ensure that the country regains its status of food self-sufficiency.

It has implemented a range of measures to that effect. Key among them are the provision of agricultural inputs, building of dams, provision of irrigation facilities and market access.  The land reform and redistribution programme should be viewed in that ambit as well.

But it has not been plain sailing, we must say.  From time to time droughts have come in the way, so have floods. Pests have come in the way, so have financial constraints. These have hampered the ability of the country to feed itself and reap more for export.

The command agriculture system that was launched last year to complement existing initiatives such as the Presidential Well-Wishers Special Agricultural Inputs Scheme have, however, helped boost food output this year, estimated to reach 2,7 million tonnes of maize and small grains.

The State-led programme was not going to be a success if farmers were going to realise record harvests but be stuck with silos brimming with maize. To some extent this was a genuine concern, if not fear, among some farmers that the prevailing economic conditions were going to compromise the Government’s capacity to buy the bumper maize harvest.

We are delighted that the Government has put paid to these concerns after the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, Cde Davis Marapira, disclosed, as we reported yesterday, that the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has secured $200 million to buy grain from growers.

“The US$200 million war chest that GMB has to buy maize from our local farmers came from Treasury and private sources and we hope the purchasing of maize to intensify from mid-July (next month) when the maize moisture content would have gone down to acceptable levels.

“GMB will buy maize from local farmers from the funds they have and more money will be available to purchase locally produced maize because the Grain Millers’ Association of Zimbabwe will in turn purchase at least 800 000 tonnes of maize from GMB this year,’’ he said.

At a producer price of $390 per tonne, the $200 million availed so far is enough to buy exactly 512 820 tonnes of maize and small grains that command the same price with the larger cereal. If the Strategic Grain Reserve was totally empty, the money was enough to fill it up as the lifeline silo must have 500 000 tonnes of maize. As of now, said Cde Marapira, it has 180 000 tonnes, thus 320 000 more tonnes are needed.

The outlay will put $200 million into the hands of farmers in the next three months through grain purchases alone. It does not include the $980 million that farmers will earn through tobacco sales this year. It does not include the millions that cotton will pump in. These are huge revenue streams that will revive rural livelihoods after years of indigence caused by frequent droughts.

Maize farmers are surely happy that the money to pay them for their deliveries is already there even before their crop is ready for the market. What the Government has done inspires confidence in agriculture, which is very critical to attracting investment into any industry. Every investor wants certainty before they invest their money and time in an undertaking. Our grain farmers have had it all this year.

The involvement of the Government augurs well for the national thrust to not only fight hunger and malnutrition, but to actually defeat them. We therefore want to urge the Government to intensify its support schemes.

With a record harvest in the bag, there is no need for anyone to import any grain hence the Government has not been issuing permits to bring maize from abroad.

Said Cde Marapira: “Government stopped issuing Grain Import permits about four months ago and no maize imports are allowed at our borders and the only way that maize can be brought into the country will be through smuggling but we now have advanced modern scanning equipment at our points of entry that will detect that.

“The only way maize may be brought into the country is if officials manning our ports of entry are bribed to allow the maize through but that is something that we do not have control over otherwise Government has banned grain imports into the country.’’

This is good news if one considers the tremendous saving to be realised — $500 million. But the full impact goes beyond dollars and cents.

Jobs have been created due to Government support for agriculture from the farm itself to input suppliers, from transporters to grain processors.

In addition, the sense of security among our people and the Government arising from the knowledge that our silos, and bellies, are full is immeasurable.

Hwange Colliery paid its workers $800 each, which is about seven percent of what they are owed

Business Reporter
HWANGE Colliery Company Limited workers were this week paid $800 each as partial payment of their outstanding salaries under the Scheme of Arrangement that creditors approved recently.

Workers said they were elated by the windfall which is coming when they had gone for more than two years without receiving salaries.

“It’s very true and we are very happy as workers that the company is demonstrating its commitment to clear the salary backlog. The money was deposited into our bank accounts yesterday,” said workers’ committee chairperson, Mr Garikayi Sigauke.

Most workers including the lowest paid got about $800 which is about seven percent of what they are owed.

The development comes as the mining giant’s production for May rose by more than 300 percent to 170 000 tonnes compared to 52 000 tonnes in April. The increased production followed shareholders approval of a debt repayment scheme, which allowed the company to borrow working capital.

In May HCCL creditors approved a Scheme of Arrangement which stopped litigations and writs of executions, which had crippled the company’s operations and it also allows the colliery to borrow  working capital from banks.

Mr Sigauke said workers’ morale had been boosted following the part payment of their salaries and they were now confident that their outstanding salaries will be paid.

He commended Government for remaining committed to the survival of the company.

“As workers we are happy especially that Government has honoured its promise on the Scheme of Arrangement. We are also happy that production has started picking. Last month we produced more than 100 000 tonnes and we are likely to maintain that this month.

“This seven percent payment will definitely boost staff morale and assist production. We have also started getting salaries on a monthly basis and on that note we will continue supporting Government and management to ensure this company maintains growth,” said Mr Sigauke.

The impact of salary payment has been felt by the business community in the coal mining town  as most businesses reported brisk business since yesterday.

One retail shop manager identified as Mr Moyo, said the business community was happy that people now have disposable income.

Managing director Engineer Thomas Makore, who could not be reached for comment, is on record saying Hwange’s total debts stood at $352 million, which it will convert to long-term liabilities under the Scheme of Arrangement. The company also requires $15 million working capital in the short-term to boost production.

“Our capital requirements are big, so in terms of developing our new concessions, we will require external funding. We will be approaching a number of financial institutions, local and international so that we raise that money,” Eng Makore told journalists at the 45th memorial commemorations of the 1972 Kamandama mine disaster that killed 427 miners.

In 2015, Government granted HCCL new coal concessions in Western Area, Lubimbi East and West with an estimated resource of 750 million tonnes of mainly coking coal and thermal coal. In April, the company signed two off-take deals with the Zimbabwe Power Company and independent power producer Lusulu Power for a combined supply of five million tonnes of coal annually. Eng Makore has said that the company has been paying monthly salaries since December last year.

Whinsley Masara, Chronicle Reporter
DRIVING public transport vehicles at night may soon be a thing of the past if Government approves recommendations made by the Civil Protection Unit.

The decision to lobby Government against night driving follows an accident which killed 43 people on the spot and injured 31 others when a Zambia-bound King Lion bus rammed into a tree in the Nyamakate area in Hurungwe last Wednesday night.

The director of the Civil Protection Unit Mr Nathan Nkomo said driving at night was contributing to bus accidents and it should be banned.

He said the need to effect a ban on buses being driven at night was among a number of concerns and recommendations submitted to Government.

“I don’t want to pre-empt details of our petition to Cabinet but as a department and with views of other concerned associations, it has been noted that night driving has cost our country a lot of lives, hence, should be banned.

“If we could do like other countries like Zambia, where driving is prohibited after 7PM, the better. This supports the petition by the International Cross Border Traders’ Association to Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, requesting immediate withdrawal of King Lion Bus Company’s passenger permit, among other concerns and suggestions,” said Mr Nkomo.

He said the CPU was awaiting Cabinet’s decision on night driving.

The CPU director said they had made other recommendations such as the need for all public passenger transporters to maintain registers of all individuals on board before they depart to any destination.

“Registers would help on identification in cases of disasters. Night driving comes with a number of challenges such as limited visibility. Another concern is that when disasters occur at night, it can be difficult to reach CPU at odd hours and for CPU to start mobilising assistance and resources at night,” he said.

Mr Nkomo said following last week’s bus accident, all bodies including those of two Zambians have been positively identified and collected.

He said the CPU, the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe and the International Cross Border Traders’ Association were working to assist bereaved families to bury their loved ones.

Mr Nkomo said those who were injured were being assisted.

“The CPU has paid $200 for the 43 deceased persons while the ICZ has paid out $1 300 for each deceased person. The ICZ is also paying the full hospital bills for all the injured. The ICTA has pledged to assist with about $150 000 donated by its 150 000 members internationally,” said Mr Nkomo.

A tow truck recovers the wreckage of the King Lion bus that veered off the road and hit a tree killing 43 people in Nyamakate, Hurungwe last week — (Picture by Walter Nyamukondiwa).

The International Cross- Border Traders’ Association president, Mr Denis Juru said they sought permission from Government to fundraise for the accident victims.

“The Government gave us the go-ahead to fundraise for the Nyamakate accident and in Zimbabwe we’re using the Civil Protection Unit bank account. In the Diaspora and other countries, the organisation is collecting from members then it will hand over to the CPU.

“Each one of our 150 000 members is donating a $1 and so we expect to forward the funds as soon as possible to the beneficiaries. We shall confirm the collected total in due course and will with the CPU disburse it to the families,” he said.

Last week, Mr Juru said King Lion Bus had been involved in many accidents over the years.

He said about 60 people had died in King Lion bus accidents since 2014 and alleged speeding was the main cause of the accidents. “On July 19, 2015, a bus belonging to King Lion killed 12 passengers, 37km from Kafue along Lusaka-Chirundu road in Zambia.

“On July 23, 2014, a King Lion South Africa-bound bus killed two people. The Chronicle business editor, Menart Mafirakureva, was killed when his car collided with a King Lion bus along Masvingo-Harare road near Beatrice. The accident also killed one passenger who was in the bus,” said Mr Juru.

“On June 28, 2014, a King Lion South Africa-bound bus killed two passengers and several were injured. The accident occurred 40km before Masvingo along Harare-Masvingo road. The bus sideswiped with a Pioneer bus which was going north.”

He alleged the incidents were evidence that King Lion bus drivers are not professionally and defensively trained.

@winnie_masara

Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
BULAWAYO Mayor Councillor Martin Moyo has said the ban of shows at the Amphitheatre was not for Harare artistes only but for all concerts, church services and activites that take place well into the wee hours of the night.

The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has reportedly banned the holding of shows at the Amphitheatre because of noise. Harare acts in particular Jah Prayzah, Winky D and Alick Macheso were fingered as the noisiest of the lot according to BCC sources.

The Mayor, who is also Ward 3 councillor, said he had received complaints from residents in the surrounding area that falls under his ward.

Ward 3 covers Suburbs, Hume Park, Killarney, Waterlea, Orange Groove, Queens Park East, Romney Park, Sunnyside, Paddonhurst, Kumalo, Glengarry, Parklands, Northlea,Woodville and Mahatshula.

“We have received complaints from residents of Suburbs in particular who say the noise when there’re shows at the Bulawayo Amphitheatre is too much. The complaints aren’t confined to music shows, but also churches that hold all night prayers,” said Clr Moyo.

According to sources at BCC, shows, concerts or church services can now be held in the afternoon with a 10PM curfew.

Clr Moyo said in the past they had tried to talk to promoters to keep the noise levels down but to no avail.

“The people who hold shows there aren’t considerate because when residents complain about noise levels we try to ask them to reduce.

“When we receive complaints about noise we send our officers there to talk to them to keep it down. They didn’t listen unfortunately.

“Let the noise be directed at those who are at the Amphitheatre who want to hear it, not someone who lives all the way in Ascot,” said Clr Moyo.

While acknowledging that the venue was built as a centre of entertainment, Clr Moyo said they had to take into consideration residents’ complaints.

The Bulawayo Amphitheatre was the brain child of the late BCC Director of Housing and Community Services, Isaiah Magagula after former Director of Engineering Services, Engineeer George Mlilo, visited South Africa with former Town Clerk Mike Ndubiwa. Eng Mlilo took pictures of amphitheatres there and gave them to Magagula when he returned to Bulawayo. Magagula took some of the ideas and initiated the construction of the Amphitheatre.

@bonganinkunzi

Wicknell Chivayo

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
BUSINESSMAN and socialite Wicknell Chivayo has undertaken to pay the $4 000 fine imposed on Bulawayo giants Highlanders by the Premier Soccer League’s disciplinary committee for the abandoned match against Dynamos at Barbourfields Stadium on May 14.

Highlanders were found guilty of offences which include pitch invasion, missile throwing and violent conduct by their fans during the epic encounter that was halted in the 42nd minute.

“The Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee found Highlanders guilty of causing the abandonment of the match. The match has been awarded to Dynamos FC on a 3-0 score line. Further, Highlanders FC were fined a sum of $4 000, which fine together with the cost of the hearing shall be paid by the 31st of July 2017,” read the judgment.

The free-spending businessman yesterday took to social media to announce his benevolence to Highlanders, a team which he claims to have supported since his primary school days at Avoca in Insiza district, Matabeleland South.

“Bosso ngenkani! I was speaking to our respectable Highlanders (acting) chairman Modern Ngwenya over the weekend. I was so impressed by his sentiments that ‘soccer results are determined in football grounds not in board rooms’. I assured him that on his instruction simply by text or phone call, I will definitely go and pay the $4 000 fine to the PSL with my eyes closed. I told him I will go one better and do them a favour and go in person myself and pay it in cash so that they can get a chance to also meet one of Highlanders’ life time supporters who don’t condone violence. Enough said and to cut a long story short, asifuni bumbulu,” wrote Chivayo on his Facebook timeline yesterday.

Chivayo said he meant and stood by his Facebook post.

Highlanders have since formally lodged an appeal against the decision to award the game to Dynamos on a 3-0 score line.

Bosso lodged their appeal to Zifa on Tuesday as defined by the PSL Article 49 of its statutes and it is now up to the national association to hear the case using its appeals committee.

“We have launched our appeal with Zifa because we feel it’s not fair to us as Highlanders and it’s not fair to other teams in the league. We want to be given an opportunity to compete where we are going to win, lose or draw on the field of play, not for Dynamos to get three points via the boardroom,” said Ngwenya.

He said the issue of monetary sanction will need to be tackled at policy level, but their immediate concern now was the decision to award the match to Dynamos on a 3-0 score line.

“Look, it’s common knowledge that we were ready to play when the match was called off and it won’t be fair to us and other teams in the league for Dynamos to get three points through the boardroom. We want our players to be given an opportunity to compete on the field of play; we want them to beat Dynamos on the field of play and if need be, we want Dynamos to beat us on the field of play, not via some boardroom,” Ngwenya said.

@skhumoyo2000

Danisa Masuku
AFTER featuring on her husband Reverend Togarepi Chivaviro’s several albums, Juliet Chivaviro has decided to release her own single track titled Pindai Jesu that features Mechanic Manyeruke and Oliver Mtukudzi’s wives. The trio, Juliet Chivaviro, Daisy Mtukudzi and Helen Manyeruke recorded the song in February at Artisan Studios in Harare.

Chivaviro launched the single track in Bulawayo at the Assemblies of Pentecostal Methodists branches in Zimbabwe church branch at

Cilla’s Conference Centre opposite Bulawayo Centre on Saturday.

The launch was attended by Helen Manyeruke, but Daisy Mtukudzi could not make it due to other commitments.

Pindai Jesu encourages women to focus on God as He provides solutions for all problems. The single is available at all Assemblies of Pentecostal Methodists branches in Zimbabwe for $1.

Stepping out of her husband’s shadow, Mother General as Juliet Chivaviro is fondly known said she received a vision telling her to do collaboration with the pair.

“We were from prayer and fasting camp, I received a vision directing me to work on a single track with Mai Mtukudzi and Mai Manyeruke. At first I was doubtful of that but my husband confirmed it to me and told me he also received a similar vision,” she said.

Mother General said the two agreed to work on the track and overwhelmingly showed creativity on the track.

“Due to great art work shown by the two great women, I believe Pindai Jesu will inspire a lot of women to be fighters and achievers or world changers,” she said.

“It was a worthwhile experience working with the two to inspire a number of women to cast their                       burdens to God and stop wasting their monies on sangomas.

“As women we face a myriad of challenges that range from marital problems to all forms of abuses and the song encourages women to be prayerful and with God there is no challenge that is insurmountable.”

Mrs Marjorie Munyonga

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
THE Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) yesterday clarified that it has not completely cut off water supplies to Gwanda town and said there is no need to shut down the town at a time when Cabinet has resolved that the municipality must take over the water treatment plant.

The Water Authority also slammed some politicians in the town for misleading residents and the businesses community by peddling falsehoods.

Zinwa which was responding to threats by stakeholders to shut down Government departments, businesses and educational institutions for fear of an outbreak of diseases, said it was unfortunate that the leadership in the town led by the Mayor councillor Knowledge Ndlovu who chaired the stakeholders’ meeting, was trying to create an impression that the town’s water supplies have been cut when the truth is that Zinwa was just rationing water to the town.

Zinwa Corporate communications and marketing manager, Mrs Marjorie Munyonga said Gwanda mayor as well as the principal of Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic, Dr Ngoni Moyo and former Gwanda mayor Cde Rido Mpofu were attempting to politicise the water issue and vainly trying to drag President Mugabe’s name and the entire Government into a dispute between Gwanda Municipality and Zinwa.

“The dispute between Zinwa and Gwanda is well documented and has been brought before the courts at numerous times with the courts always finding in favour of Zinwa, the latest case having been disposed on in May when Gwanda consented to pay Zinwa in excess of $1,8 million. The Municipality owes Zinwa in excess of $10 million. It is worth mentioning that the municipality once ran the water system in the town and later handed the same to Zinwa after running it down,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said the attempt by the purported stakeholders’ meeting to paint a dire situation in the Matabeleland South capital is unfortunate, taking into account that Zinwa is providing water for 12 hours a day to Gwanda despite the fact that the Municipality is not paying for the water.

She said the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri and her counterpart, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Honourable Saviour Kasukuwere, are already seized with the matter.

Mrs Munyonga said the intervention by the two Ministers has resulted in Minister Muchinguri-Kashiri appointing a commission comprising officials from her Ministry, the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, the Urban Councils’ Association of Zimbabwe and Zinwa to assess Gwanda’s capacity to run the water system it has been publicly agitating to take over for years.

“The mayor is quite aware of these developments that have been unfolding in the past weeks and should be the last person to call for a meeting for purposes of name calling and finger pointing. Zinwa finds such actions to be in contempt of the efforts by the two ministries. For the avoidance of doubt, the mayor is fully aware that Cabinet has already agreed that Gwanda takes over the system and the commission has just been put in place to take care of the procedural and legal steps required to facilitate a smooth take over. This, the mayor is fully aware,” she said.

Mrs Munyonga said Zinwa finds the push for a shutdown in the town as a desperate and needless attempt to undermine the work of the commission appointed by Government.

She said the municipality should allow the committee to do its work without undue pressure in contempt of the efforts by ministers to resolve the long standing dispute between Zinwa and the local authority.

Mrs Munyonga said any attempt to shut down Gwanda should not be premised on the water situation but the advocates should come out clear to the public on their motives and not seek to use Zinwa as a scapegoat.

“The desperate attempt by the “stakeholders” to politicise the whole matter is quite deplorable and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Water is so strategic a resource that we cannot afford to use it to score cheap political goals.

“Zinwa therefore urges the council and its stakeholders to be patient enough to allow the committee set up by the minister to carry out its mandate without hindrance and undue influence by those megaphone negotiations which Gwanda seeks to do,” said Mrs Munyonga.

She said following the intervention by Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri not to cut supplies for the whole town, but ration the resource, Gwanda municipality has also put its own water rationing regime, throttling supplies to certain parts of the town, thereby depriving many residents of the much needed water in the process.

“Council should therefore take full responsibility for this situation they have created and ensure that residents get water,” she said.

@AuxiliaK

Fire engulfed a 24-storey housing block in central London, killing at least six people and injuring at least 74 others in an inferno that trapped residents as they slept.

Flames raced through the high-rise Grenfell Tower block of apartments in the north Kensington area after taking hold around 1:00AM yesterday and witnesses reported many residents desperately calling for help from windows of upper floors.

The London Fire Brigade said 40 fire engines and 200 firefighters were battling the blaze which had engulfed all floors from the second to the top of the building.

“We can confirm six fatalities at this time following the fire in North Kensington,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “These are very early stages and we do expect that figure to rise.”

London’s Mayor Sadiq Khan said “a lot of people” still unaccounted for more than eight hours after the fire was reported.

“Unfortunately, there have been a number of fatalities,” Danny Cotton, Commissioner at London Fire Bridage, said. “It’s a major fire that has affected every floor from the second floor upwards.”

Flames ravaged the tower, lighting up the pre-dawn west London skyline and sending up a thick plume of black smoke. Flumes of black and grey smoke billowed into the air over London hours after the blaze was sparked.

Large pieces of debris could be seen falling from the building. “A number of people being treated for a range of injuries,” police said.

It has emerged that residents of Grenfell Tower voiced concerns about the building’s fire safety last year.

“It is a truly terrifying thought but the Grenfell Action Group firmly believe that only a catastrophic event will expose the ineptitude and incompetence of our landlord, the KCTMO, and bring an end to the dangerous living conditions and neglect of health and safety legislation that they inflict upon their tenants and leaseholders,” members of the Grenfell Action Group said in a blog dated November 2016.

The group has since posted a new entry on its blog, saying “all our warnings fell on deaf ears”.

“We predicted that a catastrophe like this was inevitable and just a matter of time.”

It is our conviction that a serious fire in a tower block or similar high density residential property is the most likely reason that those who wield power at the KCTMO will be found out and brought to justice.”

Witnesses said they heard screaming from the upper floors as the flames rose in the night.

“They were trapped. They couldn’t come downstairs, especially from the top floor … People have been burned,” a witness identified as Daniel told BBC Radio London. “I have seen it with my own eyes. And I have seen people jump.”

Hanan Wahabi (39) said she escaped with her husband and son (16) and eight-year-old daughter but feared for her brother and his family who live on the 21st floor. “Last time I saw him they were waving out the window, his wife and children,” she said.

“I’ve not heard from them since, the phone is not going through, the landline isn’t going through.”

Another witness, Tamara, told the BBC she also saw people trying to throw their children to safety.

“There’s people throwing their kids out: ‘Just save my children, just save my children’,” she said.

“There’s people at their windows: ‘Help me, help me, help me!’ You can see the fire go into the house and into the last room that they’re in, and just engulfing their whole apartment.”

Laurence Lee, reporting from London, said “there were serious and long-standing complaints by the residents”.

“This is being described as a potentially catastrophic event,” he said.
Witnesses at the scene confirmed hearing people screaming for help from inside the building and also tying towels and bedsheets to tryand escape from the windows before being advised against doing that by the police. — AFP

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Multi-award winning, gold selling, Afro-Soul music sensation and African Jewel, Berita Khumalo, has just released her third self-titled album, Berita.
Recently nominated at the Bulawayo Arts Awards in the Outstanding Ambassador Based in South Africa, Berita spent two years working on the album.

She said the album is a personal journey that explores various themes surrounding the topic of love that everyone can relate to.

“This album is truly special to me as it explores my personal journey in the past two years from heartbreak to finding love. I feel free and confident and can’t wait for everyone else to hear the music,” said Berita.

She describes her third studio album as a body of work that came from her soul.

“Unlike my first two albums that were based on other people’s experiences and situations happening in the world respectively, all 14 songs on Berita have personal meaning and were written from experiences Berita went through over the past two years.

“This album is my dream and I put my heart and soul into every lyric,” she said.

The 14-track album has the songs Phindile, Indoda, Chasing the wind, Nguwe Wedwa, Milele, Firelighter, Surprises, La gal, Over You, Bom’ uyandazi, uYandiphambanisa, Ezizweni, The Soil and the River and Nguwe wedwa (acoustic version).

The album, is a follow-up to Songs of Empowerment, an album that saw Berita try to bridge the gap between the old and the new when she featured the likes of Oliver Mtukudzi and Hugh Masekela.

The album did not do well as anticipated hence she worked on her self titled album.

In February Berita gave a glimpse of what to expect in her forthcoming album when she released Surprises.

Surprises was inspired by her feeling that “we should find joy in the present and hope in the future.

The song is about the simple ways to enjoy and appreciate life, as it is unpredictable and full of surprises.

Professor Jonathan Moyo

Daniel Nemukuyu, Harare Bureau
HIGHER and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Jonathan Moyo rushed to the Constitutional Court challenging the lawfulness of his arrest when a magistrate could have dealt with the matter without difficulties, Chief Justice Luke Malaba has ruled.

Justice Malaba, sitting with eight other judges, passed the comments in the case in which Minister Moyo is challenging his arrest on allegations of swindling the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) of close to $500 000.

The full bench of the Constitutional Court yesterday reserved judgment in the matter after hearing arguments from the parties involved.

Minister Moyo, who was represented by Advocate Lewis Uriri and Mr Terrence Hussein, is seeking an order pronouncing that the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has no arresting powers.

He is also seeking to have his arrest declared unlawful.

The minister also seeks nullification of the warrants that allowed the investigators to search Zimdef premises.

Chief Justice Malaba said if Minister Moyo was indeed arrested, as per his lawyers’ confirmation, he should have just appeared before a magistrate and challenged the validity of the arrest.

“If you are saying there was an arrest, why didn’t you go to the magistrate’s court to argue that the arrest was unlawful.

“You have an arrest. You say the arrest was unlawful. A magistrate has jurisdiction to decide on the lawfulness of arrests.

“The law says a person who is arrested should go to court within 48 hours and challenge his or her arrest,” said Chief Justice Malaba.

Adv Uriri confirmed that a magistrate has jurisdiction to hear matters of that nature, but he argued that the Constitution provided for both routes.

He argued that the circumstances of Minister Moyo’s case warranted direct access to the Constitutional Court.

“The Constitution also provides for expedient ways of resolving matters of this nature and that is why we found ourselves here.

“There are instances where the Constitutional Court appears to be the best court to deal with some constitutional issues,” said Adv Uriri.

Ms Venrandah Munyoro, a chief law officer in the Attorney General’s office, argued that Minister Moyo should have appeared before the magistrate’s court on November 3 instead of jumping the gun by rushing to the highest court in the land.

“The applicant is not properly before this court. He must utilise the remedies available to him first,” she said.

Adv Thembinkosi Magwaliba, on behalf of the Prosecutor General Adv Ray Goba, defended his actions in the matter saying his correspondences to the law enforcement agents were lawful.

He urged the court to dismiss Minister Moyo’s application.

Adv Magwaliba said a magistrates’ court was the best platform for the minister’s challenge.

He urged the court to throw away the minister’s request to nullify the warrants of search and seizure issued in respect of Zimdef and other premises.

“The warrants in question have not been issued against the applicant. They do not bear his name and the property in question is not his personal property. What does he fear which makes him want to litigate for Zimdef?” said Adv Magwaliba.

The court dismissed a separate application by the State in which it sought to file a supplementary answering affidavit by an investigating officer, a Sergeant Chacha to bolster its case against Minister Moyo.

Chief Justice Malaba threw out the application after realising that some of the information contained in the said affidavit was false.

“You have an application founded on a false statement of affidavit that contains untruths…By consent the application is dismissed with costs,” ruled Chief Justice Malaba.

Minister Moyo, his deputy Dr Godfrey Gandawa and Zimdef finance director Nicholas Mapute, stand accused of abusing nearly $500 000 belonging to Zimdef.

They were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.

Dr Gandawa and Mapute have since been placed on remand at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts.

Before the trio’s court appearance date, the minister instructed his lawyer Mr Hussein to file an urgent interdict at the Constitutional Court.

The now late Retired Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku last year temporarily stayed Minister Moyo’s prosecution pending determination of whether or not his arrest was constitutional.

FC Platinum supporters invade the pitch after the match against Highlanders at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane was abandoned last month

Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Sports Reporter
THE police have been blamed for causing the abandonment of the FC Platinum and Highlanders’ Castle Lager Premiership match at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane on May 28.

The referee and match commissioner’s reports indicating that Bosso fans threw stones and invaded the pitch were rejected by the PSL disciplinary committee after viewing video evidence of the disturbances.

“It is clear from the evidence presented that had it not been for the trigger-happy police who threw teargas at exiting fans, the match would have been concluded,” reads part of the disciplinary committee’s judgement.

In a strongly worded 1 400-word judgment which Chronicle Sport is in possession of, the four-man PSL disciplinary committee described referee Brighton Chimene and match commissioner Masimba Chihowa’s evidence as unreliable, as it sought to portray Highlanders’ supporters as a violent lot by insinuating that they threw stones onto the pitch before invading it and causing the abandonment of the game.

Highlanders, who were represented at the hearing by chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube and treasurer Donald Ndebele, did not deny that some Bosso fans threw missiles, except that these were empty plastic bottles and not stones.

They admitted that some of their fans invaded the pitch with FC Platinum fans to escape tear smoke that had been thrown at exiting fans.

Bosso were then found guilty of count two of throwing of missiles and acquitted on the first count of causing the abandonment of the match.

“What is in contention is whether the game was abandoned due to the accused club’s actions or due to the action of the police. The referee was of the view that he could not restart the match because the Highlanders’ supporters threw missiles at the assistant referee after the penalty kick. He also stated that it was the Highlanders’ supporters who invaded the pitch. The match commissioner basically stated the same. In its defence, the accused produced a video showing the events of the day.

“The video was at odds with the evidence given by the two witnesses (referee and match commissioner). It showed that the accused club supporters were in fact leaving the stadium or heading towards the exit. It also showed that the police used tear smoke and it was at this point that the FC Platinum supporters then entered the pitch. There was no evidence on the video that the stampede that ensued was caused by the accused or that it was the accused’s supporters who caused the abandonment of the match. But for the action of the police, the game would have proceeded.

“Both witnesses indicated that much of the confusion started when supporters tried to escape the tear smoke, with many people following the players into the dressing rooms. Both the referee and the match commissioner’s version of events were discredited. They became evasive under cross examination, especially after the video evidence. Their evidence was totally unreliable as at one stage they said stones were thrown, but it was clear from the video that very few plastic bottles had been thrown and the police had managed the situation.

“In their evidence, they said the accused’s supporters invaded the pitch and yet it was FC Platinum supporters who first invaded the pitch running away from teargas thrown by police as accused’s supporters exited the stadium. They painted a picture of the accused being the violent party and did not even mention seeing police kicking  accused’s supporter (seeking police help) after being beaten by FC Platinum supporters right in the middle of the pitch. It is clear from the evidence presented that had it not been for the trigger-happy police who threw teargas at exiting fans, the match would have been concluded,” the judgment read.

For pleading guilty to missile throwing, Bosso were ordered to pay a fine of $2 000, of which $500 is suspended for the rest of the season on condition they are not convicted of any offence involving missile throwing. The fine of $1 500 together with the cost of hearing should be paid by July 31, 2017.

“In arriving at the appropriate sentence, we have considered the fact that the accused admitted throwing missiles into the pitch.

However, throwing plastic bottles or missiles of whatever nature should not be condoned at all. No matter how one perceives to have been robbed of a game, violence will never be the answer. Those perceptions must be addressed through formal structures and not by resorting to violence.

“We have considered that had it not been for the statements presented to PSL, perhaps the club would have been given the mandatory fine in the Standing Orders. We are also mindful of deterring future missile throwing by imposing a suspended sentence. The suspended sentence will act as a deterrent and ensure the club does not commit a similar offence in future. The match results stand at 1-1,” concluded the disciplinary committee in its judgment.

@skhumoyo2000

There are indications that elephant rides and lion walks will be stopped in December this year

Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
THE tourism industry is facing a gloomy future as some international tourism agents from America are reportedly campaigning for closure of tour activities that involve wild animals.

Indications are that elephant rides and lion walks will be closed in December this year despite the activities being one of the cornerstones of the industry.

The international agents bring clients to local tour operators and have reportedly given conditions that if they do not close they would stop marketing the tour operators’ products and services.

Sources said the animal activists are even offering large sums of money to operators to stop activities involving wildlife.

The companies are under pressure and have agreed to close in December so that they remain in business.

More than 90 percent of tourists that enjoy elephant rides and lion walk come from the same  agents.

The activities have stopped in Botswana and South Africa and pressure is now on Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Zambian tour operators who offer elephant rides have advertised to their clients that they would stop on December 31 while Business Chronicle is reliably informed that locally, Wild Horizons, one of the tour operators in Victoria Falls, will also be closed on the same date.

However, authorities at Wild Horizons told this paper that they were yet to decide on the date to close the activities.

Adventure Zone, Elephant Express, Shearwater are also part of the companies that offer elephant rides in Victoria Falls while Lion Encounter does lion walks.

“We will be stopping but we don’t have a date yet. Yes there is an international campaign to stop activities involving animals such as elephants,” said Mr Craig White of Wild Horizons.

He however played down the issue saying the company was voluntarily scaling down the rides.

Sources told this paper that the company was under pressure from its major agents who have threatened to stop bringing tourists if it continues activities involving animals.

Asked about the implications of the closure on business, Mr White said it would definitely impact negatively on his business.

Shearwater spokesperson, Mr Clement Mukwasi, who is also president of Employers Association of Safari and Tourism Operators said there was a need to strike a balance instead of closing abruptly.

He said the drive was coming from the source market mainly in the United States which targeted countries such as India and African countries were suffering from spillover effects.

“The campaign against use of wild animals in tourism has always been there by wildlife activists. As an industry we say there shouldn’t be an abrupt closure but a system must be devised with a budget for rehabilitation of those animals and compensation of those employed in the sector in the event that we close,” he said.

Mr Mukwasi said the elephant rides is one of the key sectors of tourism as it employs many people and contribute to tourism growth.

“They have to strike a balance. They should give alternatives in relation to people’s jobs and rehabilitation of these animals. Those who are able to close must not do so for scientific benefits without first putting proper measures.

“There is a lot of campaign against animal activities in the source market especially USA as they target India and in our case we have no track record of abuse of animals.”

While other operators have indicated that they will be closing, Mr Mukwasi said his organisation was still consulting.

Sources said Shearwater and Elephant Express have refused to budge because they no longer deal directly with some of the agents pushing for the closure who are based in South Africa.

Across the Zambezi River in Livingstone, only Mukuni Big Five Safaris, run by Chief Mukuni would continue offering animal activities as it also does not directly deal with the concerned agents.

The agents have reportedly planted posters at airports in Zambia stating that any tourism activity involving wild animals was cruel to the animals.

Operators were likely to divert from animal interactions while some have already started setting up restaurants to replace lost activities and business.

It costs $150 per person to ride an elephant for 45 minutes and $165 in Zambia.

@ncubeleon

Ms Paurina Mpariwa

Auxilia Katongomara, Chronicle Reporter
PARLIAMENT’s Public Accounts Committee has noted that Bulawayo City Council’s books are in shambles, raising the risk of embezzlement of funds and corruption.

The Committee revealed this in a report presented in Parliament on Tuesday after examining BCC’s accounts, the first ever accounts of a local authority to be looked into by the Committee.

The committee’s chairperson, Ms Paurina Mpariwa told Parliament that the Public Accounts Committee had noted that Bulawayo City Council does not have an asset register hence it was difficult to establish what the municipality was getting from rentals.

The committee said the absence of an asset register also makes it difficult to establish what type of buildings the city has and what income was being derived from such properties.

Ms Mpariwa said the committee concluded that there is a culture of non-performance embedded in the local authority since there are no consequences for non-performing.

“Of great concern to the Committee was the huge backlog by Council with regards to the production of financial statements for audit. In 2014, the Auditor General was auditing the 2010 and 2011 Bulawayo City Council accounts.  By all accounting standards, reporting on these accounts will not be of much value,” she said.

Ms Mpariwa said the committee was concerned about the extent of poor record keeping exhibited by the local authority.

“Given that they were behind in auditing their books, there was therefore a greater need for proper record keeping to ensure that such documents are in place whenever they are required for audit purposes,” said Ms Mpariwa.

She said auditors were not provided with expenditure supporting documents for repairs and maintenance and general expenses amounting to $151 504 and $179 396 respectively.

“Under such an environment, funds could be misappropriated without the system detecting. Council officials admitted that there was a problem of poor records keeping and as a result, some records were lost,” said Ms Mpariwa.

She said the committee had also noted that some employees did not have the right qualifications for the posts they were holding.

It was also observed that the local authourity was not pursuing criminal matters following theft and fraud by its employees, a development MPs said would encourage criminal activities within the local authourity.

The committee chairperson said an audit observed that the cash account on the general ledger was not being reconciled to the physical cash in the vault and this resulted in a variance of about $1,2 million between the general ledger and physical cash balance.

“The revenue hall bank statement, which should have been the only control around the physical cash receipts and reconciliation process, was not updated timeously. On further inquiry, management updated the revenue hall bank statement to a balance of $39,” she told Parliament.

“Audit is also not taken seriously by the local authority since again there are no consequences for issues raised in audits or even missing deadlines for submission of accounts for audits. The Committee recommends that the council should be proactive in its day-to-day administration of council funds to curb recurrences of observations in future.”

Ms Mpariwa said the production of accounts within a stipulated time frame and the quality of audits should be part of the performance contract for the council’s Finance Director.

“Failure in that regard, the employment contract should be revisited,” she said.

@AuxiliaK

The decision to close Government departments, educational institutions and businesses in Gwanda Town is uncalled for because it defeats all logic.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority reduced water supplies to the mining town over a $10 million debt which Gwanda Municipality is disputing. Council acknowledges a debt of $3 million, hence the impasse.

After a meeting held at the council chambers on Tuesday, stakeholders resolved to close institutions, Government departments and businesses because the environment, they claimed, was no longer conducive to continue operating. The stakeholders noted that big institutions such as the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic College with a huge population of students, schools, clinics, hospitals and businesses had been operating without adequate running water for more than two months. This, the stakeholders said, was a time bomb and as such the only alternative was to shut down until the issue of water supplies is resolved.

Zinwa has however dismissed as untrue claims that it has cut water supplies to the mining town but acknowledged reducing supplies.

It said yesterday that it was supplying the town for just 12 hours a day despite the fact that council is not paying for the water. The water authority said it has put in place a dedicated line servicing the provincial hospital as a way of ensuring continuous supplies to critical institutions.

What is not in dispute is that there is an impasse between Gwanda council and Zinwa which has forced Zinwa to reduce water supplies and not cut supplies as is alleged by stakeholders. It is therefore important that the two parties find each other to stop the suffering of innocent residents of Gwanda.

It is unfortunate that stakeholders decided to politicise the situation in order to whip up residents’ emotions instead of engaging Zinwa to find a lasting solution. Council, like other local authorities, has an obligation to pay for water and should therefore come up with a payment plan to clear its arrears.

Gwanda Municipality, as we said in the past, has proposed to take over the treatment of water from Zinwa so that it pays the water authority for raw water. This is the arrangement between Zinwa and municipalities such as Bulawayo, Harare, Gweru and Kwekwe.

Gwanda Municipality has indicated that it has the capacity to treat its own water which it says it will supply to residents cheaper compared to the present arrangement. The Secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing, Engineer George Mlilo has said he fully supports the idea of Zinwa surrendering the responsibility of treating water to Gwanda Council given that the local authority has the capacity to do so.

We appealed to Government a month ago to urgently resolve the impasse between Gwanda Municipality and Zinwa before the situation got out of hand. The closure of businesses and institutions in our view is  not the solution and such a negative approach to challenges should be frowned at.

Stakeholders should be wary of playing into the hands of the country’s detractors.

The Ministers of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri- Kashiri and her counterpart, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, we are told, are seized with the Gwanda issue.

Cabinet has already agreed that Gwanda takes over the water reticulation system hence a seven- member commission of inquiry has been appointed to assess the Gwanda and Beitbridge town councils’ capacity to take over water and waste water management from Zinwa.

The commission will facilitate the smooth take over of the system so one of the outstanding issues regarding supply of water to residents has been resolved.

Munyaradzi Diya

Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
How Mine 2-1 Yadah Stars FC
MUNYARADZI DIYA produced brilliant saves to inspire 10-man How Mine to a hard fought victory over a highly determined Yadah Stars FC in a Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match played at Luveve Stadium yesterday.

How Mine’s victory saw them moving three places up the ladder into fourth place. The gold miners are now tied on 24 points with third-placed Chicken Inn, who have a better goal difference.

Diya kept his side in the game with a double save in the 18th minute by first blocking a Johannes Sibanda shot before tipping Paulo Borges’ attempt from the rebound out for a corner.

Two minutes later, Diya again went airborne to push Borges’ header out.

Yadah’s control of the first half lasted for half an hour as How Mine struggled to keep up with the visitors’ attackers led by Leeroy Mavunga and Borges.

How Mine crept back into the game after coach Kelvin Kaindu instructed his players to keep possession and build-up through the midfield.

A quick exchange of passes between Pasca Manhanga and Kuda Musharu opened up Yadah’s defence for the first time, and midfielder Marvelous Mukumba was denied by goalkeeper Tafadzwa Dube in a one-on-one situation in the 31st minute.

But there was no denying Manhanga two minutes later when his strike from the edge of the box took an awkward bounce and beat Dube at the near post.

The home side was then dealt a blow when Mukumba received his second booking in the 41st minute leaving his team with 10 men.

However, Mukumba’s expulsion did not deter How Mine, who doubled their lead on the stroke of halftime through Toto Banda, who toe-poked the ball into the net after keeper Dube spilled Musharu’s effort.

The goal infuriated Yadah coach Jairos Tapera, who felt his defenders could have cleared the ball.

“Defensively we were poor in the first half and if you look at the first goal, the keeper was hit at the near post and the second one the central defenders were sleeping. That was our biggest undoing,” said Tapera.

With a bit of luck, How Mine could have killed off the contest early in the second half had the upright not denied Banda in the 53rd minute with Dube beaten.

Three minutes later, Yadah pulled one back through a beautiful curler from inside the box by Wellington Kamudyariwa. After the goal, Yadah piled pressure on How Mine, but found Diya resolute.

“We thank God for these maximum points. We didn’t play our normal game and the red card affected our game plan because we were always defending.

The good thing is that this victory makes us move up the table, which is a relief,” said Kaindu.

Teams
How Mine: Munyaradzi Diya, Praise Tonha (Peter Moyo, 46th minute), Thembani Masuku (Nelson tachi, 78th minute), Mukundika Sakala, Frank Makarati, Marvelous Mukumba, Tsepo Ranthokoane, Pasca Manhanga (Nqobile Ndlovu, 65th minute), Toto Banda, Kuda Musharu, Timothy January
Yadah: Tafadzwa Dube, Moses Demera, Morris Musiyakuvi (Munyaradzi Nyenye, 50th minute), Jimmy dzingai, Regis Dongo, Brian mapfumo, Wellington Kamudyariwa, Leeroy Mavunga, Paulo Borges (Leeroy Murape, 50th minute), Johannes Sibanda (Milton Makopa, 75th minute), Munyaradzi Chiwara

Results
Tuesday: Caps United 3-0 Bantu Rovers

Wednesday: Chapungu 1-0 Bulawayo City, Chicken Inn 2-0 ZPC Kariba, FC Platinum 0-0 Harare City, Black Rhinos 3-0 Highlanders, Triangle United 3-1 Shabanie Mine

Yesterday: Bantu Rovers 1-1 Tsholotsho FC, How Mine 2-1 Yadah FC, Dynamos v Ngezi Platinum (National Sports Stadium, 7PM), Hwange v Caps United (Postponed)

@ZililoR