National

ZCTU moves to block forced Covid vaccinations

Published

4 years ago

August 28, 2021

HARARE -Zimbabwe’s biggest workers’ union has taken the state and several firms to court for insisting that employees must be inoculated against Covid-19 before reporting for work, saying there is no law under the country’s statutes providing for compulsory vaccination.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions is challenging Paul Mavima, the public service, labour and social welfare minister, the attorney general and several state-linked firms, including fixed-line operator TelOne and the Zimbabwe National Road Administration, for “taking the law into their own hands” on employee vaccinations, according to court filings.

Zimnat Insurance, associated with South African insurance provider Sanlam, SeedCo Zimbabwe and Windmill are some of the firms also cited in the court filings dated August 13 and seen by Bloomberg.

The workers’ union said “thousands of workers” were affected by their employer’s decision to bar them from reporting for work and thousands more will be prejudiced.

The country has started the slow process of reopening, although lockdown measures remain in place. Social gatherings, including church meetings and dining in at restaurants, are open only to vaccinated people.

The vaccination programme was extended this week to 14 to 17-year-olds on the advice of scientists, Monica Mutsvangwa, the information minister said.

Students will return to classrooms from August 30, after schools were shuttered for more than two months.

Zimbabwe has authorised the use of vaccines from China, Russia and India.

The Johnson & Johnson shot was approved in July for emergency use after previously being blocked, as Zimbabwe struggled to contain a third wave of Covid-19 cases.

It expects to reach herd immunity by year-end, with about 10% of its 15 million people fully vaccinated.

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government says it wants to vaccinate 60 percent of the population before the end of the year to achieve herd immunity.

Some religious groups, however, are against Covid-19 vaccination. – Bloomberg/VicFallsLive

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

2 weeks ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) locomotive suffered significant damage after catching fire while transporting export coal to Zambi. The incident occurred between Kalala and Matetsi sidings, resulting in the explosion of the locomotive’s fuel tanks.

According to the NRZ press statement on Monday, “A National Railways of Zimbabwe locomotive suffered some damages after it caught fire this afternoon while transporting export coal to Zambia.” Fortunately, the crew members on board managed to escape unharmed.

The NRZ responded swiftly to the incident, dispatching a rescue train with crews to the site. The team successfully extinguished the fire, preventing further damage. However, the locomotive itself sustained considerable damage.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, with investigations currently underway. “Investigations are already underway to establish the cause of the fire and the amount of damage to the locomotive,” the NRZ statement read.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

Mandishara, who worked for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), was on patrol in the Gatche-gatche area with fellow rangers and police officers.

At around 10 pm, Mandishara returned to the harbor where their boat was docked, and that’s when he encountered the elephant. The elephant charged at him, causing fatal injuries. His colleagues were nearby, resupplying at the Gatche-gatche Irrigation Scheme.

Mandishara’s body was taken to Kariba District Hospital for a post-mortem, and the incident was reported to the police.

ZimParks has sent a team to manage the problem elephant and prevent similar incidents in the future.

The Director General of ZimParks, Prof. Edson Gandiwa, and his team have sent condolences to Mandishara’s family, friends, and colleagues. Mandishara will be remembered for his dedication to wildlife conservation in Zimbabwe.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

3 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) customs officer, Phillip Kuvenga, has been accused of criminal abuse of office for allegedly assisting in the importation of banned motor vehicles.

Kuvenga, 28, who is stationed at Victoria Falls, allegedly received documents from clients, completed valuation sheets, and carried out the valuation process. However, he is accused of endorsing different chassis numbers to deceive his supervisors during the validation and approval process.

After obtaining approval, Kuvenga would capture the correct chassis numbers in the ASYCUDA World System. He would then alter or replace the documents submitted earlier to his supervisors.

The offense came to light when a motor vehicle that had not yet arrived in Zimbabwe was found to have been already registered. A thorough check by ZIMRA led to Kuvenga’s arrest.

Kuvenga appeared in court on February 1, where he was denied bail by Magistrate Gift Manyka. He is expected to appear in court again today for another bail hearing.