National

Chinese worker plunges to death at Hwange Power Station

Published

4 years ago

September 23, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A Chinese national plunged to his death at the Hwange Power Station while assembling cooling towers at one of the units that are under construction.

Police said Zhang Xiaao Dong fell from 40 metres after slipping on the scaffold mounted on Unit 7.

Zhang, who was employed by Sino Hydro Corporation, had been in the country for only six days when tragedy struck.

“On 9 September 2021 Zhang Xiaao Dong arrived in Zimbabwe and was referred to Sino Hydro Unit 7 plant where he commenced duty on 13 September 2021,” police said, quoting a statement made by Sino Hydro’s John Nyamagara.

“His work permit is said to have been for Sino Hydro headquarters in Harare.

“On 16 September at 5pm and at Sino Hydro Unit 7, Zhang Xiaao Dong in the company of other three Chinese nationals Cheng Guo Li Xiaao Fan and Ama Rudong were assigned to assemble cooling towers that were 40,5 metres above ground.

“While assembling the cooling tower, Zhang slipped and fell onto the mesh floor 12 metres from the ground and died on the spot.”

Sino Hydro was awarded the contract for the expansion of the Hwange Power Station, which entails the addition of units 7 and 8 by the Zimbabwe Power Company.

The Chinese company was under the spotlight last year after local workers accused their employer of failing to ensure safety standards were maintained resulting in the death of employees while at work.

Workers also accused their Chinese supervisors of ill treating them while government departments were said to be turning a blind eye to reports of poor working conditions.

The Zimbabwe Construction and Allied Trades Workers’ Union at the time said it had written several letters to government departments raising concerns about working conditions at the project to no avail.

The construction of the two units is part of a US$1.4 billion project to increase electricity generation by 600 megawatts.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

5 days 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

1 month 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.