National

Kariba dam water levels improve

Published

2 years ago

February 16, 2023

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Water levels are rising in Lake Kariba as runoff from nearby areas have started flowing in, Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has said, amid hopes that electricity generation would increase.

Zimbabweans have been forced to endure up to 19 hours of power outages a day due to low water levels at the dam.

According to a press statement from ZRA, the agency jointly controlled by Zimbabwe and Zambia, the dam increased the flow by 476.85m of usable storage water as of Friday, which is above the minimum operating level.

“It is worth noting that the lake level at Kariba, which had been in recession in the last quarter of 2022, has been rising steadily following the onset of rains on and around the lake and Zambezi River Upper Catchment,” ZRA said.

The year 2023 commenced with a low lake level of 475.61m or 0.83% of live storage available for power generation on 1st January 2023. This was an increase from the lowest record of 475.60m (10cm above the Minimum Operating Level-MOL) recorded on 30th December 2022.

From this lower lake level, the level now increased to 476.85m recorded today, 16th February 2023 which translates to 6 Billion Cubic Meters (BCM) or 9.32% of stored usable water meant for power generation by the two utilities – ZESCO Limited and Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) at Kariba North Bank Power Station and Kariba South Power Station, respectively.”

ZRA said the level translates to a rise of 1.24m from the level recorded on 1st January 2023 meaning that the current lake level of 476.85m, therefore, places the lake at 1.35 meters above the Minimum Operating Level (MOL) of 475.50m.

The double-curvature concrete dam has an estimated height of 128m with a crest length of 617m and has the capacity to hold back 181 billion cubic metres of water.

It generates an estimated 1 080 megawatts of electricity output for Zambia and 1 050 megawatts for Zimbabwe, but, however water levels have dwindled sharply in recent years, raising fears that the two nations’ hydropower turbines may have to switch off completely if water levels continue to decline.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

6 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.