In the community

Government considers culling elephants to feed starving communities

Published

7 days ago

September 12, 2024

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwean government is considering culling elephants to feed communities struggling with starvation, Minister of Environment, Climate, and Wildlife Sithembiso Nyoni announced in parliament yesterday.

The move comes as the country grapples with a devastating drought that has left over seven million people in need of food aid. The government aims to utilize the meat from culled elephants to provide protein to starving communities.

Minister Nyoni emphasized that the culling process would be done within the confines of the law and in consultation with local communities. “We are having discussions with Zim Parks and some communities to count the elephants, mobilize the women to dry the meat, and package it to ensure it gets to those who need it,” she explained.

“The Ministry is working very hard to ensure that within the confines of the law, we can cull what is allowed for us to cull and be able to input into the Presidential feeding schemes to provide the protein,” she added.

The minister acknowledged that Zimbabwe’s elephant population has exceeded the recommended eco-system balance, leading to starvation and deaths of elephants. “We have more elephants than our forests can accommodate,” she said.

Furthermore, Minister Nyoni highlighted the issue of human-wildlife conflict, which is prevalent in most parks. “When there is overpopulation of wildlife in a specific park, they will then seek to go outside the park to look for other resources such as water or greenery. When that happens, they will then come into contact with humans and conflicts begin,” she explained.

While the move has sparked debate, Minister Nyoni assured that the government is working hard to ensure the culling process is done humanely and within international conventions.

Additionally, the move is expected to help mitigate human-wildlife conflict, which has become a major concern in many parts of the country.

Binga

Domestic violence turns deadly: Binga man stones wife to death, hangs self

Published

2 hours ago

September 19, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

Domestic violence turned deadly when a man killed his wife and later committed suicide.

According to the police, the shocking incident of domestic violence ending in murder and suicide struck in Siantungwana 4 Village, Sikomena, Dobola, on September 16.

The husband, Zibusiso Mhlanga, a 44-year-old man, allegedly attacked his wife, Lydia Mlalazi, 19, with a stone for unknown reasons.

The brutal assault resulted in Lydia’s death upon admission at a local health center in Lusulu.

In a disturbing turn of events, Zibusiso then took his own life by hanging.

The motive behind the attack and subsequent suicide remains unclear.

The Lusulu police are currently investigating the case, attempting to unravel the circumstances surrounding this incident.

Binga

Binga man (65) jailed for attempting to rape seven-year-old girl

Published

24 hours ago

September 18, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A 65-year-old Binga man was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempted rape which occurred on June 29.

According to court records, the victim, a 7-year-old girl, was sleeping alone in her bedroom when the accused entered her room at midnight.

He covered her face with a blanket and began undressing her. The brave young girl shouted for help, and her father rushed to the scene, interrupting the accused’s sinister intentions.

The victim identified the accused before he fled the scene. The police promptly arrested him, leading to his conviction and subsequent sentencing.

The Hwange Magistrates’ Court handed down the 10-year prison sentence, bringing justice to the victim and her family.

Hwange

Two men appear in court for string of burglaries in Victoria Falls

Published

1 day ago

September 18, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY COURT REPORTER

Two men recently appeared in court facing multiple charges of aggravated unlawful entry and theft after they allegedly went on a spree, breaking into several premises in Victoria Falls, stealing goods worth approximately USD $2 525.

Elton Zibusiso Nyathi, 31, and Thabani Gumbo, 29, the accused individuals allegedly targeted various businesses, including Sinemani Bottle Store, Sinemani Take-away shop, Zapalala Supermarket, Mama and Gogo Butchery, Nice Kicks and Cosmetics shop, Tinashe Gotosa Electrical shop, Faith’s Boutique, and Bridge Africa Technologies.

They stole a range of items, including drinks, snacks, clothing, shoes, handbags, cosmetics, electrical appliances, and cellphones.

According to the prosecution, the accused individuals used force to gain entry into the premises, causing damage to doors and locks.

They allegedly used unknown objects to break into the premises, and in one instance, they damaged the locks of Zapalala Supermarket but failed to gain entry.

The accused individuals were apprehended by the police and made statements indicating how they committed the offenses. They allegedly sold some of the stolen goods and used the proceeds to fund their criminal activities.

The prosecution has evidence, including witness statements, CCTV footage, and recovered stolen goods that will be presented to the court once they plead.

The case is ongoing, and the accused individuals remain in custody.

The defense will have to provide compelling arguments to counter the evidence presented by the prosecution.

Nyathi is facing another charge on raping his daughter sometime last month on two counts of rape.