National

Liberation hero Tshinga Dube dies

Published

7 months ago

October 4, 2024

BY STAFF REPORTER

Colonel (Retired) Tshinga Dube, a member of the ZANU PF Politburo and former Cabinet Minister, has passed away at the age of 83.

His son, Vusa Dube, confirmed to the Chronicle that Dube died from kidney failure at Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo on Thursday, October 3.

Colonel (Retired) Dube, a respected war veteran, was born on July 3, 1941, in Fort Usher, Matobo District, Matabeleland South. He became politically active at a young age, joining the liberation movement in the 1960s.

In 1972, he trained as a guerrilla fighter in the Soviet Union and China, becoming a prominent figure in the Zimbabwe People’s Revolutionary Army (ZIPRA) during the liberation struggle.

Dube advanced through the ranks, playing a crucial role in the arms procurement department for ZIPRA, where he facilitated the shipment of weapons from supportive nations during Zimbabwe’s fight against colonialism.

Known as Cde Embassy during the liberation struggle, he was among the first guerrillas deployed to the frontlines, operating in the Tsholotsho District of Matabeleland North.

His unit laid the groundwork for the Wankie Battles, a joint operation involving ZAPU and ANC fighters that extended into Bulilima District in Matabeleland South.

As a military communications specialist, he worked closely with comrades such as Cain Mathema, Joshua Mpofu, and Bhekuzulu Khumalo.

They jointly led the department alongside ANC’s Umkhonto WeSizwe fighters, including Walter Mavuso and Jackie Modise, the wife of MK commander Joe Modise.

One notable engagement he participated in was the Madliwa battle, which lasted nearly five days along the Zambezi River Escarpment near Kariba, fought on the Zambian side. The battalion was commanded by the now Retired Major-General Stanford Khumalo, known as uMadliwa.

During the ceasefire, Dube was appointed to a committee responsible for integration, demobilisation, and the formation of the Zimbabwe National Army.

This committee was led by three members, with Dube representing ZIPRA, the late Josiah Tungamirai representing ZANLA, and General Jacobs coming from the Rhodesian Army.

Dube later became the overall commander of the signals department in the Zimbabwe National Army and was appointed a full Colonel.

He served ten years in the army before moving to the Defence Headquarters as Deputy Secretary of Research and Development.

After about three years, he became the chief executive of the Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), where he worked for 23 years.

He then transitioned into politics, serving as the Member of Parliament for Makokoba in Bulawayo for several years.

In 2015, Dube was appointed Minister of War Veterans and later authored a memoir titled “Quiet Flows the Zambezi.”

He is survived by his wife, Nomathemba Wendy Dube, as well as several children and grandchildren.

SOURCE: PINDULA

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

3 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

2 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.