National

Chinese mine accused of abandoning burned worker

Published

7 months ago

October 18, 2024

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Thembelani Nyoni, a 40-year-old miner from Madumabisa village, lies in a hospital bed at St Patricks hospital, his right leg severely burned and wrapped in bandages.

His story is one of neglect and abandonment by his employer, he identifies as Zhong Leo Coking Company, a Chinese mine in Hwange.

“I was burned while at work,” Nyoni recounts, his voice weak but determined. “They took me to the hospital and left me here, dumping me. I’m appealing to my relatives to help me with medical assistance because I have run out of options.”

Nyoni’s ordeal began on October 9th when he was burned while working at the mine.

He was taken to the hospital and left there, with no further assistance from his employer.

“They came on the first day and the second day, and then they just stopped coming,” he says. “I’ve tried to call them, but they won’t answer my calls.”

Nyoni joined the company on August 14th and had worked for almost three months without a contract or proper safety measures.

“We didn’t sign anything,” he explains. “We were paid based on targets. If we finished a battery, we got paid $24 for three days, depending on the weather.”

On the day of the accident, Nyoni was loading coke into a car when his leg got trapped. “I fell, and my knee was severely burned,” he recalls.

“The worksuit was also burned. I managed to escape and went to sit by the chimney. The Chinese boss, who runs the company came and gave me some ointment to rub, but I insisted that I needed to go to the hospital until they assigned some foreman to take me there. I was not the only one who got injured on the day.”

Nyoni’s appeals for help have fallen on deaf ears. “On the first day, they gave me $20 and left,” he says. “I’m married with children to look after. I don’t know what to do.”

Efforts are underway to locate Zhong Leo Coking Company for comment.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 month 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

4 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.