BY STAFF REPORTER

In a High Court circuit sitting in Hwange, a 23-year-old man from Gwelutshena was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murder.

Mtabisi Ndimande was convicted of killing a 39-year-old man in a brutal axe attack that occurred on August 5, 2024, at DZ Sports Bar in Inyathi.

The court heard that Ndimande had been drinking beer with the deceased when an argument ensued.

Despite intervention from a security guard, Ndimande pulled out an axe and struck the deceased on the head.

The blow caused the deceased to collapse, while the axe remained embedded in his head. The offender then removed the axe and walked away.

The deceased bled profusely and was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on August 6, 2024.

The police responded to the scene and recovered the axe.

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Sokumile ukwakhiwa kwedamu elikhulu leZiminya, eNkayi ebelisakhiwa nguhulumende ngenhloso yokwenqabela uhlupho lokusweleka kwamanzi esigabeni lesi.

Lokhu sokudanise izakhamizi ebezilethemba lokuba zizasebenzisa amanzi ekuthuthukiseni indawo le, obekuzasungulwa inhlelo ezitshiyeneyo.

Izakhamizi lezi zithi abakhi bedamu leli abeZimbabwe National Water Authority labasebenzisana labo o- contractor, baqala ukususa imitshina yokugebha, izimota kanye leminye imitshina ngenyanga kaLwezi kungelasizatho esatshelwa inkokheli yesigaba kanye lezisebenzi.

Sixoxe loMnumzana Jeffery Sibanda owake wasebenza eZiminya ngokwenzakalayo, othi kakucaci ukuba umsebenzi uzaqahubeka nini, njalo ngokuna kwezulu, imbundu yedamu leli eTshangane isiqala ukudilikela.

“Imitshina ababeyisebenzisa ayikho. Akulalutho eground kule foot roller eyodwa eyafayo.”

UMnumzana Lameck Dlamini isakhumuzi seMenda uthi ulokudana ngohlelo lweZiminya, ngesizatho sokuba amanzi aluhlupho eNkayi.

“Mina kimi kubuhlungu ngoba nginje ngikhangela izifuyo ezilapha ngendlela osekudilizwe ngayo amadlelo le eTshangane kuphinde kungasaphutsha okuyinto kwakhona khathesi lezulu kalikho labo sebefukue umhlabathi akuselandawo zamadlelo kithi sokuyi loss lokhu.”

Sixoxe njalo lokhansila kaWard 28, uMnumzana Norman Ndebele, laye othi basemnyameni ngokwenzakalayo ehlelweni lweZiminya.

“Abantu laba baphuvala bengasitshelanga saphungubona bethutha impahla behamba ukuthi basivalelise lathi sasesibuza izisebenzi bathi kuthiwe sikhangele mhlaka 29 December batshiya kunjalo.”

UNdebele uthi idamu leli belizaletha intuthuko kuzulu weNkayi.

“Idamu lelui ngalikhona indlala yonke le esiyibalayo, konke esikubalayo nga kakukho. Ama irrigation bavulile kuma ward so nxa ama irrigations la engasebenza ubuyanga bendlala obulapha bebuzaphela.”

Unobhala webhuku lako Liver Khumalo, eMenda, uNkosikazi Sitshengisiwe Sibanda, uthi labo basemnyameni ngokwenzakala eZiminya.

“Ithemba asiselalo ukuthi bazabuya beqhubekele phambili, kusiphatha kabuhlungu kakhulu izakhamizi bezisebenza edamu sezibuya zihlala. Sifisa ukuthi liphumelele idamu sithole ukusila bekuzasincedisa ngoba labantu abasasebenzi.”

Isiloyiso sika Dlamini yikuba idamu leli lakhiwe. “Nxa abantu bezafelwa zinkomo baphinde baswele umsebenzi kanti bazaphila ngani ngoba inkomo ziphelile ngamathambo wodwa.”

UMnumzana Richard Moyo, ohola isabelo seMatabeleland North, uthi uhulumende ubengaselamali yokuqhubekela phambili yokwakha idamu leli.

“Hanstho uyabona ukuthi even le Gwayi-Shangani dam bekumile but kuma disbursement of 2025 l think iZiminya bengayifaka u-contractor ngeke ahlale kungaselamali ngithemba ama project la azaphiwa kuphele.”

Ngokutsho kweziphathamandla zikahulumende ezikuhlangothi lweTransport and Infrastructure Development, idamu leli kanye lezinye inhlelo ezigoqela ukuphehlwa kwamagetsi le irrigation, lizakwakhiwa ngezigidi zamadola eMelika ezedlula kancane ikhulu lamatshumi amathathu amadollar – US$132 million.

Idamu leZiminya ngelesibili elakhiwa nguhulumende kusabelo seMatabelelend North ngemva kweGwayi-Shangani Dam yona layo ekhangelelwe ukwenqabela uhlupho lwamanzi kubahlali bakoBulawayo lezinye izagaba eMatabeleland.

Uhlelo lweGwayi-Shangani lwasungulwa ngomnyaka ka1912 lwaphinda lwathathelwa phezulu yiNational Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project.

SOURCE: VOA

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Villagers in Nkayi have  expressed concerns about the socioeconomic difficulties they face as schools reopen.

At Mathetshaneni Primary School, parents struggled to pay the previous term’s fees of $25, with only 20% managing to do so.

“The situation is dire,” said a traditional leader, Sitshengisiwe Sibanda from Liver Khumalo’s jurisdiction. “Now, the school fees have been increased to $30 per term, which is unaffordable for most parents.”

Villager, Daina Ncube, echoed Sibanda’s sentiments: “We’re already struggling to make ends meet due to the drought and El Nino. How are we expected to pay such high fees?”

Another parent, Lewis Dube, added: “It’s not just the fees; we’re also struggling to provide basic necessities like food and clothing for our children. The government needs to intervene and provide support to vulnerable families.”

The villagers’ concerns are compounded by the fact that many families rely on subsistence farming, which has been severely impacted by the drought.

As schools reopen, the villagers are calling on the government to provide relief measures, such as fee subsidies or waivers, to support struggling families.

“We’re not asking for much,” said the traditional leader. “Just a little support to help our children access education. It’s their future that’s at stake.”