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Elephants wreak havoc in Bubi, invade homesteads

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BUBI – A herd of elephants is terrorising villagers in Matabeleland North’s Bubi district as wild animals stray into human settlements in search of water and food.

The elephants are wreaking havoc Bubi’s ward 19, destroying the community’s water infrastructure and natural vegetation.

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The elephants believed to be from the Hwange National Park are suspected to be over 50 in number excluding calves

Villagers who spoke during a Community Advocacy Action Team meeting organised by Habakkuk Trust, said the community were living in fear as some herd boys have been chased by elephants while attending to their livestock.

Getrude Khabo, a village worker in the ward said children from affected villages were absconding lessons because they fear encountering the elephants on their way to school.

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“We have since stopped our children from going to school as we fear that they will encounter elephants on the way,” Khabo said.

The villages said the human-wildlife conflict was likely to affect exam children who were writing Grade 7 and ‘O’ level final examinations.

Some pupils in the ward reportedly walk distances of over 10km through dense thickets to access the nearest primary school, which makes them vulnerable to attacks by wild animals.

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The presence of elephants has impacted negatively on the socio-economic activities of women in the ward.

Women bemoaned loss of income after they failed to harvest seasonal broom grass because they feared being attacked by the animals.

Women are increasingly finding it difficult to fetch firewood and water as they fear being attacked.

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“Elephants are targeting our water points and we are scared of being attacked while fetching water,” said Nelia Moyo, the Habakkuk Trust community advocacy action team convenor for ward 19.

Habakkuk Trust community advocacy action team members said the elephants were invading homesteads where they destroy fences and fruit trees.

Village head Mlozwi said urgent attention was needed to avert deaths.

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“I have received reports of boys being chased from grazing areas by marauding elephants and this is worrying.’’

Efforts to ward off the elephants through the use of traditional means such as banging of tins and the use of fire were said to be ineffective.

According to the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, 60 people have been killed by elephants since the start of 2022.

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Bubi District Council chief executive officer Patson Mlilo said a team of hunters will be dispatched to handle the crisis—Habakkuk Trust

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National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

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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.

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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.

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Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

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BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

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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.

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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.

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ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

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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.

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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.

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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.

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