National

Father, daughter killed after lightning strike in Lupane

Published

2 years ago

November 15, 2022

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Lupane: A father and his three-year-old daughter died when they were struck by lightning in a kitchen hut they were seated in when heavy storms pounded the area on Sunday

Matabeleland North police confirmed the incident and identified the deceased as Evan Moyo (27) and Samantha Moyo from Ndimimbili Village under Chief Mabhikwa.

The deceased were also in the company of Nomatter Moyo (23) who is also battling for her life at a local hospital.

“Moyo and his daughter (Samantha Moyo) were struck by lightning while inside the kitchen hut,”police said in a statement on Monday.

“Moyo died instantly whilst his wife was seriously injured on the face and Samantha passed on whilst being transported to Gomoza Clinic,”

“The circumstances are that on Sunday around 5pm, the deceased Moyo, his spouse and his late daughter entered the kitchen hut for shelter since it was raining. They were struck by a bolt of lightning while inside the kitchen and the hut caught fire.”

Police said the incident was witnessed by the victims’ neighbours, Pison Moyo and Metivity Ncube who saw the kitchen in flames.

“Upon arrival, Moyo and Ncube noticed that Nomatter Moyo had burns on her face while Samantha had burns all over her body and was still alive. They also observed that Evans Moyo had been burnt all over his body and had already passed on,” said the police.

“Ncube and Moyo then went with Nomatter Moyo and Samantha Moyo to Gomoza Clinic using a donkey drawn scotch cart, but Samantha Moyo passed on before they reached the clinic while the mother was referred to Saint Luke’s hospital for further management since she was critical.”

Last week on Wednesday, a woman from Jambezi on the outskirts of Victoria Falls was struck and killed by a lightning bolt while other family members were injured when the kitchen hut they were in caught fire.

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

6 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

3 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.