In the community

Grade 2 pupil and neighbor die in gas-filled well in Nkayi

Published

2 months ago

April 18, 2026

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A Grade 2 pupil and a young man died on Thursday in a tragic incident at a neighbor’s well in Nkayi Ward 19, after being overcome by suspected carbon monoxide and a total lack of oxygen.

The tragedy unfolded near Nkayi Primary School area when the young student was reportedly sent into the well by an elderly man to retrieve a bucket that had fallen to the bottom.

He reportedly lured him on the promise of buying him sweets.

When the child failed to resurface, a neighbor entered the shaft in a desperate rescue attempt.

Councillor Thubelihle Mabuza Ncube, who visited the scene on Friday, described the harrowing moments that led to the double fatality. “What happened, we understand, is that a bucket fell into the well and the boy, whose mother was not at home at the time, was lured to get in an retrieve it in exchange of sweets and things,” Ncube said. “It is said there was carbon [monoxide]… there was no oxygen at all at the bottom and that’s how he died”.

According to the councillor, the second individual who had reportedly sent the child to fetch the bucket in the well reached the bottom and was briefly able to interact with the child before being overwhelmed . “He reached the bottom, but [the gas] overcame him,” Ncube explained. “He reportedly tapped the child, but then he was overcome by that carbon and lack of air… They both died in the water “.

A third person attempted to enter the well but immediately signaled to be pulled out, reporting a suffocating heat and a total lack of oxygen inside the shaft.

The councillor expressed deep distress over the decision to send a young child into the well. “It is very painful… a Grade 2 pupil being sent into the well by elders to go and retrieve a container from the bottom,” Ncube said, noting that it appeared the community had grown accustomed to such tasks.

Due to the extreme danger posed by the air quality, rescuers were unable to physically enter the well to recover the bodies. Instead, villagers were forced to use a makeshift tool to retrieve the deceased from the surface.

“They were finally taken out not by being fetched from below; instead, they ended up using something like a wire to pull them because people were afraid to enter where that gas was,” Ncube said.

The incident has left the Nkayi community in mourning. “Nkayi is hurting deeply,” the councillor added. “It is a very painful situation”.

The accused has been charged by the police, according to the councillor,

In the community

Three injured in collision in Nkayi’s Mathetshaneni village

Published

3 days ago

June 12, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A newly elected Ward 19 headman was among three people injured in a road traffic accident in Mathetshaneni Village earlier this week while travelling from a meeting linked to his installation.

The accident occurred on a sharp curve along a dusty road near Somathetshane Bridge, where villagers say poor visibility may have contributed to the collision.

According to witnesses, a bus travelling westwards had just passed through the area, leaving behind a thick cloud of dust. Moments later, another vehicle travelling behind the bus allegedly attempted to overtake despite the reduced visibility.

The overtaking vehicle reportedly collided with a blue pickup truck carrying the headman and two other occupants, who were travelling in the opposite direction.

Photographs taken after the accident show extensive damage to the front section of the pickup truck and the other vehicle.

Three people were injured in the crash. Villagers said one occupant sustained head injuries while others suffered cuts and bruises.

One of the injured men, believed to have been driving the pickup truck, remained admitted in hospital as of Wednesday. Community members said there were concerns he may have suffered a fracture, but further medical assessment was delayed after the local hospital reportedly experienced challenges with X-ray services, forcing him to seek additional examinations elsewhere.

The driver of the other vehicle is understood to have escaped with minor injuries.

Villagers who spoke to VicFallsLive described the accident site as a hazardous section of road where dust and poor visibility frequently create dangerous driving conditions, especially during the dry season.

Meanwhile, the traditional leadership succession process continued on Thursday at the Malindi homestead in Mathetshaneni Village.

Mlibazisi Malindi- Sibanda was formally installed as headman, succeeding his late father, Walter Malindi-Sibanda, who died during the Covid-19 period.

Binga

Questions raised over mining revenue and development in Binga

Published

3 days ago

June 11, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOMVELO SIZIBA

Parliament has requested information on how mining revenue generated in Binga is contributing to local development amid growing calls for communities to benefit more directly from natural resources found in their areas.

In a question directed to the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, Joseph Cumanzala seeks details on the amount of revenue generated from mining operations in Binga District and how that revenue is being allocated or reinvested into development projects in the Zambezi Valley.

The question further asks how Binga is being integrated into national development plans and which priority projects have been earmarked for the district.

The issue speaks directly to a broader national debate around resource governance and whether communities living in resource-rich areas are receiving a fair share of the economic benefits generated from their regions.

Residents and civic groups have long argued that improvements in infrastructure, health services, education and water supply should be visible in areas contributing to national economic activity.

In the community

Lupane hospital question returns to Parliament as residents await completion of long-delayed project

Published

3 days ago

June 11, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The long-awaited Matabeleland North Provincial Hospital is back on Parliament’s agenda, with government being asked to provide an update on the project’s progress and expected completion date.

According to the National Assembly Order Paper of Tuesday, Hwange MP Daniel Molokele has asked the Minister of Health and Child Care to inform Parliament on the latest progress regarding construction of the Matabeleland North Provincial Hospital in Lupane and whether there is a specific timeline for its completion.

The question revives attention on a project that many residents have viewed as critical to improving access to specialist health services in the province.

Matabeleland North remains one of Zimbabwe’s largest provinces by land area, with residents often travelling long distances to access referral health services in Bulawayo and other urban centres.

For communities in districts such as Binga, Hwange, Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Lupane, the completion of the provincial hospital has long been seen as a key step towards strengthening healthcare services closer to home.

The parliamentary question comes as communities continue to raise concerns over access to healthcare, shortages of specialised services and the costs associated with travelling outside the province for treatment.