National

Hwange coal fire death: Family seeks help to bury daughter

Published

3 years ago

December 1, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The family of a Hwange girl, who died on Monday, a month after she was burnt by underground coal fire near a dumpsite, is appealing for funds to bury her.

Alisha Sekina Muzviti, a Grade 2 pupil at Makwika Primary School, died at Mpilo Hospital in Bulawayo after a blood transfusion to treat the third-degree burns she suffered while relieving herself near her family home.

Her distraught father Andy Muzwiti told VicFallsLive that the family cannot afford the burial costs because Alisha’s treatment and the death of her sibling recently had drained their coffers.

“Her body will be kept in a mortuary there until we raise funds for her coffin, but for now, we hope to be assisted by the community members to purchase the coffin and fund other burial logistics such as transport, parlour fees and food for mourners, among others,” Muzviti said.

Meanwhile, the Hwange community led by Bulawayo-based entrepreneur Morris Mpala is mobilising resources to assist the family through mobile Ecocash transfers.

In a Hwange Central Constituency WhatsApp group, Mpala said the donations will go towards funeral expenses.

He said donations should be sent to his mobile Econet number 077 225 6235.

Those who want to send the money directly to Muzviti can do so through his Ecocash number 078 543 7185 or 0777 739 5526 for his wife Ethel.

The family and Hwange residents are blaming the Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) for the girl’s death because they say the dumpsites are not properly covered.

HCCL, however, insisted that the victims of the underground fires are trespassers who should not have been anywhere near the dumpsites.

Muzwiti has threatened to take legal action against the giant coal miner, arguing that its failure to secure the dumpsites exposed his daughter to danger.

Some Hwange residents have died while others were left nursing permanent injuries after stepping on the hot surfaces at the dumpsites.

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.