BY WANDILE TSHUMA

After a two-day sit-in at Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA offices), Hwange Local Board management and ZINWA have reached a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the handing over of Empumalanga Phase 4 Stage II water management.

This breakthrough comes as a huge relief to the residents of Empumalanga, who have been without water for eight long months.

“This serves to inform you that yesterday (27 September 2024) Hwange Local Board management held a meeting with the Zimbabwe National Water Authority Hwange to deliberate on the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the two parties on the handing over of Empumalanga Phase 4 Stage II water management,” said Dumisani Nsingo, Public Relations Officer.

The disconnection, which occurred in February, was due to a standoff between the Hwange Local Board and ZINWA over arrears.

“ZINWA requested for the removal of certain financially related clauses of which Hwange Local Board obliged to. Thereafter, Acting Town Secretary Mr Paulos Mabhureni signed the MoU on behalf on Hwange Local Board and handed it over to ZINWA Hwange officials who advised that the document will be sent to their head office in Harare for signing by their Chief Executive Officer, most probably on Monday (30 September 2024).”Nsingo said.

But the impact was felt most keenly by the residents, who were forced to resort to drinking unclean water from ponds near sewer lines.

This has not only been an inconvenience, but also a health risk, as the water is also consumed by wild animals.

According to Irene Shangwa, vice chairman of Phase 4 residents, “For the past eight months, we have been drinking water from underground. We do not even know where that water is coming from, whether it’s sewer water or just dirty water. We just drink it.”

Some residents have been asking relatives for water, while others are selling water for $1 for four or five buckets.

The situation has been particularly dire for women and children, who are the ones who fetch water from the ponds, exposing them to other diseases. Last year, they also went for eleven months without water, drinking from the ponds.

This is despite Zimbabwe being a signatory to the UN Human Rights Council, which recognizes the right to safe, clean, and potable water.

The signing of the MOU is a significant step forward, and is expected to pave the way for the reconnection of water at Empumalanga Phase 4 Stage II.

While there is still work to be done to address the underlying issues, the residents of Empumalanga can finally see a glimmer of hope on the horizon.

As one resident noted, “We are relieved that something is finally being done. We just hope that the water is turned back on soon.”

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI 

A 57-year-old man from Chezhou Village, Dete, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for raping a 53-year-old woman.

According to court records, the accused person, whose name has been withheld, stood trial at Hwange Magistrates’ Court facing charges of rape.

On July 3, at around 9:00 a.m., the complainant met the accused person and requested mealie meal to feed her family.

The accused person invited her to his house, but instead of giving her mealie meal, he grabbed her hands from behind, pushed her into the kitchen hut, and locked the door using a chain.

The complainant tried to escape, but the accused person blocked her way, pushed her down, and raped her once.

The complainant reported the matter to the police on July 10, leading to the accused person’s arrest.

The court also heard that the accused person infected the complainant with a sexually transmitted infection.

In passing sentence, the magistrate condemned the accused person’s actions, saying that rape is a serious violation of a person’s rights and dignity.

The accused person was sentenced to 20 years imprisonment, effective from the date of his arrest.

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

A Hwange resident has been convicted of burglary after stealing pots of food and drinks from two homes.

The accused person broke into the first complainant’s kitchen on September 20, making off with two silver pots containing sadza and beans.

Carlos Ncube, a 26-year-old resident of Makwika village, was identified as the accused person.

The complainant discovered the theft the next morning and tracked the shoe prints to Ncube’s residence.

In a separate incident on the same night, Ncube also burgled a tuck-shop in the same village, stealing soft drinks and mahewu worth ZWG514.17.

All stolen items were recovered, and Ncube was found guilty.

He is set to appear in court today for sentencing.