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Hwange residents endure 12 years without running water  

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BY NOTHANDO DUBE

Residents at a Hwange suburb have gone for more than 12 years without running water and must travel more than two kilometres to fetch the precious liquid.

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Railton residents, including young children, endure the agony of travelling over two kilometres everyday to fetch water from suburbs such as Middleburg.

On their way to fetch water, some, especially women and children have been robbed of their gadgets such as cell phones while several of them have also broken their water buckets while trying to climb the hill with the water buckets on their heads.

This publication interviewed several Railton residents who described the last 12 years living in the area as a nightmare.

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Some said they do as much as eight round trips to fetch water on a normal day. They said the local authority blames their predicament on the old piping system in the suburb.

At the height of Covid -19 pandemic, the Hwange Local Board tried to make some repairs but few months later the taps ran dry again.

“We are suffering and neglected in this area, and this is close to 15 years now without running water in this house,” said a 57-year-old widow.

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“What surprises me is that at the start of Covid-19 water was restored for about three months and was available around the area.

“We then started having water once a week, but now there is totally nothing.

“Many of us here are widows and old aged yet we are expected to fetch water several times a day.

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“It’s really hard because I have even broken six of My buckets trying to climb the steep rocky place back to my house.”

The residents said they feared disease outbreaks as the suburb had communal toilets and bathrooms.

They said Covid-19 prevention protocols such as social distancing was hard to observe at such places.

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“We have had a diarrhoea outbreak at some point, and it has really been a nightmare,” said a resident who requested anonymity.

Some able-bodied residents are, however, capitalising on the water and charging US$ 1 to for two buckets of water.

At the Middleburg water point residents can only access the commodity between 5pm and 7pm as wells as 5am and 6 am.

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A Hwange Residents Association committee member only identified as Rundofa said a lasting solution was needed for the Railton water crisis.

“The pipes are old and rotten,” Rundofa said. “We have tried to organise ourselves as the community to repair them and the local authority will be involved.”

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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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