Hwange

Hwange woman’s life hangs in balance after elephant attack

Published

12 months ago

August 16, 2024

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Loveness Ncube, the 42-year-old woman from Hwange who was brutally attacked by an elephant while fetching firewood, is still fighting for her life at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.

Despite her critical condition, she has received no government support or intervention, leaving her family and community to bear the burden of her medical expenses.

“She complains of body pains all over her body, struggles to speak, and has a severely injured leg, which the doctors will operate on today,” said her husband, Philmon Munsaka, his voice filled with worry and concern.

Munsaka expressed frustration at the lack of government assistance, saying, “We have not heard any word from the government. No one has come to visit us or offer any support and for the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, they only helped by arranging for her ambulance working in collaboration with council, and they dispatched an ambulance from Dinde Clinic.”

Munsaka, recounts the harrowing incident, which occurred on Monday.

“It is not true that she was stealing coal, in fact, she had gone to fetch firewood with her neighbor in the nearby bush because we have a huge crisis of electricity shortages,” Munsaka explained.

He continued, “As they were still picking, they encountered two elephants, and as they reacted, one of them immediately charged at them. The other woman ran faster, and unfortunately, it caught my wife and tossed her hard to the side.”

Munsaka credited a wrapper his wife wore with saving her life. “How she miraculously survived was her wrapping rag or instraro that she had on her waist, so as it gored her with its tusk, the wrapped flung towards its eyes and trunk, so it became more agitated as it tried to get it off its face, and that’s how she was saved.”

Ncube’s neighbor helped her walk despite severe bleeding and eventually left her to seek help as she lost consciousness. The neighbor then used two Honda Fit cars to rescue Ncube from the bush and took her to St Patrick’s Hospital.

Green Shango, a local activist organization , emphasized the need to amend the wildlife bill to assist victims of human-wildlife conflicts. “For her transfer to Bulawayo, she is having difficulty raising the ambulance fees. The fact that wild animals have an ambulance but human victims do not have one is shocking. These conflicts will only grow more frequent as climate change becomes more severe.”

Hwange

Hwange Colliery Company to resume alcohol monitoring program

Published

19 hours ago

August 12, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Hwange Colliery Company Limited has announced that its Alcohol Monitoring Program will officially resume on Wednesday, across all areas.

According to a memo , the program is a critical part of the company’s commitment to safety, health, and productivity. It is implemented in line with the company’s workplace policies and legal obligations.

The memo stated that ensuring a substance-free work environment, especially in high-risk areas, is essential to the wellbeing of all employees and the overall performance of the organization.

All employees are expected to comply fully with the requirements of the program. Testing will be conducted randomly and routinely as stipulated in the Alcohol & Drug Monitoring Procedure (SHEQP 2.09).

The memo also warned that appropriate disciplinary procedures will apply in cases of non-compliance or policy violation.

Hwange

Teacher sentenced to 15 months for assaulting student with wooden stick

Published

2 weeks ago

July 28, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A Hwange Magistrates’ Court has convicted and sentenced a 27-year-old teacher, Shyleen Nenduva, to 15 months imprisonment for brutally assaulting a 15-year-old grade 7 student.

According to court records, on July 9, Nenduva from Gwai, struck the student several times on the back with a wooden stick, punched him once in the chest, and violently pushed him onto a desk. The assault resulted in the student sustaining a swollen and painful right elbow.

The court heard that the incident occurred after the student misbehaved outside the classroom, prompting Nenduva to caution him. However, a misunderstanding ensued, leading to the physical altercation.

In sentencing Nenduva, the court suspended 6 months of the imprisonment term for 5 years. The remaining 9 months were suspended on condition that Nenduva performs 315 hours of community service.

Hwange

Hwange driver remanded in custody for alleged beer theft

Published

2 weeks ago

July 28, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

A 38-year-old driver, Munyaradzi Gotora, has been remanded in custody by the Hwange Magistrates’ Court on three counts of theft involving large consignments of alcoholic beverages.

Gotora, employed at Delta Beverages’ Hwange Depot, allegedly diverted multiple loads of Chibuku Super beer destined for Binga and surrounding areas between June 25 and July 9, 2025.

According to the State, on June 26, 2025, Gotora sold 1,189 cases of beer valued at USD4,451.62 and failed to deposit the funds. He allegedly falsified delivery invoices, presenting them as credit transactions with Gain Cash and Carry, which were not signed.

Similar incidents allegedly occurred on June 30, 2025, involving 866 cases valued at USD3,242.30, and on July 5, 2025, involving 1,933 cases worth USD8,779. In the latter incident, Gotora allegedly deposited only USD2,110, converting the balance to his own use.

An investigation into the anomalies in stock records uncovered irregularities across the three transactions. Police recovered receipts at Gotora’s place of residence, linking him to the crime.

Gotora is scheduled to appear in court again on August 14. In the meantime, he will remain in custody.