Connect with us

National

I’m angry’: Father of Hwange girl killed by underground coal fires wants heads to roll  

Published

on

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The family of an eight-year-old Hwange girl, who died on Monday night after she was burnt by underground coal fire nearly a month ago, has described their pain as unbearable and want the Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCC) to pay for the tragedy.

Advertisement

Alisha Sekina Muzviti, a Grade 2 pupil at Makwika Primary School, died at Mpilo Hospital on Monday in Bulawayo nearly a month after she suffered third degree burns while relieving herself near her Hwange home.

Doctors had amputated her both legs to minimize pain, but she died soon after receiving a blood infusion.

Her father Andy Muzwiti told VicFalsLive that Sekina’s death was a huge blow to the family as they recently lost another child.

Advertisement

“Not even a single word can describe how we as parents and the whole family are feeling right now,” Muzwiti said.

“Her condition appeared to be improving although she was in the Intensive Care Unit.

“She underwent a scan (on Monday) and it showed that her intestines were not badly affected, which gave us some hope that she was going to recover.

Advertisement

“She, however, had been not responding well to the blood transfusion because when they removed the bandage on her hands, the blood started oozing out and hospital staff told us that her veins had burst.

“They said her body was rejecting the blood and I think that is what complicated her chances of survival.

“We were informed at around 9PM that she had passed on, and I have no words to describe the pain because recently we lost another child, who came after Sekina.

Advertisement

“So, we are left with only one child who is nine months old.”

Muzwiti said the family had no money to buy a coffin for their daughter or to take her back to Hwange for burial.

He said he was disappointed by the way HCCL, which owns the dumpsite where Sekina was burnt, handled the case

Advertisement

“My child has had to die and they are not doing anything save for temporary markings that they just began doing to alert people (about the danger posed by the underground fires) after I indicated my plans to sue,” Muzwiti said.

“She was deprived of her chances of growing up like any normal child and even during this difficult time, we are on our own with the community members who helped with medical bills at Mpilo Hospital.

“I am angry because these dumpsites and houses belong to them and there have been cases similar to that my daughter, but nothing has been done.”

Advertisement

Sibangani Dube, a Hwange resident, said something urgent must be done to stop the loss of lives at the dumpsites.

“Just few weeks ago, we lost a university student in these dumpsites and a countless number of residents, especially women have been killed in these dumpsites and another boy has been left permanently disabled after he was burnt in the presence of his mother while they were farming,” Dube said.

“The tales are chilling, but what is disappointing s that when HCCL deplete coal reserves from these areas, they leave their pits unsecured and when methane and oxygen combine, they reignite hot furnaces on surfaces and it is difficult for one to know with a bare eye that the surface is hot or loose and that’s how we have lost many of our community members.”

Advertisement

HCCL corporate affairs manager Beauty Mutombe said Alisha’s death was unfortunate, but she absolved the company of any wrongdoing.

“This was an unfortunate incident and we would like to pass our condolences to the family,” Mutombe said.

“But the fact of the matter on these allegations are that when I went to the scene where this girl died, I established that she had been to a place where ants breed and leave a huge pile of soil.

Advertisement

“They had been playing on those heaps that we suspect they had been sent to collect that soil that is normally eaten by pregnant women because there were plastic bags that they had left there,”

“She was a kilometre away from her place of residency, and we established that she had walked about 500 meters to relieve herself and that’s where she got burnt, but what should be clear is that those areas have been marked and are prohibited for anyone to enter.

“This is the same case with those elderly people, who have died in our dumpsites while looking for coal to make bricks.

Advertisement

“Yes we understand that they are driven by economic hardships, but we keep doing community outreach campaigns showing that those areas are prohibited for anyone without a licence to enter and when we find anyone there, we don’t hesitate to send them to jail.”

Mutombe said HCCL assisted the Muzwiti family even though the company was not obliged to do so.

“We admitted that girl in our hospital, and we even took her to Mpilo with our ambulance which cost $124 000 together with our nursing staff,” she said.

Advertisement

“But we were not mandated to do that because the husband is employed by South Mining company

“So for us it was humanitarian care for them and I even used to take fruits to her while she was still hospitalised to show our love, but if they have gotten advice to sue us, we cannot stop them and we will defend ourselves.”

Meanwhile, Muzwiti has appealed for assistance for her child’s burial. Those who want to assist may use the following Ecocash numbers (078 543 7185) ( 0777 739 5526) for his wife Ethel.

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

National

Migration on the rise: Matabeleland North tops outbound movement in latest ZimLAC report

Published

on

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINK

Matabeleland North has recorded some of the highest levels of migration in Zimbabwe, with 12.6% of households moving to urban areas and 7.8% leaving the country, according to the 2024–2025 Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) report.

Advertisement

The figures highlight a growing trend in which families are uprooting in search of work, education, and better living conditions, with the province’s migration rate well above the national averages of 9.9% for rural-to-urban moves and 5.0% for emigration.

For many in Matabeleland North, economic necessity drives these decisions.

“I had to send my son to Bulawayo because there was simply no work here,” said Thabani Ncube, a smallholder farmer in Lupane. “Even piece jobs have dried up. At least in town, he can hustle and maybe support the family.”

Advertisement

The ZimLAC report shows that employment opportunities are the leading reason behind rural-to-urban migration nationally (6.3%). In Matabeleland North, 7.7% cited education as the next big pull factor, followed by new residential land and improved living standards.

Experts warn that while migration can bring relief through remittances, it also risks hollowing out rural communities.

“This trend is a double-edged sword,” explained Dr. Nomalanga Sibanda, a livelihoods researcher in Bulawayo. “Families may benefit from remittances, but local economies lose critical labour and skills. Over time, this weakens resilience in rural districts.”

Advertisement

Other Provinces: Contrasting Patterns

Matabeleland South recorded the highest rate of emigration, with 13.5% of households reporting that members had left the country — nearly triple the national average. Masvingo followed closely, with 16.5% moving to towns and 7.7% leaving for the diaspora.

Meanwhile, Mashonaland Central had the lowest levels of outward movement, with just 4.4% moving to towns and 1.0% emigrating.

Advertisement

Midlands also stood out, with 12.9% shifting to urban areas and 6.2% relocating abroad, driven mainly by job opportunities and schooling.

National Picture

Across Zimbabwe, nearly one in ten households (9.9%) reported rural-to-urban migration, while 5% indicated emigration outside the country. Employment, education, and improved living standards remain the strongest motivators.

Advertisement

For ordinary families, the story is about survival and hope.

“My husband left for South Africa last year,” said Memory Dube of Gwanda, Matabeleland South. “He sends money when he can, but life is tough there too. Still, we rely on that income to buy food and pay school fees.”

ZimLAC, which advises the government through the Food and Nutrition Council (FNC), says the data will guide evidence-based interventions. The report stresses that migration trends are not just statistics, but reflect deeper issues of economic opportunity, resilience, and service delivery across provinces.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

National

Matabeleland North tops in open defecation as sanitation gaps persist

Published

on

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The latest 2025 Rural Livelihoods Assessment by the Zimbabwe Livelihoods Assessment Committee (ZimLAC) has revealed that Matabeleland North province has the highest proportion of households practising open defecation in the country, underscoring deep-rooted poverty and infrastructure challenges in rural communities.

Advertisement

According to the report, Binga district leads with a staggering 80.1% of households without toilets, followed by Tsholotsho at 56.5%. Kariba (50.8%) and Mwenezi (49.4%) also recorded alarming levels of open defecation.

Nationally, there has been modest progress. The proportion of households with basic sanitation services increased slightly from 51% in 2020 to 55% in 2025. At the same time, open defecation declined from 29% in 2020 to 24% in 2025.

While these statistics point to progress at a national level, the reality in provinces like Matabeleland North paints a starkly different picture. Communities continue to struggle with extreme poverty, limited resources, and inadequate support to build or maintain proper sanitation facilities.

Advertisement

ZimLAC noted that the findings are critical for shaping livelihoods policies and targeting interventions where they are most needed. The report emphasized that tackling inequalities in rural sanitation remains central to advancing Zimbabwe’s development goals.

Community Voices: Life Without Toilets in Matabeleland North

In Binga, where most households lack toilets, villagers say poverty is at the heart of the crisis:

Advertisement

“We want toilets, but we cannot afford cement or bricks,” said 64-year-old grandmother from Sidinda. “Even when NGOs come, they only build for a few households. The rest of us dig shallow pits which collapse in the rains. That’s why many people just go to the bush.”

In Tsholotsho, young people express frustration over promises that never materialize:

“We were told about sanitation projects, but they stopped halfway. People survive by selling firewood; where will they get money for toilets?” asked Sikhumbuzo Ndlovu, a 22-year-old.

Advertisement

For families living along the Zambezi in Binga, land conditions add another challenge:

“The soil is sandy and unstable. Even if we dig, the pit does not last long. Poverty makes it worse, because we cannot reinforce the toilets like people in towns,”another villager explained.

In Nkayi, the harsh climate compounds the problem:

Advertisement

“We focus on finding food and water first. A toilet is a luxury for many families here,” said Joseph Moyo, a farmer battling drought conditions.

Despite the struggles, communities across Matabeleland North expressed a strong desire for better sanitation, linking the lack of toilets to health risks, dignity, and children’s wellbeing.

As ZimLAC’s findings show, progress is possible — but without targeted support in the hardest-hit areas, open defecation will remain entrenched in Zimbabwe’s rural poverty landscape.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

National

Zimbabwe selected for groundbreaking HIV prevention initiative

Published

on

BY STAFF REPORTER 

The U.S. Embassy in Zimbabwe has announced an exciting development in the fight against HIV: Zimbabwe has been selected as one of the ten countries globally to roll out lenacapavir, a breakthrough in HIV prevention.

Advertisement

“Yes Zimbabwe, it’s happening!” the embassy declared, highlighting the significance of this initiative.

“For decades, we’ve fought to turn the tide against this epidemic, and each day we get closer,” the statement continued. This new treatment represents a pivotal moment in HIV prevention efforts, as it is the first twice-yearly HIV prevention medicine.

The implementation of lenacapavir is made possible through a partnership with U.S.-based Gilead Sciences and the Global Fund. A key finding from a large-scale clinical trial shows that more than 99% of people on lenacapavir remained HIV negative. While this has the potential to save millions of lives, the Embassy emphasized that for Zimbabwe, it represents a major step toward ending new infections.

Advertisement

“But this is more than medicine—it advances us on a pathway to a safer, stronger, and healthier future!” noted the embassy’s announcement.

The initiative particularly focuses on pregnant and breastfeeding women, aiming to protect the next generation. It will also work toward strengthening healthcare systems, empowering Zimbabwe to lead its own fight against HIV. Moreover, the goal of making lenacapavir more affordable and accessible ensures that no one is left behind.

The embassy highlighted, “This is American leadership at its best: driving innovation, and building a world where children, mothers, and communities can thrive.”

Advertisement

As this initiative rolls out, the message is clear: “Together, we’re not just fighting HIV—we’re winning.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending

Copyright © 2022 VicFallsLive. All rights reserved, powered by Advantage