National

Rangers shoot Hwange fish poacher, claim he tried to stab them

Published

5 years ago

October 16, 2021

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks) shot and injured a Hwange fish poacher and claimed that he tried to attack them with a kitchen knife.

Claudius Mhlanga (47) was arrested on September 12 at the confluence of Deka River in the Siankali area after his hand was ripped apart by a gun shot.

Mhlanga was acquitted by Victoria Falls resident magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa this week after a full trial with the court ruling that the two Zimparks rangers that testified gave contradictory accounts of the incident.

Prosecutor Asher Chindedza said on the fateful day at around 1 PM, the victim was found fishing without a permit by four rangers who were on patrol.

Mhlanga was accused of arming himself with a silver kitchen knife and charging towards one of the rangers Prosper Muleya, who was armed with an AK47.

In the first count, he was accused of unlawfully using fishing nets and fishing rods to catch fish without a permit.

The second charge related to accusations that he charged towards Muleya intending to stab him and the third charge was for possession of 50 grammes of cyanide poison.

During cross examination by Chindedza, Muleya and his colleague were quizzed about how Mhlanga was shot and circumstances leading to the discovery of the cyanide.

On the cyanide, the rangers gave contradictory answers with one of them saying he saw what looked like salt in Mhlanga’s bag.

Mhlanga denied possessing cyanide, arguing the poison was planted in his bag by the rangers as he was only shown the substance at the Matetsi police base after he threatened to sue.

He also denied resisting arrest saying he only tried to run away as a reflex action after seeing the rangers, but when he realised that they were armed, he stopped.

Mhlanga said he raised his hands to surrender, but was shot on his hand from the back and the bullet ripped out one of his fingers.

In court it was revealed that the accused was shot by one ranger identified as Kwejani Ncube whom the witnesses said fired three warning shots.

The rangers said Mhlanga was hit by the fourth shot as he charged at Muleya as a way to disarm him.

Mhlanga only admitted to possessing fishing rods and not nets.

He said the 29, 28 kilogramme of fish he was found in possession of belonged to a big group he was arrested with on the day.

The other fish poachers pleaded guilty and were convicted, the court records showed.

In her ruling Maphosa said the state witnesses failed to give consistent accounts of what transpired during Mhlanga’s arrest.

“The evidence led by the state with regards to count two is incredible and cannot be believed by this court,” the magistrate said.

“The description of the two state witnesses that one man armed with a kitchen knife was advancing towards one of them to attack could actually qualify as an episode in an extremely fictitious movie or a comedy.

“The evidence of the state witness in this regard is not true and inconsistent with the injuries sustained by the accused.

“The accused’s version is reasonably possible when he says he tried to run, but he was shot when he tried stop as he was shivering, he lifted his hands in surrender.

“I find it that at no point did the accused resist arrest and if he had been advancing with a knife in his right hand then the injury would definitely not be at the back of the hand protruding to the palm.

“There are consistent descriptions the accused, which say he was surrendering with his hands up and was shot from behind and the bullet perforated to the inside, therefore, that charge falls away.”

On possession of cyanide, Maphosa said she believed Mhlanga’s account.

“I will believe the version by the accused person, which need not to be true but reasonably true because the first witness in this evidence seemed to want to distance himself from answering until the prosecutor had to stop him from his meandering answer,” she said.

Maphosa added: “This court confidently proves that the state cannot prove this charge beyond reasonable doubt, therefore, the accused is found not guilty and acquitted.”

Mhlanga was, however, found guilty in the first count and he was handed a fine of $10 000 or three months imprisonment if he does not pay by November 1.

The other three months were set aside for five years on condition that he does not commit any similar offense.

Maphosa ordered that Mhlanga must be given back his knife while the fish and cyanide were forfeited to the state.

National

Zimbabwe approves US$92 million Victoria Falls infrastructure deal

Published

1 day ago

April 22, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY WANDILE TSHUMA

The government has greenlit a major public-private partnership (PPP) to develop critical bulk infrastructure within the Masuwe Special Economic Zone (MSEZ), a move aimed at transforming Victoria Falls into a premier international hub for finance and tourism.

The project, approved during the Tuesday cabinet meeting, establishes a commercial joint venture (CJV) between the state-owned Mosi Oa Tunya Development Company (MTDC) and the JR Goddard (JRG) Consortium.

According to the government briefing, the MSEZ is a “flagship national development project” established to “transform Victoria Falls into a diversified, high-value hub integrating tourism, financial services and sustainable real estate”.

Under the terms of the agreement, the JRG Consortium—which includes JR Goddard Pvt Ltd, Sesani Pvt Ltd, Stewart Scott Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd, and GGF Africa Pvt Ltd—will provide funding of US25.6 million.

This arrangement results in a shareholding structure of 39% for MTDC and 61% for the JR Goddard Consortium.

The infrastructure roadmap for the 1 200-hectare site is extensive. Planned works include the surfacing of 8 km of internal roads, the upgrading of 9 km of existing gravel roads, and the construction of a 13 km water pipeline designed to serve both the economic zone and neighbouring communities.

Additional developments will feature a package water treatment plant, a sewerage reticulation system, a power sub-station, and effluent re-use storage ponds.

Cabinet said the project was subjected to a “rigorous evaluation” in compliance with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) Act.

Officials believe the partnership will “catalyse high-value investment” and provide a “sustainable fiscal contribution to gross domestic product (GDP)” while creating downstream jobs.

The government said the project is expected to “catapult the transformation of Victoria Falls into a modern and vibrant economic development city, fulfilling the attainment of Vision 2030”.

The joint venture includes a 25-year structured profit recoup period and will be overseen by a board chaired by the MTDC to ensure alignment with the country’s National Development Strategy 2.

Located within the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA-TfCA), the Masuwedevelopment is seen as a strategic pivot for Zimbabwe to diversify its tourism-dependent economy into a more robust financial services and real estate centre.

National

Zambia, Zimbabwe to ban heavy trucks from Victoria Falls Bridge

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY DUMANI MOYO

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema has announced that Zambia and Zimbabwe will restrict heavy trucks and trains from using the century-old Victoria Falls Bridge.

Speaking at an engineering conference in Livingstone, he said the two countries will instead build a new bridge and railway crossing to handle modern freight demands.

Hichilema made it clear that the 121-year-old structure can no longer safely or efficiently carry today’s heavy-duty traffic.

Engineers designed the bridge in the early 1900s for much lighter loads, not for fully laden 60-tonne mining trucks or long freight trains that now dominate regional trade routes.

Engineers completed the Victoria Falls Bridge in 1905 as a narrow arch crossing linking road, rail and pedestrian traffic.

While it remains an iconic piece of infrastructure, its design limits its ability to support modern logistics.

Authorities have already imposed restrictions over the years.

Trains often move at very low speeds, while trucks have faced weight limits that forced heavier vehicles to reroute through other crossings.

Although rehabilitation work in 2006 extended the bridge’s lifespan, it did not solve the fundamental structural limitations.

Experts now agree that upgrading the bridge to meet current freight standards would cost nearly as much as building a new one.

WHY A NEW CROSSING MAKES ECONOMIC SENSE

Officials from both countries now favour constructing a new dual-purpose rail and road bridge instead of attempting further upgrades.

A purpose-built crossing would accommodate higher traffic volumes and modern freight loads without compromising safety.

A new structure would also eliminate a major bottleneck along the North-South Corridor, which links the copper belts of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to southern markets such as South Africa.

By separating heavy commercial traffic from tourism and local travel, the new bridge would allow the Victoria Falls Bridge to serve lighter vehicles, pedestrians and tourists, preserving its heritage value.

REGIONAL TRADE AND RAIL INTEGRATION BOOST

The proposed crossing would complement major regional projects, including the Mosetse-Kazungula-Livingstone Railway.

A dual-track rail bridge would strengthen links between Zambia and Zimbabwe while supporting long-term plans to expand rail connectivity across Southern Africa.

It would also mirror the successful model of the Kazungula Bridge, which has significantly increased traffic flow since opening in 2021.

FINANCING AND NEXT STEPS

Despite strong political backing, key questions remain around funding, construction timelines and project ownership.

Zimbabwe’s debt constraints could complicate financing, although improved economic reforms may unlock support from international lenders.

If both governments secure funding and move quickly, the new bridge could become one of the most important infrastructure developments in the Southern African Development Community in recent years.

This could transform trade flows and ease congestion along a critical regional corridor.

SOURCE: THE SOUTH AFRICAN

National

Health ministry rolls out polio vaccination campaign

Published

2 days ago

April 21, 2026

VicFallsLive

BY OWN CORRESPONDENT

Ministry of Health and Child Care has launched a targeted polio vaccination campaign in selected districts, with health workers going door-to-door and setting up outreach points to reach young children.

The campaign aims to vaccinate all children under the age of five against polio, a highly infectious disease that can cause paralysis. Authorities say the initiative forms part of a wider regional effort to interrupt transmission, being conducted alongside neighbouring countries including Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.

In a message posted on X on Monday and circulated in official memos, the ministry said it was “embarking on a targeted polio vaccination campaign to interrupt the transmission of polioviruses”. It urged families in affected areas to ensure that all eligible children are vaccinated, regardless of their previous vaccination status.

The programme will be carried out in two rounds, from 20 to 23 April and from 2 to 5 June, covering both urban and rural communities.

In Bulawayo Metropolitan Province, vaccination teams are operating in Emakhandeni, the Northern Suburbs and Nkulumane. In Harare Metropolitan Province, the campaign covers Harare, Chitungwiza, Epworth and Ruwa.

In Manicaland Province, teams are working in Mutare, Mutasa, Chimanimani and Chipinge. In Mashonaland Central, the campaign targets Mbire, Mt Darwin, Centenary and Rushinga, while in Mashonaland East it focuses on Mudzi. In Mashonaland West, Kariba and Hurungwe are included.

Further south, the drive extends to Chiredzi in Masvingo Province, as well as Binga, Hwange and Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North. In Matabeleland South, teams are operating in Bulilima, Mangwe, Matobo and Gwanda.

Health workers are using a combination of fixed vaccination sites, mobile units and door-to-door visits in neighbourhoods, markets, shops and clinics to reach eligible children, including those in remote and hard-to-access areas.

The ministry has called on parents and guardians to cooperate with vaccination teams, saying the campaign is critical to protecting children and preventing the spread of the disease.

SOURCE: CITE