National

Thieves target solar panels for Victoria Falls’ rural community gardens

Published

2 years ago

January 26, 2023

BY BRENDA NCUBE

Villagers living in the outskirts of Victoria Falls have been left counting losses after eight suspected thieves broke into their community nutrition gardens and stole solar panels on Saturday last week.

According to the area councillors, the thieves separately stole at least nine solar panels in Mashala, Change and Mpongola wards and vandalised some.

According to Marvelous Mhlanga, one of the farmers from Mashala, the suspects firstly attempted to steal a pump and an inverter but failed, before opting to vandalise the solar panels.

Pascar Mpofu, a councillor for Mashala ward said because of the disruptions, villagers are no longer able to water their gardens, posing a risk to many whose source of livelihoods is in farming.

“All gardening activities have stopped as the only source of water for domestic use and gardening has been cut,” he said.

The solar pumps were installed several years ago by World Vision in a bid to make Hwange villages self-sufficient and have since become the source of livelihood for the community.

For villagers such as Mhlanga, the garden produce could suffice their families and could manage to send their children to school through wholesaling green paper, green beans, carrots and sugar beans as far as Hwange urban.

“Now we are at a loss and not sure how to survive as we are already fetching water for domestic use from the streams,”Mhlanga said.

” We are hoping that the rains will be enough for our crops to ripen, but we don’t know what the future holds. ” she added.

Mpofu said that the solar panels will need to be replaced in time to resume gardening activities and the community is in the process of mobilising a neighborhood watch to safeguard the premises.

“We believe that the thieves are locals working with outsiders,” said Mpofu

He further revealed that the suspects have been caught and are in police custody for questioning.

Meanwhile, several solar panels have also been stolen from boreholes dotted around Hwange National Park, Kazuma Pan National Park and the Zambezi National Park by suspected thieves from neighbouring Zambia.

Trevor Lane, whose Bhejane Trust has been leading in the mobilisation of funds to drill boreholes and install solar panels to power the pumps at the three game parks, said the theft of solar panels intensified during Covid-19 lockdowns.

National

Cyclone Chido moves away from Zimbabwe

Published

2 weeks ago

December 16, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

According to the latest updates from the SADC Humanitarian and Emergency Operations Centre (SHOC), Tropical Cyclone Chido has made landfall in Mozambique, approximately 35-40km south of Pemba, in Cabo Delgado Province.

The intense tropical cyclone brought heavy rainfall and strong gusty winds of up to 220km/h, causing widespread destruction in Mozambique. The system is expected to continue tracking west-southwest towards Malawi, steadily dissipating.

Zimbabwe, which was initially predicted to be in the cyclone’s path, has been spared the worst of the storm.

However, neighboring countries, including Malawi, are expected to experience heavy rainfall and strong winds over the next 72 hours.

The SHOC has issued a multi-hazard impact-based classification, warning of expected impacts, including strong gusts, heavy rainfall, and rough seas, in Mozambique, Malawi, and other parts of the region.

Member states have been urged to closely monitor official weather updates, intensify public awareness campaigns, and preposition relief supplies to enable a swift response to the cyclone’s impact.

National

Senate passes death penalty abolition bill

Published

2 weeks ago

December 13, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Zimbabwe Senate has passed the Death Penalty Abolition Bill, paving the way for the country to join the growing list of nations that have abolished capital punishment.

The bill, which has already been approved by the National Assembly, will now be sent to the President for assent and subsequent publication in the Gazette as an Act.

The country has 62 convicted prisoners facing the death penalty.

Veritas has congratulated the Senators, Members of the National Assembly, the President, and the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs for their role in facilitating the bill’s passage through Parliament.

Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ziyambi Ziyambi, who is also the Leader of Government Business in Parliament, defended the bill in the Senate, citing studies that show the death penalty has failed to deter crime.

He emphasized that the actual number of murders remained the same despite the death penalty’s existence, questioning its effectiveness as a deterrent.

Ziyambi also highlighted the bill’s potential to address the root causes of crime, which he believes the death penalty does not tackle. He pointed out the bias of the death penalty against poverty-stricken people, stating that history shows the majority of those executed are from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Zimbabwe has been on a de facto moratorium on executions for about 17 years, with the last execution conducted in 2005.

National

Cyclone Chido bears down on Zimbabwe, government issues warning

Published

2 weeks ago

December 13, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A powerful tropical cyclone named Chido is moving menacingly towards Zimbabwe, prompting the government to issue a warning and advise residents to take necessary precautions.

According to the Meteorological Services Department (MSD), Cyclone Chido has intensified into an intense tropical cyclone and is likely to affect Zimbabwe on December 17.

The storm is expected to bring heavy rains, thunderstorms, and strong winds to several provinces, including Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonaland East and West, Harare Metropolitan, and parts of Midlands and Mashonaland West.

The MSD has warned of heavy rainfall exceeding 70mm in 24 hours in some areas, which could lead to floods, rockfalls, and mudflows.

Residents have been advised to plan evacuation mechanisms, avoid open spaces, secure their homes from damaging winds, and stay informed through authentic updates from the MSD and the Department of Civil Protection (DCP).

The government has assured citizens that it is taking necessary precautions to mitigate the impact of the cyclone. The DCP is on high alert, and emergency services are ready to respond to any situations that may arise.

As Cyclone Chido bears down on Zimbabwe, residents are advised to remain calm but vigilant. The government’s warning and advisory come as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety and minimize damage.

Stay tuned for further updates on Cyclone Chido and its impact on Zimbabwe.