National

To recover $500 million, Victoria Falls council will disconnect water supplies

Published

3 years ago

December 16, 2021

NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Victoria Falls City Council is pressing ahead with its plans to disconnect water supplies over unpaid bills beginning December 20 as it seeks to recover $500 million.

Mayor Somvelo Dhlamini on Thursday said the city desperately needed the money for service delivery.

“City of Victoria Falls wishes to notify its valuable residents and stakeholders that the water disconnections exercise of 20 December 2021 is a result of a Full Council resolution of 10 November 2021: 55/2021 aimed at recovering debt which is crucial for the delivery of services in the resort city, “ Dhlamini said in a statement.

Some residents and the Zanu PF local leadership have been campaigning against the pending water cuts citing Covid-19.

Zanu PF chairperson for Hwange Matthew Muleya has been using various social media platforms to criticise the council resolution disconnect water supplies.

Muleya also accused the council of being corrupt and mismanaging its resources.

Dhlamini said although the authority was aware of the adverse effects of Covid – 19 on residents, “the local authority is found between the rock and a hard surface as it is expected to deliver uninterrupted water services against a myriad of production costs.”

He said 2021 was a trying year for the local authority which at some point had power disconnected from its water production plants due to arrears.

Dhlamini said despite such challenges, the council remained committed to providing quality services to its residents and stakeholders.

“Council is owed over $500million, an amount that can be used in the quest to improve services and ensure residents continue to enjoy quality water services, “ he added.

“Council agrees that the community of Victoria Falls deserves quality and uninterrupted services and that comes at a cost despite economic challenges which inevitably have a ripple effect on service delivery.

“Residents and stakeholders are therefore encouraged to settle their bills or approach council for reasonable payment plans.”

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

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.

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.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

2 months ago

March 14, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A 62-year-old ranger, Josphat Mandishara, was tragically killed by an elephant in Kariba yesterday.

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.

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.

National

ZIMRA customs officer appears in court for criminal abuse of office

Published

4 months ago

February 3, 2025

VicFallsLive

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.

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.

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.