National

USAID launches programme to support Zim journalists report on wildlife crime, conservation

Published

3 years ago

April 7, 2022

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has launched a programme to support Zimbabwean journalists specialising in wildlife crime and conservation to help improve coverage of the issues.

Mike Pflanz from Space for Giants, which is implementing the programme under USAID’s Vuka Now Activity, said six journalists from different media houses will be assisted to tackle increasing wildlife crime in Zimbabwe and help amplify local voices in the international and domestic debates about wildlife protection.

“It’s a very simple idea which is that there is a huge threat to the natural landscape in wildlife and the ecosystems in countries like Zimbabwe and these are things that can bring significant value to people and to governments as well as to preserve nature,” Pflanz said in Victoria Falls where the journalists underwent three day training.

“So what the programme aims to do is to work with professional Zimbabwean journalists, six of them from different media outlets and just help them do what they already do very well, which is to write about conservation and to do that even better.

“So we are helping them with financing, mentoring, contacts, statistics and reports that allow them to improve and increase coverage on the issues.

Pflanz said the programmes’ other goal was to increase the quality of stories the journalists produce so that they can inform their readers better.

“I think this is really important that we get this as clear and accurate to readers and viewers as possible and they can make a choice (such as) do I support the idea of conservation?, or do I think it should be used for something else,” he said.

“So that is a choice people of Zimbabwe can individually or collectively make if they have accurate information and that’s really what this programme is about, to support journalists to give their readers and viewers that kind of information.”

Pflanz said six other journalists from Botswana have already been trained and they were also planning to launch the programme in Angola and Mozambique.

Space for Giants on its website says wildlife crime is a multi-billion-dollar illicit business, which decimates Africa’s wildlife and undermines economic prosperity and sustainable development.

“It also threatens social stability and cohesion, impoverishes people of cultural and natural heritage,” it says.

National

Ranger killed by elephant in Kariba

Published

3 weeks 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

2 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.

National

Retailers send Mnangagwa SOS as shops continue shutting down over operational woes

Published

2 months ago

January 27, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY ZIMLIVE

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) has implored President Emmerson Mnangagwa to intervene and save the sector which has seen various formal retail and wholesale businesses closing shop countrywide due to operational challenges.

In a statement on Sunday, CZR president Denford Mutashu said the continued closure of formal retail and wholesale businesses is a direct consequence of the tough economic environment that has consistently failed to support formalised sector players who face stiff competition from informal businesses and vendors the majority of whom have no tax obligations to deal with.

Mutashu said his association was concerned that authorities continue to downplay the crisis.

“The recent closure of several outlets under the N. Richards Group, coupled with Spar Zimbabwe’s painful decision to shut down Queensdale Spar, Choppies Zimbabwe’s exit from the market, and Mahommed Mussa’s significant reduction of shop space by 60%, highlights the growing crisis.

“As the representative association for these and other brands, CZR is alarmed that while formal businesses face enormous challenges, the authorities continue to present a different picture of the operating environment,” he said.

Given the situation, Mutashu said, only President Mnangagwa can rescue the troubled sector.

“CZR therefore calls for urgent intervention from His Excellency, President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, to rescue what remains of the formalized retail and wholesale sector,” said Mutashu.

He said the sector was in urgent need of rescue.

“While CZR acknowledges the continued support from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, it is clear that the root causes of these challenges are fiscal and monetary in nature. These require urgent and decisive action to ensure the survival of formal businesses.

“CZR therefore appeals to the Presidium to prioritize interventions aimed at saving jobs and mitigating the ongoing wave of shop closures and retrenchments,” he said.