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Victoria Falls based lawfirm donates football kits to Division Two teams

Published

2 years ago

March 28, 2023

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A Victoria Falls based law firm has donated football kits to twelve Division Two soccer players in Hwange West district in an effort to fight drugs and substance abuse among youths in the communities.

According to the law firm’s director Thulani Nkala, of Dube Nkala & Company Legal Practitioners, the donation aims to promote a healthy society where teenagers can engage in sports even after school.

Division Two falls under the Zimbabwe Football Association and it comes after Division One which is also below the premier league.

“As you are all aware that drugs are causing problems in our town, we felt that we can make a difference to counter this by donating some football kits and other equipment for our youths to use as they play,” Nkala said.

“We hope that this will be an ongoing partnership, but for now we will only be sponsoring for this upcoming season which is about to start and we shall renew as the next seasons approach on condition that we have mutual understanding which is based on respect because we will not want a situation where teams fight each one another.”

He said apart from the kits and trophy, the teams will play for a prize money at the end of the season.

Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Matabeleland North provincial acting chairman Clevious Ncube said the gesture will go a long way in nurturing young talents in the Division Two league, whom most of them are school going children and teenagers.

Prosper Neshavi, provincial ZIFA board member, lamented lack of interest in football sponsorship even at national level.

He said this has been part of the reasons why the country has been kicked out of the Federation Internationale Football Association (FIFA).

FIFA President Giovanni Infantino last year said the association had to suspend Zimbabwe and Kenya for government interference in the activities of the football associations.

“They know what needs to be done for them to be readmitted or for the suspension to be lifted. “Infantino said last year.

Meanwhile, as part of efforts to introduce sports tourism in Victoria Falls, tourism operators and other sports officials have joined hands to form a committee that will spearhead the allocation of land by the Victoria Falls City Council for sporting activities such as the football, tennis, boxing and rugby among other sporting disciples.

This was revealed by the committee chairperson Mthabisi Ncube who lamented lack of sporting facilities in the city.

He revealed that through their negotiations with the council, a certain portion of land has been set aside for the project.

Their end goal is to see the town hosting local and international teams, which will inturn boost the country’s tourism GDP.

“As we say that we are the tourism capital of Zimbabwe and possibly the better capital of Africa and we fail to have a 10 000 seater stadium,” he said.

“We can not fail to host training matches such as the rugby, football where teams such as the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club can decide to come to Victoria Falls as they prepare ahead of the season, so their coming will help us a lot because all the businesses from accomodation to the salons and vegetable vendors will benefit from their presence, but it cannot happen when we do not have the facilities.

“Our vision is to have a complex where we can host international games, international meetings for cricket, rugby, tennis. We want to be like what Capetown (South Africa) does where they have no free weekend in arts and sporting activities.”

National

Zimbabwe’s power crisis: A new dawn?

Published

23 hours ago

December 3, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

In a bid to alleviate the crippling load shedding that has left Zimbabweans frustrated and angry, ZESA Holdings chairman Sydney Gata has announced a 720-megawatt thermal power project.

This ambitious initiative aims to add much-needed megawatts to the national grid, bringing relief to households and businesses alike.

Speaking at the launch, Gata acknowledged the nation’s pain, saying, “I know you are angry and frustrated about the load shedding. I am tired of being insulted for these power cuts.”he was quoted at a video captured by the Ministry of Information.

His words echoed the sentiments of many Zimbabweans who have grown weary of the constant blackouts.

The project, set to be completed by December 2025, will be complemented by a 200-megawatt solar station and additional solar projects in Selous and Gweru.

This multi-pronged approach is expected to mark the end of load shedding in Zimbabwe.

Gata emphasized that this initiative is one of 18 projects spearheaded by companies in mining, industry, and commerce.

These projects were invited after the Kariba disaster, which highlighted the need for alternative power sources.

National

Victoria Falls mayor suspends town clerk amid corruption allegations

Published

2 days ago

December 2, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

Victoria Falls Mayor Councillor Prince Moyo has suspended Town Clerk Ronnie Dube with immediate effect amid allegations of abuse of office and corruption.

According to a letter seen by this publication, Dube’s suspension is in terms of Section 139 of the Urban Councils Act, Chapter 29:15.

The letter, dated November 2, outlines several allegations against Dube, including:

– Allocating stands 9816 and 9945 to Priscilla Thabolo and Portia Saritsozo without following Council procedures

– Awarding a contract to Cascade Engineering Consultants without following tender processes

– Selling and transferring stand 1829 in Chinotimba Township without receiving payment or following procedures

The letter states that these allegations, amongst others, have led to Dube’s suspension, and he is required to leave Council offices immediately.

“The Council will notify you on the way forward,” the letter reads.

This publication will continue to follow the story and provide updates as more information becomes available.

National

How long will Zimbabweans endure darkness?

Published

2 days ago

December 2, 2024

VicFallsLive

BY FARAI MACHAMIRE

Zimbabweans face at least two more years of power shortages as the government works to stabilize electricity generation and meet demand, the Minister of Energy and Power Development, Edgar Moyo, has revealed.

The country’s daily power generation currently averages 1,232 megawatts (MW) against a demand of 1,735 MW, with imports and load-shedding bridging the shortfall.

Speaking in Parliament (Senate) on Wednesday and quoted on ZimLive, Moyo painted a grim picture of the nation’s energy landscape but assured citizens that ongoing and upcoming projects would eventually close the gap.

“The refurbishment of Hwange Power Station’s Unit 5 will add 160 MW to the national grid by August 2026, helping address the electricity shortfall,” he said. Additionally, Unit 7 at Hwange will undergo maintenance in January 2025 to ensure its long-term efficiency.

Water shortages have further constrained electricity generation at the Kariba Power Station, which produces only 104 MW out of its 1,050 MW capacity due to low water levels.

However, Moyo highlighted a 68.75% increase in water allocation for power generation in 2025, stemming from an anticipated above-normal rainfall season.

“This will significantly increase power availability next year,” he noted.

A recent nationwide blackout on November 24 disrupted the fragile energy system, with power restored after seven hours. The cause of the disturbance is still under investigation.

To mitigate load-shedding, the government plans to rely on Independent Power Producers (IPPs), which currently contribute over 200 MW, and accelerate renewable energy projects like solar farms. Projects such as the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Plant, with a potential capacity of 1,200 MW, and the Devils Gorge Hydro Project, expected to generate 600 MW, are also in development.

“The repowering of Hwange units 1 to 6 over the next 48 to 60 months will restore the station’s capacity to 840 MW, significantly stabilizing the power supply,” Moyo said.

On nuclear energy, the minister disclosed that the government is exploring prospects with Russia’s ROSATOM and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Thirty Zimbabwean students are currently training in nuclear physics abroad as part of the initiative.

Despite these efforts, Moyo acknowledged the challenges ahead. “Without significant interventions, the forecast demand of 1,735 MW will continue to outstrip supply, resulting in ongoing load curtailment,” he said.

Zimbabwe’s path to reliable electricity hinges on the successful completion of these projects and the implementation of efficient energy policies. For now, the nation must brace for continued power outages.

The prolonged outages, now extending to 18-hours a day, have taken a toll on households and industries, affecting productivity and increasing operational costs for businesses reliant on backup power. Critics argue that the government’s reliance on imports and promises of future projects have not eased the immediate burden on citizens.

SOURCE: ZIMLIVE