National

Zimbabwe police raid ‘back yard brewers’ as fake booze booms

Published

2 years ago

April 24, 2023

HARARE – Inside a grimy, poorly lit room in Mbare, one of Zimbabwe’s most populous townships, a 45-year-old man sits on a makeshift stool as he pours a brownish liquid into small bottles.

An alcoholic stench fills the room.

The Mbare resident is one of Zimbabwe’s “back yard brewers” who are making fake whiskies, brandy, vodka and other spirits to make ends meet amid fading hopes for economic prosperity.

“My life changed when I got into this business,” said the brewer, a former heavy machinery mechanic who did not want to be identified.

“I left the [mechanics] industry because it was not paying much any more.”

Made from ethanol concentrate and diluted with large amounts of water and then mixed with a brown colouring mainly from baking products, the homemade brew has become popular among young people looking for cheap alcohol in bars in the townships.

A 250ml bottle of the brew, which imitates brands like Two Keys, Jack Daniels, and King Stallion Brandy retails at $0.50.

“We always check to see which label has more demand at any given time and make that,” said the brewer who ventured into business in 2011 in what he said now was a crowded market.

“We make the same [alcohol] but put different labels,” he added, chuckling.

Authorities have warned the practice is putting lives at risk because the home brewers have no mechanism to test the alcohol content accurately.

Police are now frequently conducting raids to clamp down on the brewing businesses.

“Wherever we find substances like illicit alcohol, we act,” police spokesperson Paul Nyathi told Reuters news agency, adding those arrested are charged with possession of dangerous drugs.

Since January, police have arrested 4,000 suspects countrywide, said Nyathi.

“The police raid us every day … business is not the same,” said the brewer. “It is now dangerous to display our products.”

Civil society groups say alcohol and drug abuse in Zimbabwe is on the rise amid economic hardships, with fake alcohol brands contributing to the scourge.

But there is no official data as to the number of people suffering from substance addiction in the country. Zimbabwe does not have publicly run substance abuse rehabilitation centres.

“The evidence on the ground points to a lot of illicit alcohol use,” said Knowledge Mupembe, a programme officer at Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network.

“We advocate for the establishment of public and affordable rehabilitation centres.” – Reuters

National

Coal train in flames: NRZ locomotive damaged in fire incident

Published

5 days 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

1 month 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

3 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.