In the community

Zinara closes some tollgates for upgrade, relocates some

Published

2 years ago

January 3, 2023

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) has announced the closure of two tollgates to pave way for scheduled rehabilitation.

In a notice seen by Pindula News, ZINARA said the two tollgates, one situated 9km west of Triangle on the Ngundu-Tanganda Road and the other 17.5km from Chivhu on the Chivhu-Nyazura Road stopped operating on Saturday, 31 December 2022.

“The Zimbabwe National Road Administration would like to advise the motoring public that the Triangle and Magamba tollgates have been suspended with effect from 31st December 2022 in terms of Statutory Instrument 219 of 2022,”ZINARA said in a statement.

“The suspension of operations at these tollgates is part of our continuous operational review. Zinara takes this opportunity to thank the motoring public for their continued cooperation.”

ZINARA said five other tollgates on the outskirts of cities and towns are set to be moved further out as the expanding urban areas lap around them.

This will make them once again highway tollgates and ease the financial burden on motorists living in peri-urban areas who were paying road tolls twice daily on their way to and from work.

Tollgates set to be relocated are:

i). Skyline,

ii). Dema,

iii). Lion’s Den,

iv). Umguza and,

v). Shamva tollgate which is set to be moved to the 40km peg along the Harare-Nyamapanda Highway.

Other tollgates are to be upgraded to standard levels are

a). Norton,

b). Esigodini,

c). Mushagashi,

d). Mupfurudzi and,

e). Colleen Bawn.

Towards the end of December, the government started constructing toll plazas along the country’s major highways, according to senior officials.

There are 33 toll gates countrywide and at least two-thirds of the toll gates will be upgraded to toll plazas, officials said.

Matabeleland North Province only has two tollgates along Bulawayo-Victoria Falls highway between Hwange and Umguza districts.

In May last year, ZINARA said it was making headway on plans to establish an e-tolling system to reduce operating costs from toll fee collection.

The system will allow motorists to pay upfront and then just drive, without stopping at tollgates while the fees are automatically deducted as they drive through. This is now common in many countries.

Toll fee collections totalled $1.2 billion in 2020, 556 per cent higher than the $183 million realised in 2019- Pindula/VicFallsLive

In the community

Hwange police seek public’s help in locating missing teen

Published

2 weeks ago

May 15, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY STAFF REPORTER

The Hwange police are urgently seeking the public’s assistance in locating 16-year-old Latoya Lisa Munkuli, who went missing on May 7, this month.

Latoya, a dark-complexioned female juvenile, was last seen leaving her residence in Hwange around 4 pm.

She was wearing a distinctive outfit consisting of green trousers and a white T-shirt, and carried a black satchel. She stands approximately 1.6 meters tall.

Inspector Glory Banda of the Hwange police is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information about Latoya’s whereabouts to come forward.

If you have any information about Latoya’s disappearance, please contact Inspector Banda on 0785961747 or 0771256607.

In the community

Human-wildlife conflict claims 18 lives in Zimbabwe’s first quarter

Published

1 month ago

April 16, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has reported a disturbing trend of human-wildlife conflict in the country’s first quarter of 2025. According to the authority, 18 people have lost their lives, and 32 others have been injured in encounters with wildlife.

ZimParks spokesperson Tinashe Farawo revealed that the authority received 579 cases of human-wildlife conflict, which they managed to respond to promptly. The incidents have also resulted in significant livestock losses, with at least 53 cattle and 85 goats killed by wildlife.

The districts most affected by these incidents include Binga, Hwange, Kariba, Chiredzi, Hurungwe, Nyaminyami, and Mbire. ZimParks has been working tirelessly to raise awareness about wildlife behaviors and effective preventive measures in these areas.

In response to the crisis, ZimParks has translocated 129 animals back into protected areas and eliminated 158 animals deemed problematic.

“We encourage communities to continue reporting incidents to ZimParks Problem Animal Control numbers and local leadership, such as Councillors, Traditional Leaders, and Rural District Council Authorities, to ensure that we preserve lives,” Farawo urged.

The significant increase in livestock losses, with cattle deaths rising from 18 to 53 and goat deaths from 21 to 85 compared to the same period in 2024, highlights the growing challenge of human-wildlife conflict in Zimbabwe.

ZimParks’ efforts to mitigate the conflict include community initiatives to educate people on managing wildlife encounters effectively.

In the community

Crocodile attacks claim 9 lives, injure 11

Published

2 months ago

March 13, 2025

VicFallsLive

BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI

A surge in crocodile attacks has left a trail of death and destruction in Zimbabwe, with 9 fatalities and 11 injuries reported in the last two months.

According to a statement released by the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks), 49 human-crocodile conflict cases were recorded during the same period, resulting in the loss of 44 cattle and 60 goats.

The Mid-Zambezi region, which includes Lake Kariba, Angwa River, and Hunyani River, was the hardest hit, with 19 cases reported. The Central region recorded 14 cases, while 16 cases were reported in other areas, including Matopo, Harare, North-West Matabeleland, and South-East Low-veld.

ZimParks has urged communities to exercise extreme caution, especially around water bodies, during the current rain season. The authority has advised communities to ensure that livestock and children are not left unattended near rivers or lakes, and to take precautions when engaging in water activities such as fishing, swimming, and domestic chores.

To mitigate the situation, ZimParks is working closely with local authorities and conservation partners to raise public awareness and promote safety practices. The authority has emphasized its commitment to finding a balance between ensuring public safety and conserving wildlife.

As the situation continues to unfold, ZimParks has appealed to the public to remain vigilant and to report any crocodile sightings or attacks to the authorities.