HARARE - The Grain Marketing Board (GMB) has collected 35 000 metric tonnes (mt) of maize from local farmers as the country battles to plug a 2,5 million tonne cereal deficit, a Cabinet minister has said.

Agriculture minister Joseph Made last week told the National Assembly that local farmers had since delivered 35 000mt to the national grain collection and reserve agency, amid indications that the country’s meagre 2016 maize grain harvest will last three months.

“As we are talking, where we had not expected any grain at all due to the drought, farmers have already delivered, updating the figure that I reported on in the media.  We are now close to 35 000 mt

“On top of that, government is paying through GMB all the farmers that are delivering the maize,” he said.

The minister said Zimbabwe continues to import maize to plug the El Nino-induced deficit the country is presently experiencing.

“The private sector is also importing mainly as millers for the urban areas — but I would also want to indicate that our farmers locally are also delivering to the GMB,” the minister said.

Due to the low harvest, Zimbabwe has turned to Zambia for imports as Zambia’s crop forecasting survey revealed that the country would record an increased maize harvest of 2,8 million tonnes, from 2,6 million tonnes last year. With a carryover stock amounting to 667 524 tonnes as at May 1, 2016, Zambia has a total of 3,5 million tonnes of maize in stock.

The United Nations World Food Programme has said Zimbabwe’s output is expected to slump below 60 percent of the five-year average of between 700 000 and one million tonnes.

According to Made, government had planned to import between 500 000 and 700 000 tonnes of maize between April and September with additional quantities reportedly being imported by the private sector from Mexico.

In February, President Robert Mugabe declared the 2015/2016 agricultural season a national disaster.

This comes as the country secured a $200 million loan facility from the Afrexim Bank for maize imports to avert hunger.

Last year, government imported 100 000 tonnes as of November 2015, after the country received less than three quarters of its rainfall needs in November and December, the first and crucial two months of the agricultural season.

In his 2016 National Budget, Finance minister Patrick Chinamasa had forecasted that the agricultural sector was going to grow by 1,8 percent, a figure analysts said was impractical.

Generating 30 percent of export earnings and contributing 19 percent to GDP, agriculture is vital to the Zimbabwean economy as close to 70 percent of the population survives on subsistence farming.

Private millers have been given permits to import 1,2 million tonnes of maize in the past 12 months but they have only imported 450 000 tonnes on the back of capacity constrains.

HARARE - The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has configured the Real Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system into a multi- currency platform set to include five currencies as it moves to mitigate against exchange control losses, it has emerged.

An RTGS is an electronic money transfer for high value transactions where the transmission takes place on a real time basis.

RBZ governor John Mangudya yesterday told the businessdaily that the configuration had already been done, with the system now being tested and set to go live by end of week.

“Yes, we have already configured the system and are now conducting what is known as the live test environment. The currencies to be configured are the South African rand, euro, United States dollar (US$), British pound and the Chinese yuan,” the central banker said.

Zimbabwe — which abandoned its currency in 2009 and adopted nine currencies as legal tender in a multi- currency economy — had a dollarised RTGS system which saw local banks sometimes levying extortionate exchange rates for inter-currency transfers.

The central bank chief said the move was aimed at strengthening the multi- currency system and giving depositors full value for all transactions conducted.

“This is very necessary in restoring, promoting and sustaining the multi- currency system and it is also in line with the treasury directive that all departments need to accept all the currencies in the national basket of currencies,” Mangudya said.

The central bank chief said government wanted to spread risk across all sections of the transacting public.

“The previous situation had been one in which the depositor had to foot whatever disparities emerged in the form of exchange control fees, a situation that was unfair and sometimes punitive on the depositor

“Through the new configured system, those transacting in rands are free to do so without having to worry about exchange rates and it will be like this across the divide with the rest of the four currencies to be configured,” he said.

Mangudya also said the move was expected to lead to more efficiency in the local RTGS system following reports that the transaction, which normally does not take over 24 hours to conduct, has been taking long to process as local banks battle cash shortages.

“The move will also ease the speed concerns that have been raised by the banking public over the past few weeks,” said Mangudya.

After ditching the Zimbabwe dollar, government adopted the multi- currency system — a basket of currencies dominated by the United States dollar and South African rand. The other currencies in the basket include the euro, Chinese yuan, Indian rupee, Botswana pula, Japanese yen and the Australian dollar.

HARARE - Controversy continues to dog Rio Tinto’s disposal of its 78 percent shareholding in Murowa Diamonds, amid fresh claims that the mine was sold for a song under suspicious circumstances to a Virgin Islands-registered company, RZ Murowa Holdings, in contravention of Zimbabwe’s laws.

When Murowa was disposed off last year, it was announced at the time that Rio Tinto, the London-headquartered British-Australian multinational metals and mining corporation, had sold its shares in the coveted local diamond miner to RioZim, which is controlled by black Zimbabweans.

However, information in  possession of the Daily News suggests that Rio Tinto may in fact have violated local indigenisation and listing rules by disposing Murowa and Sengwa Colliery to British tycoon Harpal Randhawa, the owner of RZ Murowa Holdings.

Murowa, which produces an average of 42 000 diamond carats per month valued at about $6,5 million, is also said to have been sold for a surprisingly low $19 million — raising further eyebrows about the transaction and how this was sanctioned.

A source familiar with Murowa’s operations said at the weekend that although the government and the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange were seized with the matter, it was only proper that they escalated their investigation into the matter, as “too many things don’t make sense”.

“Murowa’s output can also easily be doubled with a mere $3 million investment, which would see the mine producing 100 000 carats a month, earning the country at least $15 million a month.

“It is also in that light that it beggars belief that a foreigner was allowed to buy the asset for a song, and without any money flowing into the country, at a time that Zimbabwe is experiencing a debilitating cash crunch,” the source said.

A former Murowa executive who spoke to the Daily News yesterday was also incredulous about the conditions under which the mine and Sengwa had been sold.

“Zimbabwe simply has to do better in managing its resources in such a competitive global economy. Giving away its two premier mining assets for a song should not be part of the script,” the former manager said.

At the time of the transactions, RioZim shareholders accused Rio Tinto of allegedly violating a July 2004 agreement with RioZim, which supposedly accorded the local shareholders pre-emptive rights in the event of a sale.

“The shareholders of RioZim were not offered an opportunity to exercise their pre-emptive rights with regards to Rio Tinto Plc’s sale of 78 percent of Murowa Diamonds in accordance with the steps spelt out in the shareholders’ agreement.

“In fact, the first time they heard of this transaction was with the media release of the 26th of June 2015 when the stake had already been sold to RZ Murowa Holdings, a foreign entity.

“Should it turn out that the board of  RioZim Limited waived shareholder’s pre-emptive rights in Rio Tinto Plc’s Murowa Diamonds, they will still have failed to comply with the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange’s rules to deal with related party transactions and the issuance of cautionary statements when dealing with material transactions,” a disgruntled shareholder said.

It has also been alleged that RioZim failed to publish cautionaries warning shareholders about the impending transaction of its subsidiary, Murowa Diamonds, as per the requirement of local listing rules.

However, RioZim management remains adamant that the disposal of Murowa was kosher and above board.

“The relationship between RioZim and Murowa Diamonds (Private) Limited has not changed as a result of Rio Tinto Plc’s sale of its interests in Zimbabwe last year.

“On 10 June 2015, the Board of Directors of RioZim passed a resolution to irrevocably and unconditionally waive the company’s rights of pre-emption in connection with the transfer of the sale of shares to RZ Murowa Holdings Limited,” RioZim chairman Lovemore Chihota said.

He added that the resolution had been made in light of the financial challenges being faced by RioZim, its inability to raise the required financing, plus the challenges faced by Murowa Mine which was closed at the time and facing huge hurdles that required, amongst other things, substantial additional capital investment.

He said the decision was also discussed and approved at the company’s annual general meeting that was held on August 28, 2015 — and they had kept authorities informed on all developments.

PRETORIA - South African athlete Oscar Pistorius is a "broken" man, a defence witness has said at his sentencing hearing.

He was convicted of murder at the end of last year for the 2013 murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

He faces a jail term of 15 years, but his sentence can be reduced due to time already spent in prison and mitigating factors.

The hearing is expected to last all week with a sentence by Friday.

Pistorius, 29, killed Ms Steenkamp in February 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

The athlete has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

Psychologist Jonathan Scholtz explained to the court why he felt a jail term would not be "constructive", reports the BBC's Karen Allen.

"Since the offence he has developed a serious psychiatric condition which has become worse over the past two years - major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder," Dr Scholtz said.

He added that Pistorius was traumatised by the sound of a gun, even in a film, and never wants to go near a firearm again.

HARARE - True to the old Chinese proverb that the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step, Rodney Badza, a Chinhoyi University of Technology student, is carving his niche in the arts industry, following a successful exhibition that he hosted in Harare recently.

The exhibition, which ran under the theme “Creator’s Palette” and officially opened by Valerie Kabov, the director at First Floor Gallery Harare, showcased a series of artworks, featuring drawings, photographs, prints, illustrations, paintings, ceramics and sculptures.

“The artworks did have a universal theme but covered various aspects of life for example drug and alcohol abuse, relationships and their impact.

“It was also my attempt at showing the youth that there is more one can do with the skills they have rather than sit and wait to be on the receiving side with very little effort coming from them,” the youthful artist said, adding that part of his exhibition included samples of sandals and textile items that he made.

Badza said he fell in love with art when he was still a young boy, experimenting with drawings and making prints.

“Ever since my kindergarten days, I could be seen drawing and making patterns using every chance I got.

“I had a creative eye and I would see stuff that others couldn’t. My strength in imagination was unquestionable,” Badza said, expressing confidence that the sky is the only limit for him in the art industry.

He said he used a palette, which is a board that provides a flat surface on which artists mix paints, to represent his life journey in the art industry.

Badza further said that through his journey, he has learnt various art aspects that have assisted him in pursuing his goal.

“The show I have put together is a reflection of everything I have seen during the journey of learning, the experiences I have had, the people I have met and the troubles I have come across.

“Creator’s Palette is my way of showing the world how much I have learnt over the period that I have been at Chinhoyi University of Technology.

“I have been collecting information and learning new stuff, which I am now ready to give out to the world as a result,” he said.

HARARE - Theatre in the Park is introducing a new programme 'The Beauty of Zimbabwean Folklore Rhythm' whose aim is to preserve and enhance the country’s melodramatic and theatrical forms.

Zimbabwe is a multi-cultural country with a rich diverse, cultural heritage with lots of different traditional music genres from one ethnic group to another, each with their own particular values and tradition.

The new programme will see different drum rhythms of Chiyambera, Dinhe Jerusalem Mbende, Majukwa, Amantshomane, Amabhiza,  Isitshikitsha, Mhande just to mention a few being performed.

These will be derived from different ethnic and tribal areas in the country such as Korekore, Zezuru, Karanga, Ndebele, Manyika, Tonga and others, including some imported such as the Nyau.

Explaining the concert behind The Beauty of Zimbabwean Folktale Rhythms, Rooftop Promotions producer Daves Guzha said while some of the traditional Zimbabwean instruments are facing the danger of extinction, drums have stood their way out for years as they have been used as a medium of communication.

He believes theatre patrons will enjoy this new concept.

“If you attend funerals, memorial and church services you will see how Zimbabweans appreciate traditional ngoma rhythms punctuated by dances.

“So why not bring it to our venue and share it with people from different backgrounds?

“We have also realised that most traditional theatrical aspects that were used long ago are fast disappearing as we adopt modern and foreign characteristics,” said Guzha.

Zimbabwean percussionist Othnell Mangoma Moyo said it is the right time to introduce the new concept as a way of preserving the country’s tradition and music instruments.

“Music from other African countries such as West, Central and North Africa is much appreciated outside the region compared to that from Zimbabwe because we tend to fuse our drums with borrowed rhythms.

“One or two musicians can be identified as Zimbabwean while the rest are copycats of various rhythms from different parts of the world.

“Look at Salif Keita and his identity; he is identified by his musical instruments. So we have a duty as the older generation to pass on the knowledge to the young ones,” he said.

Drums, according to Moyo were also used to communicate social messages such as announcing funerals, summoning people to the chief’s and announcing the first fruit among other various issues.

Moyo and Gibson Sharare in the coming days will be travelling around the country doing some research and exploring some Zimbabwean raw drum rhythms that are played by different people and their meaning so theatre patrons should expect more from the expedition.

HARARE - Comedian Freddy “Kapfupi” Manjalima has collaborated with an upcoming Zimdancehall musician based in Epworth on the song, Kutenderera.

Kapfupi told the Daily News that he feels obliged to help upcoming talent, hence his working with Mike “Whisper” Moyo on his song.

“Yes, I collaborated with the young man as I want to help promote upcoming talent. He requested for my help, it is his song.

“I believe he is talented because my theory is; anyone who can speak can sing.

“I did my usual comic style on his song and I wish him all the best.

“I have collaborated with Mostaff before, two years ago, I can work with anyone who requests for my help,” he said.

Whisper, 19, said the song talks about hardships and is presented in a comic way.

“Kapfupi is my cousin on my mother’s side. I started music in 2015 and I have been trying to make an impact on the industry since then.

“This is my eighth song and I have recorded with various studios.

“On this particular song I recorded with a producer called Equation from Equation Studios.

“Currently, I am doing music only and I live with my brother.

“I would like to pursue my studies but I am financially hindered.

“I have 10 ‘O’ Levels and would like to go to university,” he said.

Other songs include Kure Sei, Kushaura, Pukuta Misodzi, Chivendor and Mbaura.

Kapfupi also said he will be releasing a new DVD in a month’s time.

“If God allows, we will release new material which is currently in production.

“I have mixed music, comedy and drama in a different way from my usual style,” he said.

Other Kapfupi productions include Notorious Kapfupi (part one to six), What Goes Around Comes Around and Wrong Bag among others.

MUTARE - After having been a frozen hub for half a century, Mutare Museum has finally completed a revamp of one of its redundant galleries, Beit Gallery.

National Museums and Monuments of Zimbabwe (NMMZ) took more than a year to complete the refurbishment that cost $35 000.

The refurbishments got a $25 000 grant boost from London-based Beit Trust to correct its colonial era-tainted displays after two decades of fundraising.

NMMZ Eastern region director Paul Mupira said the Beit Gallery revamp was incorporating modern techniques of displays and ensuring that people interact more with displays.

Some of the museum’s displays had not been changed in 50 years — sitting still since the museum was opened in 1964.

“Our displays are very old. We need to have more. Some exhibitions are more than 50 years old,” Mupira told this publication last year adding that it was time to correct the enduring colonial binaries which were still reflecting on the displays.

Mupira said Beit Gallery had been transformed to focus on eastern Shona culture.

A tour of the gallery reveals an elaborate presentation of the eastern Shona culture’s cosmology — spirit world, witchcraft, traditional healing, life and death and famous Manyika lighting creation and use.

Mupira said they focused on “the most important aspects that are valued by select communities and the most critical elements that are dying.”

He said the revamp was also informed by “visitor surveys” which ranked the most interesting aspects of the museum as live animal displays and Shona cultural displays with gun displays being deemed the least interesting.

While e-technology is prominent in making the gallery more “interactive, engaging and educative” he said they didn’t want to make the displays “too complex due to sustainability considerations.

“We want to do it in such a manner that it will be manageable and sustainable”.

HARARE - The Zimbabwe cricket side will be hoping to win today’s Killer Cup ODI match against India at Harare Sports Club in order to keep the three-match series alive.

The hosts suffered a nine-wicket loss to the youthful India side in the first match of the series on Saturday.

India dominated in all the departments as they played like seasoned campaigners while Zimbabwe easily cowed into submission.

Debutant KL Raul was the toast of Indian batsmen with a maiden century from just 115 balls while senior batsman Ambati Rayudu complemented the youngster well on the crease with an unbeaten half century.

Zimbabwe batting coach Lance Klusener hopes the team will strike a winning formula in today’s encounter and level the series.

“... There’s no doubt the talent is there, it’s a matter of finding a game plan, a niche for everybody on how they want to play and from the team point of view, we are not happy with the way we played (on Saturday),” Klusener said.

Team captain Graeme Cremer also thinks the team were a pale shadow of a competitive unit they can be.

“... We know we are much better than that and we can hopefully win the next game to make the third ODI a final,” Cremer said.

The locals are playing in only their first competitive series since the disastrous outing at the ICC World T20 in India at the start of this year where they were knocked out of the tournament in the qualifying stage by minnows Afghanistan.

Most of the India players in this tour took part in the lucrative IPL and Rahul has continued with his rich vein of form into this series.

“... I have just come from a good IPL and have carried the same momentum and the confidence into this game. ... it’s great for me to score a hundred and also get it in your first ODI match, it’s something special,” Rahul said.

His captain MS Dhoni believes they are on the right track.

“... A win first up is important in a three-game series,” said Dhoni.

Both teams might look to get into today’s matches unchanged for continuity purposes.

Zimbabwe ODI and T20 Squads: Graeme Cremer (Captain), Richmond Mutumbami (Wicketkeeper), Taurai Muzarabani, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Peter Joseph Moor, Elton Chigumbura, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Tawanda Mupariwa, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza Butt, Neville Madziwa, Donald Tiripano, Timycen Maruma, Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chisoro, Hamilton Masakadza, Tendai Chatara, Craig Ervine

India ODI and T20 squad: MS Dhoni (capt & wk), KL Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal

SAJUBVA - Bulawayo City emerged victorious against Mutare City Rovers in a battle of the new boys during a Castle Lager Premiership match here yesterday.

A first half strike from Mkhululi Moyo was enough for Philani “Beefy” Ncube’s men to claim all three points to move into sixth place on the log with 14 points.

Moyo found the back of the net in the 12th minute after City had bombarded the Magusha goal straight from kick-off.

From there on, Bulawayo City never looked like they would concede as they held on to collect maximum points.

Mutare City coach Taku Shariwa once again bemoaned his side’s defensive frailties for yesterday’s loss.

“We conceded a silly goal. We failed to clear a throw-in,” a distraught Shariwa said.

“We tried to come back into the game and played well in the second half but unfortunately a game of football is won by scoring goals.”

Ncube felt his experience in the dugout won the day ahead of Shariwa, who is still learning the ropes in the top flight.

“There is a difference between a junior coach and a senior coach; an experienced coach and an inexperienced coach,” Dube said in a jibe aimed at Shariwa with whom he had clashed before the match.

“Tactically we were superior. It was a game of two halves; we dominated in the first half but defended well in the second.”

The visitors virtually camped in their hosts’ half from the onset and were dully rewarded when a disorganised Magusha defence failed to clear a long throw-in with Moyo poking the ball home past a flat-footed Phillip Nhete.

Bulawayo City could have added another in the 18th minute but Moyo’s low cross which caused anxious moments in the home side’s box was eventually cleared.

Magusha’s best effort came five minutes before the break but Russell Madamombe’s shot from outside the box was always rising and curving away from goal.

Outplayed and outgunned, the hosts went to the breather a goal down.

They, however, came back for the second period a better side and were given an opportunity to draw level after winning a free-kick in a promising position but fluffed their lines.

Substitutes Kudakwashe Future and Elisha Chimhaka also took turns to sky their efforts under pressure from within the penalty box.

Stephen Sibanda also came close in added time but his snap shot through a crowded defence was pushed out for a corner.

Meanwhile, Moses Chunga won his first match as Harare City coach when his side defeated Ngezi Platinum Stars 2-1 in a league match at Baobab Stadium yesterday.

HARARE - CAPS United missed a glorious chance to shoot to the top of the Castle Lager Premiership log after they were held to a goalless draw by visiting Triangle here yesterday.

A win for Lloyd Chitembwe’s side, who were missing the services of Hardlife Zvirekwi and Ronald Pfumbidzai who are away with the national team in Namibia for the Cosafa Castle Cup, would have seen them leap-frog FC Platinum on goal difference.

The Green Machine are now in second place with 18 points while ZPC Kariba are in third behind only on goal difference. Both sides now trail Platinum by two points.

Makepekepe had plenty of chances to break the deadlock but couldn’t make the most of their advantage.

Chitembwe was, however, pleased with the point picked.

“The performance was decent. We got the 0-0 draw and as I had predicted — it was always going to be a very difficult match of football. Technically and tactically it was never easy,” Chitembwe said after the game.

“Both teams didn’t give away space but at least we are content with the result we got. One thing in football is that you can’t win all games. I personally feel we gave everything.

“We will still drop points but I think what’s important at this stage is to make sure that we are within reach of the leading pack. I think that’s very critical for us.”

Triangle coach David Mandigora, who has been credited for transforming the Lowveld side since joining them this year, felt a draw was a fair result.

“I think a draw is a fair result. For us it is a good point away from home,” Mandigora said.

“Our guys played well in the first 10-15 minutes then we were under pressure. But in the second half we tried to create more chances, we didn’t create many... but for us, a point away from home is not a bad result.”

Triangle started the match strongly, causing some anxious moments for the home team. They, however, failed to create meaningful chances.

Instead it was CAPS United who looked more dangerous with Dominic Chungwa, Leonard Tsipa and Abbas Amidu keeping the Triangle backline on their toes.

Tsipa and Joel Ngodzo wasted good scoring opportunities.

Guthrie Zhokinyu came close for Triangle moments before the break but he miscued his effort from a Lameck Nhamo free-kick on the left side.

The second half saw Makepekepe show the same intent, imposing themselves both in midfield and attack but decision-making in the final third proved to be their biggest let down.

Substitute Chrispen Machisi hit the woodwork for the home side in the closing stages of the game.

In the end, the two teams had to settle for a point apiece.

Teams:

CAPS United: Jorum Muchambo, Valentine Musarurwa, Justice Jangano, Dennis Dauda, Stephen Makatuka, Kudzai Nyamupfukudza, Joel Ngodzo, Abbas Amidu, Dominic Chungwa, Leonard Tsipa, Phinius Bhamusi

Triangle: Ronald Mudimu, Ralph Kawondera, Nelson Meson, Kudzai Chigwida, Guthrie Zhokinyu, Tendai Huwa, Hardlife Muvundi, Malvern Gaki, Courage Dennias, Nelson Maziwisa, Lameck Nhamo.

HARARE - The Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) has now begun the process of de-registering the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) in order to register the National Football Association of Zimbabwe (Nafaz).

Zifa councillors at their Annual General Meeting at the start of this month agreed to dissolve the association to start on a clean slate due to a ballooning $6 million debt.

The association successfully applied for insolvency which was duly granted by the High Court allowing the SRC to start formalities of registering Nafaz.

SRC acting director general Joseph Muchechetere together with Nafaz president Philip Chiyangwa wrote to Fifa notifying the world football mother body of the developments.

“This serves to jointly (SRC and Nafaz) confirm that Zifa has successfully filed a court application for Voluntary Sequestration and Surrender of Zifa with the High Court of Zimbabwe under the case number HC/5942/16 in accordance thereto of the Insolvency Act Chapter 6:04 of Zimbabwe, in that Zifa is unable to meet its obligations ad debts and Zifa cannot continue to exist,” read the letter.

“In this regard, a Master’s Certificate was issued by the Master of the High Court of Zimbabwe dated June 10, 2016, therefore the SRC, in line with the SRC Act Chapter 25:15 of 1991 will begin the process to striking Zifa from the register and consequently begin the process to register Nafaz, hereby represented by...Chiyangwa as its inaugural president.”

“...we hereby confirm that Zifa and ourselves as the sports regulatory body in Zimbabwe, have now resolved the issues amicably and are now fully committed to a mutual and beneficial resolution leading to a plausible future of Zimbabwe football under the leadership of Nafaz.

“It is in our interest to confirm that the SRC and on behalf of the government of Zimbabwe, will recognise Nafaz as the national football governing body with rights, duties and responsibilities to affiliate to Fifa whilst internal administrative processes are underway to confer full status of National Sport Association in line with the SRC Act.”

According to the letter, the SRC will keep Fifa informed on all the developments until Nafaz is a fully-fledged association.

HARARE - The National Social Security Authority (Nssa) is expected to unveil its new executive-management team on July 01 amid indications that Elizabeth Chitiga is likely to head the organisation.

This also comes as Labour and Social Welfare minister Prisca Mupfumira has said a candidate for the top post had been identified, and only awaiting President Robert Mugabe’s consent.

Although Nssa board chairman Robin Vela would not be drawn into comment on Chitiga’s alleged appointment, he confirmed that an announcement would be made early next month.

“I don’t have (that information), but we are going to name the entire team of nine executives on July 01,” he said in a telephone interview with businessdaily.

The post of Nssa general manager  fell vacant when James Matiza and several other top directors were axed, in a shake-up meant to redirect operations after several investment-related scandals.

An economist by training, Chitiga is the ex-general manager and chief executive of the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe and,

While the former National Discount House chairwoman was unavailable for comment as she was said to be abroad, she is expected to drive Nssa’s new developmental thrust anchored in its building society and job creation initiatives.

Chitiga is also an ex-director of African Sun, Zim Alloys and Zimbabwe Platinum Mines.

With over $1 billion worth of investments, the statutory pension fund is the biggest institutional investor in Zimbabwe, but came under public criticism after losing millions of dollars following investments in questionable ventures, some of which have collapsed.

Matiza was fired together with Nssa’s investment director Shadreck Vera, finance director Patrick Mapani, corporate services director, Tendai Mafunda and Information and Communication Technology director Bright Chidyagwai.

It is understood that the national pension’s administrator received over 500 applications from interested candidates to fill the now-vacant management posts.

After Matiza's sacking, the Vela-led  board appointed Hashmon Matemera on an acting capacity, but the former BancABC boss was also shown the door last month.

Nssa’s director of benefits, Henry Chikova, is currently the acting general manager.

PRETORIA - South African athlete Oscar Pistorius must pay for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, her father has told a judge, breaking down in tears.

Pistorius was found guilty of murdering Ms Steenkamp after a court overturned an earlier manslaughter verdict.

The sentencing hearing - expected to conclude by Friday - will decide if he will face a jail term of 15 years.

Barry Steenkamp asked for photos of his daughter's body to be made public so people could see the wounds.

Correspondents say Mr Steenkamp's voice broke and tears streamed down his face as he said that he thought about his daughter "morning, noon and night... every hour".

The 73-year-old said that losing his daughter in February 2013 had led to him having a stroke and he had not been the same man since.

He told Pretoria's High Court that he had had no contact with Pistorius, but said that wife June had been able to forgive the double-amputee athlete.

"You must understand why forgiving doesn't exonerate you from the crime you committed. He must understand why he needs to pay for that," Mr Steenkamp said.

Pistorius, 29, killed Ms Steenkamp in the early hours of Valentine's Day in 2013 after firing four times through a locked toilet door.

The athlete has always maintained he believed he was shooting at an intruder.

HARARE - Zimbabwe National Students’ Union (Zinasu) has condemned the injury of at least nine people when police in Papua New Guinea opened fire on student protesters last Wednesday.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill — whom protesters were calling on to resign amid accusations of corruption — blamed “agitators responsible for instigating a violent confrontation”.

Witnesses said that students had gathered on the University of Port Moresby campus, and were intending to go to Parliament to protest when police blocked them from leaving and opened fire.

Zinasu spokesperson, Zivai Mhetu, yesterday called the shootings “barbaric, callous and fascist”.

“What the police did in Papua New Guinea is appalling and despicable,” Mhetu said. “As a students’ union that operates in a country where on more than one occasion student activists have been walloped by the sjambok of State brutality, Zinasu empathises with the students of the University of Port Moresby and those from other institutions involved in protests against corruption.”

Mhetu said the students— who have been holding a five-week long protest against O’Neil — were an inspiration to students in other African countries where State officials “shamelessly eat the rotten fruits of corruption while serving citizens the stale bread of bad governance.”

Said Mhetu: “As the students of Zimbabwe we are inspired by Papua New Guinea students who took it upon themselves to challenge State corruption. Our country is also afflicted by the malignant cancer of corruption and it is time for students in Zimbabwe to take a leaf from them.

“The time has come for us to come out of our closets of fear, shells of docility and cocoons of indifference to confront our government whose officials seem to have the last supper mentality – that of believing their current loot maybe their last, hence it has to be greater than their previous one and all those before it.”

Mhetu said that the student community was the vanguard of democracy in Zimbabwe as well as the voice of the voiceless and thus had a duty to fight for the oppressed and downtrodden who are being adversely affected by the ubiquitous corruption in the country.

Added Mhetu, “The student community in Zimbabwe has a historic role to play in challenging State corruption. This role that has been played by our predecessors and should also be played by those who come after us.

“Students in the late 80s led by the likes of Arthur Mutambara and Enoch Chikweche — now Munyaradzi Gwisai — fought against cases of corruption such as the Willowgate scandal. Now a scandal much bigger than the Willowgate scandal has been experienced in our country — that of the $15 billion of State revenue which disappeared into thin air.

“We, as the students of Zimbabwe, cannot let an egregious act of that magnitude go unchallenged.”

HARARE - Government has denounced the “inhuman” practice of hospitals detaining patients till their medical bills were paid.

Deputy Health minister Aldrin Musiiwa vowed in Parliament last week to take action against hospital administrations who detain patients for failing to pay hospital fees, and apologised on behalf of government for the actions that some hospitals were taking against patients.

“Government policy is for patients to access treatment. In cases where they are assessed and we feel they must pay, a payment arrangement must then be made where the patients are discharged and be able to go and find money to pay when they are able to pay.

“I want to assure this House that we will take action, and particularly for those administrative hospitals that do not follow instructions. We have actually given instructions that it is not government’s policy and it is not acceptable for them to detain patients,” Musiiwa said.

Musiiwa was responding to inquiries by Warren Park MDC legislator Elias Mudzuri on what government’s position was regarding the detention of defaulting patients at hospital verandas.

“That same patient has been in hospital from Friday to Monday detained after your instruction (to release the patient), which means it is like turning a blind eye or involved in corruption and there is no action taken when such things happen, then it means that becomes policy by mere negligence. Can the minister confirm that he is taking action to communicate to the public to say this is not acceptable and if it happens, they must have a route where to complain?” Mudzuri questioned during question and answer time.

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HARARE - A Mutare businessman, whose $78 000 was seized  by police following his 2008 arrest on theft charges, is demanding that Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo be sent to prison after he failed to comply with court orders sanctioning the release of the money.

High Court judge November Mtshiya over a fortnight ago made a ruling for the re-imbursement of $78 900 to Tendai Mangwiro following his application for mandamus, demanding Chombo to act in terms of his duties and facilitate the release of the money.

Mangwiro, who was cleared of the theft charges in 2012, said that since an order for the re-imbursement of the money was given over a year ago, Chombo has not acted in terms of the directive.

Mtshiya ruled that Chombo must comply with the court order and act in terms of his statutory duty cast upon him in Section 5 (2) of the State Liabilities Act (Chapter 8:14), but has failed to comply with the directive, prompting the current application for contempt of court.

“It is now against this background that brought this present application before this court against the respondent (Chombo) in his personal capacity, for his wanton disregard of this honourable court, to be held and found guilty of contempt of the orders of this court and be sent to prison,” Mangwiro said.

He said Chombo must have complied with the court order without delay.

“In my case, the respondent has no pending litigation against me, they unsuccessfully sought to rescind the order in case number HC4766/15 and since that time they have never done anything except frustrating me by refusing to pay me my money without any legal reasoning,” he said.

He further said that his constitutional rights to access the courts will remain an illusion if court orders are not enforced.

“Respondent’s non-compliance with the court orders made against him does not only show his disregard of the judicial system, but places himself above the laws of this country and this is also a clear testimony of insubordination by the respondent,” Mangwiro said, adding that Chombo thinks he is immune to prosecution.

In his court papers, Mangwiro said that the police seized his money and wrongly released it to the then complainant Andrea Nsaka Nsaka.

HARARE - Zanu PF Bikita West legislator Munyaradzi Kereke, who is being accused of sexually molesting his wife’s two nieces, will receive judgment on the case on July 11, the presiding magistrate said yesterday.

Kereke was standing trial for rape and indecent assault before Harare regional magistrate Noel Mupeiwa.

Private prosecutor Charles Warara is expected to surrender closing submissions on June 22 before Kereke’s lawyer Erum Mutandiro tenders his on July 1.

Both parties will appear in court on July 4 to proffer the submissions orally in time for the judgment day.

Throughout the trial, Warara accused Kereke of having fought “tooth and nail to have the case swept under the carpet since 2010.”

“I put it to you that you sought to diffuse the case from the start.

“Soon after realising that you had raped the complainant, you summoned Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s director of Financial Intelligence Unit Mirirai Chiremba to meet you so that you could engage him on how you were going to backdate the return of your gun (allegedly used in the rape),” Warara had said.

“…you then proceeded to your house and found one of the complainants and fabricated a ground that she had asked for money from you.

“You then went on to look for politicians to bring into this case amongst them David Butau, Webster Shamu, chiefs and former vice president Joice Mujuru.

“After all this, you had already planned to also connect (former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor) Gideon Gono and when you left RBZ you stole documents that you brought to this case.

“…at last you had your in-laws, wives and lawyers to fight prosecution. All this shows that you were lying before the court.”

During his defence, Kereke tendered copies of his passport indicating that he had travelled to the United States of America at the time that one of the complainants said he had sexually molested her.

However, Warara noted that Kereke had only furnished the court with copies stamped on his alleged departure but did not have an American stamp.

“I want to see the stamp which shows you left USA in June.

“What we want is not your word of mouth, we want the stamp showing your exit from USA,” demanded Warara.

“You only gave the court copies of stamps that were all put on the Zimbabwean side.

“If you knew that evidence was necessary to show the pattern of your travel, why didn’t you mention that to the court?”

His witnesses were accused of being coached as they could only recall events relating to the period that the minors alleged abuse but failed to recollect any other relevant details.

HARARE - Zimbabwe People First (ZPF) party has said Jim Kunaka cut short the counselling programmes he was going through in ZPF and has gone back to his old ways, a top official in former Vice President Joice Mujuru’s party has said.

Commenting on Kunaka’s highly publicised return to Zanu PF, ZPF spokesperson, Jealousy Mawarire, said: “The fact of the matter is that Mr Jim Kunaka was undergoing rehabilitation and if he has returned to Zanu PF, it means he is now a rehab escapee.”

Mawarire said that the process of rehabilitating ex-Zanu PF youths, who were used by the party to perpetrate violence, was a voluntary programme that ZPF has put in place to help both victims of political violence and the perpetrators that they find ways of being reintegrated into the society.

“Our rehabilitation programmes are voluntary. It is therefore unconstitutional and also undemocratic for us to arrest Kunaka and force him to continue with the rehabilitation programme we had designed for him.

“It is quite clear to us that the better person, the non-violent character that we wanted to inculcate in him has no place and value in the cult that he is returning to.

“We will continue to raise our heads high for the efforts that we made in attempting to exorcise the Zanu PF demons that were haunting him but we are cognisant that it is not every battle that you can win and that not every deliverance session is successful especially when the one seeking deliverance is still in love with his demons,” Mawarire said, adding that the rehabilitation programme was a brain-child of Mujuru.

“Our president is on record saying that ZPF has a department, manned by experienced clergymen, which provides counselling services to both victims of political violence and its perpetrators so that they can be reintegrated back into the society and, perhaps, mainstream politics,” he said, also explaining that Kunaka’s return to Zanu PF does not only show that ZPF had failed to rehabilitate him, but that the party had strong systems against infiltration.

“The other fact that has escaped a lot of people is that the return of people like Kunaka to Zanu PF is a result of their frustration with the strict security measures we have put around the decision-making organs of the party which have made it difficult for spies and Zanu PF informers to gain entry into those organs that run the day-to-day activities of the party.

“The noise they are now making and the purported return to Zanu PF is a result of the frustration they now have as a result of their failure to infiltrate the decision-making organs of the party.

“When we hear them cry loud as Kunaka is doing, we naturally become happy as it is an endorsement of the effectiveness of our security and intelligence systems in the party,” Mawarire said.

He added that allegations by Kunaka that there is nothing happening in ZPF were an indication that he was far away from the decision making process in the party.

“There are strategic decisions and programmes taken by the party leadership that, for security reasons, cannot be communicated to every party member, let alone those undergoing rehabilitation but that does not mean there is nothing happening in the party.

“If there is nothing happening in ZPF as Kunaka is quoted as saying, there is certainly one thing that he should acknowledge and it is that we have set up a diligent and effective security system that does not just allow spies easy access to those organs of the party responsible for our strategic planning,” Mawarire said.

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HARARE - Several young Zimbabwean women, who were recently rescued after being trafficked to Kuwait where they worked as slaves, yesterday recounted their harrowing tales.

The women, who could barely hold back their tears as they told of their trauma in the Persian Gulf country, narrated in horrifying detail how they had ended up as “household slaves”.

Still visibly shaken and speaking with palpable fear in their voices, the young ladies — whose names may still not be revealed — opened up somewhat to the media yesterday after much persuasion from Women and Gender minister Nyasha Chikwinya.

“We cried until we could cry no more. Up to now I can’t fully say what happened ... slaves do not sleep in Kuwait,” one of the women said.

A holder of a nursing and public relations certificate, she said she had ended up in Kuwait after falling victim to a bogus newspaper job vacancy advert.

After applying for the job and being replied to “speedily”, she was told “a bit” version of the Kafala system -- whereby a sponsor would pay for her travel and whom she would reimburse later.

“It seemed a fair offer,” she recalled, and rationalising at the time that this was her chance to escape Zimbabwe’s worsening poverty and unemployment, she readily accepted the job as a nurse aide — where she was to look after a young boy.

“I went to church afterwards thanking God for answering my prayers,” she said.

But her joy was short-lived and soon turned to horror. Upon arriving in Kuwait along with other women, she was detained in the airport basement for a long time.

“From the way we were treated by the police, we started wondering what kind of an airport this was,” she added, also recalling how they had later been “sold” to bidders like cheap furniture at a village auction.

She said up to this day, she remained indebted to a Malawian lady who had warned her to conceal her phone away from the glare of the Arabian agents, a gadget that was to later prove invaluable.

“I was taken by the people who bought me. The first week was perfect. The lady of the house bought me earrings, night gowns, dresses, pants, everything … I thought okay, maybe it is not that bad.”

But all hell broke loose a little over a week after that.

Fighting back tears, she said the lady of the house started waking her up in the wee hours and belting her, while shouting, “why are you sleeping … wake up”.

“Initially, I thought maybe it was just a bad day for her, which was why she was treating me like this. But it became a habit. Even if she woke up at 2am, 3am or 4am, she would wake me up with that belt.

“After that, I could not sleep anymore… and it went on for two weeks. I could only go on by praying. I was now also angry with myself because it was so severe.

“One morning, the husband came in naked to the laundry room where I was ironing. He tried to touch me and I screamed. Luckily, the wife came in and he said ‘this kadama (slave) of yours I told her to iron my clothes but instead she is seducing me.’ They both beat me up,” she said.

She later stole a SIM card that she had found while cleaning the house.

“I started googling for help. I found myself googling human trafficking in Kuwait, plenty of pages came out —  national human trafficking in America, IOM, project 189.

“I started sending emails to all those organisations asking for help.

“The one in America replied that they wanted my address, but I didn’t know where I was. They kept sending emails to me. They got in touch with one of their agents in Kuwait who asked me to send my location through WhatsApp.

“I was scared, worse still after I saw the Kuwait agent’s profile picture and noticing that he was Arabian. I said no, he is the same people. I said no, I won’t send.”

It eventually took the extremely serious abuse of the next-door Ghananian house maid to jerk her into action, and finally sending her location to the agent.

“I said if I am going to die, let me die, but not in this house. I sent my location to that guy and he came to my rescue,” she whispered choking with emotion.

However, she still feels very guilty that she had failed to find the courage to tell her rescuers of what happened to the Ghanaian woman.

“I am sure the people in Ghana are asking where is their daughter, when she is down the drain.”

Another woman who opened up yesterday had been orphaned at an early age and was raised by relatives. She later also faced the difficulty of raising her own children, until “the chance” to go to Kuwait seemed like her only way out of poverty.

She said she had also been told that “sponsors” in Kuwait were funding her travel expenses, and that she would reimburse them “little by little” with her $750 monthly salary.

“You know when you are travelling out of the country with the prospect of having a lot of money, the excitement is huge. I actually bid farewell to my kids (sic) and relatives at the (Harare International) airport.”

Although immigration officers approached her and questioned her about her trip, she brushed them off believing “if you get such an opportunity and someone is trying to stop you they are naysayers”.

But she was also soon to realise on arrival at the Kuwait airport that all that she had been told “were lies”.

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“The police there treated us really badly. They took our passports on arrival and it was the last day I saw mine. Up to today I don’t know what happened to it. We were taken to the basement of the airport and spent hours there before some agents came to take us.

“My agent was called Leila. When I was going to Leila’s place I asked her whether what I was wearing was appropriate for the hotel job. She started laughing at me, saying ‘did they not tell you that you are going to work as a house maid?’”

She said although she had been shocked by this revelation, she had nowhere to run. The next day, she along with the other women, were lined up “like slaves to be sold to the highest bidder”.

“They called us kadamas and we did not know it means slaves. They told us to smile. We asked why, and they said you are supposed to smile, because you are being bought. On my side, I was bought for $3 000,” she said.

The Warren Park-raised lady went on to work in a 17-roomed three-storey house.

“I asked how much they would give me and the lady laughed, saying I bought you for $3 000. So, you will not be getting any salary. If I am to give you anything, maybe I will give you after two years.”

The woman recalled how she had cried until she could “cry no more”.

“When it comes to food they say their slaves only eat after their masters. I told them that in my country if you eat left overs you will have bad luck. So I survived on tea for the 40 days I was in Kuwait.

“Sometimes I would steal chocolates and oranges and hide them in my pants and go outside so that when I got a chance I could eat the chocolates and drink water, so that at least my stomach would be full.”

Her clothes were always kept outside and she was forced to bath an excessive number of times a day because they said “Zimbabweans smell”.

“I worked a lot. I am really sorry I have to skip some of the parts because it was really painful,” she said.

An advert that she had seen on the Internet prompted her to rush to the Zimbabwean embassy to get help to come back home.

“When we got home, we got different receptions. Some people welcomed us with open arms and some would actually laugh at us. Up to now, I still cannot say what really happened,” she said.