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A LEGAL showdown is looming between Hwange Colliery Company and former workers after the coal mining firm cut electricity to their homes in a bid to force them out of company-owned houses. BY FRANCIS MWINDE Two weeks ago, the colliery company cut off electricity to company-owned houses occupied by former workers following their retrenchment but are refusing to vacate. Four years ago the colliery retrenched hundreds of workers both on compulsory and voluntary bases. Most of them have since gone to their respective homes. However, others are disputing the retrenchment process which they claim was fraught with irregularities resulting in them seeking legal advice on the way forward. Their lawyers, Calderwood, Bryce Hendrie and Partners, wrote a letter advising the company that their ex-employees would continue staying at their respective houses until finalisation of the matter between the two parties. Last week, the lawyers wrote a letter to Hwange Colliery threatening legal action against the company and the respective officers if the retrenched workers were not provided with electricity within forty-eight hours. “The conduct is, with respect, unlawful and constitutes proper grounds for relief at the High Court on an urgent basis. “The law frowns on persons who take the law into their own hands and we suggest that you seek legal advice on how to deal with this matter,” read part of the letter by the Bulawayo-based legal firm. Efforts to get a comment from Hwange Colliery Company were fruitless yesterday.
Announcement of the death of former President Rawlings pic.twitter.com/7ext0fp4sd
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) November 12, 2020
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THE majority of residents in Zimbabwe’s major urban areas are drinking sewage-contaminated water due to poor management systems by local authorities, Auditor-General Mildred Chiri has revealed in her latest audit report. BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA An assessment by the Auditor-General on six major cities in the country showed that urban local authorities were failing to attend to sewer blockages within 24 hours, resulting in raw sewage mixing with drinking water. This ultimately gives rise to outbreaks of waterborne diseases such as typhoid, dysentery and cholera, among others. Unattended sewer blockages also result in sewage back-flowing, which further weakens the pipes, according to the audit findings for the period 2013 to 2017 following a public outcry over sewer bursts. “The assessment of the urban local authorities’ management of sewerage system revealed a number of weaknesses which contributed to the increase in the number of sewer blockage complaints from consumers,” Chiri said. “If local authorities fail to attend to blockages within the stipulated eight to 24 hours, raw sewage is lost into the environment before reaching the treatment plants, thereby contaminating water bodies. “According to interviews conducted, engineers cited that they were doing more of reactive maintenance rather than planned maintenance.” Results of the assessment also showed that Harare, with the highest population of over 1,5 million people, records the highest number of sewer blockages on average each year, which places residents in the capital city at high risk of contracting waterborne diseases. The United Nations Environment report of 2013 ranked Lake Chivero, Harare’s main water source, as one of the most 10 polluted lakes in the world. Statistics from the audit show that Harare discharges about 4 000 megalitres of raw or partially-treated water into water systems. In responding to the audit, city fathers blamed residents over sewer blockages, citing dumping of kitchen utensils and other items in sewage pipes as the major contributor to infrastructure damages. Although with a higher population, the audit report said Bulawayo had a better sewer system compared to other councils. In 2013 alone, 560 people died of waterborne diseases, while close to 600 000 others contracted the diseases countrywide. In 2008, five years before the audit, Zimbabwe recorded its worst cholera outbreak, which claimed over 5 000 lives, with Harare’s Budiriro and Glen View high-density suburbs the worst hit. Harare and Bulawayo are staring another crisis due to recurrent water shortages, with Harare declaring incapacitation to buy water treatment chemicals. Last week, Harare City Council confirmed four cases of typhoid, a bacterial infection that can be transmitted through contaminated water. The local authorities do not have modern equipment and technologies for sewer system inspection and maintenance and Chiri stated that the government was losing about US$194 million annually owing to poor sanitation practices. The Auditor-General also noted that poor service
According to his office, Mabuyane had flu symptoms which later led to him to take a COVID-19 test. He is currently self-isolating at home.
SUSPENDED High Court judge Justice Erica Ndewere filed an application seeking the recusal of fellow High Court judge Justice Benjamini Chikowero from hearing her urgent chamber application and challenging Chief Justice Luke Malaba’s move to have her investigated over allegations of gross misconduct. BY CHARLES LAITON Justice Ndewere appeared before Justice Chikowero seeking to have President Emmerson Mnangagwa set aside the tribunal that he appointed last week to investigate her suitability to hold office. A week ago, Justice Moses Foroma was forced to recuse himself from the matter after Justice Ndewere’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, questioned the impartiality of a sitting judge to preside over a matter involving a colleague. Justice Ndewere is challenging the setting up of the tribunal on the basis that Chief Justice Malaba must first appoint an internal disciplinary hearing committee to which she intends to present evidence to exonerate herself. She is denying the charge of incompetence and is alleging victimisation by the Chief Justice. Justice Ndewere yesterday asked Justice Chikowero to recuse himself from hearing her case, with Mtetwa telling the judge that he could be a witness to the tribunal because he was one of the two judges that Justice Ndewere confided in after she had been threatened by Chief Justice Malaba. Mtetwa told the court that in 2019, Justice Ndewere informed Justice Chikowero in the presence of another judge at a conference in Vumba that Chief Justice Malaba had threatened to “investigate” her after she refused to accept his instruction to deny former Public Service minister Priscah Mupfumira bail. Mtetwa also told the court that Justice Chikowero’s name appeared on the memorandum from Chief Justice Malaba to Judge President George Chiweshe dated February 6 2019 which listed 10 judges the Chief Justice alleged were not doing their work. Justice Ndewere said Justice Chikowero was aware that the “facts” in that memorandum were disputed by the judges and were later withdrawn and that he may also be called as a witness to the tribunal in that regard. Mtetwa argued that the application before Justice Chikowero was challenging the discrimination against her client because Justice Ndewere was singled out for investigation and dismissal from a list of 10 judges and Justice Chikowero was a beneficiary of the discrimination against her. “Justice Chikowero cannot adjudicate on the matter because he is grossly conflicted,” Mtetwa argued, adding that he was Justice Ndewere’s pair judge for the urgent roll in the High Court where they worked together during evenings and weekends. She said Justice Chikowero should not hear her case because of collegiality. However, she said she would not insist on this point if collegiality was not important to the judge. Mtetwa told Justice Chikowero that she had asked the Judge President to provide a retired judge to hear her case as most judges had either an interest in this matter or were conflicted by virtue of their outstanding judgments or reviews. Justice Chikowore re
As Black people disproportionately suffer from Covid-19, there are lingering questions about the distribution process that will determine who gets the coronavirus vaccine first.
President-elect Joe Biden has promised to fight the student loan debt crisis plaguing 37 million Americans, and some are divided on if he can pull it off
After alleging that Common had her Instagram page reported and sent people to harass her online, she took a dig at his numerous romantic relationships over the years: \"Why do they all leave Lonny?\"
The city of Goma in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo faces growing insecurity.
Day and night, the killings of civilians have multiplied under the helpless watch of Congolese authorities.
Today, Sharifa Kamana is a widow. Her husband was shot a few meters from home at night.
10 days later, no investigation has been opened yet.
\"We don't know the killers, they go after money changers like my husband. We are currently living in fear. The authorities need to take this situation seriously and know where these weapons come from? How can a civilian live with a weapon illegally without the State knowing about it,\"? Kamana asked.
To battle against the insecurity, a provincial deputy has initiated an operation to collect weapons.
These firearms, ammunition and military effects were handed over to the authorities for a sum up to US$100.
\"I had been keeping this weapon since the M23 took control of the city and I took the opportunity to get it back. I kept it at home waitin g for the right time to avenge my father who was murdered a few years ago here in Goma\", Didier Mwamba told our Congolese Correspondent, Gael Mpoyo.
Patrick Munyomo is the National Deputy and Initiator of the project.
\"What is certain is that now is the time for anyone who has a weapon illegally to hand it over because we are in the process of educating them. After this campaign is over, if a gun is found in someone's home, that person will be brought to justice,'' he said.
During his last visit to Goma, President Felix Tshisekedi promised to defeat the scourge of insecurity once and for all.
Since October, about ten murders have already been recorded in the region.
Police in Dema, Mashonaland East province, have launched a manhunt for four armed robbers who pounced on a businessman before stealing a cashbox with US$30 000, among other valuables. BY JAIROS SAUNYAMA The businessman, Hazvinei Mutasa (43) also lost his pistol to the armed robbers who besieged his homestead. Provincial police spokesperson Inspector Tendai Mwanza confirmed the incident and urged people not to keep large sums of money at home. “The public is warned against keeping large sums of cash at home,” Mwanza said. “This is a security risk which results in the money being easily stolen through robberies. We also take this opportunity to appeal to anyone who might have information on the whereabouts of the suspects to report at any nearest police station.” On November 10 at around 8pm, Mutasa was in company of his two workersoutside his home when armed men approached them and ordered them to lie on the ground. One of the suspects allegedly fired shots in the air and disarmed Mutasa of his FN Browning pistol. It is reported that three of the suspects remained outside, while others dragged Mutasa inside demanding money. The suspects disabled the alarm at the premises and threatened to kill the businessman’s child if he refused to surrender the money. He reportedly surrendered the cashbox which was in his bedroom containing US$30 000. The suspects also dismantled a CCTV server. They also got away with a Samsung S10 cellphone, Itel P33 cellphone and two small Itel cellphones before speeding off in a vehicle belonging to one of Mutasa’s workers. The vehicle was recovered in Vera village, Seke. The matter was reported at Dema Police Station and no arrests have been made. Follow Jairos onTwitter @jairossaunyama
