Urban farmers in Bulawayo are using open land beneath electricity transmission lines to grow crops. One farmer, Enock Mcijo, cultivates roughly four acres under power pylons in the Mahatshula and Cement Side areas, harvesting about four tons of maize in a good rainy season. He uses a tractor for tilling and dedicates most of his yield to chicken feed for his rural homestead, keeping a small portion for family consumption. He views this practice as beneficial, keeping the land clear for the Zimbabwe Power Company while producing food.
This form of urban agriculture is common across the city, with residents planting on available plots near roads and other infrastructure. Farmer Ronald Makono in Mahatshula stressed the need for early land...
Matabeleland South Province is pushing several major development projects focused on agriculture, water, and infrastructure. Key initiatives include the Tuli Manyange Dam for irrigation and water supply, the Antelope Arda Maphisa Irrigation Scheme in Matobo District, and the unique Makorokoro Village Business Unit in Mangwe District. Provincial Minister Albert Nguluvhe said these efforts are part of national development strategies, using both government and private partnerships to create jobs and build local supply chains.
The Garanyemba Drought Mitigation Centre in Gwanda District serves as a pilot project for rural climate resilience, featuring solar-powered boreholes, nutrition gardens, and livestock facilities fed by a refurbished...
A mining corporation has commended revised budget measures affecting gold royalties and taxes. Caledonia Mining Corporation stated that the proposed changes causing industry concern, were amended by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube. The initially planned royalty increase from five to ten percent, triggered when gold prices exceeded twenty five hundred dollars per ounce, was adjusted to only apply above five thousand dollars. The minister also withdrew two other proposals, one altering the tax treatment for capital expenditures and another imposing a withholding tax on interest from offshore loans.
Caledonia's CEO Mark Learmonth called the updated provisions a positive signal for investors, showing government support for mining sector...
Two major savings funds for civil servants are becoming important forces for investment and economic stability. The Government Employees Mutual Savings Fund, a voluntary scheme started a few years ago, now manages four hundred forty million ZiG in assets. It has over a hundred twenty thousand active members and has deployed most of its portfolio into loans, maintaining a very low rate of bad debt. The Public Service Pension Fund has seen its capital grow dramatically to seven hundred million U.S. dollars, making it a major player in property development and energy projects.
The GEMS fund generated strong revenue recently, with a healthy inflation-adjusted return on its investments. Its loan book has provided credit to tens of thousands...
A government official warned people against letting holiday fun turn into dangerous behavior during a police anti-violence event in Bubi District. Deputy Minister Simelisizwe Sibanda told the community that celebrations are not an excuse for violence, substance abuse, or crime. He acknowledged the area's specific struggles with gold mining, drugs, and violence, which often spike when people return home for the festive season from cities and other countries. Sibanda welcomed those travelers but stressed their return should strengthen family ties, not cause conflict.
He pushed for several safety measures, commending traffic police campaigns and urging drivers to avoid speeding and drunken driving to prevent seasonal road accidents. On...
A new timber drying kiln just opened at Forest Hill in the Gwaai Forest, marking a big step for rural industry in Matabeleland North. The high-tech facility, commissioned by officials from the Forestry Commission and the Environment Ministry, is meant to help local businesses add value to raw hardwood instead of just selling logs. Representing Minister Eveline Ndlovu, Chief Director Washington Zhakata said the equipment would transform the indigenous timber sector by letting producers meet international standards for dried wood, which could create export jobs in furniture and construction.
Forestry Commission board chairman Ambassador Mahomed Jassat called the kiln key for sustainable resource use and cutting waste. Provincial...
A Victoria Falls man walked free from a culpable homicide charge after the state could not prove his driving caused a passenger's death. Victor Sibanda, a forty-seven-year-old deputy head at a local primary school, had been accused of a Nissan NP300 rollover accident last August along the Cross Dete-Binga road. The prosecution argued he drove negligently at high speed, losing control and ejecting two people from the vehicle's load bed. One of those passengers, Amon Tembo, died in late October from his injuries.
Magistrate Rumbidzai Kabasa granted a discharge application, stating the case had fatal flaws. She noted the complete absence of a medical report directly connecting Tembo's death to the crash injuries he sustained over two...
A Zvishavane man received a nine-year prison sentence for trying to kill his wife by setting her on fire. Innocent Nyamandi, who is fifty-one, was convicted of attempted murder after pouring petrol on his spouse, Sibongile Chikozho, and igniting it with a lighter during an argument. Their eleven-month-old child was strapped to her back at the time. Regional magistrate Tawenga Sangster suspended two years of the term, leaving Nyamandi to serve an effective seven years behind bars.
The attack happened last November after Nyamandi accused his wife of being unfaithful. He confronted her at her shop the morning after she spent a night away from home, doused her in fuel, and set her alight before running away. Chikozho suffered severe burns...
A top soccer official used a league awards event in Dete to call out a worsening issue with players signing up for multiple teams. Busani Dube, a board member for Zifa in Matabeleland North, warned that dual registration messes with the sport's fairness and integrity. He said the practice, like a recent case of a player in both the Rhino Champions Cup League and a Hwange Division Two side, creates an uneven field and hurts trust. Dube stated the association would punish offenders with possible bans and fines, telling players to pick one league and stick with it.
The ceremony also highlighted the unique conservation theme of the league itself, with teams named after animals. Guest speaker Milos Phiri, a former Hwange FC player, backed...
