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• Chronicle
• January 17, 2012
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Civil servants salary talks collapse

By Pamela Shumba
CIVIL servants bodies have resolved to go on strike tomorrow after their meeting with Public Service Minister Lucia Matibenga hit a brickwall yesterday.
Last week Minister Matibenga told civil servants’ representatives that she would meet them yesterday to communicate the Government’s position on their grievances.

Civil servants are demanding a salary of up to $538 from the $253 given to the least paid worker.
However, Minister Matibenga did not turn up for the meeting as she was reportedly caught up in a ministerial meeting.
Speaking in separate interviews yesterday, civil servants’ representatives expressed disappointment with the minister’s attitude.

The president of the Apex Council, which is the body that represents all civil servants, Ms Tendai Chikowore, said they were disappointed with their  employer and were already in the process of  organising the strike.
“The meeting was a non event. We arrived at  Kaguvi Building at 2pm as per our arrangement but the minister was nowhere to be seen,” said Ms Chikowore in a telephone interview.
“We were later informed that she was attending a ministerial advisory committee meeting. We understand that the meeting was over when we were still waiting for her, but she did not see it important to come and address us.”

She said civil servants representatives had lost trust in Minister Matibenga.

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• Chronicle
• January 17, 2012
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Provinces apply for grain loans as food shortages worsen

Chronicle Reporters
THE shortage of food in Matabeleland region, Masvingo and the Midlands has reached critical levels with provinces applying for the grain loan scheme in order to avert starvation.
The Government re-introduced the grain loan scheme last month following a serious food deficit that has gripped most parts of the country.
In separate interviews yesterday Governor for Matabeleland South Angeline Masuku and her Matabeleland North counterpart, Thokozile Mathuthu, confirmed that communities had started applying for food relief.

“Yes we have started applying for food relief under the grain loan scheme. We want to assure the people that no one will die of hunger because all the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots in the province have enough grain stocks.

“What is important for people to know is that this grain is offered on credit and they will be required to pay it back. Of course some people are scared of the debt but it is better than to let children starve,” said Governor Masuku. 
By October last year a majority of families in Matabeleland South were already facing food shortages with villagers in some areas reportedly surviving on wild fruits and roots of some trees.
In Matabeleland North, Governor Mathuthu said although some districts still had food, others such as Tsholotsho were in need of urgent food assistance.

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• Chronicle
• January 17, 2012
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Police laxity condemned

Harare Bureau
GENERAL Mujuru was alone in his car when he came home the night he died in a fire at his Beatrice farmhouse in August last year, one of the police constables at the gate told the inquest yesterday.

But Const Obert Mark said there had been a jacket hanging over the backseat.
In his evidence, while being questioned by Vice President Joice Mujuru, Const Mark conceded security at the farm was inadequate.
He and Const Augustino Chinyoka spoke of the delays in raising the alarm and trying to seek help. Const Mark and one of the other two constables on duty had been asleep and were roused by Const Chinyoka at around 2am when the fire was intense. They had managed to report the fire to Beatrice Police Station but did not have enough airtime to call the Harare Fire Brigade, who as a result only arrived at 5am.

The police had to find the maid once they saw the fire so she could tell them which room Gen Mujuru slept in and when they did try and enter the house they had to try a window far from the blaze since the fire was now so intense.