admin$40m Dimaf fund released . . . Govt submits list to agent for disbursement
By Prosper Ndlovu
THE Government has submitted a list of Bulawayo companies to CABS for them to redeem the $40 million under the Distressed Industries and Marginalised Areas Fund (Dimaf).
CABS is the Government’s agent in the disbursement of the fund.
In an interview on Thursday, Industry and Commerce Minister Professor Welshman Ncube said the revival of Bulawayo companies was certain. He quashed sentiments that the fund has been thrown into doubt.
This is despite widespread frustration by Bulawayo businesses over delays in the release of the funds.
A number of city industries opened this week after a holiday break amid reports that some failed to do so because of financial challenges.
“The timeframe for the release of the $40 million is always difficult to determine because our ministry is not directly involved in the handling of the funds.
“However, we have given CABS the list of companies that should benefit from the fund. We have also written to those companies to approach the bank to access the money. The issue is now between them and CABS,” said Prof Ncube.
Pastors die in accident
Chronicle Reporter
TWO Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) pastors were killed, while four others were injured, one of them seriously when a vehicle they were travelling in burst a front tyre, veered off the road and overturned.
The accident occurred on Wednesday at about 8pm at the 68km peg along the Bulawayo-Beitbridge Road.
The seven pastors, who were travelling in a Toyota Regius were coming from a fasting and fishing retreat in Gwanda when the accident occurred.
The dead have been identified as Pastors Charles Shayawako of ABC AFM Assembly in Emganwini and Paget Tashaya of Morningside AFM Assembly, who is also the church’s Bulawayo South deputy overseer.
Pastor Moyo of Bellevue Assembly is battling for life in the Intensive Care Unit at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH).
‘Buckets of water poured over body’
Harare Bureau
SEVERAL buckets of water were poured over the body of General Solomon Mujuru to extinguish the ferocious fire that killed him at his farm last August, a witness told the court yesterday.
Mr Tawanda Madondo, a gardener at Gen Mujuru’s Ruzambo Farm, during the fifth day of the inquest at the Harare Magistrates Courts was asked by Mr Tendai Mundawarara, the General’s nephew, if the burning body was extinguished when water was poured.
The gardener said: “We poured a number of buckets of water for the body to be extinguished.”
Earlier on, Mr Madondo, who was the 15th witness in the inquest, told the court that he did not see the General on 15 August.
“I was at home resting on August 15 last year and sometime after midnight a policeman knocked on my door and I came out.
Court nullifies motion to dismiss Zvoma
Harare Bureau
THE High Court has nullified the motion passed by Parliament last month to dismiss Clerk of Parliament Mr Austin Zvoma for allegedly failing to respect legislators.
Traffic cops remanded on bribery charges
Midlands Bureau Chief
THE three Bulawayo-based traffic police officers who were recently arrested for soliciting for bribes from motorists at a roadblock mounted at Mbembesi were yesterday back in court for continuation of trial.
Magistrate, Mrs Kudakwashe Canady remanded the trio, Washington Mandizha (38) of ZRP Sauerstown, Dennis Tapiwa Marerwa (29), of 53 Stops Hostel, Ross Camp and Randall Joan Brown (23), of 25 Cawstone Road, North End, all in Bulawayo, to 7 February for continuation of trial.
Lover sets robbers on gold dealer
Midlands Bureau Chief
POLICE have arrested a group of four armed robbers led by a woman miner who allegedly waylaid a Shurugwi small-scale miner at his milling plant and took away gold and cash with a combined value of $6 500.
The police said the woman, Sarah Makiwa, who is a partner in the mining venture with the complainant, Mr Freddy Shuga (29), allegedly hatched a plan to rob her partner of his gold and cash.
Midlands police spokesperson Inspector Patrick Chademana said Makiwa allegedly engaged the services of “hired muscles” from Beitbridge to help her overwhelm her unsuspecting business partner.
He said the incident happened last week at about 7.40 pm along the Tebekwe Mine Road.
Woman loans baby for maintenance
From George Maponga in Masvingo
IN a bizarre case, a Masvingo woman reportedly “loaned” her six-month old baby girl to another woman for her to claim maintenance fee from her boyfriend who is a truck driver.
The two women were, however, arrested for fraud and contravening sections of the Child Protection and Adoption Act.
Tourism assembly officially launched
Victoria Falls Reporter
THE United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) General Assembly 2013 Local Organising Committee (LOC) has been formally and officially launched thereby giving it a mandate to prepare for the holding of the assembly.
Chronicle vehicle stolen
Chronicle Reporter
A vehicle belonging to Chronicle was yesterday stolen while parked at the centre parking area along George Silundika Avenue, between 9th and 10th avenues.
Unplugged with Lenin Ndebele: The religious bad guys
Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818-4 March 1883) a German scholar was of the view that religion is the opium of the people. I chose not to support or challenge his view because it would mean taking sides.
You see in this world where everything is black or white, hot or cold people like me who draw inspiration from both sides of the coin wish there was that avenue “none of the above.” That reminds me of a guy I went to school with. In a multiple choice exam if he did not know the answer he would choose the (E) option which had “none of the above” as the option to tick.