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Herald Reporter
Some senior Zanu-PF and Government officials who received
Zimsec withholds college’s O-Level exam results
Felex Share Herald Reporter
The Zimbabwe Schools Examinations Council has withheld Ordinary Level Mathematics results for 126 candidates at a private college in Harare over suspicion that the paper could have leaked.
The national examination body is now investigating the Open Learning Centre for the alleged malpractice.
Sources said indications were that some officials at the school could have assisted the pupils to access the question paper.
The June O-Level results were released two weeks ago and most candidates have collected their results.
Zimsec sources said the college recorded “unusual” pass rates in the subject hence the decision by the national examinations body to investigate.
There are also reports that some of the students were allowed to use calculators on the non-calculator version of the subject.
The development has seen the pupils failing to apply to polytechnics and teachers’ colleges on time while others are not sure whether to start preparing for the November examinations in the event they finally fail.
Open Learning Centre examination officer, Mr Taurai Munyikwa, confirmed the development saying they were working flat out to solve the problem.
“We have taken the issue with them (Zimsec) and on the 18th of this month I received a letter from them informing us that they were still investigating the issue.”
Most elevators countrywide faulty, mandatory maintenance ignored
Peter Matambanadzo Senior Reporter
The lives of thousands of Zimbabweans who use elevators are at risk as it has emerged that most of the machines have become death traps.
Investigations have shown that noone is responsible for ensuring mandatory maintenance of the elevators in high rising buildings to enforce safety regulations.
There are 1 328 elevators in Zimbabwe and 170 of them are not working. Harare alone has 50 non-functional elevators.
According to the Factories and Works Act, the person or persons owning or leasing the elevator whose name or names appear on the certificate of permission to use the elevator are responsible for its maintenance.
This has seen some building owners ignoring servicing the elevators.
The Herald investigations in Harare revealed that some of the elevators have gone for up to 10 years without being serviced.
The elevators have old hoist ropes and non-functional door sensors and metals bump into each other when closing.
The hoist ropes hold the elevator in an unlikely event of an emergency.
The elevators, some of them in Government buildings, have not been working for sometime, forcing the workers to use stairs.
NSSA only plays a regulatory role through its Occupation Health Policy and it monitors the safety of the elevators once a year.
An official in the Ministry of Labour and Social Services who declined to be named, said NSSA was only concerned when the elevator was used for work related purposes (construction).
Govt reduces price of water
Michael Chideme Municipal Reporter
Government has reduced the price of bulk raw water for agriculture and local authorities to enhance agricultural productivity and directed that residents of cities and towns should not pay water charges for the first 6 000 litres per month.
Bulk water for industry and commercial estates has been reduced from US$12,68 for a million litres to US$9,45, while that for commercial agriculture (A2 farmers) has been cut from US$12,19 to US$6,82.
The A1 and communal farmers will now pay US$5 and US$4,50 respectively down from US$7,80 and US$5.
Local authorities will now pay US$6 per million litres of raw water down from US$11,71.
Water Resources Development and Management Minister Sipepa Nkomo, announced the new bulk water prices last week, citing a public outcry over the high cost of water that was militating against farming operations and service delivery to urbanites.
Minister Nkomo said water was a basic human right, adding residents should not pay for the first six cubic metres which translates to 6 000 litres per month. “Anything above that they should pay,” he said.
He said the policy was put in place after the realisation that water was a basic human right, which is required for drinking, cooking, washing and personal hygiene.
A 200-litre drum was found to be adequate for an average family per day.
Asked how local authorities were expected to absorb the cost, he said Government subsidises the cost through reducing the price of bulk raw water.
Minister Nkomo said he had consulted with the service providers on the new price and did not expect resistance.
Village head, subject get 9 years for stocktheft
Court Reporter
A Mhondoro village head and his subject were yesterday sentenced to nine years each in prison for stealing a bull at a farm in Beatrice.
The stolen beast was valued at US$700. Amon Hoya (63) the head and Garikayi Mhepo (27) of Mhepo Village under Chief Nyamweda, Mhondoro
Court postpones PMs maintenance case
Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s US$15 000 maintenance case was on Friday postponed to Thursday at the behest of the premier’s lawyers who were committed at the High Court. The PM’s first wife Ms Locardia Karimatsenga is claiming US$15 000 monthly maintenance from her husband at the
Sales rep fired
Labour ReporterA sales representative with Delta Beverages, John Fadzai, has been fired for stealing 40 cases of soft drinks. Fadzai requested the 40 cases of cans to replace damaged ones at Food World Cameroon Street Branch. It is alleged that the 40 cases never reached the customer. Fadzai was charged with
Teacher acquitted
Court Reporter
A Malbereign Girls’ High School teacher accused of attempting to rape a teenage pupil has been acquitted after a Harare magistrate ruled that the State case had some inconsistencies. Eugene Marongwe (36) was alleged to have sent love text messages to the Form 3 pupil and called her into his
Professors Ncube, Mutambara lock horns
Tichaona Zindoga Herald Reporter
Professor Welshman Ncube and Deputy Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara have locked horns ahead of the constitutional Second All Stakeholders Conference as both factions claim to be legitimate representatives of the MDC party to the event. The conference is set to be held from the 4th to the
Council admits failure
Municipal Reporter
Chaos might return to Harare’s bus terminuses following the city’s failure to takeover the management of the ranks. Harare commuters had expected the municipal police and council traffic enforcement officers to take over management of the ranks after the exit of the touts. City officials are in