Vusumuzi Dube
Nothando Zondo, Sunday News Reporter
Umzingwane district in Matabeleland South province is reeling after the shocking discovery of Ms Fares Ncube, an agriculture teacher at Dula Secondary School, who was found naked on the side of the road after allegedly being beaten and raped by unknown assailants.
Ms Ncube, a dedicated member of the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), had recently been involved in election observation activities, under the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, where she and her team uncovered numerous irregularities during the harmonised elections.
According to a fellow teacher, Ms Ncube had been at the forefront of organising a demonstration for teachers, which resulted in her being arrested multiple times without any charges.
“Fares has always been passionate about her work and the rights of teachers. She was wrongfully targeted because of her activism,” the colleague stated. “Before this horrific incident, she was working as an elections observer in Esigodini, where she bravely reported on the irregularities she witnessed.”
The circumstances surrounding her disappearance are alarming. Ms Ncube was reportedly taken from her home in front of her children by unknown assailants.
She was later discovered by herd boys, who found her injured and exposed. Upon regaining some composure, she revealed to her family that she had been beaten and raped, with her attackers accusing her of trying to spread lies about the elections.
Despite her efforts to report the assault to the police, Ms. Ncube has faced frustration as authorities claimed there were no leads on potential suspects. The community is now rallying around her, demanding justice and urging law enforcement to take the matter seriously. As the investigation unfolds, many are left questioning the safety of activists and the alarming rise in violence against women in the region.
Online Reporter