Marauding elephants are causing massive damage in Dete’s township, Hwange District, Matabeleland North Province, as they search for raw mangoes and water, destroying homes, gardens, and orchards along the way.
Ward 18 Councilor Stanley Torima has urgently called for action to address the elephant crisis, which has left residents living in fear. Torima told <a href="https://vicfallslive.co.zw/elephant-crisis-in-detes-township-hunters-called-in/">VicFallsLive</a>:
<blockquote>
I called the Hwange Rural District Council Environmental officer to tell him about how these elephants are wreaking havoc in our communities, especially in the townships such as Garikai.
He responded saying that we should expect the rangers or hunters to come this evening (on Wednesday) to kill some because already there is a hunting group looking for elephants.
</blockquote>
The elephants have been wreaking havoc throughout the township, leaving no house untouched. The St. Xavier Mission’s orchard has also been completely devastated. Added Torima:
<blockquote>
They are destroying gardens, and the durawalls and people are living in fear for their lives as they come in large numbers to eat raw mangoes. No house has mangoes left.
</blockquote>
Torima said the anticipated intervention is not part of the government’s proposed culling programme, but rather a direct response to the residents’ urgent pleas for assistance. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s not true that this is part of the government culling program, it’s just us residents who appealed for help because we fear for our lives.
</blockquote>
The government of Zimbabwe recently announced plans to cull 200 elephants to feed communities facing acute hunger after the worst drought in four decades.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

Elephants in Dete are destroying homes and orchards while looking for food and water. The residents are scared. The government might send hunters to kill some elephants. The elephants are eating all the mangoes and ruining gardens. The government is planning to cull 200 elephants to help feed hungry communities. Residents asked for help because they fear for their lives. The situation is urgent and needs to be addressed quickly.

Marauding Elephants Devastate Dete, Homes And Orchards Destroyed

Residents and business owners in Dete, a township situated within the Hwange National Park about 65km from Hwange town in Matabeleland North Province, say they have yet to physically obtain the new Zimbabwe Gold (ZWG) currency.
They report only seeing the new currency featured on television, in newspapers, and on social media platforms.
Onesimo Ushendibaba, the Chairperson of the Dete Business Community, told the <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/dete-businesses-struggle-to-physically-access-new-zwg-currency/">Chronicle</a> that the shortage of ZWG in the area is exacerbated by the absence of banking facilities in the small township. Said Ushendibaba:
<blockquote>
I am aware that the new currency was introduced in April but as businesses, we are yet to have a customer who has used this currency in our shops, if so it may have been a once-off transaction.
People have to travel to Hwange to access banking facilities and since that is where we also get bigger supermarkets, they naturally will do their grocery shopping there, especially if it’s paydays.
</blockquote>
Onesimo Ushendibaba explained that due to Dete’s location within a major tourist area, most people in the community are employed in the tourism sector and have better access to foreign currencies, particularly the United States dollar.
Gloria Gumbo, a vendor at the local flea market, said she had only seen the ZWG currency when she travelled to Harare to place orders for her business. Said Gumbo:
<blockquote>
People come with US$ to buy wares at my shop, I am yet to sell in ZWG, not that I don’t want but because no one has this currency, maybe a few but they use it mainly to pay bills such as electricity and water.
</blockquote>
Launched on April 5th, 2024, the ZWG currency has maintained a relatively stable peg to the United States dollar, starting at an exchange rate of 13.56 ZWG per USD and rising only marginally to the current rate of 13.70 ZWG per USD.
Yesterday, the Zimbabwe Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) said that the month-on-month ZiG inflation rate for June 2024 was 0 per cent, meaning prices have remained constant on average between May and June.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Businesses, Residents In Dete Await Physical Access To ZWG Currency

The five teachers at Ndangababi Primary School at Cross Dete in Hwange District who were ordered to leave the school by disgruntled parents and guardians are reportedly refusing to do so.
The local community recently accused five teachers of incompetence, insubordination, and disrespecting traditional and community leaders and demanded their removal by the Primary and Secondary Education ministry.
School Development Committee (SDC) deputy chairperson Olitha Ndlovu said the teachers were refusing to leave the school despite the fact that the ministry advised them to seek transfers to other schools.
Ndlovu said the teachers in question were Nkosana Toddy Ngwenya, Nelly Chisiwa, Ruvirai Sgauke, Mkhululi Maphosa, and Nyika Ndaguta.
Maphosa and Ngwenya are reportedly from Tsholotsho in Matabeleland North, while the other three were from Mashonaland provinces. Said Ndlovu:
<blockquote>
The situation was bad here. Our school had roofs of classroom blocks blown away by strong winds in 2019. It was renovated by council through devolution funds.
But the behaviour of some of the senior teachers who have overstayed at the school is now worrying us.
These teachers do not respect the school head, they do not respect village heads.
Even if the headman visits the school, they utter a lot of disrespectful things.
</blockquote>
She said the teachers are so rude to such an extent that they tell villagers that people in Matabeleland are uneducated.
Ndlovu also revealed that the pass rate and the enrolment were decreasing at Ndangababi Primary School. She said:
<blockquote>
The school usually has 700 plus enrolment, but last year we were at 621, now it’s at 512 because people are transferring their children every day due to the low pass rate.
There are junior teachers who are working, but these seniors are a problem and have a bad influence on the juniors.
This has resulted in us writing a letter to the district schools inspector (DSI) so that they (senior teachers) are removed from the school. They are refusing to leave.
We cannot have teachers who insult us in front of our children when there are a lot of unemployed teachers.
</blockquote>
Hwange DSI Walter Moyo told Southern Eye that he was not in a position to comment on the matter. | <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local-news/article/200006707/hwange-parents-demand-expulsion-of-rude-teachers">Southern Eye</a>

"Rude" Teachers Refuse To Leave Hwange School

A nine-year-old Dete girl who was on her way to school died after she was knocked down by a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) vehicle on Friday as she attempted to cross the road.
Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the death of the Ndangababi Primary School female student from Dete. He said:
<blockquote>
It’s really unfortunate that a child who was going to school was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by a police officer yesterday morning. We really express our condolences to the family of the deceased.
</blockquote>
He said investigations into circumstances surrounding the incident were underway but said the police officer was not hurt. Said Nyathi:
<blockquote>
He was with another passenger but we are conducting further investigations and we will ensure that in terms of road safety regulations, the law will take its course.
This though was a pure road traffic accident and nothing else but whether he was speeding or not, everything will come out after the investigations.
</blockquote>
Meanwhile, according to CITE, the incident happened at around 7 am as school children made their way to Ndangababi primary school from various villages.
The publication reported sources as having said that the vehicle was part of the new fleet bought by the government for law enforcement and was destined for use by Dete police station.
According to villagers who witnessed the accident, the police vehicle was speeding and the driver failed to see the deceased who was crossing the road. A villager said:
<blockquote>
We heard a loud bang which took everyone by surprise before we realised that someone had been hit by a car.
I was one of the people who rushed to the scene and noticed that a schoolgirl was the victim.
She died instantly because of the impact which threw her about 5 metres away from where the car hit her.
It was a horrific sight and the fact that it was a was as a result of recklessness angered the many villagers who had gathered around the body.
</blockquote>
The villagers say they were surprised that the police officer drove away after he struck the Grade 3 learner only to be apprehended by his colleagues.
What also triggered the community’s anger was the response time of the police following the report which saw the body going for more than two hours on the tarmac without being attended further traumatizing the villagers.
Ward councillor, Cosmas Mwakiposa said the villagers were deeply saddened by the incident which they say could have been avoided had the police officer been cautious.
<h4>More: <a href="https://vicfallslive.co.zw/index.php/2021/10/16/dete-girl-knocked-down-by-police-car/">VicFallsLive</a>; <a href="https://cite.org.zw/pupil9-hit-and-killed-by-speeding-police-vehicle/">CITE</a></h4>

Speeding Police Vehicle Kills Schoolgirl (9)

A three-year-old male toddler died after his stepfather allegedly attacked him with an axe in Hwange recently.
National police spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner Nyathi confirmed the incident which occurred on October 5 in Dete area.
He said Nkatazo Penga (38), of Nekatambe Village, who has since been arrested, was left with the child in his custody by its mother who had gone to the fields. Said Ast Comm Nyathi:
<blockquote>
The minor was later found dead with bruises and assault marks all over the body. Police arrested the suspect who was found carrying an axe.
</blockquote>
He said in another incident, a Binga man struck a neighbour with a stone for restraining him during a fight.
Mapei Dhingola struck Micah Mudenda with a stone on the head and he died upon arrival at Siansundu Clinic.
Nyathi said the incident occurred on 8 October at Siachilaba Business Centre.
More: <a href="https://www.chronicle.co.zw/stepdad-kills-three-year-old-baby/">Chronicle</a>

Stepdad Axes Three-year-old Baby

A man from Dete, Hwange District was on Monday last week arrested after being found with seven elephant tusks.
Delight Moyo of Dopota village was arrested by Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management (Zimparks) rangers after getting a tip-off by a ranger Phinos Mudenda.
In a statement, police said Moyo was found in the company of an unidentified accomplice who fled from the scene. Police said:
<blockquote>On 12 April the informant picked information that there were some people who were illegally possessing ivory in Mabale.
The informant teamed up with police and other rangers and proceeded to Mabale business centre to look for the suspects.
They could not find the suspects and proceeded to Dopota where they spotted a vehicle parked.</blockquote>
Police said the anti-poaching team approached Moyo and requested to search his vehicle upon which seven pieces of ivory were found in the boot.
Moyo was arrested after he failed to produce a licence permitting him to possess ivory.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.newzimbabwe.com/dete-man-found-with-7-ivory-pieces/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">NewZimbabwe.com</a></h4>

Dete Man Found With Seven Elephant Tusks

A 38-year-old man from Dete in Hwange has been arrested for allegedly raping and impregnating his 17-year-old daughter.
The man (name withheld to protect the identity of the victim) sexually abused his teenage daughter while his wife was away.
Three weeks after the rape incident, the man gave his daughter three pills to drink “to avoid pregnancy” and she did as instructed.
Matabeleland North provincial police spokesperson Inspector Glory Banda confirmed the man’s arrest last week. Said Insp Banda:
<blockquote>I can confirm that we have arrested a 38-year-old male from Dete who allegedly raped and impregnated his 17-year-old daughter.
Circumstances are that on an unknown date but in October last year the complainant and her sibling aged nine were sitting together with the accused person.
They decided to retire to bed with the accused also going to sleep in his room. During the course of the night, the complainant woke up when she felt something on top of her.</blockquote>
Insp Banda said the girl, feeling sexually abused as well, pushed the person on top of her away before switching on her torch.
She was shocked to see her father tiptoeing out of the room and when she asked him the following day why he had raped her, the father denied the charge. Added Insp Banda:
<blockquote>In November 2020 the complainant told her mother about the rape and everything that had transpired while she was away.
However, the matter only came to light on 8 February 2021 through an anonymous tip-off from a member of the community.
Investigations were carried out leading to the location of the complainant who revealed the offence resulting in the accused’s arrest. The complainant is now pregnant.</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://analytics.google.com/analytics/web/#/report-home/a48795431w80381937p161810366" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Sunday News</a></h4>

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