Harare News

Our city, our lives Issue 16 November 2014

Day in the life Our series continues with the life of a recyclables collector.

www.hararenews.co.zw

Bees in peril

On the run

The development of wetlands has been linked to the decline of this critical species.

Meet Synik

The sport for everybody features twice this month.

A multi-awardwinning hip hop genius.

Pages Page

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Page

6 & 12

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New houses, old plans The new Budiriro housing is a big step forward, but some analysts and residents question its direction.

Farai Dauramanzi & Harry Davies Dr Chombo and guests (left) touring the recently completed Budiriro houses (top).

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n 16 October, 2,000 houses built in Budiriro under the CABS housing scheme were handed over to Council by Dr Ignatius Chombo, Minister of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing. The ceremony was part of the

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belated annual UN-Habitat World Habitat Day, celebrated on the first Monday of October in recognition of the basic right of all humanity to adequate shelter, and to encourage grassroots action towards eradicating poverty-level housing. This year’s theme was Voices From the Slums “giving voice to people who have lived or live in slums or other vulnerable urban contexts”.

Harare’s housing backlog stands at an estimated 500,000 homes. The scheme aims to build 3,102 houses, a positive step forward and the first since 1997. Recently Harare has witnessed the sprouting of illegal land developments fuelled by the unavailability of affordable housing to accommodate our growing population (6–8% per annum).

Dr Chombo explained that “the pressure created by the demand for housing land has resulted in instances where desperate homeseekers have been swindled of their hard-earned cash by unscrupulous land barons masquerading as land developers.”

Town Clerk Dr Tendai Mahachi said that Harare is working hard to expedite the processing and Continued on page 2

Participatory budgeting a missed opportunity Freelance Contributors

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he City of Harare has recently held meetings with residents at ward level to discuss the 2015 Budget. This is a commendable process on the face of it as it purports to include citizens in the formulation of the budget.

The reality is somewhat different.

‘Consultations’ have been held for

many years but as the attendance at the meetings is lamentable and as no firm proposals were made, it can hardly be claimed that the consultations are genuine or useful.

In some wards, fliers were not distributed to householders prior to the meeting and without a wider participation by residents the process seems fatally flawed.

In Wards 8 and 10 for example,

less than 20 residents turned up, but no meaningful budgetary discussions were held – instead the participants took the opportunity to air grievances about pot holes, water, and other service delivery issues. Neither meeting produced documentation or firm proposals.

Interestingly, Ward 8 councillor Chris Mbanga revealed a proposal to retain 10 to 20% of the ward’s

revenues within the ward to be spent by ‘an appointed committee’.

With over 6,000 households plus an unknown number of commercial ratepayers, Ward 8 should be generating in excess of $500,000 a month in revenue from rates alone. However, only 35% of rates are being collected according to the Councillor, so the actual figure is much lower.

In Ward 10, it was also proposed

that schools and council halls retain 10% of any income they generate from rentals. Sharon Magodyo, the community coordinator for Harare Residents Trust (HRT), said that the 10% retention will promote citizen participation and allow communities to plan and work on major issues that they need to be addressed in their wards, though expressed Continued on page 2

2 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

General news

City triples firefighting readiness

Training included vital traffic accident rescue procedures.

Farai Dauramanzi

C

ity of Harare has tripled its firefighting capacity in the past two months, with an increase in fire tender numbers from four to 12. This is good news to Harare residents who have been subjected to shoddy service from the City’s fire department in recent years.

The first fire tenders came on 29 September. Council commissioned three fire engines and fire equipment valued at $1.5 million, a donation made by UK-based humanitarian organisation Operation Florian. This instalment was coupled with the training of 40 local fire fighters by fire fighters seconded from the UK. Speaking at the handover ceremony, the Mayor of Harare, Bernard Manyenyeni, said that “The impact of these fire engines will be tremendous in the city’s

emergency preparedness position.

Currently the service is relying on four fire engines… only 25% of our requirements.”

“In a few weeks from now we will again gather here to receive more fire fighting equipment (five fire tenders) bought for us by the Insurance Council of Zimbabwe (ICZ),” added the Mayor.

As per the Mayor’s word, the second batch of donated fire tenders was commissioned on 29 October, when ICZ handed over five fire tenders to the Mayor at the City’s main fire station.

“Properties worth billions of dollars and human lives have been lost in fires and road traffic accidents in the past because there was no rescue equipment. Now that Harare has 12 fire tenders all donated by our friends, we will be able to attend to fire and traffic emergencies,” said the Mayor.

New houses, old plans Continued from page 1 approval of building plans to address the housing shortages. “Our goal…is to reduce the number of slum dwellers in Harare and afford them decent lifestyles that conform to our vision of becoming a world class city by 2025. We (also) have an on-going slum upgrading project in Dzivarasekwa Extension where over 480 families are benefiting.”

Though this CABS/City of Harare initiative is a step in the right direction, the pricing of the houses has been criticised for being out of the reach of most impoverished home seekers (see Harare News 13). Some residents doubt the authenticity of council’s intentions pointing to recent demolitions in Epworth and Chitungwiza as well as Operation Murambatsvina which saw legitimate housing being destroyed in addition to illegal structures.

On the eve prior to the handover, at a housing roundtable in Harare, MP for Bulawayo South, Eddie

Cross, presented architectural and financing blueprints for high density housing that he believes could bring about a transformation in the lives of the most needy.

The plans, developed in conjunction with financial experts and renowned architect Mick Pearce, employ modern design standards and incorporate water harvesting and eliminate the need for mains sewers with constructed wetlands. Cross criticised the Budiriro scheme’s financing strategies and the outdated designs. “They are getting very limited accommodation for a lot of money. It doesn’t fit with our social needs. It’s an inappropriate model and a wasteful use of money,” lamented Cross.

Pearce outlined how informal sector builders can deliver basic housing at $150/m2, compared to the average $500 that the formal sector costs. “We need to employ the informal sector workers, but get them to build within a

framework,” suggested Pearce.

Cross, who has a background in economics and has been active in both the pre- and post-independence governments, lamented the fact that the Budiriro houses were built using a “Rhodesian-type model”. “We’ve got to start thinking of something which fits us from a cultural point of view…which provides decent, affordable accommodation for the absolute poor.” For Cross, this means, ultimately, giving the houses away for free, and providing low-interest loans to homeowners to further develop their homes.

One resident commented that social housing should not demand that the poor take on loans and mortgages, and should not rely on public-private partnerships which often make provision for financiers to ultimately turn a profit. “The City should also investigate the possibility of communal social housing to act as a stepping stone towards home ownership,” he added.

Participatory budgeting a missed opportunity Continued from page 1 concern with how the money would be handled. “With the history of corruption that has been happening in the council, the committee set up to manage the money should exercise transparency and be held accountable for its actions,” said Magodyo.

Participatory budgeting (PB) was developed 25 years ago in Brazil and has spread to many parts of the world including Mozambique, Cameroon, and other African countries. It is an essential step in developing democratic local governance as it devolves real power

to the ward level and encourages residents to take a greater interest in local government.

However, many of these schemes have seemingly become merely throwing a bone to communities to convince them that they are ‘participating’ while maintaining secrecy over expenditure at Town Hall.

Some residents have called for full disclosure of all council expenditure including salaries of top council executives which have remained a mystery.

Efforts to obtain firmer details from councillors have been unsuccessful at the time of going to print

but we encourage our readers to speak to their local councillor to find out the full story. Without detailed information both on the proposal itself as well as current ward revenues and expenditures, residents cannot make an informed decision on the idea. We look forward to an official statement soon as the 2015 Budget should be published this month.

For more information on PB, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Participatory_budgeting. We welcome your comments and feedback – editor@hararenews.co.zw

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Harare News 3

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General news

Public drinking irks Ward 8 residents Freelance Contributor

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September Ward 8 Council meeting heard complaints by Newlands residents that The Bootleggers Liquor Centre in Newlands Shops was selling alcohol after hours, and encouraging public drinking from motorists who park just outside the shopping centre, creating a nuisance in the neighbourhood.

The practise of buying alcohol from the bottle store and drinking it in public, while standing around an open car boot in the company of friends, is a way of drinking the weekend away on a shoe-string budget. Drinks are much cheaper from the bottle store than in a pub.

Apparently this type of drinking seems to be becoming a trend as is also happening at the Fife Avenue Shopping Centre, Montague Shopping Centre, the Kamfinsa Shops and other spots around the city.

Harare News spoke with Ward 8 councillor Chris Mbanga who commented on the matter saying, “Regarding the drinking that takes place at a bottle store at Newlands Shopping Centre it is a matter between the owner of the bottle store,

the police and the licensing authority – The Liquor Licensing Board.

Our interest as Council is limited to ensuring health standards are met and that rates and water charges are paid. I cannot comment on who does or not drink at that place. I am also not privy to the conditions imposed on the license.”

Harare provincial press spokesperson, Inspector Pamire said, “There hasn’t been any official complaint but we have been making arrests of people who drink illegally in the neighbourhood, and also doing raids from time to time.

We urge citizens to report any issues that they think contradict the law.”

The bottle stores have no power to decide where the customers drink the beverages they buy from them. If the consumers are not drinking the alcohol on their premises they have not broken the law. However these bottle stores have apparently been coerced by customers and financial incentives to close long after their designated opening hours.

Efforts to get a comment from the bottle store owners have so far been fruitless.

Council meetings – for ‘groan’ ups only?

Ian Wiggins

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nteraction with council representatives is the first critical step for city residents to voice concerns and ideas. It is hence alarming how few young people attend council meetings for their respective wards. With so few youth in attendance, there is often nobody at all to defend young people’s actions within the community, no one to raise concerns on their behalf, and no one to communicate back to young people who haven’t attended the meeting anything that might be of importance to them.

Having attended council meetings for Borrowdale and Mount Pleasant, I was surprised by the low numbers of young people or indeed anyone who isn’t getting 5% off their Tuesday shopping. Apart from myself (25), I suspect the next youngest person at the meeting was probably on the other side of forty and the other attendees were somewhat older than that.

When asked for his thoughts on the subject, Councillor for Ward 8, Chris Mbanga said that, “Young people have nothing to do with issues that do not affect their lives

or bring immediate relief.” He pointed towards their preference to work around the system than to put invest time and faith into an institution that they feel has let them down.

When asked what would persuade them to attend the meetings, several issues of concern were raised. Apart from one tongue-in-

The only way I would go… would be if I saw proof that it wasn’t just talk and some positive action was being taken.

cheek suggestion that if snacks were provided attendance might improve, ideas tended to revolve around seeing action results. One youth declared, “The only way I would go to more than one council meeting would be if I saw proof that it wasn’t just talk and some

positive action was being taken.”

Other people interviewed also suggested that being informed through social media would help them know when and where meetings are so they can lend add their voices to the discussion.

The current, albeit rather feeble efforts to decentralize a portion of rates to the ward level (see front page) might pique more interest from the youth, since the likelihood of tangible output for their input could increase.

In the interim it is important for parents, mentors and the council to encourage better attendance from tomorrow’s city leaders. Making the meetings more accessible through better publicity via social media, and showing some tangible results from feedback made could increase the appetite for participation. An early understanding of the structures and processes of council and Harare’s community groups can only spell out a brighter future for the City.

Do you think there are too few young people at ward meetings? Why or why not? Send your comments and feedback to editor@hararenews. co.zw.

Unsafe acts the major cause of workplace tragedy Lovemore Lubinda

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ata released by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) shows that most accidents occurring at workplaces are caused by human error, with inadequate supervision by management being the chief culprit.

According to the authority, 88% of accidents at workplaces are attributed to human error, with six percent stemming from machines and their layout, and 4% to environmental factors such as wet conditions, dust, heat, and poor visibility and the remainder to inevitable/ natural causes.

While employers are expected to adhere to health and safety standards prescribed by the authority and various laws and regulations on such issues, workers too have a

duty to be occupational safety and health compliant by making use of the supplied safety tools and in the correct way.

A former employee, who spent 16 years at one of the leading chemical manufacturing firm in Harare (ZIMPHOS), said it is important for managers and supervisors to inspect work premises and machinery regularly, so that no deviation from normal operation may escape notice. “Safety meetings should be carried out regularly where the Chief Safety Officer addresses managers, workers, or their representatives on safety matters,” said the former employee who preferred anonymity.

He added that employees should not be shifted unnecessarily from one department to the other where they might not have enough knowledge on the department’s operations and

Proper equipment is vital to occupational safety.

safety requirements without proper induction and training.

He also stressed the importance of job cards explaining any mechanical faults on machinery for correction by specialists, and discouraged user servicing. He added that signage indicating hazards should always be in place.

The former long serving employee, cited negligence by some workers and managers as the major cause of accidents at workplaces.

“Sometimes, employees put their lives and those of colleagues at risk by overlooking the need for safety tools, improper handling of tools and the use of wrong tools for a job,” he added.

Figures by the authority have shown that the year 2010 recorded 4,410 serious work-related injuries with 90 deaths. 2011 recorded 4,158

injuries and 75 fatal. The year 2012 recorded a very sharp increase with 5,141 serious injuries and 103 deaths. The period between January to September 2014 recorded a drop with 3,598 injuries and 71 deaths compared to 2013’s 5,141 injuries and 107 deaths respectively.

The transport sector topped the list with mining, manufacturing and agriculture following.

Source (Weekly updates by NSSA) Fatal injuries Non-fatal injuries 5,000 4,000 3,000 2,000 1,000 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

4 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Council talk

Meet your councillor: Ward 21, Mabvuku Farai Dauramanzi

D

espite his youth, Councillor Barnabas Ndira (Ward 21) is already improving service delivery for residents of his ward in Mabvuku.

Born in Makonde, Mashonaland West, in 1980, Ndira moved to Harare in 1984 to stay with his father in Mabvuku. After completing O-levels at Mabvuku High School in 1997 Ndira enrolled for a marketing course and later did a transport management certificate which he is currently studying to upgrade to diploma level.

Ndira said he was inspired to pursue politics by his late older brother Tonderai who was a prominent activist. The councillor stated that

I always wanted to be able to assist the community and that ideal is still driving me.

his main strength lies in his ability to communicate with the electorate.

“When I was growing up I had a desire to work for the community and I wanted to connect with people and help people. I always wanted to be able to assist the community and that ideal is still driving me,” said Ndira.

Know your ward: Mabvuku Farai Dauramanzi

M

abvuku is a suburb situated 17 kilometres from the Central Business District. Established in the 1950s, it contains wards 19 and 21.

Mabvuku was established as an area that would accommodate workers in the Msasa industrial areas and those who worked as domestic workers in nearby low density suburbs such as Chisipite, Greendale and Highlands.

It is a ward with a rich history, as it was the home of the Shawasha people who settled there in pre-colonial times. Mabvuku, as opposed to the present day site of Chishawasha, is said to be the native home of the VaShawasha people.

Residents of Mabvuku face challenges which include terrible water supply and poor roads. According to the City’s water distribution schedule, they should get water three days a week. This has not been the

case for some time however, with residents getting water just once a week.

Mabvuku has got some of the most popular high density shopping centres in Harare. In Ward 19 the main shopping centres are Matongo and Manressa shops, while in Ward 21 you find Chizhanje, Makwavarara and Redbull shopping centres.

Ward 19 contains Area D community centre, Number One Ground and Chizhanje Ground as part of its community spaces. Chemanza Ground has been turned from a soccer pitch into mealie field. Ward 21 boasts four grounds and three community centres. Community centres found in Ward 21 include Mabvuku Hall, Makwavarara, Redbull and Wenera.

In terms of health services, Ward 19 relies on Mabvuku Polyclinic whilst Ward 21 also has Mabvuku Satellite Clinic. The two Mabvuku wards share five schools amongst

them with two found in Ward 19 and another three in Ward 21. These schools include Tafara High 1, Batanai Primary, Mabvuku Primary, Donnybrook Primary and Simudzai Primary.

Over the years Mabvuku has managed to churn out many talented footballers and actors such as actor Lazarus Boora aka ‘Gringo’, and soccer stars such as Joe Mugabe, the Mugeyi twins, Cephas Chimedza, Segby Sandaka, and Irvine Tinarwo.

Also from Mabvuku was the late comedian Paraffin.

Various community projects are taking place in the two Mabvuku wards. In Ward 19 they have the Chaonani Pottery Project and the Young Builders Association which is currently developing 34 residential stands for the community. In Ward 21 the major project is the water provision project which is being done with help from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints.

Mabvuku experiences serious problems with water delivery and Ndira said that his main priority is for residents to have a regular supply of clean water. “The water projects we are working on are mainly boreholes, but that is not ideal because residents need water from the tap. So these are just temporary measures to alleviate the water problem,” explained Ndira.

The councillor has sourced seven boreholes from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Three of the boreholes were installed at schools and the other four at various points in the ward.

Ndira said that he is also working on other projects including the rehabilitation of roads, and resuscitating community social centres for children. On the subject of repairing the roads, the councillor said, “I sourced sand and other material from council and mobilised residents to repair their streets. I am constantly encouraging residents to unite to repair the roads because service delivery is currently poor.”

Councillor Ndira said that he is

Quick facts Ward 19, Mabvuku Population: 16,658 Females: 8,849 Males: 7,809 Size: 1.23km2 People per km2: 13,543 Number of households: 4,042 Average household size: 4.1

also working with Mavambo Trust and the Ministry of Education to pay school fees for underprivileged children in his ward between nine and 18 years of age. The children attend Donnybrook Primary School and Mabvuku Primary School.

However, Ndira said that it is difficult for people to appreciate the role councillors are playing as there is little improvement in service delivery due to the lack of resources.

“In the background we are doing our best to ensure that residents get improved services but it is difficult for people to realise that something is going on because there are no tangible results,” explained Ndira.

The councillor said that his ward faces other challenges such as inconsistent refuse collection and lack of refuse bags at district offices to give out to residents, “Residents end up creating illegal dumpsites.”

As a parting shot, Ndira said, “I urge residents of ward 21 to come together to find solutions to our problems. I also urge the business community in my ward to assist with any help they can provide.”

Ward 21, Mabvuku Population: 18,633 Females: 10,170 Males: 8,463 Size: 21.2km2 People per km2: 879 Number of households: 4,369 Average household size: 4.3

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Mabvuku

21

Mabvuku

MANHATTAN IS MOVING.......

Harare News 5

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Infographic

Recycle in Harare

How to read this map Plastic Other waste

R

educing our environmental waste and pollution starts with practising the three Rs: Reduce – minimize the amount of waste you produce, Reuse – use items as many times as possible, and Recycle − turn waste into raw material for use in creating new products. Thankfully Harare has many recycling facilities available, so have a look at the map and find one near you. Use the colour-coded triangles to see what materials each centre will collect and recycle. Remember that recycling centres are not dump sites, and waste must be properly separated before dropoff.

Paper

12

Compost

Textiles

Glass

Collect Recycle Collect & recycle

Cans

8 24

7

5

9 8

21

22 1 20

Citywide collection

23

16

17

4

14

15 25 12

6

Recycling etiquette

Not all plastics are equal

• All recyclables should be clean and dry.

Anything contaminated with food, oil, grease, paint or other non-recyclable substances cannot be accepted.

• Cardboard boxes should be flattened.

• All waste must be separated out into individual bags for different types of waste.

• Do not bring general waste, such as food or garden waste, to a recycling centre. If in doubt, check beforehand what types of waste the centre will accept.

There are many types of plastic, and most recycling centres will only accept some: HDPE: High-Density PolyEthylene (code 2) – eg: toiletry bottles, plastic milk containers LDPE: Low-Density PolyEthylene (code 4) – eg: plastic shopping bags, bread bags, sugar bags PET: PolyEthylene Terephthalate (code 1) – eg: soft drink and water bottles PP: PolyPropylene (code 5) – eg: yoghurt tubs PS: PolyStyrene (code 6) – eg: some food trays PVC: PolyVinyl Chloride (code 3) – eg: most irrigation pipes

1 Arthouse

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15

2 Clean and Green

0774368150

Environment House, Transtobac Building, 34B Hillside Ext Road, Msasa

3 Conductus Investments

748358/9, 0772357825, 0772269731, 0774512114

Unit 6 Monde Building, 2 Shepperton Rd/ Boshoff Drive, Graniteside

4 Go Green Harare

0772320246

Citywide collection

5

Greendale Waste Collection 492148/55, 0772683906, and Recycling Centre 0772965112

Environment Africa, 76 Queen Elizabeth Rd, Greendale

620231-6 ext 361, 0772102646

67A Gleneagles Rd, Willowvale

16 Plastic Profiles

770951, 749155/6, 0772219002

6 Coben Place, Cnr Bristol/ Dumfries Roads, Workington

17 Plastix Incorporated

0772399453, 0772605589

Bessemer Rd, Graniteside

18 Polywaste Plastics

771357, 0712416847

Corner Lytton and Paisley Roads, Workington

19 Recycle It

0773226263, 0772241075

Citywide collection

0715272082, 0772777169

5 Bristol/Dumfries Road, Workington

0735765650, 0772251620

1232 Nhondoro Close, Old Tafara

0774701846

34 Frank Johnson Avenue, Eastlea

23 Thomhilton Plastic Centre

0773877166, 0772945607, 0734046834

50 Lytton Rd, Workington

20

PET Recycling Company of Zimbabwe

SalPolymers Investments (Pvt) Ltd

6 Hallgroup Investments

713 Davies Rd, Prospect 08644077324, 0773600121 Industries, Waterfalls

7 Harare Metals Private Ltd

0776344104, 0772376090

41 Old Enterprise Road, Newlands

Lions Club of Gwebi 8 (Collect a Can)

0772331919, 0775436779

c/o Sherwood Golf Course, Mabelreign 23 Masonic Homes, Burton Rd, Belvedere

9 Lynde Francis Trust

0773283348

14 Harvey Brown, Milton Park

24 Trash Can Co

0774701846

12 Bloomfield Road, Greendale

M & M Boston Plastic 10 Recycling Group

0773411415

16220 Unit M, Seke, CHITUNGWIZA

25 Waverley Plastics

0772161510

690 Cooleen Road, New Ardbennie

11 Mabvuku Paper Tech

0772566333, 0774731770

707 Mukomeranwa, Old Mabvuku

6691513, 0772490200

891 Willow Road, New Ardbennie

13 Mega Pak P/L

0273-2935-8, 0772125666

211 Chihombe Road, RUWA

14 National Waste Collections

770097-138, 0772202343

111 Kelvin Road South, Graniteside

12

Mapepa Hand Made Papers of Africa

13

18

3

19

11

2

21 Shingirirai Trust 22

The Friendship Bench/ Zee Bag

10

Information courtesy of Environment Africa. For more, email recycling@ environmentafrica.org Graphic: Graham van de Ruit

Where to get your Harare News Read-only copies are available in numerous waiting areas, coffee spots, restaurants, all the libraries, schools etc.

But for a copy to keep, please visit one of our distribution partners: Avenues: Athienitis Spar Avondale: 40 Cork Road, Avondale Bookshop Ballantyne Park: Ballantyne Spar, Pemcol Bakery Belgravia: UpMarket, Reps Theatre Borrowdale: Village Spar, Folios Bookshop CBD: Book Café, Food World Group Outlets, National Gallery, Plan Printing Services (opp Eastgate) Chisipite: Tool Mart (Lewisham), Bon Marché (Chisi Shops) Dzivarasekwa: DZ Extention Chesa Centre, DZ 4 Shops, EcoCash Booths DZ3 Commuter Rank Greencroft: Civic Pharmacy Greendale: Pick n Pay Kamfinsa, Spar Kamfinsa Kensington: Kenlink Pharmacy, Eskbank Kuwadzana: OK Supermarket (Kuwadzana 5 Shops), Meat Market (Kuwadzana 1 Shops) Mabvuku/Tafara: Net Fuel Service Station (Acturus Rd), OK Supermarket, Spar Mabvuku Mbare: Vendor Mount Pleasant: Veldemeers, Billy’s Meats, Blackstone Book Shop Highlands: Ranchod’s Hardware Rolf Valley: Sorellas, Willowmead Westgate: Pick n Pay For distribution queries or bulk subscriptions, please contact newton@hararenews.co.zw.

6 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Community

New lights for Mount Pleasant Sara Davies

T

he unbearably long queue of cars waiting to turn onto The Chase from Quorn Avenue should be a thing of the past, with new solar powered traffic lights set to be installed as Harare News went to press.

Over the last 20 years, this intersection in the suburb of Mount Pleasant has become increasingly busy, in no small part a result of the developments further down Quorn Avenue at Arundel Village Shopping Centre. During rush hour in particular it can take a long time to make the turn, with the danger increased by daredevil kombis driving into oncoming traffic and making dangerous stops.

The management at Arundel Village and TM Pick N Pay, the anchor store at the complex, decided to do something to lower the risk of accidents and make the area safer for visitors and residents alike. “Both corporate responsibility and just

making a more pleasant shopping experience at Arundel Village drove us to get involved,” says Abigail Makwalo, marketing officer for Arundel Village.

Working with City of Harare’s Traffic Department, their solution will hopefully see better control of traffic and faster turning times.

The first step was a site inspection by engineers who confirmed the need for traffic lights as there is no room for a roundabout on this intersection. They then identified what type of lights would be suitable. The Traffic Department will install the lights and make the necessary road markings. Arundel Village management, along with TM Pick N Pay, privately procured the traffic light components, with assistance from City of Harare.

The traffic lights will have batteries that are charged by solar panels, ensuring that when there is load shedding the lights will still continue to function.

During 2013, Arundel Village was

responsible for purchasing and installing the reflective road studs on Quorn Avenue to improve visibility for drivers at night.

Didymus has been selling airtime and newspapers on this corner for the last nine years. He says the junction has become very busy over his time there. He’s sure that the lights will be a good thing for the traffic, he’s just not sure how it’ll affect his business.

“It’s about time,” says one Quorn Avenue resident. She says that she always tries to avoid the intersection because she has come close to having an accident there. She’s looking forward to a more direct route into town.

Might it now be time for similar developments at other intersections in the city where traffic volumes are also on the rise?

Do you live in the area? What are your thoughts on this development?

Email editor@hararenews.co.zw and let us know.

Extreme runner arrives in Harare

Emma Timmis (30), from the UK, is running over 4,000km from Henties Baai in Namibia to Pemba in Mozambique – across Africa! She arrived in Harare on Monday 27 October.

Emma has averaged over a marathon a day since she first started on 31 August. She has been a runner since she was a child. In 2011, aged 27, Emma was the first woman to run the Freedom Trail (2,500km) in South Africa, accompanied only by her brother on a bicycle.

Emma hopes to raise $150,000 for charities across Southern Africa and in the UK. Emma has already run 2,411km through Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe and plans to reach the coast of Mozambique before Christmas.

Follow Emma’s progress on her Facebook page, Head over Heels 2014.

Donations can be made at uk.virginmoneygiving.com/EmmaTimmis.

A day in the life of a recyclables collector Kudzayi Zvinavashe

‘O

verworked and underpaid, toiling in unhygienic conditions and sometimes abusing illegal drugs to withstand the tedious and long working hours’. These are phrases that describe the labours of our environmental heroes, the garbage pickers who sift through waste in search of plastic for recycling. While in most cases it’s not their profession of choice, they take up the mammoth task of separating our domestic garbage, an important duty that most of us ignore.

Many people refer to them as scavengers, a rather insulting term for the profession that has Zimbabwe recycling, sometimes without our even knowing about it. Waste picker, waste harvester, garbage picker and recycler are some more appropriate terms.

Environmentalist and founding

This article is sponsored by…

Unsung heroes: The people who sort our trash and save the environment. trustee of Proudly Zimbabwe Trust, Fungai Chiposi said, “It demonstrates the extent of poverty in the country when you see human

beings foraging among other human beings’ waste. In as much as people may want to celebrate this as innovation, it is simply desperation.

We must put in structures that separate waste at domestic level or unit level so that these people simply pick up the bag they want and go on their way. More importantly, companies generating waste should monitor their production cycle and not reduce small organisations trying to do something about the situation to perennial beggars.”

If they are not sifting through our bins for plastic, the waste harvesters are battling with huge loads of plastic on their backs, moving on to the next source that might hopefully provide more plastic containers.

Tapiwa Kusema (not his real name), a 23-year-old waste harvester, talked about his working conditions and what he earns per day, “Every morning, when my health allows, I go out and gather plastic bottles in town until I have collected a bale, which is worth $8. During my rounds I often come across shoe polish, floor

polish and perfume containers which help to increase my income.”

There are several buyers of plastic waste at the Siyaso market in Mbare who employ four or more people whose sole function is to wash and prepare the plastic containers. Emanuel Makwara, an entrepreneur who buys plastic bottles at the Siyaso market, refused to disclose how much he makes from the venture, but he revealed, “When I buy the plastic bottles I have four ladies who wash the containers and cut them in half in preparation for selling to the people who recycle plastic to make buckets.”

The idea of separating waste in our homes – putting plastic, glass, tins and paper into different bags – is an idea that is still alien to most Zimbabweans. In other countries citizens are fined instantly for failing to separate their waste as required by their laws.

Just Swift It!

Harare News 7

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Community

Hatcliffe youth take action to learn Kundai Marunya

P

assion and determination to build a better future for fellow youth has driven a group of young people in Hatcliffe to start an informal study group. The lack of formal schools in Hatcliffe Extension, coupled with the fact that over 3,000 children of school going age are not getting any education, lead to the founding of the Breakthrough Study Group.

Moreblessing Gwanya is the co-founder of the now registered trust (Breakthrough Youth Zimbabwe) and the budding school.

He explains, “In my community education is not a priority, even less so for girls who are expected to spend hours each day looking for firewood. Many young people turn to risky social behaviour and drug abuse as they suffer in poverty.”

He said education should not be regarded as a privilege while the law regards it as a right. “I believe with good education we can finally manage to break the cycle of poverty where young people turn to drugs and alcohol, while girls end up in early marriages.

With proper education people will be able to make more informed decisions,” said Gwanya.

Gwanya is one of many young people who didn’t get any formal education due to financial constraints. He failed his first attempt at ‘O’ Levels. “I then got into the Glen Forest study group but because people there were coming from very different backgrounds and varied age groups I did not learn much,” he said.

Gwanya, together with like-minded young people, started their own study group, with a friend (only identified as Talent) coaching them in different subjects. He said, “More people joined our group and we helped each other to get better results.”

The successes of the small study group gave Gwanya and Ephraim Muwengwa the idea to from an even bigger group and register their organisation as a Trust to help fellow youths.

“We also realized that the younger ones were also affected by the lack of formal schools and the lack of finances to travel to neighbouring communities to study, so we expanded our reach to primary school students,” said Muwengwa.

Breakthrough Youth Zimbabwe was registered in January this year and on 27th of May Hatcliffe Extension received a ray of hope through free education. “We wanted to begin earlier but we lacked the funds to build temporary structures,” he said. Harare North MP Tongesai Mudambu gave them temporary land and Tinashe Manjeso, a previous group member, donated funds to buy temporary structures.

Breakthrough has 120 students, 87 of them fulltime, while the rest are attached to a government programme that allows them two hours of school a week. Gwanya said, “Our biggest challenge is the payment of teachers since school fees are not mandatory for all students.” Only ten percent of the students contribute towards teachers’ salaries while the rest cannot afford to pay any school fees.

“We do piece jobs for Miracle Missions and other individuals to raise money to give our teachers – who are more or less voluntary – some token of appreciation,” he said.

The organisation, through a liaison initiated by Miracle Missions, has received an offer to build proper infrastructure from the

Many youth find themselves carrying out menial work during the day, such as collecting water and firewood.

Meikles Foundation. “The deal will only come through if we acquire land to build the school on, and we have been pushing through relevant officials for a space to build the school,” said Gwanya. Other well-wishers have been chipping in with various donations including Mai Zhuwao (Co-owner of Red Fox Hotel) who is the project’s patron and the Honourable Mudambu. “We still lack stationery, textbooks, furniture, and many of the other day to day requirements of running a school,” Gwanya said.

Well-wishers can contact breakthrough.zim@ gmail.com or call Moreblessing Gwanya on 0777 258 613.

A shortage of schools in Hatcliffe (pictured) has forced learners to take matters into their own hands.

8 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Environment

Bees stung by wetlands invasion Patrick Musira

T

he physicist Albert Einstein is reported to have said that if the honey bee becomes extinct, humankind will follow four years later. Although perhaps the consequences may not be quite as dramatic, beekeeper Rene Fischer, chairman of the Mashonaland Beekeepers’ Association, says the assertion highlights the important role bees play in the environment.

“Some of our major staple crops, maize and wheat, are wind pollinated and don’t need to flower to produce a harvest,” said Fischer, in response to questions from Harare News, explaining, “but, our diet would certainly be more boring, less diversified and all the nutritious and delicious pulses, fruits and vegetables would be a lot more expensive without the cooperation of the honey bee.”

Crops that cross-pollinate are said to yield more compared to those which self-pollinate. These insects help in cross-pollination

that humans depend on for food.

If crops aren’t pollinated, the production of food in the country will decrease and hunger will become a national crisis.

Apart from honey, which is a good source of income for local communities and farmers, bees’ other potential avenues for revenue include beeswax used in hair-care products, such as shampoos and hair wax, as well as soap. The scope for other value-added products includes propolis (which has medical applications), royal jelly (a honey bee secretion specifically used for the nutrition of queen bee larvae and in demand by the cosmetic industry) and bee venom (apitoxin, a liquid with anti-coagulant and anti-inflammatory properties). Bee products are now also highly recommended by the medical profession as treatment for many ailments.

On the likely impacts of climate change on bees and honey production, Fischer warns that rising global temperatures are having some impacts not only on bees, but on

Photo: Brian Reiter

Environmental degradation is causing a decline in bee populations. butterflies and other pollinating insects as well. Climate change, after flora destruction and land-use changes (like building and construction), is regarded as the most relevant factor responsible for the decline of pollinators. The bee expert notes that as a result of climate

change, there have been two critical observations: bee habitats are moving, and there has been a change in the seasonal behaviour of different bee species. “The survival of honey bees and plants, especially on wetlands, is very closely linked,” he says.

Our wetlands and open farmland which are often decimated by veld fires and deforestation could suffer from further declines in bee populations. However, there is no doubt that intact and healthy wetlands will definitely attract bees and other insects, particularly when plants and sedges are flowering. “But hives are likely to be located in adjacent woodlands. Wetland and woodland ecosystems support each other – nothing in nature exists separately, so bees will move between these habitats,” says Dorothy Wakeling, from the Conservation Society of Monavale in Harare.

A researcher at EMA (Environmental Management Agency) says a major problem is the loss of biodiversity as a result of the indiscriminate felling of native plants. He affirmed that if bees vanished from the planet today the world would be very different. The EMA official repeats: “We take the issue of bee health very seriously. The issue is currently up for discussion and we urge people and groups to respond.”

Harare storm drains are not rain-ready Lovemore Lubinda

I

t is that time of the year again when the rains are almost upon us. As usual this has come when the storm drains are in a neglected state and little or no maintenance has been done. A snap survey by this paper revealed that most of the storm drains in Harare have broken covers posing a danger to pedestrians, and in many cases the drains are filled with litter and mud.

Storm drains control flash

flooding on our roads, in parking lots and other public spaces by redirecting the water to some point where it can be discharged into a channel or water body manageably.

Sheila Gutu (26) of Mandara said walking in the city after heavy rains has become a nightmare as the roads and pavements are flooded.

“I saw someone falling into a deep drain that was full of muddy water because it looked as if it was level ground,” she said. She added that if run-off is not managed well it can

cause an array of problems and traffic accidents as the motoring public find it impossible to see potholes.

“It is common knowledge that storm drains get dirty or even break with time just like any other infrastructure, but the problem is that they are very rarely cleaned and repaired. I nearly fell into one,” said Artwell Cheza of Avondale.

Cheza said with the problem of litter threatening the outlook of Harare, piles of rubbish end up in the drains, hence the need for good

New shop open in Arundel Village

sanitation at all times. He went on to urge fellow residents to take care of the drains that are near their properties.

Speaking to Harare News, Steady Kangata, Environmental Management Agency’s Education and Publicity Manager and spokesperson, said blocked storm drains are a sign of poor waste management. “Litter is composed of non-biodegradable material and when it gets into pipes causes blockages leading to pipe bursts, affecting even the water mains, sewer reticulation systems and threatening people’s health,” he said. He added that flash-flooding

may occur after heavy rain if the drains are not maintained, and that stagnant pools of water can become the breeding ground for cholera or typhoid bacteria and mosquitoes which cause malaria.

“Storm drain clearance is an ongoing process and work is in progress in various suburbs to clear the storm drains,” said Michael Chideme from the Corporate Communications Division in the Harare City Council. He added that residents can also assist by clearing part of the storm drains in front of their properties and that some are already doing that.

Harare News 9

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Environment

Chizi’s Tale – kids’ book launched

Bulk water suppliers booted Stephen Tsoroti

B

ulk water suppliers have been banned from operating from Harare suburbs following a directive from the ministry of Environment, Water and Climate. The Ministry stated that the move has been necessitated by the realisation that a number of boreholes in residential areas of Harare are being used to supply huge and unsustainable quantities of water, leading to the drying up of boreholes in the suburbs.

The Ministry directed that bulk suppliers are now required to register their operations with ZINWA and collect bulk water for resale from designated borehole in areas such as Dema, Nyabira, Parerehwa, Gwebi, Henderson Research Station, and Juru.

According the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Engineer Simon Musanhu, the need to protect the scarce water resources in Harare is now a top priority. He pointed out that due to climate change, rainfall patterns have changed in and around the city leading to low flows into reservoirs that used to supply water to greater Harare.

“This has led the city to explore alternatives water sources such as borehole water, but indications are that there has been some over-exploitation of the resource in some

areas thereby prompting the Ministry to act,” said Engineer Musanhu.

“While we understand that there is a need for the supply of water, measures are needed to regulate the activities of the players in the water sector so as to ensure that ground water is not depleted and we have a bigger problem in the future,” he added.

He said ZINWA will still issue permits and regulate the functions of water suppliers as designated by the President of Zimbabwe. According to The Zimbabwe National Water Authority Act Chapter 20:24, it has the authority to determine water pricing, to promote an equitable, efficient and sustainable allocation and distribution of water resources, and to exploit , conserve and manage the water resources of Zimbabwe.

The sudden proclamation by the Ministry comes at time when the debate around ground water rights is becoming more heated, and water delivery business is booming.

Bulk water suppliers said the ministerial directive was random and was done without assessments and surveys to ascertain water levels in some suburbs. They say there is a likelihood that needy residents will end up paying more for water being ferried far from the city. Others suggest that money accrued by the Ministry will not go towards the monitoring of water levels and

ensuring that they are protected but instead go towards expenses such as salaries.

“The move will translate into increased costs for water in Harare as the traditional water sources like Morton Jaffrey Water Works are still far from being fixed,” said Faneuil Tembo of Highmel Services, a bulk water supplier based in Harare. While it is noble for the Ministry to protect water sources there has been no consultation made by the ministry with suppliers who have been operating within their license limits, said Tembo.

LS Waters, who have been in the news recently after residents complained to the water authority over the lax supervision and monitoring of water in Greendale, (see Harare News 14) said they are contemplating a legal move. “We are a licensed operator and we have been in the water business at the same location for 60 years, only to find ZINWA telling us that the rules have been changed without consulting us,” complained owner Josh Laubscher.

Under the new regime, suppliers are going to pay a levy of $3 per 1,000 litres for bulk water deliveries, with a dollar going to ZINWA. Meanwhile the Deputy Minister of Environment, Water and Climate maintains that the matter is final and bulk water suppliers should desist from stirring up controversy over the issue.

Photo: Ann Billingsley

L

ocal illustrator and author Jacqui Taylor (pictured far right) was asked to bring to life a new children’s book written by American author Jack Jones (pictured far left) to address the plight of the Rhino. Harare News caught up with Jacqui after her return from an exciting launch in Greenwich, USA. What’s the book about?

Set in Zimbabwe’s lowveld, “Chizi’s Tale” is the true story of an orphaned rhino taken in by the Wenham family. The Wenhams will look after Chizi until he is three years old, when he can be released back into the wild.

What tools and materials do you use to create your illustrations?

I make plenty of pencil sketches

19 Craster Road Southerton, Harare, Zimbabwe

and then make a final line drawing, which I scan in to Photoshop.

I then colour the line drawing in Photoshop using a variety of techniques.

The book is intended to raise money for rhino conservation – can you tell me more?

All proceeds from the book sales will be donated to Tusk (www.tusk.org). Tusk has a reputation for identifying and supporting an impressive range of conservation and community initiatives across Africa.

The book was launched in the US – will there be any events here?

Where can people get a copy?

I attended a small launch in Harare on 29 September at Folios Bookshop (Sam Levy’s Village). The book is available there.

10 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Talking Twitter with Sir Nige Same Zimbabwe Different Views @t4t3nd4: I am struggling to grapple the relationship between our literacy rate and our economy. I can’t. Wit’s end. .#Kumagumo @tidzo: #Zesa is outside cutting trees and rewiring powerlines (in Highlands). I’m impressed @Sibanesam: 542% increase in grain stocks . More than 3bn in deals signed by gvt in the past MONTH . it’s not all doom in Zim @kwirirayi: People seem to getting chosen by god a lot in Zim. He must really love politicians..

Pertinent Questions regarding the Church @chale_eng: I find it strange how you go to church with makeup on to thank the Lord for creating you in his image The Youth Speak… @HRH_Yvette: I want to do volunteer work. Any good women’s rights/children’s rights groups making a diff in Harare I can join? @MkomaDhivha: What r the other income generating projects a youth can do that aint huku or potatoes..need help @Brian_Slowmo: But one thing im certain about, is that Zimbabweans are not foolish. The youth of this country are not fools Thoughts on the #MiniSkirtMarch @druziye: Im not supporting the #miniskirt but looks like #mahwindi can just do anything and smile zvavo ..eish @jpmatenga: i wonder if a white woman wearing a mini skirt would get the same treatment from mahwindi @gilbert_makore: The #MiniSkirtMarch may do more to raise awareness on that type of abuse than a lot of workshops and seminars on GBV @morebym: #MiniSkirtMarch because 1) there are better things to stress abt e.g zesa 2)my bible says I shld be modest in dressing I will not take part Idea of the Month @joeblackzw: If the government wants to expand the revenue base, they should make company registration much easier and painless than it is Food for Thought @ibmatteu: The so called prophets are racing to utter prophecies on protests and bloodshed but are quiet about ongoing house demolitions @SmangaMad: What’s the point of rural electrification when we barely have enough electricity in towns? @Kenni3y: I don’t understand Why Zim gets mad when Magaya brings Christ to strippers and brings them to church. We all have a past, ndobasa raJesu @joeblackzw: Q. What do you call the wealth gap between a Zim religious leader and his average follower? A. Prophet margin

Sign up to Twitter and join the #263chat conversation online.

financial view

Business & tech

Benefits of pre-paying for electricity

Omen Muza

S

ince the introduction of ZETDC’s prepaid electricity metering system in August 2012, its benefits have become more apparent, somewhat softening the initial trepidation of consumers and other key stakeholders.

Debt Clearance – The new token system links debt clearance to consumption. As long as you owe ZETDC, you can’t buy electricity without paying your dues since 25% of whatever you pay automatically goes towards arrears clearance. The more debt you pay, the more ZETDC is able to reduce its own debt and prevent accumulation of further debt.

Convenience – Through ZETDC’s E-vending service PowerPlus, they have leveraged existing retail chains to maximize distribution channels for customer convenience. Tokens are also available at ZETDC partners such as CBZ Bank Limited, ZB Bank Limited, Agribank and Powertel, as well as through mobile banking platforms. ZETDC also intends to introduce electricity scratch cards in an effort to maximize on distribution channels.

“Our vision is to provide more channels to

purchase electricity for the convenience of customers and ZESA has taken a deliberate policy decision that no customer should travel beyond 5km to access electricity, especially in rural areas,” says the power utility.

Revenue Stream for Agents – The convenience that consumers now enjoy in paying for their electricity comes at a cost. A new revenue stream is now open for agents such as the banks which now sell tokens in their branches and for retail outlets through Point of Sale (POS) networks.

Improvement in Cash Flows – Due to a combination of the alignment of what is being consumed and what is being paid for, as well as the prepaid nature of consumptions, ZETDC’s cash flows have improved thanks to prepaid metering. ZETDC managing director Julian Chinembiri recently said that the company was now better positioned to finance capital projects and guarantee security for power imports due to improved revenue collection as 88% of domestic and small business customers were now paying for electricity upfront.

Reduction in Frequency of Load-shedding

Proactive security for your business F

or every organisation, time is money.

Worrying about a virus attack, or worse yet, investing time and resources into recovering from such an event, is a wasted opportunity for a business to be working towards its organisational goals.

Protecting your business using standalone antivirus software is time consuming and does not ensure peace of mind. Valuable time and energy is invested into testing, planning, deployment, updating and reporting of your antivirus software. With companies facing email worms, data theft, network viruses, spyware and phishing attacks, this can be significant. Without high levels of IT expertise, it is befitting to deploy a dedicated and reliable solution that frees up your mind and your diary.

Fortunately enough, the 21st century has

a solution: the Managed Antivirus approach.

Instead of using stand-alone antivirus software that requires manual monitoring and wastes your time, get a managed antivirus package, which is proactive and automated to ensure full end point security.

Managed antivirus solutions not only offer virus protection but also provide intrusion prevention, proactive detection, behavioural analysis and comprehensive reporting.

Here is what a managed antivirus package would mean to you: Fully Managed Solution for the Same Price as Anti-virus Software! – Enterprise class endpoint software, monitored by your supplier 24/7, and managed by a team of technical experts that will provide you with regular reports to ensure you can see that the devices in your business are protected at all times.

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– Under the prepaid metering, consumers are forced to watch their consumption closely, thereby reducing the total demand imposed on the ZETDC system.

Efficient Use of Electricity – With effect from 1 September, ZETDC re-introduced a stepped pre-payment tariff for domestic customers to replace the previous flat rate. The charges per tariff class are as follows: (i) 1st 50kWh – US$0.02, (ii) 51 to 300kWh – US$0.11, Balance – US$0.15. “The re-introduction of the stepped domestic prepayment tariff will now require consumers to use electricity more efficiently. Heavy domestic users will pay more for their consumption. In every calendar month customers are afforded a life line rate of US$0.02 for the first 50kWh,” said ZETDC in a public notice.

An End to Power Theft – Previously, illegal wiring and connections meant that a significant portion of power was consumed without being paid for, a situation the prepaid metering systems appears to be adequately geared for. With the actual meter box placed beyond the reach of those who would tamper with it, the days of illegal connections are numbered.

Reduced Operating Costs – A security incident can stop you from being 100% productive at work. A virus can hit many machines and take weeks to eradicate. Removing this risk will save you time and money!

Protect Your Company’s Critical Assets and Information – Proactive technologies ensure an additional protection layer against all types of unknown malware, targeted attacks and Internet threats.

A Flexible Security Solution – Advanced security features offer the appropriate security for any size of company and network.

Comprehensive Reporting – No longer will you be unsure of how well you are protected.

Monthly reports will let you know that you are safe.

Total Peace of Mind – Buying an anti-virus solution, installing it, and then relying on everyone to keep it updated can be a worry.

Now you can rest assured that all your servers, PCs and laptops are always protected and that there is a group of dedicated experts taking care of it for you 24/7.

Frampol IT is a Managed Antivirus services provider.

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PANYAMA

supplement

S1

How to choose the right colour for your home I

f your coffee table is full of colour charts and magazine clippings and your Pinterest boards are overflowing with dream homes, yet you still can’t decide which colour of paint to pick, DO NOT FEAR! Dulux has distilled the process down to a few simple steps that will allow you to confidently choose the right colours so that you can create a home you can be proud of.

1. Choose a colour that you love Colours have an effect on our emotions as well as our senses and can be used to stimulate, inspire or relax. Colour is an intrinsic part of our identity – the expressions ‘paint the town red’, ‘green fingered’ and ‘blue blood’ are just a few that are used every day. When considering your paint selection, a good starting point is to select two or three colours that you are drawn to and that make you feel good.

2. Consider the lighting in the room A colour changes depending on the light and this is the most common reason why a colour scheme that you might have copied from another room or magazine doesn’t look quite the way you had hoped.

You need to consider at which time of day the room is used most, what direction does the room face and what is the main light source.

Natural light: • A south-facing room will have weak, cool natural light: use warm pale shades of yellow, gold

Photo: Dulux

Soft sage green walls and natural textures create an inviting corner. and pink.

• A north-facing room will have strong light with plenty of sunshine. Balance the brightness with muted pastels and cooler shades like green, blue and mauve.

Artificial light: • Ordinary tungsten bulbs cause a yellow glow that robs colours of their yellow tone. For a room that will be used mostly at night, compensate by choosing warmer colours that have a little more yellow in them.

• Low energy and fluorescent bulbs cast a cool watery light

that robs colours of vibrancy.

Choose from fresh, warm and rich colours to compensate.

• Halogen light casts clear white light and is the best artificial light to display all colours to their maximum potential.

3. Choose a mood for the room It’s important to think what the room will be used for, and what type of mood you want to create with colours. The Dulux “Language of Colour” can help you decide which kind of look you want to achieve. The four moods create a range of distinctive decorating styles.

Rich colours are Strong, Dynamic, Powerful and Bold They include dark shades to mid-tone colours and are great on feature walls and as accent colours.

Fresh colours are Pure, Clean, Crisp & Breezy They have no black pigment in them and include a wide range of shades from bright to palest pastels and are great for south-facing rooms, because they reflect light well.

Warm colours are Comfortable, Cosy, Gentle and Welcoming Warm colours create inviting atmosphere and are perfect for rooms where you want to relax.

They include a wide range of shades from mid tone to soft pastels and are the most user-friendly colour moods, because they are so easy to live with.

Calm colours are Muted, Soft, Subtle and Tranquil Calm colours that create understated meditative interiors are great for bedrooms and home offices. They include a wide range of shades from subtle deep to misty pastels. Calm colours have a high level of grey in them creating muted chalky colours that are ideal for north-facing rooms.

4. Pick a colour scheme Based on your colour preference, the lighting and the mood you want to create, you can choose a predominant colour. You can then create a

colour scheme that involves other tones and shades to decorate other elements of the room, such as trim and feature walls.

• Toning – use different tones of the same colour to create the finished effect. Dulux have made toning the easiest colour scheme to create because the colour swatches each feature 6 tones of one colour (except for Fresh Neutrals and Warm Neutrals).

• Harmonising – this involves two or more colours that lie next to each on the colour wheel e.g. blue and violet. Like all good relationships that work, they are close to each other but are subtly different. Harmonising colours work well in soft furnishing and accessories too. An expert colour tip from Dulux is to use colours of the same depth of tone or try one dark and one light.

• Contrasting – this uses colours that are complete opposites on the colour wheel e.g. red and green. A good decorating idea is to introduce contrasting colours in soft furnishings and accessories.

By using this process, you can confidently choose the right colours and tones to create the mood you’d like. Ultimately though, the most important thing is to trust your instincts – if you love the colour, it’s right!

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supplement

S2

Bringing you the new Plascon Inspired Colour System A

stra Paints presents the Plascon Inspired Colour System II (PIC 2), a two in one system that tints both Astra and Plascon products.

Customers can get any colour they can think of, in minutes, from leading hardware outlets nationwide.

Astra Paints, in conjunction with Kansai Plascon South Africa, launched their unique Plascon Inspired Colour System earlier this year. The new stand has been redesigned to help customers choose colours in an easy and exciting way.

From the original 1,470 colours in the original PIC stand, the new PIC 2 stand now features a specially selected 1,008 colours. With the PIC 2, customers are taken on a journey that starts by “Getting Inspiration” from the Plascon and Astra range of products. This range consists of the Essential Collection, Colour Forecast, Astra Product guide and Plascon Product Colour guide.

Inspiration brochures by colour family are also available to give

customers the start they need to select colours, whether they are looking for the latest trends or tried and tested favourites.

To help chose the right colour the PIC 2 stand now has bigger, redesigned stripe cards that showcase colours beautifully. A new system of icons has been developed on the back of the stripe cards and Colour Family Inspiration brochures. Each icon on the colour stripe represents schemes that work well together by combining colours with the same intensity:

Bright

Rich

Calm

Muted

Shaded Once a main colour is chosen a customer can create a colour plan by selecting from the following schemes: Complementary Colours: these colours are on opposite sides of the colour wheel and enhance each other when used together (e.g. reds and greens).

Adjacent Colours: these colours are next to each other on the colour wheel and blend well together (e.g. reds and purples).

Monochromatic colours: these are tints and shades of the same colour

The psychology of colour: Violet – is a deeply spiritual colour an d it is also associa ted with royalty and riches.

Blue – the colour d that calms an orld’s w e th ’s soothes. It ur. Blue favourite colo and lets us relax . ct refle

Green – it heals, nurtures and comforts. It is the predominant colour in nature and is the colour of health and good judgment.

Yellow – it is the first colour seen by a newborn baby. It is the colour associated with emotion and is said to increase brain activity.

and create a subtle but interesting effect together (e.g. light and dark reds).

As a guide, an easy way to create colour schemes is to use the 60-3010 principle: 60% main colour: usually the walls 30% secondary colour in a matching hue, often the window treatments and the flooring 10% accent colour: feature wall, trims and accessories The final step in the journey is testing your colour. As many have learnt through experience there is a significant difference in the way colours appear on a swatch and how they look on a wall. Customers can take their colour choice home in 250ml tester pots to let them see the colour properly in their chosen space. We recommend painting a white block on the wall (or placing an A3 piece of white paper as the backing) and then painting the samples onto A4 sheets of paper and putting these on the white

Gold – you can feel like a millionaire by indulging yourself with gold paint! Gold is a great way to lighten dark rooms and add a touch of glamour.

Orange – encourages a good sense of humour.

It is the happiest colour in the spectrum and children especially love its energising effect.

backing. This helps you see the sample colour more accurately as the base colour already on the wall will influence the way a colour appears.

After selecting the colour customers can choose different Astra and Plascon products. These include interior water-based coatings: Double Velvet, Cashmere, Kitchens & Bathrooms, Super Washable Satin, and Water Based Velvaglo. For exterior coatings the selection includes Micatex, Polvin Walls and Ceiling, Wall and All, Astra Interior/Exterior and Super Washable Satin.

Also incorporated within the stand is a selection of 108 colour favourites in the Essential Collection.

These colours are proven classics that enhance and complement the current system. Colours in the Essential Collection are divided into different sensory moods, helping customers to easily select the one that is right for them.

Red ur – the colo tion, ac , n o si as of p desire! d an ger anger, dan ulate the It can stim om a dining ro appetite in e iv ct u d e se and becom . m o ro in the bed

Source: Dulux

supplement

S3

Paint and décor trends Photo: www.haybert.com

Vibrant pink pops out against black and white abstract wall painting.

Michael Nott

J

ust like trends in fashion, music and art, décor and paint trends change from season to season.

Most people can remember their parents’ homes where the only colour for interior walls was white.

Then creams and beiges became the only really acceptable colours.

In the ’60s and ’70s there was an explosion of colour in fashion, fabrics and furniture – led in part by the ‘Flower Power’ or ‘Psychedelic’ generation.

Stripes Painted stripes are a great and inexpensive way to inject new life into a tired or drab room.

Remember that vertical stripes will make your room appear as if the ceiling is higher while horizontal stripes make the room look wider.

Stripes can be fun and bright for kids’ rooms, or charcoal and dove grey stripes will give any boardroom a serious and ‘grown up’ feel.

When using stripes keep accessories like curtaining and carpets plain to avoid sensory overload.

Colour Washes – Moroccan, ombre and distressed Colour washes are very popular just now in a wide range of different ideas. Subtle rag rolled walls add a sense of rich texture and a feeling of age – think of Moroccan interiors where layers of paint have

worn away over decades, or old Tuscan villas that have that elegant, slightly worn look. The distressed ‘shabby chic’ look is very popular these days for painted wooden furniture and even for country cool kitchen units. For something bolder there’s the new ‘ombre’ trend – probably a cross over from hair fashion – where different colours are softly blended together. A wall could be the palest blue at the top, graduating to a rich, royal blue in the middle and then blending into a deep purple at the bottom. Or, if you’re really brave, mix contrasting colours together – try yellow and blue but make the difference more pronounced by layering the blue onto the yellow in big bold brush strokes.

Gray is the New Cream Gray rooms are right on trend just now. From pale misty gray to dark charcoal, bluish or greenish hues, textured or smooth, you can’t go wrong. Gray works best with crisp white trims on skirting boards, dados and door and window frames.

It’s the perfect neutral background that makes bright coloured accessories pop out. It’s sophisticated and elegant and just like the classic ‘little black dress’ it can be accessorised in so many different ways.

Decals Wall decals, also known as wall tattoos, wall stickers or wall vinyl, are a quick fun way to decorate a room. And they’re not just for kids’ rooms, the new range of decals are

6 tips to create a successful colour scheme 1. Toning with colours from one mood family is the simplest classic decorating scheme and it always looks great.

2. Keep the scheme simple and classic rather than complicated and fussy so use a maximum of 3 paint colours.

3. Always consider the light source and quality in the room before choosing specific colours.

4. Team neutral shades with bold splashes of vibrant colour for maximum dramatic effect.

5. Use an accent colour on a feature wall.

6. Use the Dulux wall of colour to identify fabric and floor colours and help you create a complete scheme.

Source: Dulux whimsical, delightful and stylish.

From city skylines to forest scenes there’s something to fit every decor scheme. They’re like a readymade mural or a piece of art that can be easily applied and best of all, when you’re tired of them simply peel them off!

Matching wallpaper and paint Wallpaper is making a great comeback now in a huge range of new patterns and designs. For quite a long time wallpaper went out of fashion as those chintzy little floral designs reminded everyone of stuffy, over dressed, uncomfortably formal sitting rooms. The new designs are much bolder and fresher and can add a touch of chic to any

room. (Think Colin and Justin’s Home Heist programme on DStv.) Wallpaper can make a great feature wall in a large room and add interest, texture and pattern. Try picking up the background colour on the other walls of a room, for example if you choose a wallpaper that has a blue background with a gold pattern on top, paint the other walls in exactly the same shade of blue. Then pick up the gold in cushions, lampshades and other accessories.

Above all, just have fun and follow your heart. As with clothing fashions, you don’t need to be a slave to new ideas. If it works for you it must be right.

Check the weather before painting!

J

ust what makes the ideal painting day?

It’s important to get it right or chances are you’ll be less satisfied with the results.

The “ideal” is moderation – around 20’C, low humidity with a very gentle breeze.

Some important weather tips to remember: • Is the washing on the line drying? If it’s not, neither will your paint.

• A light breeze is ideal for drying your paint. If it’s too windy, your paint will dry too fast, so move operations to a more sheltered side of the building.

• Don’t paint in direct sunlight or extremely hot weather. If you’re pushed, paint the shady side of the building or wait until the temperature drops. A good idea is to start ahead of the sun and work your way

around the building, keeping ahead of the sun as you paint.

• Cloudy or overcast conditions are ideal for painting…providing it’s not raining or rain is not expected.

• Read the label on the paint container. If you follow its recommendations, you’ll reap the full benefits of the protective capabilities and finish of your paint.

Common outdoor weather conditions may not appear to be particularly harsh, but they put tremendous demands on exterior paint. The most damaging of these are sunlight and radiation, water and moisture, and temperature changes. Higher quality paints, like the Dulux range, help to combat the effects of each of these conditions.

Source: Dulux

Astra Paints congratulates Quality Paints for opening its brand new colourful branch in Borrowdale.

Congratulations to Quality Paints on the lauch of your new shop!

Celebrate colour!!

Plascon Inspired Colour II, a two-in-one system that tints both Astra and Plascon product ranges – now available at Quality Paints Plascon Inspired Colour II allowing you to take your inspiration into a number of décor applications!!

Pomona Quarries, Alpes Road, Pomona (04) 851996 / 851983 • 0772 232054 sales@hsbricks.co.zw • www.hsbricks.co.zw

Harare News 11

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Consumer

St John’s Spring Fair

Despite a good turnout, this year’s fair saw stallholders recording lower takings.

With everything from Lin Barrie paintings to ride-on lawnmowers there was plenty to browse.

Ian Wiggins

S

t John’s annual Spring Fair has come around again. Although poor weather threatened to disrupt the proceedings, when the day of the event arrived it cleared up allowing residents of Harare to enjoy the wares on offer at this year’s event.

With a chill still in the air on Sunday morning things started off a little slowly. Organisers were worried that gate takings wouldn’t match the previous years’ but as the weather improved so the numbers increased and by the end of the day attendance figures had surpassed last year’s.

With everything from Lin Barrie paintings to ride-on lawnmowers there was plenty to browse. Unfortunately, according to organisers, browsing seemed to be the name of the game, with stallholders recording lower takings than last year.

At least one stall benefitted from the cool

weather in the morning though. The coffee stand, which had the longest queue in the entire fair, but as the day continued and things warmed up the ice cream stall near the entrance certainly took the baton in that regard.

And of course along with the commodities on offer at the fair there was entertainment throughout the day in the form of breakdancers and BMXers, among other choices.

In addition to raising funds for the St John’s PLC, each year several causes are represented at the fair. Charities that were involved this year included VAWZ, Birdlife Zimbabwe, the Cancer Association and Tawala Trust. Furthermore, Miracle Missions did an excellent job of collecting and recycling litter at the fair.

So all in all, despite a slow start, the event was fairly successful, bringing Harare residents together to enjoy some good weather, company and merchandise and see what some of the city’s producers and vendors have to offer.

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12 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Running

Running in Zim – sport and recreation for all ages Rosie Mitchell

Did you know?

R

unning as a serious sport, a recreational pursuit, a fun social activity and a way to get and stay healthy is enjoying a massive global boom in which Zimbabwe shares, with a proliferation of annual events.

Harare Athletics Club’s (HAC) 20-Miler Race (32km) started in 1971. Sponsored by Europcar, this year the race is on 7 December. It’s a gruelling race, starting on the Shamva Road and ending at HAC’s home, Old Georgian’s Sports Club.

There are cash prizes in all age categories and a lucky draw for SAA air tickets for individual finishers.

HAC organises around 24 running events annually, some with corporate sponsorship. Its calendar is based around training for members wishing to run the Two Oceans and the Comrades Ultra Marathons but all events offer shorter distances too. These include two marathons – the Peter Gradwell and the Roger Brackley marathons – each February and March. There is also a Cross Country Series of five scenic races in winter, currently sponsored by Irvine’s and Fuchs. There is the World’s View Run in Nyanga, 6 additional half marathons through the year, and the HAC 32km Memorial Run in January. There are also several others of 16km and below.

Among other Zimbabwean events are the Econet Victoria Falls Marathon and Half Marathon held each June, the Old Mutual Vumba Mountain Run (usually in October but this year on 7 November), the Kariba Half Marathon each August

The marathon was instituted in commemoration of the fabled run of the Greek soldier Pheidippides, a messenger from the Battle of Marathon to Athens. It is thought that the route he used was about 40km, but the length was only standardised as

42.195km in 1921 based on the length of the course from the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

The marathon first featured as an Olympic event in

Runners from across the country slog it out at the Vic Falls Half Marathon.

Photo: Sarah-Joan Nott

1896 The first women’s event was only in

over Heroes Weekend, the Old Mutual Westgate Half Marathon in September, the Spar Fun Run in June, Rooney’s High Five and Extreme 15 Fun Run in September and The Colour Run, which will take place on 6 December at Borrowdale Race Course.

Run/Walk for Life is a South African franchise club which helps people get fit and lose weight. The organisation has grown rapidly locally, helping members stay on track with training programmes and get fit safely and sensibly. Run/ Walk for Life holds regular events; a monthly Charity Challenge, a series of Progressive Marathons in which participants run the marathon distance in chunks over 5 days, the Donnybrook Challenge held annually in November and several weekly

social training sessions.

There are also a growing number of Fun Runs organised by NGOs as fundraisers, notably AWARE Trust’s ‘Run for Rhino’ events held in game parks and Mukuvisi Woodlands’ Sunday Run/Walk.

Long distance running is for men and women, although until 1971 the marathon (42.2km) was considered beyond the capability and dangerous to the health of women who were barred from entering. It was only at the 1984 Olympics that the Women’s Marathon was finally allowed. This is hard to imagine today with thousands of women of all ages running marathons and even ultra-marathons of extraordinary distances, often in challenging terrains and conditions.

You can take up running no

matter your age! Most sports are not kind to the body as one ages and sports people end up retiring while still quite young – running is different. For a riveting read about why this should be try Born to Run

by Christopher McDougall. His theory is that our species is built for running and that it’s part of our evolution. Our greatest advantage is our ability to sweat and not overheat over long distances. Our early ancestors ran their prey to death through taking advantage of this adaptation. It takes eight years to reach one’s running peak while it takes an incredible 45 years to come off it! This means someone who starts running aged 19 will peak at 27 before gradually slowing down until at age 64 they run at the same speed as they did at 19!

1984 The world record for a marathon is 2h02m57s, which means the runner (Dennis Kimetto of Kenya) would have averaged

20.6km/h The fastest half marathon was run (by Zersenay Tadese of Eritrea) at only a very slightly faster speed of

21.7km/h in a time of 58m23s.

8 of the 10 fastest marathons were run by Kenyans. The other two were by Ethiopians.

Harare News 13

www.hararenews.co.zw

Restaurants & food

China Garden’s mammoth menu Mystery Eater

W

e decided this month that it was time to check out one of the many Chinese restaurants that have mushroomed in the last ten years or so. On the strong recommendation of a friend, we chose China Garden in Milton Park.

Through massive red studded doors, the bright lights beckon diners along a walkway of lush foliage, water features and exotic, brightly coloured and decidedly plastic plants. That is where most attempts at alluring décor begin and end. The main dining room is canteen-ish in atmosphere. The eight private dining areas for parties preferring privacy have an austere feeling about them too.

We were seated in the main dining area, and began the daunting task of going through the menu. There are no fewer than 230 dishes to chose from and, dear reader, we scrutinised them one by one.

I am always encouraged when eating in restaurants specialising in food of other countries, to see nationals of that country enjoying the fare. They surely wouldn’t choose the place if it weren’t authentic! But it also perplexes me that Chinese diners never seem to be eating the same food as appears on our menu. Is it universally accepted by Chinese restauranteurs that “we” should stick to the old sweet’n’sour/egg fried rice/chowmein type options? The China Garden’s gargantuan menu helpfully provides photographs of each dish – and there were certainly no pictures of the interesting looking concoctions being enjoyed by some of the Chinese diners around us. We wondered why.

Navigating the menu took half an hour!

There was so much choice I felt we were almost bound to order the wrong things. Delicious sounding soups – “all kinds mushroom and chicken”, “sour and spicy pork tripe” or “pork balls” – the latter being, if I understood correctly from the picture, pork dumplings as opposed to pigs’ testicles! Some were pricey at around $16–$18, but four – or even six people could have shared these tureens. And there were plenty in the $6 range, equally appetising – “hot and sour beef ”, “sea-weed, egg Service Ambience Food Value

Overall Average: $12–$17 pp China Garden 17 Rowland Square, Milton Park 0773 195 986 Open every day: 12pm–9:30pm

and laver”. Laver? No the waiter wasn’t sure either. So soups down, 217 dishes to go. Six starters of the spring roll, pork ribs, chicken wing variety from $5 – $10, followed by fortyone “cold dishes” from which we chose one of our starters, billed as “flavoured seaweed (kelp)” which might not sound very exciting but looked pretty in the picture – and was absolutely delicious. Pickly, tangy, chewy and scrumptious. We ordered it as a starter with vegetable dumplings, one of the thirty eight starch options, but the dumplings were delayed by half an hour so we had plenty of time to savour the seaweed. For mains we ordered “griddled lamb with hot chilli hotpot”, “Chinese vegetables with mushrooms” and plain steamed rice.

The lamb was as tough a piece of meat I have encountered in years, and wasn’t particularly nice on the palate either. We sent it back as inedible and were immediately offered a replacement. “The cumin lamb chops?” I ventured. “They are tough too.” came back the candid reply. We quickly plumped for sweet and sour chicken which could be served without much delay. We should have just left it – the dish comprised tiny pieces of tasteless chewy chicken deep fried in an immensely thick and equally chewy batter and covered in a sauce that was sickly sweet but had forgotten about the sour. We took it home as a takeaway for the children’s next day lunch – and even they complained that the meat was tough and too sweet.

Meantime we tucked into the beautiful Chinese cabbage and brown mushroom dish – and by this time the dumplings had made an appearance too. They were pretty tasteless until dipped into a rather good chilli sauce.

With the rice this was actually enough food for two, washed down with a glass of house wine at an exorbitant $5 a shot for chateau cardboard!

The portions are large. Ideally go along with a crowd, everyone choose one dish and share. There are also good meat or vegetable noodle dishes at $5 which are meals in themselves. We were unlucky – great vegetable dishes and lousy meat. I would certainly go back and choose differently, probably from

the extensive seafood choices.

There is not much hospitality in evidence at China Garden – before we had finished eating, the waiter appeared with an industrial sized trolley and proceeded to gather up the dirty plates from around us. I had the feeling that they were telling us it was time we went home and that we were one short step from the vacuum cleaner shift!

This is not a romantic dinner for two venue.

Go with a crowd, create your own atmosphere and enjoy some good food.

14 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Arts & culture

2,500 party at Diwali celebration Zimbo Jam events list: November 2014 The Tudors: Series 2 30 October, 7 & 14 November Robert Sibson Hall Basket Case II Exhibition 31 October – 15 December National Gallery of Zimbabwe Fun in the Sun Family Splash Weekend November 1–2 Belgravia Sports Club Hair Show 15 November Harare International Conference centre Doonybrook Challenge 15 November Deutschland Tales 15 November Goethe-Zentrum/Zimbabwe German Society The TEDxHarare Conference 15 November Hypercube Hub

Trishula Patel

I

t’s one of Harare’s biggest annual parties: a celebration that brings together multitudes of people to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. This year was no different as about 2,500 people descended upon Sunrise Sports Club (SSC) in Belvedere on Saturday 25 October.

Music, fireworks and lights – hundreds and hundreds of lights – lit up the atmosphere and summer night as the skies held back most of the rain that had been threatening all afternoon.

Organized by the SSC committee every year, the event brought together Zimbabweans of various ethnicities – not just the Indian community – for a night of light,

Who is your favourite

Devin, Student Tehn Diamond his music is good and his sound quality is decent

The Book Café House Of Hunger Poetry Slam 1 November

Larry, Founder www.3-mob.com Mokoomba because I like Matthias Muzaza’s voice

Big Brother Africa Eviction Party!

2 November Stunner Unplugged 5 November

Cynthia Mare 8 November

dance floor rocking even before dinner had been served.

One of the highlights of the event was the regular dance show, put together by Dance Trust of Zimbabwe choreographer Ketan Nagar.

The culturally diverse spectacle included performances by younger students and more experienced dancers from Nagar’s Indian dance group, Kinkini; a funky and dynamic piece from hip-hop group Extreme Vision (ExV) who have just returned from the World Hip-Hop Championships in Las Vegas; as well as a dance to Shakira’s World Cup rendition of “La La La (Brazil 2014)” by fusion group Vogue.

A spectacular fireworks display followed, kicking off the main party as everyone hit the dance floor, Abundance, Musician Oliver Mtukudzi he is the best artist in Zimbabwe and abroad and has stood the test of time

Matthias, Talent Search Developer I don’t have a specific artist…right now, people are talented differently and there is a lot of talent and good music to come

Stars of Tomorrow 12–15, 19–22 November Reps Theatre

Haja Madagascar 7 November

food, and dancing. Lots and lots of dancing.

As the music pumped away, one of the most striking things we noticed was that unlike at other parties in Zimbabwe where you will find only a particular age group, on this dance floor were all ages of people, from children to grandparents.

The atmosphere at Sunrise was truly festive as the crowd milled throughout the massive outdoor tent and various food stalls that had been set up, festooned with brightly coloured lights. An eclectic mix of saris, suits and dresses added to the colour of the event.

The night started off with a live band that performed songs ranging from popular Bollywood film tracks to Shakira’s “Waka Waka,” with the

local artist?

by Khumbulani Mleya

Tony, Fashion Designer I think Soul Jah Love is the biggest music artist, he is unique & versatile very creative & ever ready for anything new

Liam, Journalist Chikwata 263 partly because my brother is in the band, they are by far the craziest musicians I have ever seen

young and old alike. The band returned with some live music, and DJ Rax took over after midnight, keeping the celebrations going until the wee hours of the morning.

“The function is organised with one purpose in mind, and that is to bring together the various communities to celebrate this joyous occasion with family, friends and loved ones,” said Sharad Bhana, SSC chairman.

Diwali is celebrated throughout the world in October or November each year, and the day marks the triumph of good over evil, and light over darkness. Diwali this year fell on Thursday, October 23, with the next day marking the Hindu new year of 2071.

Trust, Musician I cant really point out who my favorite artist is because they are too many to mention… There is talent out there but I highly appreciate new sound that represents Zimbabwe.

Takura, Media Expert Thomas Mapfumo & his band the Blacks Unlimited because he relates to everyday struggles of the Zimbabwean people in a political, social, economic & romantic way

The Marden Singers to perform ‘Messiah’

Afrikan Hip Hop Caravan 14 November Transit Crew 15 November Simuka Comedy 20 November Open Mic Every Monday Big Brother Africa Fan Club Sundays

To have your event listed here, email info@zimbojam.com.

H

andel’s Messiah is a wonderful worldwide tradition at Christmas, and for Harare’s Marden Singers too. ‘Long may it continue’ said journalist Rosie Mitchell in the Zim Trader, December 2013.

To consider otherwise is not an option, according to both our own supportive audiences and the singers themselves. ‘Ringing the changes’ for our performances in 2014, we return to one of our earliest stomping grounds, the Anglican Church

on King George Road, Avondale. The organ, recently tuned, is ideal for the accompaniment of such a massive work, allowing us to display the ‘trumpet’ organ atop – so necessary for the famous bass aria, ‘The Trumpet Shall Sound,’ to be sung by Peter Hadingham.

Music, especially when sung, is food for the soul. The country can be proud of the fact that the soloists for this Messiah are either Zimbabwean or work here, representing

far flung countries such as China, Japan, Turkey, and Germany. Recently returned from the famous Drakensburg Boys’ Choir, Kai Detering (14) will perform solo. Sebastiao Ribeiro (12), our youngest soloist, sings again this year. The galaxy of twelve soloists also include well known and popular soprano Roz Ribeiro, and tenor Nigel Hopkins.

Choral music has a great following in Zimbabwe, and is popular both for those who sing in choir,

and amongst those who come to enjoy their performances.

Please come and join us as we perform pieces from Handel’s greatest work.

The Marden Singers will perform Handel’s Messiah on Saturday 15 November at 5pm, Sunday 16 November at 3pm, at St Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, King George Road, Avondale. Tea and coffee (intermission), wine and cheese (at the end) will be served. Entrance is by donation.

THE MARDEN SINGERS Present Handel’s

‘Messiah’

Saturday 15th November @ 5 pm Sunday 16th November @ 3 pm St. Mary Magdalene Anglican Church, King George Road, Avondale Entrance by donation Tea, Coffee, Wine & Cheese served

Harare Office: 16 Renfrew Rd, Eastlea, Harare Bulawayo Office: 12 Bristol Road South, Belmont, Bulawayo Tel\Fax: +263 (0)4 746725 / +263 (0)772 211 542 Tel\Fax: +263 (0)9 67427 / 0772 401 433 / 0777 288 372 SMS: (0)776 744 832 Email: support@tnthre.co.zw TNT Representatives: Wendy Cohen (Byo) +263 (0)772 401 433 / +263 (0)777 288 372 Harare Service Centres: Brian Tsorayi (Hre) +263(0)772 472 346 17 George Drive, Msasa (Secretarial Unlimited) Paul M Gwangwadza (Hre) +263 (0)773 080 685 Tel: +263 (0)4 480741 / 480740 66 Nelson Mandela Avenue (Strachans), Tel: (04) 707973 / 0772 390 626 Facebook: tntexpresszimbabwe 167 Enterprise Road (Theo’s House of Coffees), Tel: +263 (0)772 881 877

Harare News 15

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Arts & culture

Is Zimdancehall promoting violence?

Farai Dauramanzi & Kudzayi Zvinavashe

Z

imdancehall is a local version of reggae dancehall that has attracted fans through its ability to mix dancehall music with the country’s two previously dominant genres, Sungura and Urban Grooves.

Zimdancehall supposedly came from the ghetto and over the years it has risen in popularity being constantly played on various radio stations and even at weddings.

The genre has been a partial solution to the high unemployment rate in the country by providing a source of income to artists, music producers, dancers, bouncers and promoters. The number of home studios making an income from upcoming artists has also risen significantly.

Due to its growing popularity, Zimdancehall has become a tool to communicate with its wide fan base.

Jibilika Dance Trust,

a youth run social enterprise which promotes the development of popular youth culture, made use of Zimdancehall for their recent launch of an HIV and AIDS awareness musical. Plot Mhako, projects director for Jibilika, said “We believe that if young people don`t learn the way we teach, then we teach the way they learn, and young people listen more when spoken to in their own language. Zimdancehall is now the youth language in Zimbabwe,” said Mhako.

Some artists like Tocky Vibes and Winky Dee have utilized the wide fan base of Zimdancehall to send out positive and constructive advice. However, Winky Dee has fallen out of favour with some Zimdancehall fans after his transition to music with a message. Speaking on a local radio station ‘the Bigiman’ as Winky Dee is popularly referred to said, “From the very onset it (Zimdancehall) was about uplifting the

ghetto youths and spreading the positive vibe within the ghetto region.”

Sadly, the genre’s popularity is threatened by the violence that now characterises the Zimdancehall live shows. Over the past few years fans

Over the past few years fans have become notorious for throwing empty beverage cans on stage.

who attend Zimdancehall shows in different parts of the city have become notorious for throwing empty beverage cans on stage. Freeman and Seh Calaz are some of the big

names in the genre that have fallen prey to this. Visiting international acts have not been spared either.

Artists like Kalado, a Jamaican based dancehall artist who performed in Harare last month, have been victims of the violence that now characterises Zimdancehall.

Zimdancehall promoter Robert Zhuwao of the Red Fox Family bemoaned the violence that has engulfed the local dancehall scene.

“What is this culture of throwing cans at international acts coming to Zimbabwe? Clearly there is a need to educate our colleagues on reggae dancehall entertainment. Every reggae promotion is not a clash,” wrote Zhuwao on his Facebook page. “Some of us have invested huge sums of money and time developing reggae dancehall music in Zimbabwe and this culture of misguided belligerence is threatening Zimdancehall growth in Zimbabwe,” added Zhuwao.

Some have also accused Zimdancehall artists of offensive lyrics which now characterise most songs.

Artists have also indulged in violent conduct towards each other at public events. Quonfused was alleged to have punched fellow chanter Seh Calaz at a show at Harare Gardens.

Female Zimdancehall artists have also been accused of violence. Lady Squanda was reported to have beaten up fellow female chanter Ninja Lipsy at another show that was held a few months ago at the same venue.

Temptation Chirenje, a.k.a. T Man of Mount Zion Records, a leading production house that records Zimdancehall and Urban Grooves, says “Violence seems to be pushing Zimdancehall because I hear some artists saying that without violence there is no dancehall. But it can be stopped,” said Chirenje. “The more they beat up each other the more they lose fans and at the end we will stop recording them.”

Hip Hop artist Synik takes the global stage Tawanda Mudzonga

G

erald Mugw e n h i , known to most in the Zimbabwe hip hop community as Synik, is an extraordinary hip hop artist. Small in stature, he stands tall above his peers in his thought-provoking lyrics, hardhitting rap style, stage presence and energy. His debut album “Syn City”, launched at the Shoko Festival in 2012, received a recordbreaking four awards including Best Album, Best Newcomer, Best Production and Best Collaboration

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(along with fellow hip-hop artists Jr. Brown, Metaphysics and MC Chita) for the radio hit single, Powercut at the 2012 Zimbabwean Hip Hop Awards.

This dynamic artist, who hails from Kwekwe, has been performing on Harare stages since 2007. Starting at the iconic Book Café Open Mic Stage and the monthly Spoken Word Slam at Shoko, he has honed his craft to an understated yet exciting art form. When asked about his music Synik says, “As an artist I find myself in a constant state of evolution and I’m still trying to find my own voice.” One of the most remarkable things about Synik and his debut album is how authentically Zimbabwean the music sounds.

The concept album appropriates the dark, brooding, Hollywood motion picture Sin City to Harare to great effect, with track after track of clever rhymes, mingled Shona and English that explore the harsh

I find myself in a constant state of evolution and I’m still trying to find my own voice.

realities of living life in the capital city. The album has more than a handful of standout tracks including the cautionary tale Chenjerera, the radio smash hit Powercut and the powerful and inspirational Marching as One. The album was produced by legendary Zimbabwean hip-hop pioneer, Begotten Sun. Synik often collaborates with other hip hop artists citing his ongoing collaborative project with fellow rapper/singer Depth as one

to look out for in the future as well as his past work collaborating with artists from as far afield as Nigeria, South Africa and Austria. Synik’s rap flows are accompanied by backing tracks like the majority of hip hop artists, but lately he has been performing with a full band. When asked why he made the shift to live instruments he says, “People tend to really appreciate live music in Zim”. His debut solo show on the Coca-Cola Green at HIFA this year received rave reviews and he soon followed up with a tour of Germany and Austria in August, with several performances in Berlin. Of this he says, “It was a great experience. I did five or six shows and collaborated with artists who were that side too.” Earlier this year he performed to rapturous applause at one of West Africa’s premier hip hop festivals, Festa 2H in Senegal. Watch out for a follow up album, it’s bound to make a splash.

16 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Readers’ page

Snapped anything cool around town?

Send your pictures to editor@hararenews.co.zw

Letter from the editor October was an exciting, if hectic one at Harare News.

Firstly, as we geared up for this issue I took a long anticipated holiday in Nyanga, which meant some hard work on either side of that week to make sure we came out on time.

The stress during our final layout days was compounded by an upward shift in page numbers from 20 to 24 to accommodate the Quality Paints supplement celebrating their new branch in Sam Levy’s Village. Of course news of fresh beginnings and new ventures is always uplifting, and we were buoyed by their success - congratulations!

Another fresh start took place within our offices as we welcomed Nomatter Nyamasi to our team. Nomatter is a Crossover participant, and joins us as an intern. Read his first ever piece on page 19 where he tells us about Crossover.

In the same vein, residents of Mount Pleasant will be enjoying safer streets soon with new traffic lights set to be installed soon(p.6), and on page 9 which tells of the latest work by local illustrator Jacqui Taylor.

To all exam candidates, we wish you good luck, and recommend you heed the advice on sleep from Paidamoyo Ewing (p.18).

Just like those writing exams, the end of the year is our time to take a step back and look at what we’ve done and where we are going. Please help us improve. Head to our website (www.hararenews.co.zw) and spare us three minutes of your time to fill in a quick survey. We’d really appreciate it! (Really!)

As always, if you have any feedback, comments, suggestions or news you would like to share with us write in to editor@hararenews.co.zw and start the conversation.

Who’s who Editor:

Harry Davies 0776 729 326/442866 editor@hararenews.co.zw

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Nomatter Nyamasi

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book review

Together: Stories and Poems by Julius Chingono and John Eppel ’amaBooks Publishers, Bulawayo ISBN: 978-0-7974-4228-3 Published 2011 Dr Joseph Chikowero, University of Wisconsin-Madison

T

ogether celebrates the writing of two of Zimbabwe’s veteran authors, the late Julius Chingono, and John Eppel. In Together, the Bulawayo-based publishers, ’amaBooks bridge the gulf between the black and white literary traditions.

Interestingly, it is the crisis of the past decade that seems to have revealed elements of shared experience across racial lines.

Chingono brings a distinctive humour to his stories and poems about a country in the grip of an economic and political crisis. In the poem, 20-044L, he writes: The number on my door reads 20-044L, but it is not the number of my house.

The scrap metals that make the door include a motor car number plate.

He exhibits an uncommon ability to laugh at the absurd that now passes for the norm; a supposedly revolutionary party that imposes election candidates and arrests party supporters who question such practices, a lifestyle built around waiting where shortages are commonplace, the predatory behaviour of public toilet cleaners who practically rob the public, and more.

In the story Shonongoro, a harmless-looking public toilet cleaner gently taps into traditional Shona speech registers between in-laws to trap a patron to part with a few dollars! In Chingono’s world, there are few saints!

Read Murehwa, the story of an old bachelor who dies without ever engaging a lover and discover Chingono’s hilarious narration of the sahwira’s prescription to “fix” the dead man’s stubbornly erect male member.

John Eppel is master of satire. His short stories and poems are more overtly political, displaying a certain anger at the turn of events. In Broke-Buttock Blues, Eppel reminds the reader of the violence of past elections:

They burned all our mealies, our chickens, our dog, they burned all our mealies, our chickens, our dog; my uncle, they hit him to death with a log.

In Bhalagwe Blues, he evokes memories of the Gukurahundi camps, reliving the misery of detainees:

Taken together, Chingono and Eppel’s writings complement each other beautifully.

We dig many graves every day in the sun, we dig many graves every day in the sun, they tease us then kill us, they do it for fun.

In Discarded, Eppel shows us what can happen to institutions in the wider context of the chaos. The land reform programme is quickly hijacked by fake war veterans who have no real interest in farming and violence is mistaken for patriotism. The line between crime and political activism is blurred.

Who Will Guard the Guards? is an hilarious take on what happens when law enforcers become victims of an economic downturn. A benevolent Zimbabwean offers free accommodation to a desperate young policeman, who later apparently steals the good Samaritan’s belongings. When the victim visits the police station, he finds the senior police officer investigating the crime actually wearing his stolen belt!

All is not gloom and doom for Eppel. He pays homage to ordinary Zimbabwean women of WOZA in Song for WOZA who stand up to tyranny: Women of this land arise, fling your windows open wide, let the breeze of change, denied, let it take you by surprise.

Amandla omama!

Taken together, Chingono and Eppel’s writings complement each other beautifully.

They challenge the reader to reflect on Zimbabwe’s lost decade. Together is a delightful – sometimes painfully delightful – read worth every penny that reflects on some of Zimbabwe’s most pressing contemporary issues in surprising ways. It also is a volume that begs one to rethink how Zimbabwean literature has been read and theorized over the years.

The book review is sponsored by Blackstone Bookshop, branches at Mount Pleasant Shopping Centre and Sam Levy’s Village in Borrowdale.

Mt Pleasant 303772/0774 718701, Sam Levy’s 0779 001 839, sales@blackstonebookshop.com

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that every row, column and 3 × 3 box contains all nine digits, with no number repeated.

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Difficulty: medium

Difficulty: hard

Harare News 17

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Letters to the editor Shame the litter louts Dear Editor, On Friday 17th October at 1.10 p.m. driving down Cripps Road, the young male driver of vehicle no. ADG 3696, a silver grey Polo hurled a bottle out of the window, followed by a plastic bag, and then a large pizza box.

Did he not care that he was adding to the detritus of an area in which people have to live and work?

Surely he’s not been brought up to believe that there’ll always be someone to pick up after him? Or has he?

If he keeps his car clean, why can’t he keep his environment clean? Or maybe he never cleans his car, but has someone do it for him.

Perhaps he just thinks of his country as a rubbish dump. Or, if not his country, then any area through which he drives and leaves his litter behind.

Can I suggest that Harare News begins a name and shame column.

In California in the seventies we called such people ‘litter louts!’

Yours, Felicity Bono

We need your feedback!

Help us improve by sharing your experience of Harare News in our 3-minute survey.

Visit www.hararenews.co.zw to participate and you could win $10 airtime.

Open letter to Mayor Bernarnd Manyenyeni

Thank you for your letter Felicity. This is a sadly common sight these days. We invite our readers to name and shame litter louts, bad drivers and the like. Please supply photos where possible.

Dear Sir, A new road is being built just behind Food Lovers Market, formerly Honey Dew Farm In Greendale.

The road joins Metcalf Road and Cecil road and it runs parallel to a defunct road which used to be called Valley Road.

The surprising feature about this road is that it is being built on a stream.

The other feature is that there are two other Roads which are both less than fifty meters apart joining the same two roads that l have mentioned. l assume that this road is being built by the City or by someone who has been given the go ahead by the City.

What l don’t understand is why the City

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is spending money on such an unnecessary roads when they are so cash strapped.

Shouldn’t the money be used for other top priority projects?

From past experience, people used to drive up Valley Road and dump their rubbish along the road. l see the same thing happening with the opening of the new road. It is very sheltered and people can easily dump their rubbish without being detected.

Lastly, the timing of construction is poor.

Unless this road is completed soon, the rains will be upon us and we will end up with a dam instead of a road.

Harare Resident Avondale

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18 Harare News

Issue 16 November 2014

Schools

New hope for orphans and vulnerable children

Paidamoyo Ewing, L6, Arundel School

I

Nomatter K Nyamasi

F

rom my own perspective, every child or human being has got his or her own bridge that he or she has to cross in life, no matter what their background may seem like.

Somehow, somewhere, many individuals ask the question of how are they going to be assisted to cross that shuddery and overwhelming bridge. But somewhere in our country of milk and honey, there is a place where you can find hope if you are hopeless.

In 2007 an ordinary woman, known as Deb, and her friend Cathie, who are so passionate about giving their hands to parentless and vulnerable children who might be in need of assistance, decided to form a non-profit Organization in Harare known as Cross Over. This was made up in thought of helping the community which has got such marvelous and brilliant people as orphans and vulnerable children.

When they set off, they did not have any furniture or classrooms and the sunlight used to scorch them throughout the day, but that did not thwart them from marching forward to their goal. They had only four students which they taught with love and compassion.

In 2008, they invited four more candidates and they did not stop there. They kept on accumulating children. Their idea was that teaching is not just about lecturing to the students whom you are entrusted to, but the secret is that you must

We NEED to sleep

Cross Over provides a safe learning environment for vulnerable children. be aware of your student’s intellectual, physical, and social well being.

Cross Over is now registered with the Ministry of Education as a functional literacy centre, and apart from just teaching literacy and numeracy, Cross Over is also teaching children heart issues which mostly concern the character of an individual. In addition to that, is the use of hands – it’s not everyone who is academically talented, but there are some people who can use their two hands. The students are instructed to use their hands in such a way that some day they will become the bread winner of their families. The main aim of working with such kind of people

is for them to know five principles which are as follows: to know the truth; to know who they are, which is their identity; to know where they are going, which is the purpose of an individual; to know how to get where they are going, which is wisdom; and lastly to go there together, which is relationship. Out of this natural law, they produce children with vision, integrity, ability, service and joy. This is what we are all craving to see in our city, our community, and in the whole nation.

Nomatter is a participant in the Cross Over program and currently completing an internship with Harare News.

t’s that time year again. The final exam season is just around the corner. At times like this students tend to forget that we are all just HUMAN and as much as it’s inconvenient, being human requires us to get a certain amount of sleep every single night.

Sleep needs vary for different age groups and teenagers actually require more sleep than adults – a minimum of 8.5 hours while adults only need 7. Being young and fit is no excuse to pull an all-nighter every evening.

Think of your brain as your phone battery. Would you go out with your phone only charged up to 40%? I didn’t think so. So why would you go out into the day with your brain – the most essential part of your body – not fully charged? There’s only one way to recharge our minds and that’s sleep. Without the right amount of sleep your brain will not be able to work, learn, and create at its best potential. Then all those hours spent studying the previous night would be completely pointless.

And not “charging” your “battery” each night leads to a great risk of it “dying” on you in the middle of the day.

Not only will sleep deprivation affect the way your mind functions but also your general health. While missing just one hour of your nightly sleep requirements may not seem like a “biggy” it actually is quite a “biggy”. It compromises your cardiovascular health, energy

balance, ability to fight infections AND it will also make you gain weight! I’m guessing that last one got your attention and I know what you’re thinking “pssht, yeah right,” but it’s true. Lack of sleep will increase your appetite and you will gain weight. Studies also show that sleep deprivation can lead to psychiatric conditions including depression and substance abuse. So stay in bed and don’t do drugs kids.

Some of you are suffering from sleep deprivation right now but you don’t even know it. You feel fine? Well if you’ve made a habit of not sleeping enough you probably don’t remember what it feels like to be wide awake. Running on a low battery now feels normal for you, so you won’t notice. But fear not, here are signs to know if you are deprived of sleep: 1. You hit the snooze button every time your alarm rings 2. Have a hard time getting out of bed (yes, one must spring out of bed with a smile on your face to know you have had enough sleep) 3. Feel sleepy in class (no matter how boring that class is, you will not fall asleep if you had enough sleep at night) 4. Feel the need to sleep in on weekends (It’s not normal to sleep up until midday) 5. Fall asleep within five minutes of going to bed 6. Fall asleep while watching TV Now I’m not saying don’t do your homework or study, but just try to manage your time wisely and everything will be fine. So good luck to all the exam candidates. Just remember to sleep and stay healthy.

Harare News 19

www.hararenews.co.zw

Schools

Top turnout at 2014 Mukuvisi Enviro Challenge Left: Quiz participants get it right.

Right: Walking to the venue.

Ian Wiggins

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y ten in the morning on Friday 17 October, the twenty or so schools competing in the Mukuvisi Woodlands Enviro Challenge had assembled at the park entrance. They began the walk to the picturesque spot in the park chosen as the venue for the event.

The Challenge is the result of a partnership between Mukuvisi Woodlands and The Eco Schools Programme – a project set up to promote environmental education in schools.

Running since 2009, the Programme uses the Enviro Challenge to test the progress made towards environmental awareness amongst students. The theme for 2014 is “Engaging schools in education for sustainable development through schools environmental clubs”.

The Enviro Challenge includes both primary and secondary schools. This year saw schools such as Louis Mountbatten, David Livingstone, Mother Touch, Churchil, ZRP and Mufakose – to name but a few – taking part.

Disciplines include survival skills and environmental knowledge with a performance and information presentation at the end, to simultaneously test creativity.

Within minutes of arriving at the venue the survival skills competitors were sent off for their challenge and like any good survivalists they disappeared into the undergrowth, even evading photographers who ventured out into the bush to capture images of them in action.

Shortly after the survival challenge began, the quiz for the primary schools got underway. With incorrect answers from all teams for the first two questions, the quiz got off to a slightly worrying start. But the third question proved to be the charm and four of the competing schools answered correctly and this trend continued for the remainder of the quiz.

As the questions were asked it became clear that they were not the usual wildlife ones that might be expected. Instead they covered far more important environmental issues that affect the citizens of Harare. One topic that stood out and is particularly relevant to Harare residents was the issue of wetlands. The point that under no circumstances should wetlands areas be built on was really driven home.

Once the junior and senior quizzes were over and the scores were being tallied, lunch was served and the different schools each put on a poetry or drama performance with an environmental theme. These performances showed great passion on the part of the students toward the cause they were endorsing.

Whilst these were going on there was also opportunity to visit the various stalls set up by the students displaying their respective schools’ eco project.

VIPs from the sponsoring organisations including UNICEF and the EU, as well as representative from the ministries of Education and Environment toured the stands set up by the participants, showcasing their eco projects. Prizes were awarded to stands showing great initiative.

The closing ceremony began with a handover of 20 trees to each school to start woodlots or orchards with. UNICEF representative Reza Hossaini then spoke, heaping praise on Leslie Maasdorp who was instrumental in the securing of conservancy status for Mukuvisi Woodlands. “If it wasn’t for her, we wouldn’t be in this place now,” said Hossaini.

The overall winners in the primary schools section were Chizungu Primary, with ZRP

High scooping top honours from amongst the secondary schools.

As environmental issues become so important globally Zimbabwe needs to keep up.

What better way to establish good practices than to catch school learners young and to develop knowledge and habits that are rooted in sound environmental awareness.

Hopefully projects like these can plant the seed of environmental consciousness in a new generation of Zimbabweans.

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Catching up with tennis ace Wayne Black Stephen Tsoroti

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n an interview a few years ago with Don Black – the late father of Wayne Black – he made a sweeping gesture toward the impeccably trimmed grass courts where he groomed three tennis pros. “This is the home where I raised my children and taught them how to play tennis,” he remarked. Today Zimbabwe’s remarkable doubles tennis player, Wayne Black, is following in his father’s foot-steps. His father and his mother Velia were deeply involved in fostering and developing his tennis skills, as well as those of his older brother Byron and his sister Cara. Wayne has a fiery passion to promote the Black tennis dynasty and he is also a keen environmentalist.

“I am coaching young tennis players starting, of course, with my two children,” said Wayne Black. “Being a star does not take just a few

hours of playing tennis,” he said, “it takes a lot of commitment from the parents too. Parents need to support their kids in the game of tennis. Sometimes they need to hit 10,000 balls before they are 18. It is that foundation that is important rather than just introducing them to sports at a young age.”

Wayne, together his brother Byron and sister Cara, grew up under the watchful eye of their father who was the foundation of the three’s successful tennis careers. Recalling how they were trained and mentored, Wayne believes he can impart the same commitment to his son Joseph (6), and daughter Brooke (4), to inspire them to become sporting greats. “I would like them to become tennis stars because it is very lucrative life if you are successful,” he said. Wayne has won two men’s doubles titles, the US Open in 2001 and Australian Open in 2005, together with his partner

Kevin Ullyet finishing in the top five for five seasons.

Black is married to Irina, the former doubles partner of his sister. He runs a lodge in Chisipite and has recently discovered a passion for preserving the environment. He started a project to grow indigenous trees in Mandara with a local environmental organisation, Environment Africa. “After travelling a lot throughout the world and seeing a lot of traffic and buildings, it is time for me to be with nature. The local environment we have here is the best anywhere in the world,” he stated. “We grow and supply trees that are indigenous to Zimbabwe with the aim of helping to address the problem of deforestation, preserving our flora and fauna and protecting our delicate environment.”

The nursery has approximately 5,000 trees immediately available and has about 100 different varieties. The trees are nurtured and

The local environment we have here is the best anywhere in the world.

cared for on 10 acres of lush lands.

“Trees must be planted in this great country of ours, and we all need to contribute. Get them into the ground and treat them as an investment,” said the one time US Open Doubles Champion.

We asked him how long he thought it would take for Zimbabwe to be back at the top again? “It could take years, 15 years or the next generation.

But I think it depends on how these two kids develop. I definitely want to get involved locally and have a look at the young talent and help train them properly.

At Falcon College, where I am coaching young tennis players, there is an exciting young player, Tinashe Chabata, who I am sure is going to make an impact in years to come.”

Zimbabwe October Fives Bowling Tournament Sharon Mazingaizo

E

very year at the beginning of October the City Bowling Club hosts the Zimbabwe October Fives Bowling Tournament. The tournament has been running since the 1920s and is open to all ages. This year the tournament had bowlers from Manicaland, Matabeleland and Mashonaland. The tournament is not a club competition but includes bowlers from the above mentioned provinces and this year the tournament was honoured by the presence of the Thailand Coco Bowling Club.

Harare News spoke to the City Bowling Club Manager Joyce Kachale, who said, “The tournament was well organised, with lots of competition for the bowlers which was good and the tournament was very interesting.” During the tournament the overall top three players

were K. Craven, T. O’Callaghan, and D. Davies. In first was K. Craven with 77 points, aggregate 73. In second place was T. O’Callaghan with 76 points, aggregate 128. In third place was D. Davies with 75 points, aggregate 82.

The Thailand Coco Bowling Club expressed their delight at being in the country. Team member Brian Walker said, “The tournament was brilliant and they enjoyed it. Unfortunately in Thailand bowling is not as popular as it in Zimbabwe. They only have one team of four bowlers and only four tournaments are held during the course of year.”

Among the young people at the tournament were Aaron Chilunda (17) who has been playing for four years, Godknows Ravhu (16) who has been playing for one year and Austin Kupara (17) who has only been playing for a month.

Other bowlers also expressed

Thailand Coco Bowling Club collect their prizes. their reactions during the tournament, among them Elsie Davies who has been playing for 16 years. Davies said, “I started playing at Gweru Sports Club and I was one of the first black women in the Midlands to play bowls. I enjoy it very much, it’s good for exercise and it’s a mind

game.” A bowling team consists of four players and the game is played outdoors on lawn. In outdoor bowling the players throw a ball in an attempt to put it closest to a designated point or slot in the bowling arena. Bowling is an anaerobic type of physical exercise similar to

walking with free weights. Bowling burns calories and works muscle groups which are not usually exercised. Scoring systems vary from competition to competition. Games can be decided when a player in a single game reaches a specified target number of shots (usually 21 or 25). A team (two to four players) has the higher score after a specified number of rounds, known as ‘ends’.

Bowling balls were once only available in black or brown but they are now available in a variety of colours. They have unique symbol marking engraved on them for identification. Since many bowls look the same, coloured adhesive stickers or labels are also used to mark the bowls of each team in bowl matches.

City Bowling Club hosts three tournaments per every club and games are played every Saturday afternoon.