FIRST Mutual Holdings’ profit after tax plummeted by 75 percent to $1,1 million in the four months to April, from $4,4 million compared to last year, reflecting a depressed market, the group’s chief executive Douglas Hoto said on Tuesday.

“We hope that as we navigate the year it might improve but we are not taking that as part of our main plans,” Hoto told a shareholder meeting.

“Gross premium income was up 14 percent to $37,8 million during the period under review compared to $31,5 million last year, with income from commissions growing similarly.

Retrocessions – the insurance cover that reinsurers take on the international market – were down to $2,8 million from $4 million last year, “signifying more retention of business internally and also the timing of some of the insurance contracts.”

Claims were up 30 percent to $21 million, with net revenue rising 20 percent, which Hoto attributed to higher claims early in the year.

FOREIGN tourists, who must shell out $40 to get into the Victoria Falls national park, will now have to give the local authority a dollar each to help the council pay off government debt.

A world heritage site, the Victoria Falls is roughly twice the height of North America's Niagara Falls and rivalled only by Argentina and Brazil's Iguazu Falls in height and width.

However Zimbabwe must compete with Zambia for visitors to the resort since it is located on the border between the two countries.

And in news likely to worry the local tourism industry, the town council has confirmed it would introduce a levy to be charged on individual tourists to help pay off debts.

According to online news Agency The Source, the local authority owes the government about $4 million for refurbishing infrastructure ahead of the World Tourism Organisation’s 20th General Assembly held in the town last year.

In addition, the council also owes the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), Zimbabwe National Water Authority (Zinwa) its pension fund and other utilities over $6 million.

Town clerk Christopher Dube told The Source council would introduce a tourism tax — a dollar for every foreign visitor to the resort town — despite opposition from tour operators.

“The supplementary budget is going to see some major increases in rates and service for the industry,” said Dube.

“We owe the government $4 million which we got as a loan to rehabilitate infrastructure… We are failing to repay that loan.

SOME 20 war veterans in Masvingo have vowed to fight moves by a company linked to the provincial minister to force them off a farm where tantalite has been discovered, insisting the mineral belonged to them.

The war veterans and their families were allocated plots at Yotam Farm in Masvingo north at the height of the controversial land reform programme in 2000.

However, tantalite was recently discovered on the property and they fear a plot to kick them off the property and ensure they do not benefit from the find.

Mining expects and government officials from the Masvingo District Administrator’s office visited the farm last week and held meeting with the war veterans who vowed to stay put.

Tantalite is mostly used in the electronics industry for the manufacture of items such as capacitors for mobile phones and computer chips.

The dispute has sucked in the Masvingo province minister of state, Kudakwashe Bhasikiti, with the war veterans alleging that a company that has already started pegging claims in the area belongs to the Zanu PF official.

Farmers who talked to NewZimbabwe.com said they were shocked last week to find a group of surveyors in the company of Bhasikiti’s daughter pegging the farm.

The DA later called a meeting where he told the farmers they would likely lose their land if the company is granted mining rights.

“We were called to attend a meeting with personnel from DA’s office, Bhasikiti’s daughter - who said she was a lawyer - and some other people who claimed to be mining expects.

“They told us to prepare to leave our farms but we made it clear that we are not going anywhere,” said one of the war veterans who declined to be named.

Efforts to get a comment from Bhasikiti were fruitless as he demanded written questions while the Masvingo DA, James Mazvidza, confirmed the meeting but referred enquiries to the ministry of mines.

However, the war veterans have the support of Masvingo north legislator and deputy Minister of Agriculture, Davis Marapira, who said they should be given first preference to mine mineral.

“Yotam farm owners must be given first preference to mine since the tantalite is in their farms not to allow outsiders to benefit,” said Marapira.

THE penny literally dropped recently for a ZBC canteen manager after he was caught selling subsidised company grub to farmers at Boka Tobacco Auction Floors for more than double its price.

Canteen food is heavily subsidised at the ZBC to assist poorly paid workers who sometimes go for months without salaries.

Management also introduced an arrangement whereby workers can feed on credit, paying at the end of the month, or whenever they get their salaries.

A plate of Sadza and stew at ZBC’s Pockets Hill canteen was said to cost US$0.50. Mudariki was said to be buying dozens of the portions and re-selling them for $2.00, making a decent profit of $1.50.

The racket however, came to light when dismayed canteen staff tipped off security personnel as Mudariki was about to leave Pockets Hill with his loot.

Mudariki was stopped at the main gate and found with 80 kerlites (disposable fast food plates) full of sadza and beef stew in his vehicle.

Questioned about the food, Mudariki claimed he was taking the rations to Radio Zimbabwe’s Mbare studios since they had visitors on the day.

Security personnel manning the check point allowed him to proceed but dispatched another detail to trail him.

They also phoned head of radio services Chris Chivinge to verify the information with Radio Zimbabwe. It was then discovered that Mudariki was lying.

Guards who trailed Mudariki to Boka Auction Floors found him selling the food portions to tobacco farmers for $2 a plate and pocketing the cash for his own use.

“He (Mudariki) has been sent home for managerial issues and he will be called upon to appear and answer some charges at a disciplinary hearing to be conducted soon,” said the official.

A NYANGA man went berserk last Friday and allegedly strangled his mother, 72, to death in a dispute over rentals for a house left behind by his late sister.

Shingai Hamukwadi, 38, is said to have strangled his mother to death before hanging her body in her bedroom to make the alleged murder look like suicide.

According to local police, Shingai, of Maphosa village under Chief Hata, had a long standing dispute with his mother, Clara Hamukwadi, over his deceased sister`s estate.

The sister is reported to have left a house in Norton which was being rented out by Clara but mother and son were said to have repeatedly quarrelled over how to share the rentals.

On the fateful day, villagers visited the Hamukwadi homestead to see Clara who was unwell but Shingai told them to go away.

After the villagers left, Shingai allegedly dragged his mother into a granary and strangled her using a white nylon cloth. He left the body there as he went off to Sedze Business Centre.

“He came back around 8pm and took advantage of the darkness to drag Clara`s body to her bedroom where he hanged it from the roof trusses using the same cloth,” said Manicaland police spokesperson, Inspector Enock Chishiri.

In the afternoon of the following day, Shingai told police he had found his mother`s body hanging from roof trusses in her bedroom.

However, officers who attended the scene suspected foul play and called in homicide detectives.

The detectives interrogated Shingai who then admitted killing his mother over the rent dispute.

HARARE’S dormitory town of Chitungwiza came to a grinding halt Tuesday after workers downed tools over outstanding salaries.

Angry workers besieged town clerk George Makunde’s office demanding that he honours a Labour Court judgement issued last year ordering council to pay the salary arrears.

Makunde passed the buck to finance director, Evangelista Machona, who had to lock herself in her vehicle to escape the baying mob.

Ephraim Katsina, chairperson of Zimbabwe Urban Council Workers Union (ZUCWU), said workers needed their outstanding wages in order to survive.

“What happened (Tuesday) is just the beginning as we have given them until Wednesday to tell us where they are putting the money they are collecting in rates every month,” Katsina said.

Chitungwiza is reeling under a $50 million debt and massive corruption which saw former town clerk, Godfrey Tanyanyiwa, being jailed.

An Independent arbitrator in the salary dispute last year ordered the council to clear all salary arrears by this July.

“We had to bring in police to convince the angry workers to let the finance director go but the truth is that workers are hungry and anything can happen,” Katsina warned.

IN a shock incident, a Chivi woman helped her pregnant daughter give birth in the dead of night and killed her newly born grandson, apparently to dodge the responsibility of raising the child.

Jane Chenzira (age not given), who is from Chivi's headman Chipindu in Masvingo, pleaded guilty to murder when she appeared before provincial magistrate Sibonginkosi Mkandla on Tuesday.

As prison officers whisked her away, Chenzira shouted: "I know my crime; I killed my grandson and the magistrate has said I must go to jail where they are going to take care of me.”

According to prosecutor, James Murambiza, the alleged murder occurred on the night of May 29, last year, when Chenzira’s daughter, Shoko, who was heavily pregnant and living at her parents' homestead, went into labour.

"During the night, Shoko experienced labour pains and she informed her mother, Chenzira. The two went to their fields which are near the homestead where Chenzira assisted Shoko to give birth," said Murambiza.

The court heard that after giving birth Chenzira instructed Shoko to go back home and collect an empty sack. Chenzira stayed behind attending to the crying baby and went on to strangle him to death.

Chenzira then put the lifeless tot into the empty sack. She proceeded to a nearby anthill where she dug a shallow hole and buried the body.

However, villagers who suspected foul play over the disappearance of Shoko's pregnancy reported the case to the police on June 3, leading to the pair's arrest.

THE cash-strapped Gweru City Council has failed to pay April salaries to its workers, raising the prospect of a strike in the Midlands capital.

Town clerk Daniel Matawu had, last week, indicated that council expected to pay lower grade employees by Friday but workers had still not received their salaries by Tuesday.

Mayor Hamutendi Kombayi said the council was facing financial constraints but remained committed to meeting its salary obligations.

“Once our (cash) inflows improve, we will make sure that our workers’ salaries are given top priority. We will certainly pay them and it could be anytime this week,” Kombayi said.

They however, relented following an appeal for patience by Kombayi who said the council was making frantic efforts to raise income.

But former Zimbabwe Urban Council Workers Union Gweru chairperson, Rabson Kilimboi, told NewZimbabwe.com that the city council had not been sincere when communicating its position on pay dates.

“We used to have memos advising workers on shifts to pay dates. Now council does not communicate and we are left in the dark on when we are supposed get paid,” Kilimboi said.

Since dollarization in 2009, the municipality has been failing to pay workers on time and only started paying December bonuses last month to the lower grades.

THE prison service plans to recruit 11,000 new officers, adding to the government’s bloated 230,000-strong workforce which it is already struggling to pay.

Just last week, finance minister Patrick Chinamasa admitted to legislators that the government was being forced to shift pay dates for civil servants because the money would not be available.

However, a senior Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officer told online news agency The Source that the department planned to bump its staff complement from the current 11,000 to about 22,000.

“Our workforce is expected to double from the current staff we have. We are looking to have a total force of about 22,000,” Chief Superintendent Zonai Cleopas Nyatsanza, the ZPCS boss for Manicaland told The Source.

With some 17,318 inmates in the country’s 46 prisons and 23 satellite centres, the new staffing levels would effectively mean an officer for each prisoner and some to spare.

President Robert Mugabe was forced to grant an amnesty to 1,500 prisoners in 2009. He ordered the release of 2,000 more in February this year as the cash-strapped government struggled to feed them.

This year’s amnesty followed reports by top prison officers that some 100 inmates had died from hunger, although the responsible minister later said the official’s remarks had been misinterpreted.

Even so, ZPCS Deputy Commissioner Agrey Machingauta conceded before legislators last week that conditions were far from ideal countrywide with many of those freed finding their way back to prison.

The prison service has said it requires about US$21 million to feed inmates this year but the department was only allocated $2.5million by Treasury in the 2014 national budget.

Chinamasa lamented the size of the civil service wage bill in his budget statement saying salaries alone were gobbling an unsustainable 75 percent of total government revenues.

He said this needed to be reduced to about 30 percent by 2018 but ruled out retrenchments.

The minister said he hoped to reach his 30 percent threshold by growing the economy and increasing tax revenues.

TWENTY-FOUR Johanne Masowe eChishanu Apostolic sect members accused of assaulting police officers and journalists, have been remanded in custody by a Harare court which felt their immediate release would expose them to a violent public backlash.

Emmanuel Sigauke and 23 others, all followers of Madzibaba Ishmael Mufani, were arrested on Sunday for public violence. They all deny the charges.

The group was Tuesday brought to court under armed police escort and in leg irons. They were later remanded in custody to June 16.

“When l was arrested, l was beaten up and was denied food. I only ate today when l was being brought to court,” said Sigauke in a complaint that was repeated by the rest of the group.

Francisca Mukumbiri, representing the State, did not oppose the granting of bail which elicited a strong rebuke from the presiding magistrate Vakai Chikwekwete who accused the prosecutor of “blowing hot and cold” in his handling of the widely publicised matter.

On Monday the State had ironically opposed bail when the first batch of four accused sect members appeared in court facing similar charges.

“What kind of professionalism is that?” Chikwekwete asked when the State had failed to explain why it was treating the two groups differently.

Chikwekwete said the group had made serious allegations of police assaults in his court and were ordinarily supposed to be medically examined by a government doctor who could only perform this while they were in custody.

He added: “The court is of the contrary view that the granting of bail at this stage will not only jeopardise the interest of this case but will put the accused in danger.

“In short, the court is of the view that the release of the accused at this stage may cause public outcry. We will relook at this case on the 16th of June.”

All hell broke loose when angry sect members on Friday ran amok and clubbed a group of riot cops who had accompanied Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) president Bishop Johannes Ndanga to enforce a ban on the controversial sect.

Leaders of the sect were being accused forcibly marrying out their young offspring to older members and denying them education.

Shocking images of sect members, clad in their white robes, bashing police officers were splashed in local newspapers and on social media platforms Friday.

Zanu PF youths on Monday staged a march to the now abandoned shrine where they burnt garments and smashed clay pots and other paraphernalia they used for their rituals.

UK-BASED businessman, Byron Fundira, won the entrepreneur of the year award at the prestigious Zimbabwe Achievers Awards in 2013.

But this week he found himself the target of torrents of scorn and venomous abuse on social networking sites after his wife posted a video on Facebook telling the world she had found him in bed - with a lover - at their marital home - with their minor kids around.

Yet what enraged Gaynor Chaluwa Fundira (pictured right) even more, she added, was Byron’s frozen-hearted decision to use her past struggles with mental health to have her compulsorily committed to a psychiatric hospital after she rightly threw a rumpus over the flagrant outrage of finding her husband in flagrante delicto in their matrimonial home with their three minor children present.

She explained: “I flipped, I was so mad, I was so angry! … What mother wouldn’t be mad; what woman wouldn’t be?”

The shame of it, or so you’d think.

He denied bringing a lover into the couple’s High Wycombe home in the UK’sBuckinghamshire area. Instead, he explained, a weekend-long disagreement over whether or not to engage child minder because of long-standing issues between the couple spiralled completely out of control.

“My wife has mental health problems. She was diagnosed in 2011 and put on medication. The problem is that she does not take her medication regularly, complaining that it makes her feel like a zombie and, unfortunately, this causes relapses,” he said.

“So when we had this disagreement over the child minder; the way she reacted by going berserk, screaming at the top of her voice and throwing things out through the window … I thought these could be tell-tale signs of another relapse and decided I had to act fast to help her.

“I explained to her that she had not been taking her medication and that she needed to go to hospital. I tried to make her understand that this was the right thing to do. But she became bitter and managed to abscond from the hospital on Monday.

“The next thing is I was getting phone calls from friends and relatives around 4AM on Tuesday saying she had put the video on Facebook claiming to have found me in bed at our house with a girlfriend.”

GAYNOR FUNDIRA’S STORY
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Fundira however, has a completely different version of events. He said the dispute which led to the fracas was sparked by his decision to engage a child minder which he explained to Gaynor.

“We had had a scuffle at a local food court but later on Saturday. I told my wife I was going to pick up the child minder from the train station,” said Fundira.

“I returned around 7PM to find police outside my house. I was told they were arresting me for allegedly beating my wife, supposedly during the afternoon scuffle. I was promptly thrown into the back of the police van. The child minder had to go away because my wife said she did not want to see her.

“However, I was later released because police checked CCTV footage from the restaurant and realised I was the one who had been roughed up. The next day I rang the child minder and explained that we would need her help beginning Monday since we had a very busy week ahead of us.

“During the afternoon (on Sunday) I took my family, including my wife, to a fun day after which she, together with children, went to visit her friends while I chose to go and pick up the child minder. We got home and found she was not there and I followed her to the friend’s place where we actually had dinner together.

“This was now Sunday evening. I then left to go and put the children to bed and Gaynor remained behind because they were still talking with her friends. I put the children to bed. The minder also went to bed. I retired to a spare bedroom and locked my door for reasons I shall explain.

“However around 2AM I heard a banging at my door with my wife shouting ‘Wake up! Wake up!’ I opened my door to find the child minder in state of shock saying my wife had budged into her room and ordered her out of the house.

“I asked Gaynor what the problem was and she said she did not want the minder in her house. I told her we could not kick her out at 2AM, she would have nowhere to go at that time but Gaynor would have none of it. She became agitated, screaming at the top of her voice and throwing the woman’s clothes out of through the windows.

“She called the police. They came around 3AM and suggested I find the maid some place to spend the rest of the night, which I did. I apologised to the lady and said it was unfortunate the arrangement would not work since my wife did not want her.

“I returned home and went to sleep. Later in the morning, I went to work. My wife followed and demanded money to buy tickets for a One Direction show she wanted the children to go to. We went off to buy the tickets but on the way back she became agitated again and started shouting and beating me up as I drove the car.

“I decided that enough was enough and thought I should get her some help. I took her to a local mental health clinic where she was seen and discharged by a social worker.

“But I felt they did not understand the gravity of the situation and showed them video recordings I had made of her over the past two days.

“The nurses then decided to call her back and she was sectioned. However they put her in an unsecure place and she managed to abscond only to be found on Tuesday. It was while she had escaped from the hospital that she made the video recording people have seen on Facebook.”

Asked why he insisted on engaging the child minder when it was clear his wife was not keen on the idea, Fundira explained: “There are a lot of things that have been happening but I am not the kind of person to put my personal affairs out in the public domain.

“The fact of the matter is that there are civil processes that were already underway which partly explain why I was using a separate bedroom. I was forced to get help with the children because my wife was hardly at home over the weekends.

“She would go away on a Friday and come back on Monday. She would not explain where she was going or brook any questions when she came back. I had no choice but to get help with the children because I could not cope alone due to work commitments.”

Asked whether the relationship had effectively hit the rocks well before the weekend fracas, Fundira said: “Yes. In fact, I have a lot of information regarding what was happening during those absences from home.

“But as I said, I’m not the kind of person to put personal issues in the public domain. I only decided to speak so that people have both sides of the story. I took my wife to hospital because I believed it was the right thing to do.

“Again, the professionals who assessed and decided to keep her in hospital would not have done that merely for the sake of it.”

Mentally unstable, me? ... Gaynor Fundira

GOVERNMENT will construct a diamond cutting and polishing centre in Manicaland after lobbying by the local industry, mines minister Walter Chidhakwa has said.

Zimbabwe already has plans to set up a “diamond zone” in Borrowdale which would house a local diamond auction house while cleaning, sorting, cutting and polishing would also be done within the zone.

“There is no doubting the need to have a cutting and polishing centre in Manicaland. We are already planning it,” he told The Source this week.

Zimbabwe wants to hold diamond auctions locally, after the much-heralded Dubai diamond auctions did not go as planned, with the broker reportedly holding onto proceeds from the diamond sales.

The country auctioned nearly 400,000 carats worth $30 million at the Dubai Diamond Exchange (DDE) in March and has held two other auctions in Antwerp, Belgium.

“We cannot stop construction for the facility in the capital but can have another one in that region (Manicaland),” said Chidhakwa.

ZIMBABWE needs to lower its risk profile and improve its business climate to unlock funding opportunities provided by international bonds, a leading investment bank has said.

Eurobonds have become an instrument of choice by most African countries to raise capital since 2006 when Seychelles became the first country in sub-Saharan Africa, other than South Africa, to issue the bonds.

Since then, several other countries, including Ghana, Gabon, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Namibia and Zambia have successfully raised funds similarly.

In 2012, Zambia launched a 10-year bond of $750 million which was oversubscribed while Rwanda raised $400 million last year in a heavily oversubscribed sale.

Last month, the Kenyan government announced it expects to issue its debut international bond worth up to $2 billion that will be used to fund infrastructure projects, including rail and roads and retire a $600 million syndicated loan.

“Locally, authorities may possibly learn from all these various initiatives by other African nations as a way of unlocking finance,” said Tetrad in its weekly analysis.

“Kenya…appears to be making progress in trying to unlock finance and ultimately economic growth. Zimbabwe may thus opt for this route as other nations which have benefitted once faced similar challenges, particularly on political instability.”

Other African countries, however, have adopted investor friendly policies and implemented reforms mainly aimed at debt management, fiscal management, capital formation, promoting transparency and management of mineral resources and also improving international relations.

Zimbabwe’s relations with the West broke down about 12 years ago over allegations of human rights violations and electoral theft against President Robert Mugabe – which he denies – and Harare’s failure to repay debts that are now estimated at $10 billion.

But ties with the European Union are thawing and the bloc has progressively eased the embargo since 2009 when the veteran ruler agreed to share power with the opposition.

While Mugabe and his Zanu PF party regained control of government in another disputed poll in 2013, the EU has continued the rapprochement and will resume direct development assistance to Harare this year if the European Council of Ministers votes to lift the embargo in November.

On May 16, outgoing World Bank Zimbabwe president, Mungai Lenneiye, told The Source that Zimbabwe does not qualify for the Highly Indebted Poor Countries’ (HIPC) status because it has capacity to recover, narrowing Harare’s funding options.

Tetrad said Zimbabwe may raise the much needed finance through selling international bonds, by righting its business and empowerment policies.

“This option requires certain issues to be addressed, chief among them being the formulation and implementation of business friendly policies,” said Tetrad.

“Addressing the public service wage bill, continuous efforts to payback our lenders and transparency in resource utilisation are the other key areas.

“Overall, policymakers may possibly need to consider this route and its implications among the various options … as a way to resolving the slowdown in the economy.”

IT continues to be the year of Lupita Nyong'o.

Also joining the J.J. Abrams-directed film cast is Gwendoline Christie, best known for her role as Brienne of Tarth in "Game of Thrones."

"I could not be more excited about Lupita and Gwendoline joining the cast of Episode VII," Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy said in a press release.

The two will join the already announced cast of John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow.

Former stars of the franchise Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher will be reprising their 1977 roles from the original, hit film.

Following the announcement Nyong'o tweeted "I can finally say it out loud and proud: I'm going to a galaxy far far away!" along with an Instagram picture of the "Star Wars" logo.

GRAMMY winning R&B singer Chris Brown was released on Monday from a Los Angeles jail where he was serving a one-year sentence for violating probation from his 2009 assault of pop singer Rihanna.

Brown, 25, had admitted last month in a Los Angeles court to violating his probation in Washington, D.C., where he allegedly punched and broke the nose of a man who jumped into a photo of the singer with two fans.

Brown has been locked up since March 14 after he was kicked out of court-ordered rehabilitation in California for violating rules.

He had earned 234 days of credited jail time at the time of sentencing for days already spent in jail and court-ordered rehab. He was scheduled to be released by early July at the latest if required to serve out his entire sentence.

The "Turn Up the Music" singer must also undergo therapy and random drug testing as part of his sentence from Los Angeles Superior Court Judge James Brandlin, who said he took into account an undiagnosed mental illness and the singer's young age when he assaulted Rihanna on the eve of the 2009 Grammy Awards.

Brown, who still must complete community service, made his mark in the music world as a teenager and, despite several brushes with the law, has been able to bounce back professionally after beating up his world-famous girlfriend.

A MUSIC company has lost a High Court fight with a rival over the rights to 13 Bob Marley songs, including one of his most famous, No Woman, No Cry.

The case centred on the "construction" of the agreement - 11 years after the Jamaican reggae icon's death on May 11, 1981 - under which copyrights in "various musical works" were transferred by Cayman.

Cayman claimed that the 13 songs were not transferred under that agreement.

Blue Mountain, which is responsible for administering rights transferred under that agreement, disputed the claim.

He had been told that the 13 songs involved were: Crazy Baldhead; Johnny Was; Natty Dread; No Woman, No Cry; Positive Vibration; Rat Race; Rebel Music (Road Block); Talking Blues; Them Belly Full; Want More; War; Who The Cap Fit and So Jah She.

Lawyers for Cayman told the judge that Marley agreed a publishing deal with them in late 1973.

And they said Marley "fraudulently" attributed the songs to other people to avoid the provisions of the 1973 publishing agreement.

Lawyers for Blue Mountain said, on the "straightforward application of ordinary principles of contract law", the claim had to be dismissed.

They accepted that Marley "falsely claimed" that the 13 songs had been composed by other people in an attempt to "escape the automatic assignment of their copyright to Cayman".

But they said it was "common ground" that as a matter of law the "ruse was ineffective".

They said the "plain intention" of the 1992 agreement was to "transfer all rights".

CARA black and Indian playing partner bowed out of the French Open after losing their women's doubles quarter-final here Tuesday.

The Indo-Zimbabwean fifth seeds went down 2-6, 6-3, 3-6 in two hours to top seeds Su-Wei Hsieh (Chinese Taipei) and Shuai Peng (China) on Court No.1 to end the Indian challenge in the only clay court major.

Both pairs failed to hold serve at least once in the match but the top seeds were two notches better, converting three break point opportunities to Sania and Cara's one.

The tables turned in the second set as Cara and Sania came out with the only two aces and only two winners to take points at crucial junctures.

In the last set, the top seeds were leading 3-2 when they crucially broke the fifth seeds in the sixth game to take a 4-2 lead.

Serving for the match at 5-3, Su-Wei and Shuai got tough competition as their opponents twice had a chance to break and continue and level the match.

But the top seeds saved both the opportunities and went on to clinch the set and match in 45 minutes.

Meanwhile Tuesday's defeat ended Cara’s involvement in the season's second grand slam after she exited the mixed doubles in the second round.

NEW SuperSport United goalkeeper George Chigova has told supersport.com that he is ready for his new challenge at the team.

The Warriors international, who plays for defending league champions Dynamos, said he knew that United have good goalkeepers but vowed to fight for his place.

“I know the game in the PSL is a bit higher than here in Zimbabwe but that's just a good reason for me to go out there and work hard.

“One of the goalkeepers at the team plays for South Africa national team which just shows you how hard it will be for all of us but with hard work, I can achieve my goal.”

Chigova will be the second Dynamos goalie to come to South Africa after Washington Arubi joined University of Pretoria two seasons ago.

THE Zimbabwe UK Diaspora national team is through to the quarterfinals of the 2014 UK African Nations Cup Tournament which kicked off last weekend in London.

The Warriors top Group A with nine points after beating Uganda and Tanzania with an identical 3-1 scoreline and dismissed neighbours South Africa 2-1 before losing to holders Ghana 2-0 in a dead rubber that was played by fringe players.

Zimbabwe will now face Sierra Leone in the quarterfinals this weekend. The Lone Stars made it to the finals last year which they narrowly lost to Ghana.

Tournament director and Team Zimbabwe manager Marshall Gore said the African Nations Cup UK (ANCUK) is one of the biggest community football tournaments in the UK.

It has been running since 2009, attracting thousands of spectators. The tournament is supported by the Football Association (FA) and affiliated to both the London and Essex FA Counties.

Over the years, the event has grown in stature, establishing vital partnerships with various statutory organisations including the Terence Higgins Trust, The Newham Borough Council and Kick It Out, a racism eradication group founded by the English Premier League.

Gore said this year’s competition is sponsored by Ethiopian Airlines, the biggest operating African airline. Winners of the tournament will walk away with a prestigious trophy plus £4000 prize money.

This year’s opening ceremony was graced by his the High Commissioner of Rwanda to the UK William Nkuruziza, Wayne Deller, CEO of the Essex Football County and Mario Mansill Marketing Director of Ethiopian Airlines.

They dismissed Uganda emphatically with goals from Brian Ndlovu (2) and Junior Ndlovu (1) son of Zimbabwe legend Madinda Ndlovu.

Veteran Ware FC goalkeeper Obey Murefu, formerly of Harare giants Dynamos, was at his best, saving a first half penalty which denied Uganda an equaliser. Although Uganda had a lot of possession, Zimbabwe played a quick counter attack game which troubled the East Africans all the time.

In a bid to freshen up the team, the Zimbabwe coach Thabang Nare made some brave changes. He gambled and played youngster Junior Kelvin Mutumbi who rewarded him by scoring two beautiful goals, one a curling short from outside the box.

Brian Ndlovu, young brother to former Warriors captain Peter Ndlovu, came in as a second half substitute and scored the killer goal - his third in the tournament. The gangling striker has improved this year following a poor show in last year’s tournament.  Second choice goalkeeper Tasiwa Nyambiya also looked composed in goal.

The game against South Africa was crucial for the Warriors; they knew that a win would take them through to the next round.  As for the South Africans, they came into the tie with confidence after beating holders Ghana in their opening match.

The game kicked off at a pulsating pace with both teams searching for an early opener. Zimbabwe took the lead midway in the first half when the skilful Maxwell Dube “Marhino” sent through Muzzy Nduna with a chick back heal. The Coventry United FC striker responded by blasting the ball into the roof of the net.

The goal drew loud cheers from the partisan Zimbabwean crowed which  has now made it a habit to invade the pitch after every goal. Nduna’s lead was immediately cancelled by Niel Fern, the gangling South African defender who plays in Romania.

However, the introduction of skilful midfielder Jones Moy who plays for AFC Fawley in Southampton brought more life into the Zimbabwe team. He combined well with Marhino and set up Junior Ndlovu to score the winner and his second for the tournament.

The defeat left Bafana Bafana on the verge of elimination from the tournament and their fate was eventually sealed when they lost their last game to Tanzania 4-1.

Overally, the Warriors performed well in the group stages. The 3 wins and 8 goals bear testimony to the good organisation, hard work and thorough preparations done in advance to assemble a very good squad made up of professional footballers plying their trade in various UK leagues and academies.

Wing backs Martin Chirimuta and Nkosi Mzingwani continue impressive with their attacking versatility in a 3-5-2 formation favoured by mentor JB Nare while youngster Prince “Zongo” Mazwi has also stolen the limelight barely 6 months after his arrival from Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe head coach Thabang “JB” Nare, former player of the late Marunza’s ZRP Tomlinson, was optimistic on his teams’ chances following their outstanding performance in the group stages.

“We have some talented young players who can deliver if they focus on playing as a team and remain disciplined. I’m confident that we can beat Sierra Leone but we still need to take them serious; they have better pedigree than us in this tournament.

“The Zimbabwe UK Diaspora National Team is a development squad that will help to capture up and coming Zimbabwean talent natured in various football academies in the UK following migration of many Zimbabweans into the country in the last decade,” he said.

“The purpose of this project is to support ZIFA and the national teams to discover hidden Zimbabwean football talent in the UK Diaspora and main land Europe.”

The Warriors squad also comprises former Premier League Players now living in the UK and playing for various professional and semi-professional clubs.

Notable inclusions are Maxwell Dube; Raymond Undi; Brian Badza; Obey Murefu; Alvin & Martin Chirimuta; Kelvin Mushambi; Beston Matabile; Kudakwashe Zinhu and Henry Sebenge

The quarterfinal between Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone will be played this weekend, Saturday 7th of June 2014 at West Ham Memorial Grounds, Memorial Avenue Essex E15 3DB. Kick Off 12pm.

ZIMBABWE SQUAD

Defenders: Chazi Hokoza (Flauden Fc ); Alvin Chirimuta (Zim Saint Fc); Martin Chirimuta(Phoenix Sports Fc); Thomas Thomik (Three Ways Shipping FC); Nkosi Mzingwane (Coventry United Fc) ); Eddie Mudzi (Three Ways Shipping);Gary Mapanda (Zim Saints Fc); Farai Hallam(Finchely Wintagate FC); Kevin Dimingo (Gosport Borough FC);Chrispen Sinodzima(Zim Saints Fc); Kenny Mutsanya (Watford Tigers Fc);Tinashe Payarira(St Mathews Dynamos) and Prince Maphosa Mazwi(Coventry United)

Midfielders: Raymond Undi (Aylesbury Dynamos FC); Mzwandile Nduna (Coventry United);Kelvin Mushambi (Calton Town FC); Mikaeel White(Barnet FC); Lionel Mafukidze (Stevenage Fc); Zaideen Brown (Luton Town Resv); Charles Guvamatanga (Zim Saints Fc); Bestone Matibile (Luton Aces); Kuya Zinhu (Zim Saints Fc); Terence Payarira (Coventry United); Tawanda Rupere ( Garfoth Town Fc ); Jones Moyo (AFC Fawley Fc); Simba Mandi (Three Ways Shipping Fc); Henry Sibenge (Derby Mickleover Sports Fc); Gabriel Maisiri (Manorians Fc)

Forwards: Junior Nlovu (Almondbury UWE Fc); Brian Ndlovu (Coventry United Fc); Shepherd Machingauta (Three Way Shipping FC); Trevor Mutero (Glyfada Fc); McKolly Bond (Ipswich Town); Maxwell Dube (Young Worriors Fc); Spencer Sachikonye (Eastbourne Town); Junior Fredric Mtumbi (Three Ways Shipping Fc ); Herbet Mujanja (Hounslow Fc); Simba Mandizha (Luton Aces Fc); Tino Chinake (Mighty Worriors Fc)

Technical Team: Liberty Masunda (Head Coach); Thabang Nare (Head Coach); Thomas Thomik (Ass Coach); Sanudy Nambale (Welfare Manager); Wellington Muringayi (Technical Advisor); Ricky Kuvarega (Team Doctor); Davison Chimenya (Team Medic)
Alan Dinala (Psychologist); Marshall Gore (Team Manager/Communications)

Zimbabwe vs Sierra Leone
Somalia v Uganda
Cameroon v Guinea Bissau
Senegal v Nigeria

A MASVINGO prosecutor has appeared in court charged with two counts of raping his 8 year-old step daughter.

Tafirei Tandirai, 42, denied the charges when he appeared before magistrate Sibonginkosi Mkandla.

Tandirai however, is not new to the other side of the dock after he was acquitted early this year on allegations of receiving a R900 bribe from a man who wanted his domestic violence case dropped.

Appearing for the State, James Marambiza said, on dates unknown but in the month of April this year, Tandirai was left in the custody of the minor while his wife went away on business.

The court heard that on the first count, Tandirai called the girl to his bedroom and ordered her to lie on his bed before raping her once.

He would allegedly rape the girl again during the same month when his wife was not at home.

A report was made to the police leading to Tandirai’s arrest while the minor was taken to hospital. A medical report produced in court confirmed she had been sexually abused.