Mpund Valerie 15 October 2011 | Remembering Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo Hearts were broken that night. At St Anne's Hospital in Harare, the man who had made Zimbabwe dance for two decades strummed his last chord. Tongai Moyo - Dhewa, the Sungura Maestro - was gone. He was 43. The news spread like a veld fire. From Kwekwe to Mbare, from Mutare to Bulawayo, radios were turned up. Minibus drivers stopped. People cried in the streets. Songs were composed overnight. Favourite tracks played on repeat. Naye. Samanyemba. Pinda Panyanga. Mamuro. Muchina Muhombe. Toita Basa. Dhewa was born on 12 March 1968 in Kwekwe. A humble boy who picked up a guitar and became a giant. With his band, Utakataka Express, he didn't just sing he told our stories. Stories of love, of struggle, of work, of life in the high-density. He fought a quiet, painful battle against Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), a cancer of the blood. Even when his body was weak, his voice remained strong. He performed until he could no longer stand. When he died on 15 October 2011, Zimbabwe lost more than a musician. We lost a son, a brother, a storyteller. 14 years later, this October 2025, we remember him. We remember the man who smiled through pain. The man who wore his signature smile. The man who proved that Sungura could speak to every Zimbabwean heart. His son, Peter Moyo, carries the guitar now. But the father's shadow is long and loving. Dhewa did not die. Musicians never truly disappear. Their music changes address from the stage to our hearts, from the radio to our memories, from one generation to the next. Tongai “Dhewa” Moyo (1968–2011). Forever in our hearts. Your music lives on. In memory of all those who have succumbed to Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and in solidarity with those still facing the disease, may this remembrance also encourage people to seek medical attention for persistent or concerning symptoms. Tongai Dhewa Moyo remembrance

By Mpundu Valerie Disclaimer: This personal story is shared for cancer awareness only and is not medical advice. Please seek early medical attention at your clinic if you experience persistent or concerning symptoms. Morgan was the kind of man who would plant anything 'paruware,' and it would grow. His hands were gifted. We never lacked anything. My husband was a provider, caring and loving, who understood the importance of land. As a city girl, I had never pictured myself in the field. Well, that was before Morgan came and snatched the city lights out of me. Everyone in my family was surprised by a typical city girl settling for a farm boy. Interventions were done. They thought I was being manipulated, had lost my mind. But I was only in love and would give up anything just to be with Morgan, who had told me, "In 5 years, I will change your life". Young, naive, and ambitious, I thought if I was to achieve greatness by 25, then Forbes was surely going to land in Murehwa. Well, his idea of changing me lay in the land. At first I was hesitant. I didn't like the sun, I didn't like mud. My beloved husband had structured our home in a modern way. It's the field I didn't like. He never forced me, he just kept saying, "One day, some day, if not soon, the Lord will open your eyes, you will realise what gold we have in land, my beautiful wife. Remain loved." Years went by. Morgan became an agrarian legend, extensively practising horticulture. The man knew what he wanted, and there was always surplus. We never lacked. Cabbages, tomatoes, beetroot, onions, butternuts, covo, bell peppers... whatever he sowed to the ground grew. Even stone! He took care of his crops like they were his children. Wherever he noticed an attack on his plants, he strapped on the knapsack, mixed pesticides sometimes with bare hands, no mask, no gloves. "Ndajaira," he would say. He never listened when you told him someone was coming to spray the whole field. He would go in before the guys came. You couldn't talk him out of it. But last year, something else started surviving in his body. A small painless lump on the left side of his neck. No pain. He thought maybe a red spider mite had bitten him. We settled for mumps. Then another in the armpit. Then night sweats he would wake up with his shirt soaked even in the coldest July winter. Weight was falling off despite eating normally. He grew weary day by day. Yet still he wouldn't stop going into the fields, no matter how many times I warned him. I had to literally beg him: _"Hekani Makombe Maita Makombe akakomberedza nyika Maita wari Barwe Gwindingwi guru Kuziwa kwenyu Nyanguru Zvaitwa Nguruve Chirema Mutakurwa Wane muromo unenge gombe rekucheresa mvura...."_ Then we went to the clinic. Antibiotics were given. The lump didn't go away. That is the classic trap of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). NHL is a group of blood cancers that start in the lymphatic system, the body's infection-fighting network. It happens when white blood cells called lymphocytes get a genetic mistake, multiply fast, and live longer than they should. It can be slow- or fast-growing and has over 70 subtypes. Common signs: painless swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin, persistent unexplained fevers, drenching night sweats, unintended weight loss, extreme fatigue, itchy skin. It is diagnosed by physical exam, blood tests, scans, and a definitive biopsy. Risk is linked to immune weakness, certain infections, and prolonged exposure to certain chemicals, pesticides, weed killers, and benzene have been associated with elevated risk. The cancer grew. I watched my husband suffer. Persistent unexplained fevers, drenching night sweats, extreme fatigue. Sometimes he would scratch all over, his skin was itchy. He lost weight. He grew to half his size. This is the time my chapter 37 was questioned in sickness and in health. I questioned every decision I had made before the day everything started changing. I knelt and asked for strength. Yes, he had created a life for us, but a life without him was unbearable not only for me, but for our 4 children and everybody else who knew him. I prayed for healing, but when God decides your case, you can't appeal. Morgan fell to the ground on 08/02/26. A message to those who work in the fields If you work with pesticides, please do not allow familiarity to make you careless. Follow the product label and safety instructions. Use the protective equipment specified for the chemical you are handling, including appropriate gloves and respiratory protection where required. Avoid direct contact with chemicals, never mix them with bare hands, and wash your hands and exposed skin after handling them. Change and wash contaminated clothing safely, following the product's instructions. And please, do not ignore a persistent, painless swelling in your neck, armpit, or groin, especially if it comes with night sweats, unexplained weight loss, or ongoing fatigue. These symptoms do not automatically mean cancer, but they deserve prompt medical assessment. Do not wait for pain before seeking help. Morgan fed our family. His land fed our neighbours. His crops fed people he would never meet. He grew everything except the time he needed to remain with us. To the dust you shall return, my beloved Makombe. I hope you are resting in peace now, cheating on me with the one you always cheated on me with, the land. You loved it so much that even I had to learn to share you with it. He fed everyone, but his field fed him cancer. May your story save someone else's life. For your awareness journey, kindly share: 263 774 778 179. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma awareness

By Percy Pinias Nhara, Harare Police in Beatrice are investigating an alleged extortion case in which a grieving widow claims a traditional healer demanded US$250,000 over alleged goblins supposedly acquired by her late husband. The incident reportedly occurred a day after the woman buried her husband, when the healer allegedly summoned her to his homestead and claimed that the deceased owed him the money. According to reports published by H-Metro, the healer, identified as Sekuru Amos Kafera of Gaths Farm in Beatrice, allegedly threatened that the widow and her children would die if she failed to settle the purported debt. The widow claims Kafera subsequently removed a python from a sack and told her that the snake had belonged to her late husband. Fearing for her life and the safety of her children, she allegedly agreed to pay. Kafera is accused of sending workers to the widow’s home to collect a tractor, a disc plough, a Toyota vehicle, 13 cattle and US$13,000 in cash. The property allegedly taken was valued at more than US$60,000, according to the reports. The widow further claims that she continued to face pressure to pay an additional US$48,200. She reportedly confided in relatives, who advised her to report the matter. One of her grandchildren subsequently went to Kafera’s homestead and recovered the tractor and disc plough before the family approached the police. Reports indicate that property and cash valued at US$33,000 have since been recovered. Police have confirmed that investigations are underway. No court finding establishing criminal liability has been reported in the information available, and the allegations against Kafera remain unproven. The case has drawn attention to concerns about the alleged exploitation of vulnerable people through threats and claims of supernatural debts, particularly during periods of grief and emotional distress. Kafera has previously attracted media attention through interviews in which he reportedly claimed to use goblins to assist clients from various professions and backgrounds. According to those reports, his alleged clients included pastors, prophets, business executives, sex workers, kombi operators, truck drivers and car dealers. He reportedly claimed that some people sought spiritual assistance to prophesy in church, attract wealth, repair troubled marriages or bring back spouses who had left their homes. The latest allegations, however, are now the subject of a police investigation, with the focus on the property and money allegedly obtained from the widow. Further details, including the full circumstances surrounding the alleged transactions and the recovery of the property, are expected to emerge as investigations continue. Southerton Business Times will update this story as verified information becomes available. Beatrice traditional healer extortion case

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare Zimbabwe has revised licensing fees for payment service providers, introducing a US$5,000 application fee for new providers and annual licence charges linked to turnover under Statutory Instrument 17 of 2025. The Banking (Money Transmission, Mobile Banking and Mobile Money Interoperability) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, were gazetted on February 28, 2025, by the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion under Section 81 of the Banking Act [Chapter 24:20]. The regulations amend the fee schedule established under Statutory Instrument 80 of 2020, affecting banks, fintech companies and other businesses seeking to provide payment services in Zimbabwe. For international fintech firms and local businesses planning to enter the market, the changes make licensing costs an important consideration in assessing market-entry plans and ongoing compliance obligations. New application and annual licence fees The revised First Schedule sets out application charges for different categories of payment service providers. The listed fees are denominated in United States dollars and exclude value-added tax (VAT). The key charges are: Application or licence category Fee Application for a new payment service provider US$5,000 Application to enhance an existing payment service provider’s products US$1,000 Application for a new auxiliary or ancillary service provider US$500 Application to enhance an auxiliary or ancillary service provider US$100 Annual payment service provider licence 2% of gross annual turnover, capped at US$50,000 Annual auxiliary or ancillary service provider licence 1% of gross annual turnover, capped at US$15,000 The distinction between the two provider categories is important. The US$50,000 annual cap applies to payment service providers, while auxiliary or ancillary service providers have a separate annual charge of 1% of gross annual turnover, capped at US$15,000. For example, a payment service provider with gross annual turnover of US$1 million would incur a calculated annual licence charge of US$20,000 under the 2% formula, subject to the applicable rules. A provider with turnover of US$3 million would reach the US$50,000 cap. The application fee and annual licence fee are separate charges. Businesses should also account for VAT and any other applicable regulatory or operational costs when budgeting for entry into the market. The regulations further provide that Zimbabwean applicants may pay the fees in local currency at the prevailing foreign exchange rate on the date of payment. What the changes mean for fintech companies The revised fee schedule replaces the earlier schedule under the 2020 regulations and gives prospective providers clearer fee categories for applications, product enhancements and annual licensing. International fintech companies, money transmission businesses and mobile money operators should first establish which regulatory category applies to their proposed services before calculating their expected costs. This is particularly important for businesses offering several products, since the fee schedule distinguishes between new payment service providers, existing providers seeking to enhance their products, and auxiliary or ancillary service providers. The statutory instrument addresses fees. Meeting the financial requirements alone should not be treated as confirmation that a business has satisfied all the conditions for operating in Zimbabwe. The Reserve Bank’s recognition framework The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) publishes a Framework for the Recognition of Payment Systems in Zimbabwe, issued in April 2016. The framework forms part of the regulatory material relevant to businesses seeking recognition for payment-system activities. The licensing and recognition route will depend on the nature of the proposed service and the requirements applicable to the applicant. Businesses should consult the RBZ and obtain appropriate legal advice before commencing operations. The source material for this article also identifies partnership with a locally authorised financial institution as an important consideration for non-bank providers. However, prospective applicants should confirm the current requirements directly with the RBZ rather than assume that the same arrangement applies to every business model. Compliance remains essential For companies planning to enter Zimbabwe’s payments market, the revised fees provide a starting point for assessing the cost of an application and ongoing licensing. Prospective applicants should confirm their regulatory classification, the applicable fee, the treatment of VAT, payment arrangements and any additional approval requirements before submitting an application. As digital payments and mobile financial services continue to develop, understanding the regulatory framework will be important for businesses seeking to operate lawfully and sustainably in Zimbabwe. The full fee schedule is contained in Statutory Instrument 17 of 2025, published in the Government Gazette on February 28, 2025. Zimbabwe payment service provider licence fees

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare The Insurance and Pensions Commission (IPEC) has assumed centralised regulatory oversight of medical aid societies and medical aid funds in Zimbabwe, ending the previous arrangement under which regulatory responsibilities were shared with the Ministry of Health and Child Care. The change was announced by IPEC Commissioner Dr Grace Muradzikwa through Circular 37 of 2026, issued on October 5, following the enactment of the Insurance and Pensions Commission Amendment Act No. 2 of 2026. According to the circular, IPEC will now serve as the principal supervisory authority for the medical funding industry, with health schemes required to direct regulatory and administrative applications to the commission. The reported change is intended to consolidate oversight of medical aid providers under one regulator, covering financial reporting, governance, membership contributions and complaints from beneficiaries. New regulatory framework Previously, medical aid societies operated under the regulatory framework administered by the Ministry of Health and Child Care, including the Medical Services Act [Chapter 15:13] and the Medical Services (Medical Aid Societies) Regulations, 2000, under Statutory Instrument 330 of 2000. The new framework provides for the IPEC Act to take precedence where provisions of the earlier legislation conflict with the amended law. The supplied regulatory notice also cites clarification from the Attorney-General’s Office that the current legal framework does not provide for overlapping supervisory authority between IPEC and the Health Ministry. Until permanent regulations are finalised, IPEC is expected to use interim directives, operational circulars and policy guidelines to oversee the sector. The Association of Healthcare Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ), a representative body for healthcare funders, was copied on Circular 37. AHFoZ is expected to continue its internal self-regulatory activities for members, including ethical coordination and engagement on healthcare provider fee benchmarks. However, formal regulatory oversight is to be exercised by IPEC under the reported new arrangement. Medical aid schemes face new reporting requirements Under the revised system, medical aid societies and other medical funding entities must submit regulatory applications and administrative processes to IPEC. These include applications for registration and annual renewal, proposed changes to corporate names, and the vetting and approval of board members and principal officers. The commission will also handle proposed changes to member contributions, benefit packages, scheme rules and constitutional provisions. Other matters falling within the reported oversight framework include the authorisation of mergers between funds, business transfers and scheme dissolutions. Medical aid entities will also be required to submit quarterly financial reports, annual audited financial statements and actuarial evaluation reports. The commission is further expected to handle complaints from members that remain unresolved after internal procedures have been exhausted. The requirements place financial reporting, governance and beneficiary grievances within the same regulatory framework, potentially giving the commission a more consolidated view of the sector’s operations. Outstanding applications must be transferred Medical aid entities with applications previously submitted to the Ministry of Health and Child Care but not yet resolved have been given 30 days from October 5 to notify IPEC in writing and provide copies of the relevant files. An administrative handover between IPEC and the ministry is also under way to transfer historical records while maintaining continuity of medical aid services. The transition will require affected schemes to review their outstanding applications and ensure that future submissions follow the commission’s procedures. For beneficiaries, the effectiveness of the new arrangement will depend on how consistently the regulator applies financial safeguards, governance standards and complaint-handling requirements. Consolidated oversight could reduce uncertainty over where schemes and members should direct regulatory matters. However, the practical impact will depend on implementation, the final regulations and the commission’s ability to enforce its requirements. IPEC medical aid regulation Zimbabwe

By Simbarashe Namusi Mr Mavhunga is sixty-three and a composite, the kind of man every Masvingo village knows. He is claiming the headmanship his grandfather held. A rival family disputes it. Oral history will not settle the matter, because both families have one. What he is banking on is a line in a district record from the colonial years. In it, a native commissioner wrote down his grandfather's name and the kraal he governed. Mr Mavhunga has never seen the page. He has been told it is in the National Archives in Masvingo, and he is counting on it being there. On 5 October, a hailstorm struck the city. According to All Zim News, it caused extensive damage to infrastructure, and the Archives were affected. Staff are now drying the damaged documents on lines, page by page, held with wooden pegs. Photographs published by the outlet show rows of paper hanging across a hall like Monday washing. The people doing this work are doing it carefully. A wet page handled roughly tears. A wet page left alone grows mould within days. Whoever chose the pegs chose well. But look at what the pegs say. This is the memory of a country: land records, court files, administrative papers, the documents that settle who held what and who decided what. Disputes like Mr Mavhunga's are argued from them. They are drying the way a family dries school uniforms. The rival family has no page. Its case rests on what the elders say, and the elders are old. Mr Mavhunga's case rests on paper that is currently pegged to a string. A hailstorm is weather, and weather cannot be scheduled. The roof, the drainage, the shelving and the conservation budget can be. Whether any of that failed here is a question for those who run the building, and I do not know the answer. I know only that a well-protected archive does not need a clothesline. We are a country that argues loudly about the past. We recognise chiefs and headmen, unveil statues and hold commemorations. All of it assumes the record underneath is intact. Spending on the ceremony is easy to see. Spending on the box, the shelf and the dry room is not, and nobody cuts a ribbon for a dehumidifier. One day Mr Mavhunga will carry his grandfather's name to the Archives and ask for the file. Someone will go to look. Some pages will have dried flat. Some will not have survived. Simbarashe Namusi is a media expert writing in his personal capacity Masvingo National Archives

By Mpundu Valerie At just 13, Anita Kupakwashe Muranda is already discovering that a little flour, a splash of food colouring and a generous helping of determination can open the door to unexpected possibilities. Until last year, Anita had never imagined herself in a kitchen, apron dusted with flour and hands busy creating cakes. Then came her first baking class, an experience she describes as a turning point almost like stepping through a magic portal into a world of self-discovery. She fell in love at first bake. "I was intrigued by my first class. I loved how the teacher made creaming seem so easy. I loved how she separated the eggs and I marvelled at myself, that's skill," she said. "It was on that day my interest was piqued. I adored and cherished the technique, simple yet eloquent. I loved it." That was when flavour and fusion were planted in her taste buds. "When it comes to confectionery craft, I have my own share of skill, hence, I am a certified cake engineer," she said, eureka pride beaming on her shy face. At 13, Anita has managed to balance her busy schedule with help and support from her family, whom she says have been her strongest support system from the onset. "I am a boarder and usually do my cakes on weekends and holidays when I am at home. My family has been so supportive and have always had my back. For that I am super proud and grateful," she said. Still finding her feet within the kitchen, Anita dreams even bigger — she wishes to be an air hostess. "If I can bake, why stop dreaming? I would love to incorporate experiences lived and those given to me to better myself," she said. As a beginner, her first client was her neighbour. "When she first approached me, I thought she was being funny. I never took her seriously, I kept asking her to confirm countless times. After some time, I told myself I could do this. With determination and courage, I gave her her first delicious bite. She couldn't believe it, I couldn't believe it either. Seeing her smile made me realise I could bring joy to people through baking. She kept telling people who wanted cakes to come to me," she said with a huge, beautiful grin. Like every other baker, she has had her fair share of bad cake. "Oh, I remember this very well. I forgot to put my oven on bake, it was just on grill, and my family had just had a braai. I just rushed to put my cake in there... it flopped. I panicked, but my mom took me through it all. She helped me to calm down, telling me every business has its good and bad days, but always keep up the positive spirit and let go of the negative energy." For now, she continues to learn, practise and build her confidence, with family encouragement helping her navigate both the successes and the occasional kitchen disaster. From flour-covered aprons to the promise of beautifully finished cakes, Anita's story is a reminder that talent can emerge in unexpected places and that age need not be a barrier to exploring one's potential. At 13, she may still be finding her feet, but her enthusiasm suggests that this young baker has plenty of room to grow. Indeed, dynamite comes in sweet teeth. Young Zimbabwean baker Anita Muranda

By Mpundu Valerie Educational illustration only: This story is based on lived experience in an asbestos-mining community. Names are used with consent. Characters and images are intended for educational purposes. We grew up where dust was normal. The white dust settled on our sadza. Sometimes, you could taste it before you saw it. We played near the dumps, our clothes covered in dust. Nobody wore masks back then. Nobody explained the asbestos risk to us in a way we could understand. We thought if dust was going to kill you, it would kill you that same year. We did not know that asbestos-related diseases could remain hidden for decades before showing themselves. My brother Sfiso had worked at the mine for more than 30 years. The mine fed us, clothed us, and gave us a home. His sweat paid our school fees and kept food on our table. Sfiso told me I couldn't lecture him on health hazards as long as I didn't have children to look after. He said that Advanced Level education wasn't enough for me to lecture him. It was then I knew my place. Despite our differences, Sfiso and I were close. He took me in when our parents died. By then, he had only four children his third was my age. I fit in, and traditionally I was their father. You know, having grown up together, they would tease me, "Kababa kadiki so, ahh ngaatange akura" even now, as adults, they still refuse to call me "ubaba omncane". We are literally the same age. To them, I am still Sbusiso. My brother remained at the mine. The whole family was well provided for. In 2022, he started complaining of persistent chest pains and shortness of breath. A lot of assumptions and opinions were thrown to the table -tuberculosis. Other schools of thought had asthma. Nobody anticipated the great danger beyond their own diagnosis. He treated every cough with traditional remedies and cough syrups. Sfiso never liked visiting the men in white coats and stethoscopes around their necks. In the mine, if you go to the clinic, they mark you as weak and cut your shift. Sfiso couldn't afford to be weak. I advised medical attention, and he bit my head off, "For over 30 years I've looked after you, how can you say the mine is making me sick? I took all 8 of you to school through searching the crust of the earth, today you want to tell me otherwise." I knew not to ever bring it up. We watched as this dry cough would not go away. He started deteriorating in weight and had this inexplicable general body weakness. His belts had to make new holes. He extended his hours in bed. He stopped going to the growth point in the evenings. He stopped eating meat, saying it was getting stuck. Whenever I asked, he would say, "Maybe I'm trying for another child." My brother was one man who would give you a befitting response you wouldn't dare question any further. In the last two months, he couldn't lie flat. He slept sitting up on three pillows, holding his chest. He would wake at 2 am struggling for air, we would hear him outside coughing so we wouldn't worry. His voice became small. He taught me to be a father to his children, yet I failed to be a son to him when he was sick. I let him say he was fine because I was scared of his answer. He nursed his own path to the grave. The day we finally sat down, he openly said, "A lot of stigma surrounds us men, I have to suffer in silence rather than open up. With the way my health is deteriorating, I doubt I will live past this Christmas. I feel the boogeyman is coming to collect. Whatever it is, I can't fight no more. I gave you guys a life, and I am proud of each and every one of you." It felt like he was writing our own epitaphs. Realising the imminent danger, I drove him to hospital. The doctor turned the screen to me his lungs were squeezed by water, he couldn't expand. The lining was thick, white, with fluid around it. He called it pleural effusion. That is when we finally heard the word that explained everything. They diagnosed him with mesothelioma, a cancer of the thin lining that covers the lungs and chest wall (pleura). The doctors explained that tiny mineral fibers from the earth's crust, breathed in many years ago as dust, can stay in that lining for 20-40 years before causing thickening, fluid build-up and tumor growth. It is not contagious. Only imaging and biopsy can diagnose it. After diagnosis he was in and out of hospital to drain the water from his chest. Each drain gave him a few days where he could breathe and talk properly, then the water came back. He lost more weight, his eyes sank, he couldn't walk to the toilet alone. The last weeks he lived in a chair, not a bed. He stopped speaking about the mine and started speaking about us who would look after his children. He died struggling to breathe, but at peace that he had fed eight of us from the dust. His death left us with grief, questions and memories we could never erase. It also left us with a responsibility to speak about the risks that had been part of our lives for so long. We cannot say that every cough in a mining community is caused by asbestos. We cannot diagnose a disease from symptoms alone. But we can insist that persistent symptoms and a history of asbestos exposure are taken seriously. A persistent cough, chest pain, unexplained weight loss, or shortness of breath deserves medical assessment, particularly for anyone who has worked in or lived near an asbestos-mining environment. Such symptoms can have different causes, and only qualified health professionals can investigate them properly. I wish I had understood that sooner. I wish I had found a way to make my brother listen without making him feel that I was questioning the years he had sacrificed for us. Most of all, I wish he had known that asking for help would not have made him weak. He had already proved his strength by raising us, educating us and giving us a future. He did not need to destroy himself to prove it. Even now, his children refuse to call me ubaba omncane. To them, I am still Sbusiso. But I carry the memory of their father differently now. I remember the man who stood between eight people and hunger, the man who worked through the dust, the man who kept giving even when his body was asking him to stop. Sfiso fed eight of us from the dust. Our duty now is to make sure that the next generation understands the danger hidden in it. To share your journey: 263 774 778 179 Disclaimer: This story is for educational and awareness purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Anyone experiencing persistent chest pain, breathing difficulties, an ongoing cough or unexplained weight loss should seek medical attention. Asbestos exposure and mesothelioma

By Mpundu Valerie Christmas Eve at OK was everything. They had Father Christmas sitting on the hay stack at the entrance. Long white beard. Christmas lights blinking. Sweets. Parcels wrapped in shiny boxes. Every kid wanted a turn on his lap. I hated Jimmy. I was only 8! He was this coloured guy trying to win my mother’s heart. Every weekend he would come, hoot twice outside our apartment block, then drive away with my mom for hours. I would be left with Aunty Mavis, someone I never liked. My neighbours were nosy. My mom was the only single parent there. It felt like we were always on people's lips. That night, Mom said, "Be a good boy. Father Christmas is coming." I didn’t sleep. I stayed by the curtain in my room, peeping through, waiting. Around 11pm I heard it. Hoot hoot. Jimny’s car.That green Suzuki Jimny. My first thought was he had come to ruin my Christmas again. I looked through the window. He took a big red sack from the boot. Instead of coming straight inside, he stood under the Christmas lights outside, fixing something. I watched closer. Jimmy pulled out a long white beard. The same beard from OK. Red hat. He was putting it on. Adjusting it. He had a sack full of gifts on his back. It was him. Father Christmas from OK was Jimmey. All those sweets, those parcels, it was Jimmy the whole time. The man I hated. Something just dropped in my chest. I didn’t cry. I just stood there while my magic died. I ran back to bed and pretended to be asleep. He came in shouting, "HO HO HO!" I didn’t even smile. He left a parcel on my bed. I didn’t open it for two days. That was the night my childhood ended. Life turned out differently. Jimmy never left. He stayed. He paid my school fees. He gave me siblings. He gave us a family. He and Mom are still going strong. He is my dad. To this day, I still tell him, "You hurt me as a kid. You stole Father Christmas from me." He just laughs. "I was just trying to make you like me, my son." Now I understand. He wasn’t stealing Christmas. He was trying to build one for us. To date, I owe what and who I am to the man who raised me. I never made it easy for him to step into my territory. I was so overprotective of my mom. To him, that didn’t matter. He took me as his own. He was present whenever I needed him. Taught me right from wrong. Above all, he showed me what love is. Christmas came early. Merry Christmas to all the Jimmys out there Robbed of My Childhood

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare Young women across Southern Africa are being urged to embrace artificial intelligence (AI), develop digital skills and create home-grown solutions that address the region’s economic and social challenges. The call was made following the second Global Digital Forum, held in Moscow, Russia, last week, where more than 1,300 guests and experts from 111 countries gathered to discuss artificial intelligence, digital sovereignty and international cooperation. The forum brought together technology professionals, government representatives, researchers, entrepreneurs and civil society participants. Its high-level plenary, titled “The AI Race: One Set of Rules or Many?”, featured Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Grigorenko. Speaking to Zimpapers, Ambassador of the Monomutapa Kingdom (South Africa) to Zimbabwe and Pan-African youth development specialist Anne Mugwagwa said African countries needed to play an active role in shaping global AI policies rather than simply adopting decisions made elsewhere. “Our region must move beyond simply participating in global conversations to actively shaping them,” she said. “Africa must not simply consume the digital future. It must help create it.” For Southern Africa, the debate extends beyond technological development to include youth unemployment, digital skills, entrepreneurship and the participation of women in the emerging digital economy. Mugwagwa said young people and women should be recognised as creators and decision-makers in technology, rather than merely consumers of digital products and services. “Our young people and women must be recognised not merely as users of technology, but as innovators, entrepreneurs and decision-makers,” she said. She added that AI could open opportunities for women to strengthen their economic independence, assume leadership roles and participate in emerging industries. However, Mugwagwa cautioned that access to technology alone was insufficient to deliver meaningful economic benefits without the skills and resources needed to use it productively. “Having access to technology is important, but having the skills, resources and opportunities to use it productively is what creates lasting impact,” she said. She identified affordable internet connectivity, relevant training, investment and safe digital environments as important conditions for enabling young women to participate more fully in the digital economy. Her remarks also highlighted the need to connect international discussions on AI governance with practical outcomes at community level. “International partnerships and agreements are valuable, but their real success must be measured by what they deliver to communities,” she said. “The challenge now is to translate international dialogue into practical, measurable and inclusive development across Southern Africa.” For the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the growing use of AI presents opportunities to develop locally relevant applications in areas such as agriculture, education, healthcare and small-business development. Turning those opportunities into tangible benefits, however, requires investment in skills, infrastructure and access to technology. Mugwagwa’s message places particular emphasis on ensuring that young women are included in this process, with the ability to develop solutions suited to their communities and participate in decisions about how emerging technologies are used. As countries debate the rules governing AI, the challenge for Southern Africa will be to ensure that digital development creates opportunities for local innovators and supports inclusive economic growth. The forum’s discussions have therefore renewed attention on the importance of African participation in shaping the digital future and translating international cooperation into practical solutions for communities across the region. Anne Mugwagwa urges young women across Southern Africa to embrace AI, build digital skills and develop home-grown solutions for regional challenges. Young SADC women in AI Suggested tags Artificial Intelligence SADC Women in Technology Digital Skills Anne Mugwagwa Global Digital Forum Category Technology / Business / Regional Affairs Editorial checks before publication Verify the forum details: Confirm the official name, dates, attendance figures, participating countries and the plenary speaker against the event's official materials. Confirm Mugwagwa’s title: Verify the exact official designation of the Monomutapa Kingdom ambassadorship and how it should be styled. Check the timing: The source says the forum was held “last week”. Use the precise dates if available. Keep regional claims attributed: The discussion of AI opportunities in agriculture, healthcare, education and small businesses is contextual framing, not a direct statement from Mugwagwa in the supplied text. Avoid implying a formal SADC directive: The call for young women to embrace AI is attributed to Mugwagwa; the supplied material does not establish it as an official SADC position.

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare Primary school pupils from Harare are showcasing a proposed traffic solution at Africa Skills Week 2026, demonstrating how early STEM education can help young people develop practical responses to challenges facing their communities. The pupils, from Lusitânia Primary School, exhibited a working model of a proposed flyover at the Chiremba Road and Robert Mugabe Road intersection, designed to ease traffic congestion and reduce fatal road accidents. The project was among the exhibits presented on the opening day of Africa Skills Week, running from October 12 to 16 at the Harare International Conference Centre. Organised by the African Union Commission in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, the event was officially opened by President Emmerson Mnangagwa under the theme “Skills for Resilient and Competitive African Industries: From Training to Value Creation”. The initiative reflects the Government’s efforts to promote innovation through Education 5.0, innovation hubs, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, and digital skills development. Skills Audit and Development Minister Dr Jenfan Muswere said the week was intended to connect young innovators with institutions and stakeholders capable of supporting their ideas. “It will bring together institutions, industry and young innovators with policy makers, investors and partners,” he said. “Africa Skills Week is about turning training into jobs, enterprises and shared prosperity for our young people.” Representing Harare Metropolitan Province, Lusitânia Primary School’s STEM and Robotics Club presented a model incorporating timber, recycled plastics and artificial foliage. The model is powered by solar energy and includes a proposed camera system designed to detect traffic violations, monitor accidents and alert emergency response teams. Lusitânia head of academics Dr Patricia Gonde said the project demonstrated the importance of developing practical skills from an early age. “Practical skills begin at home and are given clear direction in primary school,” she said. “At Lusitânia, our strength lies in nurturing these foundational science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills from an early age.” Project mentors Kilford Mukarati and Kathleen Chipadza said the model represented months of research and problem-solving by the pupils. The project has already received recognition at several levels, winning first place at the Harare District STEM Competition before securing top honours at provincial level. It was also showcased at the National Research Symposium in July and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in August. For the learners, the proposed flyover addresses a familiar problem: traffic congestion on roads used daily by commuters and motorists. Pupil Zuva Chibaya explained that artificial intelligence was central to the proposed monitoring system, which would track vehicles and their movements. Another learner, Kayla Siwela, said the design envisaged connecting the system to a nearby station to help ensure a quicker response when incidents occur. Although still presented as a school model, the project illustrates how young learners can apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, while exploring the potential role of technology in road safety and traffic management. Africa Skills Week provides a platform for such ideas to reach a wider audience, bringing pupils and other innovators into discussions about skills development, industrial growth and solutions to Africa’s development challenges. The Lusitânia pupils’ exhibit also highlights the potential of practical STEM education to nurture problem-solvers who can begin addressing local challenges long before entering the professional engineering field. Lusitânia pupils traffic innovation

By Southerton Business Times Reporter, Harare Zimbabweans making a difference through innovation, mentorship and community development will be recognised at the second edition of the Zimbabwe Impact Awards (Zimpact), scheduled to take place in Harare in the coming two weeks. Held under the theme “Celebrating Excellence. Inspiring Impact”, the awards seek to shine a light on individuals whose work is improving lives, often without public recognition. Speaking to Zimpapers yesterday, Zimpact executive director Evermore Kangani said the initiative was focused on creating lasting change beyond the awards ceremony. “Empowerment is not simply putting a young innovator on a stage and handing them a certificate. Empowerment is what happens after the applause,” she said. “Recognition is the entry point, not the destination.” Kangani’s remarks highlight the awards’ emphasis on sustained support for innovators and community builders whose contributions could have a wider impact if given greater visibility and opportunities. Among those associated with the initiative is Universal Woman Zimbabwe 2025 and Style Bar manager Shelly Bent, who believes empowerment should extend beyond outward appearance to personal growth and the ability to uplift others. “I believe beauty must go beyond what we see on the outside; it must shape who we become as a whole,” she said. “True beauty is creating a generation that doesn’t just look empowered, but is empowered enough to empower others.” Michael Moyo, founder of The Mentorship and Coaching Circle, said lasting transformation required investment in personal development, coaching and mentorship. “Ultimately, sustainable transformation begins from within,” he said. “Investing in their inner development, coaching and mentorship is an investment in the sustainability of Zimbabwe, Africa and beyond.” In agriculture, engineer Panashe Kahonde is working to develop affordable tools for farmers, drawing on his own experience growing up on a subsistence farm. Kahonde said innovation would only transform agriculture if farmers could access and afford the technologies being developed. “Technology does not transform agriculture; accessible technology does,” he said. “Africa should not just consume innovation, Africa should define it.” The perspectives of Bent, Moyo and Kahonde reflect the range of contributions the awards seek to celebrate, from personal empowerment and mentorship to practical solutions for challenges facing communities and productive sectors. For many innovators, limited visibility can mean fewer opportunities to secure support, develop their ideas or extend their reach. Recognition can help bring their work to wider attention, although sustained progress also depends on access to resources, skills and networks. As the second edition approaches, Zimpact is positioning the awards as a platform for recognising people whose work may not always attract headlines but whose ideas and efforts have the potential to create meaningful change. The ceremony is expected to bring attention to the people behind these initiatives and reinforce the importance of supporting innovation, mentorship and locally driven solutions in Zimbabwe. Zimpact Awards Zimbabwe