The government of Zimbabwe has now roped in the Public Service Commission to force the hand of the teachers who, through their various labour bodies have rejected offers from the government so far, the latter is also digging in with the President, ED Mnangagwa vowing not to pay teachers the US$540 salary they are demanding.

The PSC has issued an ultimatum to teachers essentially if they do not report for duty by the 22^nd of February they are deemed to have resigned, with the PSC starting the recruitment of new teachers shortly after that.

Below is the full statement from the PSC.

1. The opening of schools has brought to the fore the importance of safeguarding the inalienable right of every Zimbabwean child to an education as provided for in Section 75 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe.

2. It is in this context that Government has, in its efforts to improve the welfare of its workers, continued to engage with workers’ representatives in the National Joint Negotiating Council (NJNC).

3. The NJNC meeting held on the 11^th of February 2022 welcomed the directive by His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa to improve the Government offer to its employees through a combination of monetary and non-monetary incentives.

4. In the category of non-monetary benefits, teachers would benefit from a school fees exemption to cover three children per family.

5. Plans were also announced to construct institutional accommodation for teachers at or around the school premises. The total would be 34 000 units over a five-year period.

6. Government shall maintain the current vehicle duty-free privilege for civil servants.

7. Advancement awards within grades, which had been suspended for some time, will be resumed with immediate effect to recognize seniority.

8. Government notes with concern that, in spite of the significant steps it has taken to improve conditions of service, working with the Apex Council, some teachers continue to absent themselves from work, with some reporting for duty but not working.

9. This has had the effect of depriving learners of their inalienable right to education as well as prejudicing parents of their significant investment in their children’s education.

10. This behaviour on the part of some teachers is all the more distressing in view of the fact that it is coming at a time when learners have already lost more than a month of learning in 2022 alone due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and were therefore looking forward to the opportunity to catch up with their studies.

11. Such behaviour cannot be tolerated as it will have a lasting, negative impact on an entire generation.

12. It is in this context that Government is taking the following measures:

13. All teachers, deputy heads and heads of schools who do not report for duty by Tuesday 22 February 2022 will be deemed to have resigned from the service;

• Those reporting for duty but not teaching will also be deemed to have resigned;

• All those who will have in that manner so resigned and were occupying institutional accommodation are expected to vacate the same with immediate effect;

• Unemployed trained teachers, university and college graduates in the sciences, engineering, technical, vocational areas and other disciplines who are interested in joining the teaching profession should ensure that they are registered at the nearest district education offices as the recruitment process shall begin soon after the 22^nd of February 2022; and

• Those deemed to have resigned shall not be eligible for this recruitment.

13. Government has taken the position that it will now work with those who demonstrate their commitment by performing their duties at all times to serve the nation.

14. In terms of Section 75 sub-section 4 of the Constitution of Zimbabwe, concerning the right to education, the Government of Zimbabwe has already taken reasonable legislative and other measures, within the limits of the resources available to it, to achieve the progressive realisation of the right to education.

The post Report for Duty or You’re Fired! Zim government gives striking Teachers Ultimatum appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The new fares come into effect on the 16^th of February 2022.

The fare hike is likely not going to do away with the long queues, the commuting public has to endure on a daily basis since the government banned private players.

Kombi fares have been reviewed from ZWL$80 to ZWL$100 and bus fares have been increased to ZWL$80 to ZWL$50.

Below of the full fare schedule of the new fares.

ZUPCO drivers were earlier this month on strike citing poor remuneration, a situation that saw many of the travelling masses stranded with some resorting to pirate taxis also known as Mushika-shika.

Is it high time the government re-introduced kombis, what do you think?

The post More trouble for commuters as ZUPCO hikes fares again appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

Zodwa was recently on a very popular podcast in South Africa hosted by Tebogo Thobejane. During the hour long podcast Zodwa spoke about her marriage with Ginimbi and also took the liberty to clarify a few misconceptions she felt people had about her ex-husband.

When asked if Ginimbi was a blesser Zodwa immediately said “He was never a blesser, he would never be a blesser. He just used the girls because they were so loose and so cheap”. She went on to say “But what I knew, Genius never bought no girl a car. Genius never bought no girl an LV bag. Genius never bought no… he would spend his money in the club”.

Zodwa went on to encourage women to be more hardworking and aspire to have their own money than to rely on “blessers” for money. She also tackled other issues and shared her opinion on practices like stripping for money or having multiple sex partners. Zodwa also revealed that she has had less than five sex partners and she is a testament that hard work pays off more than aligning yourself with rich men.

When asked about her expensive cars and taste she responded that there is no rule that forbids friends from buying gifts for friends. She was also asked if Genius really had a “money snake”. To this question she responded “Can you believe that a snake can give money?”

She also answered questions about Genius’ source of income, her dating life, and also shared some of the events that took place on the day that Genius passed on.

Below is the video with the full podcast interview

The post WATCH; “Ginimbi Was Never A Blesser” says ex-wife Zodwa Mkandla appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The current state of the Zimbabwean economy is no secret. From an almost inexplicable 1:1 bond note to USD exchange rate to 200:1 +, this is just one of the tell tale signs of an unstable economy. A couple of moves have been made by the government and looking back, its now adding up.

Now you are probably thinking of all those times Zimbabwe’s economy analysts and other reputable sources stated that Zimbabwean was headed towards greener pastures. Eddie Cross issued a statement going in depth on how the economy of Zimbabwe was positioned in a way that it was finally set for stability. The International Monetary Fund  (IMF) seemed to back up those statements stating that Zimbabwe’s economy was set to grow more than they had previously reported. All this was said just last year.

On the contrary, other reputable media sources (Bloomberg among others) shared detailed articles of the Zimbabwean economy stating that it was on the verge of collapsing.

So what’s the real deal?

Well, lets take a look on the ground.

Some of the steps taken by government to date

The government has announced various measures from the time the statements on the economy being headed in the right direction were made to date. Now, looking carefully at how far we have come, the economy seems further from the “stability” that has been spoken about.

Here are some of the events that have taken place thus far that we will soon dissect to get a clear position on where we are as a country.

• Mthuli Ncube announces 50% duty on car imports is payable in Zim dollars.
• Announcement of $50 withdrawal at bank rate for Zimbabweans
• $50 withdrawal for general public halted

Other policy changes were stated in the 2022 Monetary Policy.

Complete 2022 Monetary Policy – DOWNLOAD HERE

A sign of a crumbling economy?

The aforementioned are just but a few measures taken by the government between 2021 and 2022. However, why did retractions or alterations have to be made on previously established policies? While changes are allowed, in our case this could be the tell tale sign of a plummeting economy.

Why?

For starters, before the announcement on duties on car import being payable in Zim dollars consider the prevailing situation. ZIMRA was experiences a huge decline in revenue coming in from vehicle imports due to high duty fees. So…no/not as much money as before. A change had to be made, right? If at least half the duty fees is payable in Zim dollar that seems incentive enough for more car imports to take place and more (seemingly much needed) money flows in.

How about the $50 withdrawal at bank rate which has now been reserved for pensioners, senior citizens and vulnerable members of society? Is it possible that in addition to the government trying to limit the people profiting from the arrangement, there also just could be less money available to continue providing the $50 withdrawal limit to the public? Could that be the same reasoning that might have lead to the further limits on mobile money transactions?

The Zim dollar continues to deplete against the USD. However, reports from local based media continue to point to a growing Zimbabwean economy so we might not get to the point where our currency is exhibited in British museums again, right?

The post New Monetary Policy: Tell Tale Signs That The Zimbabwean Economy Is In Shambles? (breaking down Monetary Policy 2022) appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

OGatsheni Architectural and Engineering has made owning property a little easier for South Africans with their Property Lifestyle Stokvel. Stokvel is a South African word that refers to a savings or investment society to which members regularly contribute an agreed amount and from which they receive a lump sum payment.

The stokvel concept is quite popular amongst women in Zimbabwe and it’s also known as “club” or “round”. Most of these “clubs” or “rounds” are used to acquire anything from groceries in bulk to cars and household furniture. Some women also use such funds to start businesses.

The oGatsheni Property Lifestyle Stokvel functions much like the classic “club” or “round”. Members are bundled in to clusters of 8 according to the premium payment chosen. Premiums range from 3 500 Rand per month to 15 000 Rand per month. These premiums are paid over 8 years and a member gets a house at the end of each year.

The houses are allocated on a “first registered first served” basis. However, they do not officially get to claim their houses until the 8 years are over and everyone has paid their full share of premiums. OGatsheni Architectural and Engineering facilitates and helps members acquire, design and build their properties.

This marketing strategy uses a common relatable concept to encourage people to view property ownership in a way they probably wouldn’t have under normal circumstances. Acquiring property is a concept that may seem far for many. People often wait for a time when they feel they can afford to make such decisions. They wait until they get better jobs or make enough income to save their money.

The oGatsheni Property Lifestyle Stokvel also has the advantage of no debt. Unlike mortgages or other house loans that have people paying premiums over long periods of time at high interest rates, this concept is just as good as saving money in a piggy bank. Being part of a group also makes one accountable and the chances of misusing the saved funds are lessened.

In a country like Zimbabwe property stokvels would be a great way for people to be home and commercial property owners. Yet the state of the economy makes this idea difficult to implement for the majority of people. The rate of unemployment is high meaning much of the population does not have a stable income. People resort to saving up to buy land then proceed to build their houses in phases and over prolonged periods of time.

The premiums charged would have to be very high as land in Zimbabwe is overpriced. A stand (piece of land) in the high density suburbs can cost between 8 000USD to 15 000 USD or more. A stand in the low density suburbs can cost anything between 100 000USD and 1 000 000 USD depending on size and location. This is before designing and building the house. OGatshenis’s property stokvel premiums start from as low as 3 500 Rand. Meaning after 8 years of premiums one gets a fully built house for 336 000 Rand (22 400 USD). Much of these premiums in Zimbabwe would be taken up by acquiring the land and this would limit the types of houses members would be at liberty to build.

Seeing such ideas implemented across the boarder shows just how bad the state of our economy is. The options when it comes to building a home are very limited. Loans and mortgages are not an option for many due to the rate of unemployment. Most incomes are not stable enough to sustain the stokvel concept as most people resort to hustling as a means of earning a living. Yet home ownership is a need for a majority of Zimbabweans.

The post SA Construction Firms Selling Houses Using “maRounds”. Zimbabwe Must Definitely Copy This. appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

It seems to be no surprise to many that Ay Poyoo has fallen for Kikky Badass. The Zimbabwean Hip Hop star is not one to shy away from flaunting her talent and figure. She has done so in a number of her videos including one that got some people thinking she had gone too far. She has also been flaunting her figure on her Only Fans account since the first quarter of 2021. Not only does she have the figure, but she is also a talented artist who managed to scoop the most awards any female artist did at the Changamire Hip Hop Awards 2021.

Would she and Ay Poyoo make a good match though? Well, let’s analyse Ay Poyoo’s CV for a sec.

Ay Poyoo rose to fame internationally with his hit song Goat. He was even feature on BBC Africa for this hit song. Beyonce is said to have copied a part of his artistry in her own video for King Already where she had a scene with goats similar to Ay Poyoo’s scene. Talk about influence! So when it comes to talent alone, this might just be our next #couplegoals just like Khanyi Mbau and our ndege boy.

However, when it comes to looks Kikky Badass’s will have to decide and we are not certain whether its a factor for the Zimbabwean star. I guess we’ll just have to wait for Kikky’s response.

The post Kikky Badass And The Ghanaian Artist Ay Poyoo…Couple Goals? appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The aggrieved woman(Ennet Masora) took to Facebook to narrate her ordeal and share screenshots of the conversation.

This is what she had to say;

I would like to name and shame Women’s bank Zimbabwe. Have never been to the bank and l don’t owe them money. Of course people make mistakes but the way this guy handled the issue shocked me. I tried to explain when he called and l told him to check the number again because last year a lady from the same bank made the same mistake and apologized. Unfortunately this guy shouted using deep deep Shona ndikapusa. Imagine if l really owed them.

Below is the exchange between the two.

As weird as it may sound this is Zimbabwean customer service in a nutshell.

With bodies like the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe(CCZ) now barely functional. Zimbabweans have resorted to creating name and shame groups on social media.

We are yet to get an official response from the bank, we will update you when we do.

The post Zimbabwe Women’s Microfinance Bank employee abuses wrong woman on WhatsApp: ‘Mari yeBank mwana we mukwasha hairare panze’ appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

According to the party’s spokesperson Fadzayi Mahere, the errant youths stoned cars were burning logs and assaulted members of the team some of which were hospitalised.

#VIDEO footage of the violent, ZANU PF-sponsored attacks on President @nelsonchamisa’s delegation in Charumbira area. Cars were seen ferrying the rented crowd and co-ordinating the attacks as violent thugs held up printed posters. pic.twitter.com/FeUXIRQoky

— MDC Alliance (@mdczimbabwe) October 11, 2021

Fadzayi Mahere’s full statement below;

#BREAKING Over 200 youths mobilized by ZANU PF have violently attacked President Chamisa’s convoy & advance team on their way to meet community leaders in Masvingo. They stoned cars, barricaded roads with burning logs & assaulted members of our team who’ve now been hospitalized.

This political violence being meted out at President Nelson Chamisa’s delegation in Masvingo is cause for concern.

Barricading roads with burning logs & chanting hate speech is primitive politics.

The regime is terrified of citizens converging for change. #ChamisaNgaapinde

 

The post BREAKING: Nelson Chamisa’s Convoy Attacked in Masvingo appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

The unfortunate incident took place at SAS Mine in Mazoe. An oxygen cylinder is said to have burst and threw the disembodied victims 200 metres away from the scene. The mine is still closed off and the Chinese Embassy revealed in a statement on Saturday that they are in close communication with the government over this issue.

The dangers of oxygen cylinders

Oxygen cylinders such as the ones that burst are well known to be dangerous when they are exposed to common materials such as grease or oil. The high pressures of oxygen carried in the cylinders react violently when it comes too much into contact with grease.

These hazards are the main reasons why proper storage of oxygen cylinders are of great importance in mines. It is common and the required practice to constantly ensure that oxygen tanks are placed where they cannot fall, placed where they don’t block exits or escape routes.

The atmosphere in the mines is important to pay attention to as mines commonly contaminated by gases such as carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and excess of carbon dioxide making it necessary to pay extra attention to these oxygen cylinders. The effects of these gases and oxygen reacting together can be avoided by creating proper ventilation systems within the mine.

Not The First Time Their Tanks Burst

Residents and workers at the SAS mine are said to have constantly been asking their Chinese bosses at the mine to pay attention to the hazards presented by these oxygen tanks at the mine. Less than two days before the Blast that killed the Chinese Mine Managers, another blast had occurred and killed one local. This situation was ignored as were others that have taken place prior to this at locals are said to have been told to continue work despite being told several times that the situation was still dangerous.

The Chinese authorities have come under fire from locals for wanting to pay attention to the situation only now that other Chinese have died. Some locals even celebrated that the death of the Chinese at this mine.

Local Sentiments

The gravity of this mine situation was emphasised when the mine workers and other locals were seen celebrating the death of the 6 Chinese. They stated that they were forced to work in these increasingly dangerous mines despite their calls for safer working environments.

In the previous instant the Chinese authorities are reported to have ignored the death of a local worker and did not give his family time to mourn, but instead forced them to get back to work. This ill treatment is said to be a common occurrence in Chinese run mines in Zimbabwe.

At this point, one could also blame the government for not paying attention to the workers pleas for safer working environments and for not setting the Chinese straight on this matter.

The freedom afforded Chinese authorities in Zimbabwe is causing much distress to locals for instance the Uzumba Villagers debacle which we covered previously.

The post Chinese Embassy Orders Zimbabwean Government To Investigate Mine Blast That Killed 6 Chinese appeared first on Provoker Magazine.

In Jotsholo of the Matebeleland North Province a man came across the shock of his life when he caught his wife busy with their neighbour at her parents home. The man, Vusumuzi Ncube(45) is said to have gotten suspicious after his wife Attalia Kumalo (23) went to visit her parents. She is said to have stayed there for two days which led to the suspicions.

Ncube decided to follow her to her parents and got there early morning just in time for the action. He is said to have heard his wife moaning. Upon pushing the door open he discovered that she was in the room with their neighbour.

Unfortunately, it ended badly for Ncube who was later taken to court and charged with violent assault as he immediately pounced on the neighbour. After dealing who the neighbour, who eventually escaped naked, he turned to his wife and bashed and kicked her all over.

Khumalo was rushed to the hospital and later reported the incident to the police leading to her husband’s arrested. He has been charged with 12 months in prison on charges of physical abuse. The sentence was suspended for 5 years on the condition that he doesn’t commit a similar offence again.

Unfortunately for Ncube, the courts didn’t seem to have considered the emotional abuse or trauma he might have gone through upon seeing his wife in that condition with another man.

Perhaps he can be able to acquire damages from his neighbour such as in the case of a disgruntled Harare husband who took his wife’s lover to court and demanded damages of up to $4.5 million.

The post Husband Taken To Court After Catching His Wife Pants Down With Lover At Her Parents’ Home appeared first on Provoker Magazine.