#THE_RAND_MUST_RISE

The festive season has come and gone..I do not know if it was fortunate or not for our roads not to be full of cars with South African number plates at the same time I do not want to paint  all our fellow Zimbabwean-South African brothers and sisters with the same brush because i do not know their reasons for not coming this past year but the fall of the value of the Rand really had a great impact..

Gone are the days when you would hear someone in a commuter omnibus saying "mara (but),, bekufasile eborder (the queues were long) and bantu basekhaya (Zimbabweans). The Rand tremendously lost its value in the last quarter of 2015.

It is due to this that most people saw it wise to buy groceries and send to their families instead of coming home this festive season..Still i stand to be corrected, i might be wrong!

In the past years, our brothers and sisters who reside in countries using the rand ie South Africa and Swaziland would be seen as 'cashcows' because of the way they spend their money. 2015 was a different year..The speeding "injivas" were less this time around and the funny tones too. I am not mocking anyone lest i be misinterpreted but I do not get someone who goes to the neighbouring country down south for a year and comes back using the Zulu tone as if they have lived there all their life...Utter rubbish!!

Back to the subject matter, the #falloftherand changed the way things have been conducted in the previous years. Parents enjoy the bliss of having their family members gathered together during the festive season but they were robbed of that opportunity due to circumstances beyond their control..

The Rand must rise..The ailing economic situation in Zimbabwe is also affecting people back home. As it is, not all civil servants got their pay in December and many are opting to go out of the country..But where will they go? South Africa used to be a better option when people are looking for jobs but alas! all that has been short lived..


Things continue to worsen for people in the Southern Africa and everyone keeps hoping things will take a turn for the better..#The Rand must Rise..We are not used to such silence during the festive season.. Like i said maybe it was fortunate-for others who hate the busy life in December..but it was unfortunate- for the mother who wanted to see her daughter at the end of year as the norm..or the father who was waiting for his son to come help him in the fields..or the siblings who wanted to see their brother and sister as they usually do every end of the year..

WITS STUDENTS ENRAGED BY THE FEE HIKE.

The decision made by the Wits University to hike fees by 10,5% for next year sent students in a rage on Wednesday. This brought registration fee to R9 900. The country has ironically the best economy amongst other Southern African countries yet the institute has decided to take this move in a bid to continue sustainability since the state funding to universities is declining.

All academic activities came to a halt due to the protest that was ongoing at the main campus in Johannesburg. According to stats on social media where the students continued with the protests, 2000 people participated and some lecturers even joined in.

Students complained of the tuition money they paid already and were crying foul of the increament. they even took to social media where they were protesting under the hashtag #WitsFeesMustFall.

Economically challenged students expressed their concern that they were the ones suffering the most and from the look of things only the rich seemed to be academically deserving. Those under bursary also complained that they felt the pressure because they are supposed to top up money, which they do not have.

Wits Students protesting

One student who was removed from the Students Representatives Committee ( SRC) highlighted that the protest was not a one day thing but would continue till the management announced that the fee had been backtracked.

Those who showed no interest in the protests were blocked from leaving the premises.

Management said they were mindful of the economic challenges most people were facing but they have an academic project as their priority.

Like most Southern African universities, the authorities turned to the police to 'turn out the fumes' as the protests were still on as the day proceeded.

Furious students

Similar cases have been recorded in the past at the National University of Science and Technology in 2013 and University of Zimbabwe earlier this year. Students had to be threatened by the police so as to stop their protests.

The ailing economic situations are forcing students who come from not so well up families to feel the pressure and some dropping out of these institutions or going somewhere cheaper.

Diary of a Zimbabwean..

So my love of politics has invited a lot of criticism,, with many fearing for my life as a vocal citizen is usually seen to be digging their own grave, well let me lie on mine! That is a story for another day anyway.. For the past weeks, Zimbabweans have been greatly affected by the massive power cuts, many now adapting to the gruesome life. No Zesa! No water! No transport! The typical working class who live in high density suburbs will agree with me that the frustration of waking up with no zesa so they can make themselves a warm meal before dashing to work is pretty exhausting. If you are not lucky enough to have a geyser it means one will have to use cold water, that is if there is any water coming out of the taps..

So one has had to have cereal with cold milk, now comes the challenge of getting transport to ferry them to their different workplaces and you are greeted by the sight of many people on the road trying to get public transport as well. So sickening!! This goes on for a week or two and your bosses cannot have any of that ''arrogant '' behaviour anymore so you are greeted by an envelope one morning giving you a three months notice. The shock!!

Well life has to move on,, so being the clever you,, one decides to turn to opening a small business in their spare room..a tuck-shop..or have a small stall by the gate. Vending seems to be the next best option.. Unannounced, you see council police looting your goods because you do not have a license to conduct your business..To get your wares back you have to pay a certain amount as a fine..To think business that day was slow! and you only have money to buy bread for the children the next day..Life has become a living hell when you have your degree certificate hanging on the roof in your house, what has become of the country??

An enterprenuer never runs out of ideas..Your friends plan a trip to Namibia to buy second-hand clothes and resell in the country.. This seems to be plan B and one follows suit, maybe life can be better.. Not long before you know it, selling of second hand clothes has been banned.. The little mouths to feed in the house cross your mind and you cannot despair.. Another plan has to be made.

For the first time you think doing things legally would be best so you opt to get a license and sell things from the neighbouring countries.. Next thing you hear is that ZIMRA has introduced duty on the things you have been getting past the boarder for free. How can life be so cruel? this means no vending, No second hand clothes, no importing.. As tired you are,, from the travelling you want a warm bath and rest but the thousand roadblocks on the road means getting home later than one had intended.. Well since the invention of phones life has become more easier, you call home and tell them they should heat water for you..All you hear from the background is that..THERE IS NO ZESA!

The heat in the furnace continues to intensify in this country..One has to either have a gas stove, solar, or generator to escape the zesa torments..As for water, one has to make sure they have somewhere to stock it for the several hours its gone.. Where there are sewer bursts, you find children playing willy nilly around that area.. Once they contaminate typhoid, your horror will not be anywhere near an end because of the service you get from the municipal clinics.. Dear Zimbabwean I hope uthwele umphako because you will spend the whole day there..

Will it ever get better?? Only God knows!!

Zimbabwean civil servants reject bonus freeze..

The Zimbabwean government has decided to suspend bonuses for 2015 and next year. That is how bad the economic situation is! Universities have been told that the government will pay workers 50%  of their wages and the other half the university is supposed to look for it on their own. Companies have been retrenching and some closing due to lack of resources to pay workers. 

Civil servants however rejected the decision and demanded that they be paid their dues that are equivalent or more than the poverty Datum line which is pegged at $505. 

TRADE unions and opposition political parties have condemned the government’s decision to suspend civil service bonuses for the next two years, describing the move an insult to workers and the height of Zanu PF’s failure as a government to run the national economy. How can a country which claims to have 25% of the world’s diamonds fail to pay 300 000 poorly paid workers..?The pronouncement on the scrapping of civil servants’ bonuses is one such move which speaks volumes about this dismal failure.”

Finance minister said this was a way of creating fiscal space to stimulate full economy recovery.  The Zimbabwe National Students’ Union also condemned the harsh measures introduced by the Ministry of Finance to curtail the civil service wage bill which currently draws 80% of the national fiscus.
Both unions and opposition parties argued that the government could have cut its wage bill significantly by removing all 75 000 “ghost workers” from the payroll.

Finance and economic development minister, Patrick Chinamasa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XENOPHOBIA AT ITS HEIGHT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Fear has gripped most Africans who reside in South Africa as locals have been attacking them since Sunday. Relatives and friends also pity those they know that went to the country to seek greener pastures. It is the same greener pastures that have got them in trouble. Apart from the jobs South Africans claim that foreigners have taken them in their place, there has been an outcry that crimes committed and recorded are being perpetuated by outsiders therefore there is need to get rid of them.

The attacks were first recorded in Durban and so far 5 people have been confirmed dead. However, no Zimbabwean has been in the crossfire so far. Zulu king Goodwill Zwelithini's statement that "foreigners should leave" seems to have ignited the whole inhumane attacks that are underway. 

Locals who were reported to be carrying knobkerries warned  foreigners that their next exercise will in Johansburg. Zimbabweans who are watching the whole scenario unveil itself have decided to do something about it. April weekends which were supposed to be a hive of activity  with South African musicians bringing life to the city seem to be a pot brewing with flops. Zimbabweans have decided not to attend the shows and several messages have been sent to people inciting people not to support brothers from a country massacring our brothers and sisters. 

The following is a message that has gone viral on whatsapp:

''We cannot party and dance to these South African artists that are coming (Big Nuzz, Diliza, Nyovest) when South Africans are killing our brothers!!! WE ARE NOT GOING TO ATTEND THEIR SHOWS!!! ‪#‎StopXenophobia‬ ‪#‎SpeakOutAgainstXenophobia‬''

In the past when Africa did not have artificial boundaries such as there are today, wars and hatred were not as rife. Therefore it appears that dismantling the boundaries, drawn up by non-Africans, would minimise violence. But will that abolish xenophobia? No

The real solution will be to eliminate the present situation of a minority owning the means of production and distribution of wealth whilst the majority owning nothing, have to work for the few. In other words money, buying and selling, commodities and the like must be done away with. Humanity must commonly own the means of production and must have free and equal access to the produce. Under such circumstances there will be no want and consequently no war and hatred.

 Those killed include an Ethiopian, whose shop was petrol bombed last week, an African immigrant whose nationality was not immediately known and two South Africans, police spokesman Thulani Zwane said.

Statues from colonial era causing uproar in South Africa...

South Africa’s University of Cape Town said its council voted in favor of removing a statue of Cecil John Rhodes from its main campus Thursday following a month of student protests about the colonial-era figure. 

 Len Raymond, chairman of the Heritage Association of South Africa,   said  “We have concerns about the safety of the statue and believe that the only way to protect it while Heritage Western Cape is considering our application, will be to temporarily remove it for safekeeping. We will remove the statue tomorrow.”

Rhodes statue in UCT

President Zuma however said removal of the statues will have to be done according to the laws of South Africa as destroying the statues will be problematic if preservations of the history of the country is considered. If the statue is removed, future generations will not know who colonised the country and introduced apartheid therefore students making noise right now are not considering future historians. Rhodes was a British colonialist who seized land in Southern Africa to further what was the British Empire. UCT students threw human excrement on Rhodes’ statue in March as they started protesting. Since then, four other representations of colonial or apartheid figures have been defaced, some of them by members of the Economic Freedom Fighters opposition party. 

Jacob Zuma

Zuma said the debate about colonial statues and apartheid oppression is welcome but the smashing of the statues is not.



What needs to be done is discuss the location of these artifacts so they can be preserved for the future generation.

LESOTHO FUEL PRICES GO UP.

Fuel pump

The hike in South Africa fuel prices sparked a reaction in Lesotho as they followed suit. South Africa is said to have increased petrol by R1,62 per litre, diesel by R1,20, paraffin by 26c and liquified petroleum gas by 85c. The increase was triggered by the high  international prices for oil this week.  

However, prices for crude oil remain the same therefore electricity costs will not change which most people have cried foul that it will affect those working with tight budgets. Lesotho Petroleum fund financial accountant said that the final prices would be announced after the board has had a meeting.

MOTORISTS have been  enjoying six months of consecutive price cuts. This would be the first increase since last August. Fuel prices are a function of several factors including oil prices and the rand exchange rate.

With the oil price stable for now, all eyes will be on the rand to see if there will be another increase in prices in a month’s time. - See more at: http://lestimes.com/fuel-price-hike-looms-in-lesotho-3/#sthash.2M45cnmr.dpufc

South Africa is set to have a knock-on effect on Lesotho with the Petroleum Fund Lesotho mulling an increase in the price - See more at: http://lestimes.com/fuel-price-hike-looms-in-lesotho-3/#sthash.cvqgThUM.dpufS

South Africa is set to have a knock-on effect on Lesotho with the Petroleum Fund Lesotho mulling an increase in the price - See more at: http://lestimes.com/fuel-price-hike-looms-in-lesotho-3/#sthash.cvqgThUM.dpuf

South Africa is set to have a knock-on effect on Lesotho with the Petroleum Fund Lesotho mulling an increase in the price - See more at: http://lestimes.com/fuel-price-hike-looms-in-lesotho-3/#sthash.cvqgThUM.dpuf

South Africa is set to have a knock-on effect on Lesotho with the Petroleum Fund Lesotho mulling an increase in the price - See more at: http://lestimes.com/fuel-price-hike-looms-in-lesotho-3/#sthash.cvqgThUM.dpuf