Tuesday 10 June 2025 *MORNING NEWS UPDATES* *THE HEADLINES* *Harare City Council under siege – residents say as government directs parcelling of land to Zanu PF cronies* *State universities to join strike as UZ lecturers’ job action reaches day 57* *ZiG depreciates by 2,86% in May: IH Securities* *‘Shielded from arrest’: What Supreme Court of Appeal ruling means for 180,000 Zimbabweans in South Africa* *4,912 injuries, 76 fatalities recorded in workplaces in 2024* *Why are Zimbabwe Police Chasing Off Some of the Economy’s Biggest Players?* *Bulawayo Water Restoration Delayed By One Week* *Pregnant Widow Speaks Out After Husband Dies In Police Custody* *ZRP Arrests Suspect Over US$46,000 Stolen In Kwekwe CBD Car Break-In* *Ministry Of Transport Announces Week-Long Traffic Disruptions In Harare* *Sadc intensifies integration efforts* *City seeks US$200 million to replace ageing water pipes* *An explosive row between a headmaster and his former employer, which has bombshell allegations, including a bizzare one in which he claims he was ordered to draw blood from the fingers of his pupils for ritual purposes, spills into court today* *Zimbabwe deploys drones along Mozambique border to curb smuggling – report* *Government Makes Climbdown on Mandatory Retesting for All Drivers After Public Outcry* *Local coach in Harare suspended after cricketer Raza files complaint alleging racial abuse* *Trump travel ban barring citizens from 12 countries takes effect* *Trump Denies Drug Allegations Against Elon Musk, Praises Tech Mogul* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaDbHKp3GJOtlMM4PA39 https://wa.me/263718497005?text=advert *'Go for it' - Tuchel wants England to 'play with smile'* *Leverkusen hatch Grealish plan* *Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres is furious that his club Sporting have gone back on a gentleman's agreement that the 27-year-old could leave this summer for £67m* *Manchester City have agreed a £34m deal with Lyon for 21-year-old France midfielder Rayan Cherki* *Arsenal are keen to sign Chelsea's Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, 30, for just £5m* *Burnley have valued their French centre-back Maxime Esteve, 23, at £50m amid interest from Bayern Munich, who are managed by the ex-Clarets boss Vincent Kompany* *Paris St-Germain's 22-year-old France winger Bradley Barcola is Bayern's top target for a new singing on the wing this summer, with Atletico Madrid's Spain winger Nico Williams, also 22, their top alternative* *PSG want Bournemouth's Ilya Zabarni but the Cherries are demanding £59m for the 22-year-old Ukraine centre-back* *Tottenham have stepped up their interest in Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, while Manchester United also remain admirers of the Ghana forward, 25* *Newcastle United are keen on signing Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus, 24, from West Ham after missing out on Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo* *West Ham are considering a swap deal with Chelsea involving Kudu, while the Hammers are prepared to let Morocco centre-back Nayef Aguerd leave this summer for £25m* *Manchester City are ready to make a move for Chelsea's English goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, 33, following the departure of Scott Carson* *THE DETAILS* _*Harare City Council under siege – residents say as government directs parcelling of land to Zanu PF cronies*_ GOVERNMENT’S directive to Harare City Council to award ZANU PF member and businessman Philip Chiyangwa land as compensation is unlawful, residents have said. The Ministry of Local Government and Public Works recently instructed the Harare City Council (HCC) to allocate land to Pinnacle Holdings, owned by Chiyangwa, as compensation for property acquired by the government from the company. Combined Harare Residents Association (CHRA) director Reuben Akili said the directive violates the Constitution by interfering in local authority affairs, undermining the devolution agenda. “The government has abundant state land across Zimbabwe, including Harare, which it could use to compensate Pinnacle. The directive given to the local authority is a direct attack on Section 276 of the Constitution, which enshrines devolution. “In fact, this entire land issue is an assault on devolution as provided for in Chapter 14 of the Constitution, particularly Sections 274 and 276. Local authorities must retain autonomy in decision-making,” Akili said. Government has been at loggerheads with Pinnacle Holdings over the land in Harare South which the latter claims ownership of. The directive awaits approval from the local authority through a council resolution, which would facilitate the land transfer to Pinnacle Holdings. Akili further argued that the HCC should not be entangled in the dispute between the government and Pinnacle Holdings, as the council was not party to the original agreement. “It would be prudent for the local authority, particularly the councillors, to be guided by Chapter 14 of the Constitution on devolution. “The councillors must recognise that they cannot transfer any land to Pinnacle Holdings, which has no existing agreement with the City of Harare. In fact, Pinnacle Holdings has no locus standi in this matter,” Akili said. _*State universities to join strike as UZ lecturers’ job action reaches day 57*_ ALL state universities across Zimbabwe are set to join the ongoing University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturers’ industrial action if salary demands are not met. The indefinite strike by UZ academic staff, which began on April 16, reached its 56th day on Monday. The striking lecturers held their fifth demonstration on campus, vowing to continue the industrial action until their grievances are addressed. UZ lecturers are demanding a return to their pre-2018 salaries, when a junior lecturer earned US$2,250 per month. Currently, they earn approximately US$230. Association of University Teachers (AUT) spokesperson Obvious Vengeyi said state university representatives will meet where their employer will make an offer for them which will inform the next steps. Vengeyi reiterated that lecturers would not return to work until the US$2,250 salary demand is met. “We are meeting on Tuesday for a process of conciliation. It is ongoing, but it has dragged on for too long. “The unions are in agreement that it is better to declare a deadlock so that we can obtain a certificate of no settlement across all universities. “The unions are in agreement that it is better we declare no settlement so that we get a certificate of no settlement across all universities, which means it is most likely that by next week all the state universities would have joined the University of Zimbabwe on the industrial collective job action,” Vengeyi said. UZ legal advisor and senior labour law lecturer Munyaradzi Gwisai, who also addressed the demonstrators, expressed solidarity with the striking lecturers and urged them to stay the course. “We have sustained the struggle this far, to a point where all other state universities are joining your battalions of resistance. This is not the time to retreat. “We will be part of the discussions tomorrow, but whatever is offered, we remain resolute,” Gwisai said. Meanwhile, UZ has extended the semester by two weeks. _*ZiG depreciates by 2,86% in May: IH Securities*_ FINANCIAL services firm, IH Securities, says the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG) depreciated by 2,86% on the parallel market in May as demand for the United States dollar continues. Last week, the central bank said it is now closely monitoring inflation after the annual ZiG rate accelerated by 6,4 percentage points last month to 92,1%. The bank projects the upward trajectory to continue through to September. Meanwhile, the year-on-year US dollar inflation rate decelerated to 13,9%, a 0,5 percentage points decline from April, showing that high greenback pricing remains stable. These inflation statistics indicate continued currency volatility, though the parallel forex rate swings remain in the single-digit bracket. “The official exchange rate opened the month of May at US$1:26,8193 and depreciated slightly to US$1:26,9102,” IH Securities said in its new May market report. “The parallel market rate depreciated by 2,86% on a month-on-month basis. However, the parallel rate has remained stable amid sustained tight liquidity conditions.” IH Securities said month-on-month US-dollar inflation slowed down to -0,3% in May, with food being the biggest contributor. “Annual US$ inflation slowed to 13,95% from the 14,4% registered in April,” it said. “Meanwhile, month-on-month ZiG inflation edged up from 0,6% to 0,9%. As a result, aggregate blended inflation for April shed 0,3 percentage points to 0%.” IH Securities noted that the likely outlook for inflation remained fluid. “Notably, the Zimbabwean government increased the strategic fuel reserve levy in a bid to stabilise fuel supply and shield the country from global market fluctuations under Statutory Instrument 50 of 2025 (SI 50 of 2025), which went into effect on the 9th of May 2025,” IH Securities added. “This marks a 28,34% increase for the petrol levy and 19,1% for the diesel levy compared to the previous year, which is likely to increase costs of doing business by inducing some inflation.” Such moves are expected to continue exerting pressure on the exchange rate, as demand for the greenback will continue to remain strong, as well as forward pricing mechanisms to cover any shortfalls. Newsday _*’Shielded from arrest’: What Supreme Court of Appeal ruling means for 180,000 Zimbabweans in South Africa*_ The Supreme Court of Appeal has dismissed with costs the Department of Home Affairs’ attempt to overturn an interim interdict, previously granted in favour of the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation, protecting nearly 200,000 Zimbabwean Exemption Permit (ZEP) holders against arrest and deportation. After winning Part A of the court wrangle, the federation will be heading back to the court, for Part B, to argue before court that the Department of Home Affairs overreached in 2021, when the then home affairs minister Aaron Motsoaledi announced the termination of the ZEP. The special permit dispensation has allowed 180,000 Zimbabwean nationals to live and work in South Africa since 2009. In the federation’s view, the jurisdiction to terminate the ZEP lies with Parliament, not the minister. IOL had an interview with Vindren Magadzire, director of the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation who said his organisation’s case revolves around the termination of the ZEP programme by the minister of home affairs. “The programme allowed approximately 180,000 Zimbabweans to live and work in South Africa. In 2021, the minister of home affairs announced plans to terminate the ZEP permits, sparking legal actions from the Zimbabwe Immigration Federation,” Magadzire told IOL. “The Zimbabwe Immigration Federation was inspired to go through courts due to the South African minister of home affairs’ decision to terminate the permits. The decision would have significant implications for approximately 180,000 Zimbabweans living and working in South Africa under the ZEP permit program.” Magadzire said his organisation is requesting the superior court to declare the termination of the ZEP permits unlawful, setting aside the termination decision, and protecting permit holders rights In Magadzire’s view, a lasting solution would be granting the ZEP holders permanent residence status in South Africa. “The latest development in the court case is that the Supreme Court of Appeal dismissed the minister of home affairs appeal. This decision upholds a Johannesburg High Court interdict that shields approximately 180,000 ZEP holders from arrest and deportation,” said Magadzire. Last year, IOL reported that the High Court in Pretoria heard arguments from the Helen Suzman Foundation to enforce the court’s order that the ZEP remains valid, while the minister of home affairs conducts a fair and rational inquiry into the impact of its termination. The foundation turned to court in a bid to give ZEP holders a lifeline. “When the minister first signalled his intention to appeal the court’s June 2023 judgment, the foundation asked him to leave the ZEP in place until he exhausted the appeal process. The minister refused,” Nicole Fritz, executive director of the foundation said at the time. The court had held earlier that the minister’s appeal had no prospects of success. Home Affairs then decided to turn to the Supreme Court of Appeal. _*4,912 injuries, 76 fatalities recorded in workplaces in 2024*_ THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) says a total 4 912 injuries and 76 fatalities were recorded in 2024, prompting calls for urgent combative measures. Various factors, including human error, equipment malfunction, and environmental hazards, can contribute to workplace accidents. In a speech read on behalf of the ZCTU President, Florence Taruvinga, to mark this year’s June 6 commemorations, the labour organ revealed that workplace injuries and fatalities rose significantly during the period. “In 2024, Zimbabwe experienced a concerning rise in occupational injuries and fatalities. It is reported that there were 4,912 injuries and 76 fatalities throughout the year. What about those accidents that went unreported? It is our demand that we cannot continue to suffer from workplace neglect as workers without the responsible authorities being brought to account for the injuries and deaths being experienced in the workplace,” she said. Taruvinga said the mining industry has become synonymous with unsafe shafts, equipment failure, and weak regulations that are causing unnecessary deaths. In Agriculture, she said, employees work without personal protective equipment and are exposed to chemicals, heat stress, and poor living conditions, while in the retail and commercial sectors, workers are exposed to long hours of work, job insecurity and poor ergonomics. Taruvinga said that in the informal sector, over 80% of workers operate with no safety laws, medical care, or recognisable rights, while the transport and manufacturing sectors have also not been spared, as workers work with very dangerous old and archaic machinery, poorly maintained and without proper safety nets. _*Why are Zimbabwe Police Chasing Off Some of the Economy’s Biggest Players?*_ The vendors rarely see it coming. The municipal police, some in plainclothes and others in uniform, move through the crowd silent and unnoticed. When they finally strike, panic erupts. Vendors scatter, trampling their goods and grabbing what they can. A few are arrested. Their wares are seized and tossed into the back of a police truck. “They have no mercy at all. Once they take your stock, you’ll never get it back,” says Saul Nhema, an informal vendor who has been selling vegetables for three months after losing his job as a construction worker. On the day of this interview, the municipal police had already raided these informal vendors selling along Park Street in Harare’s central business district twice. As Global Press Journal reporters interviewed Nhema, they struck again. He grabbed his stock and fled in the middle of the interview. The Harare City Council has for years waged such crackdowns on vendors, often destroying goods and deploying heavy police forces. Local government insists these crackdowns are necessary to enforce city bylaws, citing vending from illegal spots, littering and health concerns. Yet the scale and intensity of recent operations, backed by expanding police presence and significant public spending, have raised questions. Critics argue that the government is wasting scarce resources targeting informal vendors all while it struggles to provide city residents with basic services, such as clean water. In 2024, the council’s revenue stood at just US$3 million. But policing costs for these crackdowns exceeded US$24 million, eight times the council’s income. In 2025, the council escalated its crackdown by creating a specialized police unit to target vendors, further deepening the financial strain with a slight budget increase — and pushing the total to around 12 times its income, which is projected to fall to just US$2 million. As the council’s income dwindles, the central government shoulders much of the financial burden. Global Press Journal made numerous requests for an interview with the mayor. He did not respond. The additional cost of the special police unit is hard to justify, given the potential benefits of supporting informal vendors, says Reuben Akili, director of the Combined Harare Residents Association. “If we examine the funds allocated for enforcement covering salaries, fuel and operational costs, those resources could have been redirected toward rehabilitating markets or public restrooms in the city,” Akili says.. The informal sector already sustains over 80% of Zimbabwe’s population and contributes nearly 72% to the country’s gross domestic product. Street vendors dominate the sector in many African countries, accounting for over 85% of jobs, many held by women. In Zimbabwe, the vendors are becoming increasingly critical, as the country’s currency crisis forces many retail shops to shut down. “Despite this central role in many economies across the continent, vendors face common struggles. Many work in hostile, unregulated spaces, and they are routinely evicted under the pretext of urban order or dismissed as a threat to the health of formal economies.” A special municipal police unit to push out this critical population in Harare will only inflate the city’s workforce, which ultimately burdens taxpayers, Akili says. Instead, he says the council should build infrastructure where vendors can comfortably work. There are some designated spaces within the central business district, but many vendors shun these, citing the high cost of renting stalls and a lack of foot traffic, which limits their ability to attract customers. Additionally, these spaces require a formal business license, which costs between US$400 and US$800 per year. In an economy that has struggled for decades, this cost is prohibitive for many. The council must strike a balance between tackling these issues without undermining the livelihoods of those who depend on the informal economy, says Samuel Wadzai, director of Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation, a nonprofit that represents vendors. Raids haven’t been effective, he says, not even when a former minister of local government requested deployment of the army to push out vendors. “Despite this central role in many economies across the continent, vendors face common struggles. Many work in hostile, unregulated spaces, and they are routinely evicted under the pretext of urban order or dismissed as a threat to the health of formal economies.” “Did that result in any significant change in terms of the challenges that we are seeing? I think it’s a big no,” Wadzai says. At times, vendors resort to bribing officers to avoid the disruption of evictions. Jesman Guvheya has worked as an informal vendor for two years. The widowed mother of five says the police sometimes demand US$1 a day from each vendor. “But there can be three or four groups that move at different times per day and you may end up paying 4 US dollars to avoid being raided,” she says. And that bribe is never a guarantee one will trade without interruption. The police could swoop in and confiscate everything, even after a vendor has paid the bribe. “Sometimes we are left with little stock that we will have secured elsewhere,” she says, preparing to flee from police she has just spotted. Although Guvheya escaped arrest that day, her son, also a street vendor, wasn’t as fortunate. The council police apprehended him, and she had to follow the truck to pay a bribe so he could be freed. Linda Mujuru is a Global Press Journal reporter-in-residence based in Harare, Zimbabwe. Gamuchirai Masiyiwa is a Global Press Journal reporter-in-residence based in Harare, Zimbabwe. _*Bulawayo Water Restoration Delayed By One Week*_ Residents of Bulawayo will have to endure an extended water outage after city authorities announced a delay in the restoration of the water supply, which was initially scheduled for Monday, June 9, 2025. In a notice issued by the City of Bulawayo, Town Clerk Christopher Dube confirmed that unforeseen complications at the construction site have pushed back completion timelines by approximately seven days. According to the statement, several key challenges contributed to the delay, including a change in the scope of work. Engineers on site were forced to widen the embankment due to unstable, loose soil conditions, thereby extending construction efforts. The city also faced logistical setbacks as critical construction materials were unavailable. Suppliers reportedly ran out of stock and were closed over the weekend, further stalling progress. _*Pregnant Widow Speaks Out After Husband Dies In Police Custody*_ Blessed Believe Juruvenge, only 30, died recently in police custody, leaving behind not just unanswered questions, but a life in mid-bloom. His pregnant wife, Mercy Madenyika, now finds herself at a painful crossroads, mourning the loss of her husband while bracing for the arrival of their first child. The couple lived in the Damafalls area of Ruwa, where they ran a modest tuckshop together. Nearly two weeks after Juruvenge’s brutal assault and death, the man believed responsible, Constable Prince Ndavambi, remains on the run. Madenyika said she is grappling with the devastating loss of her husband and the daunting prospect of facing motherhood alone. She said: I can’t believe my husband is gone before he could even hold our baby. I never thought I would have to face this alone, especially with a child on the way. I don’t know how I will manage. We were supposed to build a life together, and now it feels like everything has been taken away from me. If the law doesn’t take its course, we are pleading to citizens of Zimbabwe to help us find something to haunt the ones who took away his life. Elipa Jimu, the late Juruvenge’s mother, is struggling to come to terms with the painful reality of her son’s death. She said: I am in pain over my son’s death; him and Melisa were the ones taking care of me. He left a pregnant wife. I don’t even know how I am going to take care of her. The preparation for the baby has not been bought yet. There even is no money for the funeral. I don’t know where I am going to even get it. My son was supposed to bury me first, but it is me who is burying him. _*ZRP Arrests Suspect Over US$46,000 Stolen In Kwekwe CBD Car Break-In*_ Police have arrested Linas Tshuma (40) in connection with the theft of US$46,000 in Kwekwe Central Business District from a parked Mazda CX 5 vehicle on June 4, 2025, at a parking bay along E.D. Mnangagwa Road. According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the suspects were travelling in a Toyota Mark X bearing registration plates AGI 4348 when they targeted a parked Mazda CX-5. The suspects allegedly broke the rear right quarter glass of the Mazda and stole a bag containing US$46,000 in cash before fleeing the scene. Subsequent investigations revealed that the number plates on the getaway vehicle were fraudulent and actually belonged to a blue Mazda Demio. In an update on the matter on Monday, 09 June, ZRP spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi said that Tshuma was arrested at a house in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo. Said Nyathi: The detectives made a follow-up and arrested the suspect at a house in Cowdray Park, Bulawayo. The arrest led to the recovery of a Samsung M13 cellphone suspected to have been bought using the stolen money, the suspects get-away car, a Toyota Mark X, registration number AFO 6880, registration plates AFA 1529, a driller, rivet gun and various clothes which were captured on CCTV being worn by one of the suspects at the crime scene. The other suspects, Thethelani Ndlovu, Esau Mazarura, Bhekinkosi Tshuma, Mpiloenhle Ndlovu, Xolani Tshuma, Gugulethu Khumalo and Reason Moyo alias Tsorinso are still at large. _*Ministry Of Transport Announces Week-Long Traffic Disruptions In Harare*_ There will be temporary traffic disruptions in parts of Harare to allow for critical road rehabilitation works under the ongoing Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme Phase 2 (ERRP2). In a statement released on Monday, the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development announced that from Tuesday, June 10, to Sunday, June 15, 2025, construction will take place at two major intersections: the junction of Solomon Mujuru (formerly Kirkman) Road and Sherwood Drive, as well as the junction of Bishop Gaul Avenue and Solomon Mujuru Road. The roadworks, being carried out in collaboration with Tarcon (Pvt) Ltd, are expected to result in partial road closures, lane restrictions, and potential traffic delays in the affected areas. Motorists are being urged to plan ahead, use alternative routes such as Samora Machel Avenue or Lomagundi Road, and exercise caution when travelling near construction zones. Pedestrian access will remain available, with temporary walkways and diversions in place to ensure safety. The Ministry expressed regret over any inconvenience the disruptions may cause and appealed for public patience and cooperation during the six-day rehabilitation period. _*Sadc intensifies integration efforts*_ THE Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional bloc is intensifying efforts to foster regional integration and harmonise policies in response to pressing economic challenges, including the impact of geopolitical tensions and US-imposed tariffs on member economies. This week, SADC is convening a high-level Committee of Ministers of Finance and Investment and the Peer Review Panel in Victoria Falls. The week-long gathering brings together key decision-makers to advance financial market integration, macroeconomic stability, and sustainable development across the 16-member bloc. _*City seeks US$200 million to replace ageing water pipes*_ Ward 10 Councillor Khalazani Ndlovu, the chairperson of Future Water Supplies and Water Action Committee, said the city’s water system is outdated and urgently requires replacement. “As we celebrate 131 years (since Bulawayo was declared a town), we must ask how these pipes have remained underground for so long. They are now old and failing. To fully address this problem, we are seeking US$200 million to overhaul Bulawayo’s entire pipe system,” Ndlovu told a full council meeting on Wednesday last week. Ndlovu also noted that the city is also facing power shortages that are disrupting water pumping. However, some support has been received to ease the electricity crisis. “We are dealing with both a pipe problem and an electricity problem to secure water supply. On the electricity front, VEI has provided solar panels, which are currently in storage. We just need to install them to help solve the power issue,” he said. Ndlovu added that while efforts were being made to improve water distribution across the city, the deteriorating condition of the pipes remained a significant obstacle. “At our last meeting in May, we agreed to open water supply in certain areas. But the problem with the pipes persists. In the past two weeks, this has caused serious difficulties, especially in the western suburbs. We could not provide as much water as needed because we had to replace a burst pipe,” he said. Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu also stressed the importance of local leaders managing public expectations realistically. “Our role as councillors is to serve as a bridge between residents and the council, and we must be honest in that role. When residents demand things that are not feasible, we need to advise them truthfully. We should tell them what can and cannot be done. The time for excuses is over. We must now focus on what is achievable, including pursuing public-private partnerships and build-operate-transfer projects, because the council does not have sufficient resources,” he said. _*An explosive row between a headmaster and his former employer, which has bombshell allegations, including a bizzare one in which he claims he was ordered to draw blood from the fingers of his pupils for ritual purposes, spills into court today*_ AN EXPLOSIVE row between a headmaster and his former employer, which has bombshell allegations, including a bizzare one in which he claims he was ordered to draw blood from the fingers of his pupils for ritual purposes, spills into court today. The headmaster, only identified as Garudzo, has dragged Asmeri Jeffreys, his former employer at Compassion Junior School in Glenwood Park, to a Civil Court where he has applied for a protection order. Jeffreys is a church leader. Garudzo quit his post at the school after only one month. Garudzo, who is also a pastor, now claims he quit because he rejected attempts to lure him into some dark arts to draw some blood from the pointing fingers of his pupils, which he believed would be used for rituals. He said Jeffreys hit back at him, when he called it quits, by taking two of his shirts and his fears are that they are also being used for rituals. “I have taken my matter to court and I cannot comment about it,” said Garudzo. Jeffreys has dismissed Garudzo’s bombshell allegations and she claims they are just meant to tarnish the name of her school and her ministry. “I am yet to understand why Garudzo decided to accuse me of such a serious matter,” said Jeffreys. “I received the summon to appear in court this Tuesday while organising a church leadership seminar. “I am a church leader and Garudzo is a pastor of another church. “He joined my school recently and started to accuse me of drawing blood from learners. “If his allegations were true, parents could have descended on me long back. “These allegations are far-fetched and meant to destroy my school as well as my ministry. “As for the shirts, I took them because I am the one who sewed them with the intention of dressing my school head to look better. “He joined us looking shabby but with good qualifications. “I am not into rituals and I never drew any blood of the learners as alleged,” said Jeffreys. Herald _*Zimbabwe deploys drones along Mozambique border to curb smuggling – report*_ The Zimbabwean government has intensified efforts to clamp down on smuggling along the country’s porous eastern border with Mozambique through the full-scale deployment of drone surveillance technology – a move officials say is already yielding tangible results. The drones, operational since May 1, 2025, are being used extensively along key smuggling hotspots, including the Forbes Border Post, which links Manicaland Province to Mozambique’s Manica Province. The new surveillance initiative has reportedly led to a decline in smuggling activities and an increase in arrests. Zimbabwe’s Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, confirmed the development and praised the role drones are playing in bolstering border security. “We have seen a notable decline in smuggling cases. Our security forces are vigilant and on top of the situation, thanks to the added surveillance capabilities provided by the drones,” said Mugadza. “They are also serving as a deterrent and helping to identify individuals involved in illegal activities.” The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority’s (ZIMRA) acting Commissioner for Customs and Excise, Mr Adrian Swarres, echoed Mugadza’s sentiments, highlighting the strategic benefits of drone technology. “Drones offer rapid deployment and real-time intelligence. With a borderline of over 700 kilometres, drones have dramatically increased the area under surveillance and reduced the need for extensive ground patrols,” he said. Police have also seen a rise in smuggling-related arrests. Acting Manicaland provincial police spokesperson, Assistant Inspector Wiseman Chinyoka, confirmed the trend, though he said specific figures were not immediately available. Manpost _*Government Makes Climbdown on Mandatory Retesting for All Drivers After Public Outcry*_ Minister Mhona Sets the Record Straight Amid Public Outcry… The Zimbabwean government has made a decisive climbdown on the controversial notion of mandatory retesting for all drivers, following a wave of public backlash and confusion. Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Felix Mhona has moved swiftly to quash rumours, clarifying that no such blanket policy is under consideration. “There is no new proposal for a blanket retest system for all drivers,” Mhona told The Sunday Mail. “The recent confusion stemmed from misinterpretations of the SADC licence renewal process and existing professional driver regulations.” The storm was triggered by misleading interpretations of updates tied to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) driver’s licence framework. Under the new system, all drivers will be required to renew their licences every five years, but the process will not involve a full road test for the average motorist. New members who wish to receive news updates from Ignite Media Zimbabwe should WhatsApp ‘join’ to 071 9999 012. “Driving is a profession,” Mhona emphasized. “Retesting separates professional driving from ordinary driving.” _*Local coach in Harare suspended after cricketer Raza files complaint alleging racial abuse*_ Sikandar Raza has lodged a complaint with the Harare Metropolitan Cricket Association (HMCA), accusing a local coach – Blessing Mafuwa – of racial abuse during a Vigne Cup game on June 1. Raza was playing for Old Hararians against Rainbow Cricket Club at the Old Hararians Sports Club when the alleged incident took place. ESPNcricinfo has seen the complaint Raza has filed. He alleged that Mafuwa made derogatory comments towards him when he was walking off the field. While Raza didn’t name Mafuwa, HMCA chairperson Tafadzwa Madoro did. Responding to a query on the matter from ESPNcricinfo, Madoro said on late Sunday night, “We received a report of racial abuse that our T20 captain [Raza] suffered, last week. We are in the process of investigating. Blessing Mafuwa will attend a hearing this coming Tuesday. He will answer charges from the report. In the interim, he is suspended from all activities in the HMCA. “We don’t take racism allegations lightly. We don’t condone any racial abuse in HMCA. We will want to investigate this as quickly as possible.” Speaking to ESPNcricinfo on Sunday evening, Raza had said he expected “a full investigation” of the incident. “If found guilty, an example should be made out of him so that stuff like this never happens again to this and future generations,” Raza said. During the match, Raza struck 78 off 56 balls as his club made 402 for 9 in 50 overs. In reply, Rainbow made 225 for 8 in 39 overs, losing the game by 142 runs via the DLS method. Raza recently won the PSL 2025 title with Lahore Qalandars, hitting the winning runs in a dramatic final in Lahore. This was Raza’s second T20 franchise trophy in 2025 after the ILT20. _*Trump travel ban barring citizens from 12 countries takes effect*_ Donald Trump’s new ban on travel to the US by citizens of a dozen countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East, went into effect at 12am ET on Monday, more than eight years after Trump’s first travel ban sparked chaos, confusion and months of legal battles. The new proclamation, which Trump signed last week, “fully” restricts the nationals of Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen from entering the US. The entry of nationals of Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela will be partly restricted. Unlike Trump’s first travel ban in 2017, which initially targeted citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries and was criticized as an unconstitutional “Muslim ban”, the new ban is broader, and legal experts said they expect it to withstand legal challenges. The announcement of the new travel ban was greeted with less outrage and protest than his initial 2017 ban. On Monday, the new ban appeared to be overshadowed by Trump’s other immigration battles, including furious protests in Los Angeles over Trump’s deportation raids, which were followed by Trump deploying the national guard to the city despite the opposition of California’s governor.New members who wish to receive news updates from Ignite Media Zimbabwe should WhatsApp ‘join’ to 071 9999 012. The newly instituted ban notably includes citizens of Haiti, a majority Christian country. Haitians in the US were demonized by Trump during his presidential campaign, with the president spreading the baseless conspiracy theory that Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating people’s pets. It also imposes heightened travel restrictions on citizens of Venezuela, who have been targeted repeatedly by the White House in recent months, as the Trump administration’s sudden deportation of Venezuelans in the US to a notorious prison in El Salvador sparked a huge legal battle. The ban is also expected to have a disproportionate effect on African countries, with some citizens of targeted countries worrying about being cut off from opportunities for education, professional development and networking. _*Trump Denies Drug Allegations Against Elon Musk, Praises Tech Mogul*_ WASHINGTON D.C. — Former U.S. President Donald Trump has dismissed resurfacing allegations that billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk is using drugs, calling the rumours baseless and offering a surprising note of goodwill toward the Tesla and SpaceX CEO. “You can tell immediately that someone is a massive liar if they’re claiming I’m on drugs,” Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter). “I am one of the most photographed people on Earth and am in meetings with a wide array of people 7 days a week!” Musk also noted that he had been subjected to random drug testing for approximately three years following a widely publicised appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, where he was seen taking a brief puff of marijuana. “Not the slightest trace of drugs or alcohol was found,” he added, dismissing long-standing speculation about his sobriety. _*’Go for it' - Tuchel wants England to 'play with smile'*_ Thomas Tuchel has encouraged his England team to play as they train - with smiles on their faces. The German was critical of the performance as England laboured to a 1-0 win over minnows Andorra in Saturday's World Cup qualifier. Former Chelsea boss Tuchel says the players have trained very differently, however, so he has urged the Three Lions to play with freedom, take heed of instructions, and "just go for it". Tuchel began work as England head coach in January and Tuesday's friendly against Senegal in Nottingham will be his fourth game in charge. "I see us train with a smile, but not play with a smile," Tuchel said. "We need to improve, for sure. We need to improve in connections, in support, in interactions in the group. "I feel we are too isolated on the pitch. We have not clicked yet. "We have a lot of positives to take away in training and in the sessions I see a lot of it, and it will obviously take a little bit to translate it to the pitch." Tuchel added: "The best thing is to focus on the principles of the game, to give clear instructions to the players, [on] what we expect from them in their role. "And then they forget about the shirt and how heavy it is. They [can be] free in the role and they know what to do, that they have people around with whom it is easy for them to connect. And then just go for it." Club World Cup gives Liverpool & Arsenal 'huge advantage' After Tuesday's game at Nottingham Forest's City Ground, nine members of Tuchel's squad are set to travel to the United States to play in the Club World Cup. Chelsea and Manchester City are the only Premier League teams taking part and Tuchel said the tournament's expanded format will "have a huge impact and will give Liverpool and Arsenal a huge advantage next season to not be there". "I think it will be a very nice experience for the players who are there to play this [expanded] tournament for the first time, so I have mixed feelings about it," Tuchel said. "I decided not to worry too much, because why should I? It is a given, and no-one knows what will be the outcome of it or the effect. "We will deal with the effect when the effect comes and let's see." The Club World Cup means many players will have a reduced break between domestic seasons. They could then be playing in another expanded tournament next summer, with the 2026 World Cup being held in the US, Canada and Mexico. Tuchel said: "There is not one player [with England] who says 'by the way, I would like to be on the bench and save myself for the Club World Cup'. They are hungry to play. "The games are not the problem, it is just the amount of time that it occupies for the players, and they need a proper rest somewhere in this calendar, which they hardly get." _*Leverkusen hatch Grealish plan*_ Manchester City's England winger Jack Grealish, 29, is being lined up as a potential replacement for 22-year-old Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz if he leaves Bayer Leverkusen Ignite Media Zimbabwe sports tit bits: *Sweden striker Viktor Gyokeres is furious that his club Sporting have gone back on a gentleman's agreement that the 27-year-old could leave this summer for £67m* *Manchester City have agreed a £34m deal with Lyon for 21-year-old France midfielder Rayan Cherki* *Arsenal are keen to sign Chelsea's Spain goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, 30, for just £5m* *Burnley have valued their French centre-back Maxime Esteve, 23, at £50m amid interest from Bayern Munich, who are managed by the ex-Clarets boss Vincent Kompany* *Paris St-Germain's 22-year-old France winger Bradley Barcola is Bayern's top target for a new singing on the wing this summer, with Atletico Madrid's Spain winger Nico Williams, also 22, their top alternative* G *PSG want Bournemouth's Ilya Zabarni but the Cherries are demanding £59m for the 22-year-old Ukraine centre-back* *Tottenham have stepped up their interest in Bournemouth's Antoine Semenyo, while Manchester United also remain admirers of the Ghana forward, 25* *Newcastle United are keen on signing Ghana winger Mohammed Kudus, 24, from West Ham after missing out on Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo* *West Ham are considering a swap deal with Chelsea involving Kudu, while the Hammers are prepared to let Morocco centre-back Nayef Aguerd leave this summer for £25m* *Manchester City are ready to make a move for Chelsea's English goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli, 33, following the departure of Scott Carson*