*Harare City Council Under Siege: Residents Say As Govt Directs Parcelling Of Land To Chiyangwa* https://chat.whatsapp.com/Kw6vu9UstjICw2jxBDF20L 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 told NewZimbabwe.com. 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. *NewZW* *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. "As the voice of workers, we clearly pronounce that enough is enough. We demand the following: Full enforcement of OSH laws across all economic sectors, establishment of functional health and safety committees in every workplace and access to adequate PPE, occupational health training, and medical services for all workers," added Taruvinga. The June 6 commemorations are held annually to reflect on the Kamandama Mine Disaster, in which 427 miners were killed in 1972 in a mine explosion. The accident, which was attributed to a methane gas explosion, forced the permanent closure of the mine. *NewZW*