Peter Charsley

There will be a memorial service for the late Peter Charsley who passed away peacefully on the morning of 28 September.


It will be held at Whitestone Chapel at 10.00 am this Saturday, 2 October, followed by a tea just outside the Chapel.

The family would welcome donations to the Bulawayo HelpNetwork in lieu of flowers.

Bulawayo HelpNetwork
130a Jason Moyo Street
tel 67085

Michael Harvey Field

A Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Michael Harvey Field will be held at St George’s College chapel, Borrowdale Road at 3.00 pm on Friday 1 October 2010, followed by refreshments at the School Pavilion.

Many thanks
Gaye Prior (his daughter)

Condolences

Judy Randall

To my loving wife and best friend. What can words say to explain how I feel. You will be truly missed and never forgotten. All my love Mike.
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Judy Randall

Mom, my mentor, my friend taken away from us so soon. We will always love and never forget you - Michelle & Bernie.

Mommy, how am I meant to say goodbye. You fought right to the end. We will miss and love you now and forever - Your baby Jackie & Ryan

You were there for me through everything, my life will be lost without you. We will always miss and never forget you. Love you always - Terence & Tarah

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Funeral Notice

The celebration Service for Judy Randall will be held on Friday, 1st October 2010 at 14:30hrs at The Revival Centre Ministries Church - Galway Road, Famona.

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I wonder if you could pass my message of condolence to the Simon & Marques families & Nicky & Alan (Zimhosiery) at the passing of Charlotte Ethel Marques.

Charlotte was my "right-hand lady" at The Curtain Company and kept us all on our toes. She was such a loyal friend & employee with a great sense of humour. Deepest sympathy to you all.

ANGIE HODGES

Michael Hodges mhodges4@bigpond.com

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Jason Davis

Passed away 2nd September after a long fight against cancer.
He did achieve his objective of walking Jenna down the aisle on 28th August.
Leaves devoted wife Ann and, of course, Joy.
His best buddy Steve Terblans has opened a page on the Wall of Remembrance as below.
http://www.google.co.uk/ then www.rhodesiansneverdie.co.uk

Note!!!

As you may know I have been pursuing this issue concerning fire extinguishers in Motors vehicles and I have been kindly assisted by Trish Henson who is connected to and very involved with the Borrowdale Police station.

It has now been gazette that all vehicles must carry fire extinguishers and 2 Red triangles. This presents a slight problem as all our new vehicles only carry a single breakdown triangle and come without fire extinguishers.

Please notice that the new law is effective 1st December – 2 months from Friday this week!!

ANTI-HIJACK UPDATE FOR SEPTEMBER 2010

It is with great sadness to report that the spiraling of crime in all areas has been rather alarming – and though many crime prevention patrols are being put in place there have been many reported cases of theft. Smash and Grabs are still very much in evidence, at not only the well known spots but many traffic lights in and around Harare. Please all be very vigilant when stopping and keep all mobile phones, wallets and valuables out of sight, do NOT leave items i.e. handbags, brief cases, coats, jerseys etc on the seats whilst driving. It is an invitation to the criminals. Be very aware of perpetrators creeping crouched along the side of your vehicle to either smash your window or grab anything that may be in sight, whilst stopped at traffic lights – keep watch in your side mirrors !

Reports of vehicles loitering in areas and driving extremely slowly along the roads and around and about casing the area just looking for the opportunity to rob the public - please report any suspicious vehicle to either your local Neighbourhood Watch hotline or your nearest Police Station. Vehicles have been sighted loitering near schools in a few areas, so be very aware when you drop off and pick up your children. It is wise to tell your children not to accept lifts or go away with anyone that they may not know, or you have not arranged a lift with – this is not to scare them but to keep them all safe.

Whilst traveling to ALL borders do NOT stop in lay byes for any reason, there has been another horrid case reported along the Beit Bridge road near Masvingo of the driver being badly beaten and robbed of suitcases, passports, money, camera and all documents. The intent was to kill the driver who fought back and managed to escape and flag down a vehicle for assistance. There have been numerous reports along this road, of which have been in print, so please be very careful and DO NOT stop unless at a petrol station or town.

There has been reports of handbag slashers where purses and large sums of money taken whilst in a shop or at the tills. It seems that these victims have been under surveillance and were known to have a large sum of cash in the handbag. Be very aware of your surrounding at all times and make sure your handbag is not easily accessible or carelessly left on the counter whilst paying.

Let’s make our Zimbabwe a safe place to visit and live in !



Let’s ALL fight this crime together - stay ALERT and SAFE !

RATCLIFFE-SMITH Peter

RATCLIFFE-SMITH Peter ( Jan. 1963 - Sept. 2010) - I am so saddened to pass on the tragic news of my dear brother's sudden and totally unexpected death in Germany early yesterday morning, Sunday the 26th September 2010. Our deepest condolences and heartfelt sympathy from all the family go out to Petra and their young son Luke. Petra's email address is sekuru@freenet.de should you wish to communicate directly with her.


From Erika Liddell cell 0912370651 email: clliddell@mango.zw

CONDOLENCES

CONDOLENCES


Timothy Terrance Addecott

It is with utmost regret to announce the passing of such a fine friend after a short battle against Cancer in the early hours of this the 23rd September. You will be sorely missed Tim, by not only us, but a good many friends throughout Bulawayo and Victoria Falls. You fought the good fight with sheer dignity to the bitter end, but now at peace with your God. No more suffering. Tears may dry but memories will never cease of the good times we shared together. Thinking of you Rob; Avril; Wendy; Cheryl; Michelle and John in your darkest hour. May God comfort you all, now and forevermore.

Rod and Carol (Victoria Falls).

Addecott- Tim

John and Michelle Davis wish it to be known that our brother Timothy passed on this morning 23rd September 2010 in East London; South Africa after a courageous fight against Cancer. A memorial service for Timothy will be held on Tuesday 28th September 2010 at 10'oclock. Contact John on 082 603 0999 for further details those wishing to attend.

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Alan "Fluffy" Gersh - Q.Q. High teacher.

I'm sorry to tell you that Dad died last night after a heart attack on thursday.

He was peaceful and mum and Andrew were with me beside his bed at the Golden

Jubilee Hospital in Glasgow.

Dani - amgersh@yahoo.co.uk

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CONDOLENCES

INSLEY SHARLENE

Your sudden passing on Saturday evening on the 18th of September.

We will miss you my friend.

Our condolences John, Robyn, and the family

Love Neville

UPRIGHT AND TRUE

From the Bulawayo Morning Mirror


Eveline High School in Bulawayo celebrated its Centenary on Friday 24 September 2010.

The fabled quadrangle was filled to overflowing with students, staff, guests, and old girls, and there was even a giant birthday cake for the occasion.

Senator David Coltart Minister of Education was the guest of honour and we "Old Girls" all had lumps in out throats remembering our own glorious days at Eveline School so many years ago.

Several of the girls even had the old school Boaters with the maroon hat band, although the much more practical brown floppy hat has taken its place. The summer uniform is the same, that beautiful turquoise blue with that irritating belt ... and the blazers were the same although unnecessary in the boiling hot sun.

The theme was " Hundred years existence - 1910 to 2010 - celebrating diversity in the school system" and the school has great plans for the future.

The girls were beautifully behaved, sitting patiently during the speeches, songs and dramas, and the Senator broke the ground for the new IT Centre planned for the school in the next couple of years. The staff were elegant and professional in their mortar boards and gowns and the future of the school is in good hands.

Several groups of "Old Girls" and local companies made generous donations to the Eveline Rehabilitation Project which includes a giant recreation and conference centre on the playing fields over the road from Langdon House, where we once used to hold our sports days. I can even remember some of the names of the houses. Ours was Gladstone, then there was Buxton, Langdon, Northwood, Mackintosh, oops can anyone help me out ? There were 8 in all if I remember.

Milton High had its centenary too this week, a whole week of festivities which I gather were enormously successful. However, we Eveline Girls, as was always the case in the past, were far more ladylike in our celebrations!!

The old memories may have gone but we Eveline Girls still do our best to remain "Upright and True"...

I have posted some anniversary photos on the Morning Mirror website

www.morningmirror.africanherd.com/

In late September 2010, time to search for Comet Hartley 2 with binoculars

You might be able to see Comet Hartley 2 with binoculars by late September 2010. You might see it with the eye alone in October 2010. To find it, first learn the constellation Cassiopeia.

Comet Hartley 2 – possibly 2010’s brightest comet – might become bright enough to see with binoculars by late September. It could possibly become faintly visible to the unaided eye in October.

To find the comet, first find the constellation Cassiopeia the Queen. This constellation is easy to spot in the northeast in the evening now. Cassiopeia is shaped like the letter M or W. This comet will sweep next to Cassiopeia in late September and early October 2010.

Just remember … Cassiopeia always appears in the northeastern sky at nightfall on September and October evenings. It swings low in the northern sky in the wee hours after midnight in September and October. Then, as night progresses toward dawn, you’ll find Cassiopeia in the northwestern sky before dawn. Just look in the locations mentioned above for a W or M-shaped star pattern.

What will the comet look like?

Comets are surprising objects in many ways. After all, they are loosely bound balls of ices from the outer solar system. Sometimes, comets appear without warning. Comet Hartley 2 has been expected for many years, however. Officially designated 103P/Hartley, it is a periodic comet, which returns again and again near our sun and Earth. Its orbital period is thought to be 6.46 years. Even so, the brightness and appearance of this comet – or any comet – never follows an ironclad forecast. Don’t be surprised if Comet Hartley 2 exceeds or falls shy of expectation.

You will need a dark sky – free of city lights or moonlight – to see this comet. Through your binoculars in late September and October, it should look like a smudge of light against the dark sky background. Comet Hartley 2 may look like a faint, fuzzy star. Or it may exhibit a discernable tail. Only time will tell.

The element of suspense always accompanies the return of a comet to Earth’s sky. That’s one reason they are fun to see!

How to find Comet Hartley 2 with binoculars

A typical binocular field covers about 5 degrees of sky. Sometimes the field of view (F.O.V.) is listed right on your binoculars. For handy reference, the distance between the Cassiopeia stars Caph and Schedar measures about 5 degrees. Remember this, as it will serve you well on your hunt for Comet Hartley 2.


Around the night of September 30, look for Comet Hartley 2 near the star Schedar (Alpha Cassiopeiae). It passes within 1.5 degrees of this star on September 30. That means Schedar and the comet will fit within the same binocular field together for several days in a row, centered on September 30.

Around the night of October 7, look for Comet Hartley 2 near the very beautiful Double Cluster in Perseus. (Think photo opportunity!) The comet will travel within one degree of this famous cluster on October 7, but you should also look for Comet Hartley in the cluster’s vicinity on the nights of October 6, 8 and 9. It’s fun to mentally note how the comet changes position relative to the background stars from night to night. How can you find the Double Cluster? Star-hop to it by drawing an imaginary line downward through the stars Navi (Gamma Cassiopeiae) and Ruchbah (Delta Cassiopeiae). Even in moderately light-polluted skies, the Double Cluster is fairly easy to make out with binoculars. It’s faintly visible to the unaided eye on a dark, moonless night.

After October 10, finding the comet gets tricky, because the moon will be returning to the evening sky. The moon’s glare will make the comet harder to see. It will probably be best to observe Comet Hartley 2 after moonset from October 11 to October 20.

Deep Impact spacecraft also headed to Comet Hartley 2. By the way, the Deep Impact spacecraft – which was launched by NASA in 2005 and successfully sent a collider into Comet 9P/Tempel – had its orbit around the sun tweaked in May of 2010 with the goal of sending it close to Comet Hartley 2. This mission has now been re-designated EPOXI. The craft will pass most closely to the comet in early November, 2010. Mission overseers are provided status updates for EPOXI’s impending sweep past Hartley 2.

All in all, it will be an interesting autumn season for comets, thanks to Comet Hartley 2. Be sure to make friends with Cassiopeia, your tour guide to the comet. The trick to comet hunting is to know right where to look for its place in the starry sky, and Cassiopeia will help. If all goes well, Comet Hartley 2 will become a binocular object in late September and reach naked-eye visibility in October.

For more information, bookings for public observing evenings with large telescopes at the observatory, and repairs and servicing to all your optical equipment, contact Mike at SkyOptic, phone 331478 or email Mike.Begbie@hotmail.com

ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE

22nd September 2010
INVASION OF DENLYNIAN AND TAMARI WILDLIFE FARM

It is now 10 years since the implementation of the Land Reform Programme and the very few game farms we have left, are still being invaded.

I recently paid a visit to Denlynian and Tamari Wildlife Farm in the Beit Bridge area, after receiving reports that this property was invaded by a group calling themselves "Zhove Conservancy Co-operative." The members of this group include Police, Army, Civil Servants, Rural Council Employees, War Vets and ZANU PF activists.


The invaders have spent the past 10 years vandalising the properties and slaughtering the wildlife which was previously quite abundant. They have been especially targeting zebra and eland. The eland population has dropped from 973 to 374 - a loss of 560 animals and the zebra population has fallen from 871 to 163 - a loss of 708 animals. The invaders have slaughtered 300 zebra for their skins in the past 2 months alone.


The owners of the properties checked with the Deeds Registry and found that there is no such organization as the Zhove Conservancy Co-operative registered. They took legal action against the invaders and the courts ruled that the invaders be evicted but this has been ignored and the police are reluctant to assist.

ZEBRA SKULLS

In addition to the decimation of the wildlife, the invaders have also burnt approximately 200 hectares of trees, most of which have been standing for the past 300 years. No Environmental Impact Assessment was carried out and they are creating an ecological disaster. The game farms are situated in a low rainfall area which is only suitable for wildlife and the ecosystem there is now so fragile that if the land is tilled, the soil will end up in the river.

7km of 16 strand game fencing has been stolen to make wire snares - making a total of 112 km of wire. All that remains of the game fencing are the bare poles.
WIRE SNARES RETRIEVED FROM THE BUSH
We have just received an update that 7 animals were killed last weekend, comprising eland, impala and wildebeest and the slaughter is continuing as we speak.

DESNARING OF A BUFFALO BULL
Thanks to the donations we received of M99, a wire snare was removed from a buffalo bull on Dett Vlei recently.

Esther van der Meer of Painted Dog Conservation was alerted to the fact that a buffalo bull was wandering around with a copper wire snare around its neck. Esther, with the assistance of her husband and Peter Blinston darted the animal and successfully removed the snare.

ELEPHANTS PERISH IN FIRE

Ten elephants were burned to death during a bush fire at Derbyshire Ranch in Shangani, Matabeleland South Province.
It is alleged that widespread bush fires have engulfed much of Zimbabwe and most of them are started deliberately, mainly by hunters to clear the bushes. In the past few weeks, ten people have also died as a result of the bush fires.


NARROW ESCAPE FOR GEOFF BLYTH

On the 6th September, a Kariba resident, Geoff Blyth was attacked by an elephant. Geoff, who does a lot of work assisting with snare removals etc., was riding his bicycle for exercise along the Power Line Road near Chawara in Kariba when he saw an elephant cow nearby in the bush. To his horror, the elephant started to charge him. He pedalled as fast as he could to try and get away but then the bicycle chain came off so he jumped off the bicycle and started running for his life. He couldn't find anywhere to take refuge and the elephant was gaining on him so he threw himself into a shallow ditch full of sand by the side of the road.


He curled up in a foetal position and the elephant pinned him down with her knee and ran her left tusk through his back. Her right tusk pierced his upper thigh, just missing his femoral artery. She finally backed off and Geoff was rushed to hospital in Harare where he had to undergo surgery.

Geoff was very lucky to escape with his life and he attributes this to the sand he was lying in which cushioned him against the weight of the elephant.

There has been a lot of shooting of elephants, not only in Kariba but country-wide and due to this, the elephants have become extremely skittish and dangerous. We would like to warn everyone to exercise extreme caution when elephants are in the vicinity.

ELEPHANTS KILLED BY POACHERS

Three weeks ago, 13 elephants were killed by a gang of poachers in the Hurungwe Safari area.

National Parks have recovered 8 of the tuskless carcasses and are still searching for the remaining five.

On the 10th September, Hurungwe and Guruve Police arrested the gang of 9 poachers after they tried to evade the police at a road block. Upon searching their vehicle, the police found 25 tusks, elephant tails, an unlicenced rifle and machetes.
In March, 10 elephant carcasses were found in Gonarezhou National Park and it is believed that international poachers were behind the crime.

SUSPECTED RHINO POACHERS ARRESTED
7 suspected rhino poachers were arrested in the Chiredzi area recently and a 303 rifle fitted with a silencer, telescopic sight and a carbine was recovered. The suspects consisted of 3 South Africans and 4 Zimbabweans.

The latest poaching activities in the Save Valley Conservancy resulted in the death of a rhino, leaving its calf badly wounded by gunshots. National Parks have deployed a team that is currently on high alert following the heightened poaching activities.


GROENEWALD ARRESTED

We are very pleased to announce that Dawie Groenewald and his wife, Sariette of Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris were arrested in South Africa in connection with rhino poaching.

They were arrested on Monday along with a professional hunter, Tielman Erasmus, 2 veterinarians, Dr Karel Toet and Dr Manie du Plessis, and Toet's wife, Marisa.

Out of Africa Adventurous Safaris have been linked to unethical and illegal hunting for several years and were banned from hunting in Zimbabwe in 2004.

Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Landline: 263 4 336710
Landline/Fax: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 712 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw

Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=15148470211

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force relies soley on public donations. Your donation can help to preserve the wildlife in Zimbabwe. If you would like to assist, please contact us.

Death and condolence messages

Jason Davis

Passed away 2nd September after a long fight against cancer.
He did achieve his objective of walking Jenna down the aisle on 28th August.
Leaves devoted wife Ann and, of course, Joy.
His best buddy Steve Terblans has opened a page on the Wall of Remembrance as below.
http://www.google.co.uk/ then www.rhodesiansneverdie.co.uk

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CONDOLENCE

Kathy Warnick, our wonderful, knowledgeable Mango Help Lady and good friend, we
are so sorry that you are gone, but glad that now you have no more pain and are
set free of earthly shackles. Our heartfelt sincere wishes to Hon, may you
continue to be strong and take one day at a time. Love and best wishes, Ray &
Sybil Clutty Nyanga.

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Jones Ruth - (ex Garden Park/Bradfield ) It is with a sad heart that I would like to tell all Ruth's friends that she passed away peacefully in Newton Abbott on Sunday 19th at noon. Her funeral is to be on the 30th September, 2010 in Newton Abbott. Contact details are:- Charles (grandson) nyamazan@gmail.com; Claire (grand-daughter) travandclaire@googlemail.com and Ann robannmurray@xtra.co.nz.

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Sharlene Insley 20/10/66 to 18/09/10
My sister. Anyone who knew her well would know her as a warm-hearted, caring and spiritual person who would do anything she could within her ability to help others. She leaves a grieving daughter, Robyn, and my Dad who has his Faith in the resurrection to hopefully see him through. Darrell.

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CONDOLENCES
Here is a bit of sad news for those of us old tonsils who used to have a hair cut (short back and sides) in the late 50's, 60's and 70's.
A very popular barber at that time who was deaf and dumb passed away this month in natal.
He was well known as Dummy LeRoux.
He operated his own barber shop for many years in Abercorn street, Bulawayo.
He was 93years old.

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Alcock - Denise passed away in East London on 20/9/10. Memories of our friend will remain in our hearts forever. Thinking of Arnie in his time of sorrow. Lots of love Alex and Heather.

SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE HAPPINESS

From the Bulawayo Morning Mirror
It must be a Southern Hemisphere phenomena !!I Small price for standing on our heads all of our lives ...

Our seasons between the equator and the Tropic of Capricorn follow the order spring, summer, winter autumn, instead of spring, summer, autumn, winter !!

You may think I am kidding but it has been a long winter in Chimanimani and now at the start of summer, the leaves on the Msasa trees are in bright brilliant autumn shades.

But instead of falling off the trees the leaves turn from their enchanting autumn shades into the brilliant emerald that comprises a Msasa Summer in Zimbabwe's Eastern highlands.

I know I often wax lyrical about Chimanimani, but this time of the year is even more spectacular than any other season. Zimbabwe generally has only two seasons, long achingly hot summers and short sharp crisp winters. However Chimanimani has the most spectacular "spring oblique fall" that culminates in ten glorious days in September

The grass is now dry, varying in colour from corn to camel to khaki and against this wistful ground cover rises the incredible Msasa Mirage. The leaves are iridescent, almost surreal in a miscellany of autumnal arboreal shades. Bronze, burnt orange, ochre, russet, saffron, titian, carmine, mango .. colours that cause one to gulp in amazement at their beauty.

The leaves are so thin and virginal that the sun shines straight through them casting a luminous copper glow cross the horizon. The hillsides are a mass of breath-taking colour for several weeks until the autumn colours settle softly into that oh so familiar summer time kerry green.

This year the countryside is greener than most years because of an unusual heavy dew every night. Locals marvel at the masses of azaleas, gardenias, and the jungle of jasmine that is almost suffocating in its heady perfume. There is no shortage of bees here in the Chimanimanis, the air is heavy with the sleepy drone of thousands of happy bees. Sweet pungent honey was actually dripping down the wall in our house from a lively bee colony in the ceiling!

The proteas are just fading slightly in the heat although the Gurneys Sugarbirds still pass by in the early morning dipping their slender elegant beaks into the deep protea cups.

In the distance the eerie cry of the Purple Crested Loerie echoes through the canopy of firs and wattles, although I confess he must be a little confused as they have changed his name and he could possibly be having an identity crisis.

Here is the once thriving community of Melsetter where the lifeless plantations, knee deep in rotting avocados, mangos and fruit that could be so valuable to a population in crisis. But the mountains keeps their closely guarded secrets as gold panners and diamond miners pass through furtively.

Here and there are nuances of a return to normalcy. The shops have goods in them, lodges are making preparations to tempt tourists once more. The genteel old hotel still remains a vestige of the grandeur of those halcyon days gone by.

One day soon, we pray, this will again be the mecca of the canning industry and the tourist trade, as it was, once upon a time.

Births - Garrity - Jamie Argyle

Garrity - Jamie Argyle born 18 Sep 2010 in Kitchener, Ontario.
Beautiful baby boy born to Susie & James. Brother to Luke, Liam & Alexander.

Welcome little one, from a delighted granny."
Fiona Garrity fionag@mweb.co.zw

Attack near Umvuma

From a reader:- ‘On Thursday 16 September, my parents and I were driving back from South Africa.  At about 2.45/3pm, about 15km the Masvingo side of Umvuma (205km from Harare), we came across a young lady who had stopped at a lay-bye.  The lay-bye is on the lefthand side of the road, facing Harare.  This poor lady had been desperate to make a stop and was unfortunately attacked.  There were two attackers, they appeared from nowhere and beat her.  They seemed intent on killing her.  She fought them and was able to get away from them and ran out onto the road for help.  They stole her suitcase and handbag and other personal belongings and took her car keys then ran off into the bush.  Other passersby had already stopped when we got there and were kindly looking for her belongings in the bushes.  They were lucky enough to find her car keys.  I then drove her car and she rode with my parents.  We drove to the Police Station at Umvuma to report the incident and then we continued on to Harare to get her to a medical facility, where she was met by her family and friends.  The attackers used a big stick to beat her and she had a big gash on her head.  They tried to strangle her and she is somewhat battered and bruised from the ordeal.  She was extremely brave and we believe that she saved herself by fighting back.  While she was being beaten, cars were driving past and each time, the attackers tried to hold her down behind the car so that she could not be seen.  We have since heard that there was another attack at the same lay-bye just yesterday!  When we were reporting the incident to the police, they told us that there have been other attacks recently at the same site.

Please be warned that these attackers have not yet been found and a number of incidents have recently been reported in the same sort of area and around Masvingo.  As we left the border at Beit Bridge, we were warned not to stop at lay-byes or we would be robbed.  We have personally seen the victim of one of these attacks now.  These are not just rumours - the attacks are actually happening.  These warnings are to be taken very seriously.  This lady is extremely lucky to have survived to tell the tale.  PLEASE TAKE CARE.’

There is a demonstration / march by Civil Servants being planned for Saturday 18 September

There is a demonstration / march by Civil Servants being planned for Saturday 18 September in central Harare. The demonstration is about civil servant salaries, and is planned to start at Rotten Row, going to Robert Mugabe ave / Julius Nyerere Way / Nelson Mandela / 4th St, and ending at Kaguvi Building. As of yet, I don't have a time as to when it is planned to start, but I would assume early to mid-morning.


The march is apparently going to be with Police escort, which indicates that the intention is to have an orderly and peaceful march. However, these things can get out of hand, and you are thus advised to avoid the Harare City Centre area in general tomorrow, and specifically the roads mentioned above. At the very least, there will be traffic delays and congestion.

Dick Nash

From: Dawn Spencer  It  is with deep regret and sadness that we announce the death of Dick Nash on the 4^th. September, from a heart attack at home in Pietermaritzburg. He will be sadly missed by his wife, Sandy and daughters Kim and Tanya and their families. Dick was an ex Saint Georges boy and he also worked for National Parks in this country. To contact his family please phone Dawn Spencer in Harare on 496769 or 0712-601082.

Rhino Horn

THAILAND - Bangkok Star - 18th August


A woman mourns over the body of her deceased husband after he had purchased
apparently purposely contaminated Rhino horn on the open market in Bangkok .
The source of the contamination is still to be verified but it is thought to
be from a private game farm somewhere in southern Africa .
Officials in Thailand are frantic to identify the source, as the powdered
horn is sold in miniscule amounts and they have no idea how much has already
been distributed thoughout Bangkok . Local hospitals are on standby for an
unprecendented influx of new cases.

Officials are unable get information as the rhino horn dealers in Bangkok
are being unco-operative. They neither want to be fingered as being the
provider of the poisoned horn, not do they want to reveal their illegal
international sources. It is believed that private game farm owners in
southern Africa are colluding between themselves to distribute an effective
poison that is harmless to the animals but harmful, or even fatal as in this
case, to those that ingest the contaminated horn.

A game farm owner from the North West Province who obviously wishes to
remain anonymous, has admitted to using the poison on 4 of his animals.
Three of them have shown no side-effects whatsoever 2 months after the
poison was injected into the horns. However the 4th rhino was slaughtered
and de-horned on a remote part of his farm in the last week of July. When
asked to comment on the death in Thailand from suspect poisoned rhino horn,
he refused to be drawn into the morals of the farmers joint action. He said
that there would be many more cases in the near future as he was personally
aware of at least another 5 slaughters of contaminated rhinos in the North
West Province alone.

Authorities in South Africa are unable to comment on the "poison" collusion
among the game farm owners nor are they able to verify the source of the
contaminated horn.

Despite the ethical furore the poisoning of rhino horn may trigger, to many
of us this is what we've been waiting for - It's great news in a desperate
fight - at last a positive way to fight back to help save the rhino, no
matter how illegal - after all the poachers & the "Rhino Mafia" & corrupt
politicians or official's acts are also very much illegal !! - all hell will
break loose but always remember - " 'n boer maak 'n plan" - this one's
desperate but terrific and will wake the Zim, Mozam, SA & Provincial Gov's &
Authorities & those further north from their arrogant/corrupt slumbers !!
The fight's really on - can't wait !! - Well done to the farmers & rhino
owners !!

ZWF Comments by Tim Condon

Please contact the ZWF Anti- Poaching Confidential Hot-Line with any
information in strictest confidence on any acts of poaching - rhino horn,
ivory & game for bush meat - to our email at
tim.condon@shaw.ca> !!

______________________________________

PLEASE FORWARD TO CONCERNED CONSERVATIONISTS, BIRD LOVERS, WILDLIFE RANGERS

& MANAGERS, NGO's, ECO-TOUR OPERATORS, POLITICIANS, MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES &

INFLUENTIAL PERSONS IN THE WORLD OF WILDLIFE CONSERVATION.
If possible please post this information on as many Internet Social Network
Sites, such as Facebook - Twitter - any Blogs and others.

Condolences

LENDRUM, Adrian: A Celebration of Life, please join us in celebrating Adrian's life, at Bulawayo Country Club, Saturday 18th September, @ 4pm. Tea & snacks available, plus a cash bar.


Many thanks, Peggy Lendrum & Laurie Thompson
++++++++

FRED MELLETT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the wonderful people who helped me and assisted me in the passing of my husband. A special thanks to Gary Green and his wife Heather from Anolle Castings & Engineering who opened their hearts to me and were such a blessing. I cannot thank you enough.

Also to Karen Williams who assisted in taking care of the tea's and eats and Shez Blatch. Words cannot express to you on all you have done and your heart in all.

Also to Richard Langworthy for conducting the funeral. Thank so much Richard.

Lastly to Graeme Dexter my son-in-law so took care of all the arrangements. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

God Bless you all

Johanna Mellett (wife of Fred Mellett)

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ADRIAN LENDRUM

Dear Jeff - so very sorry to hear of your father's passing. Love & thoughts to you and the family.

Fleur Donzelli-Coelho
+++++++
ADRIAN LENDRUM:
A real friend in need, he was always there to help when the going got tough even when we were far apart. Ray.

ENGAGEMENT NOTICE

Pat and Les Stirling are thrilled to announce the engagement, in London, of Scott to Miranda, daughter of Cyril and Pru Atkinson of Johannesburg.


Pat Stirling pdstirling@hotmail.co.uk

The Vintage & Classic Car Club of Zimbabwe.

The VCCZ welcomes members and non members and invites them all with there vehicles, be they sedans, sports cars, pick ups, estate wagons all older than +/- 25 years to a gathering of 'Petrolheads' in the TM carpark area in Borrowdale from 10.00 -12.00
on
Sunday 19 September 2010

Many of the 'older ' vehicles need air in their tyres and a whiff of petrol. Get them out and let your friends and others enjoy them.

No charge for entrants or guests. It is proposed that the 3rd Sunday be set aside for this gathering every month from 10.00 - 12.00 in one of the Borrowdale carparks. We would like to see your vehicle that has sat in the corner of the 'Barn' for the last 15 years " OUT & ABOUT".

A run of interested persons and there vehicles to "Kuimba Shiri" has been arranged for the same day.

Gather at the TM carpark after 10.00 and go off to the site in your own time.

Free Entrance for VCCZ members (kindly granted by Gary Stafford)

Buffet Lunch $9.00 per person

GARY STAFFORD HAS REQUESTED NUMBERS FOR CATERING.

Any queries contact Wally Hankey :
hankey@zol.co.zw

Econet Wireless is changing its prefix number from 091 to 077, with effect from October 2.

This change is in line with global regulations on numbering set by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

Only the first three digits of the current number will change - from 091 to 077. The other seven digits remain the same.

To allow a smooth changeover to the new 077 number, our customers will be able to make calls to Econet numbers using both the current 091 and new 077 codes until November 2. However, after this period, a call to an Econet number will only be possible by using the new 077 prefix.

It is important to note that the changes are part of worldwide changes being led by the ITU, the agency of the UN which regulates ICTs. The changes will set new standards in numbering.

Over the next few weeks, we will be running a media campaign to alert our customers to the changes. You can contribute to this by informing your own acquaintances as to this new plan.

Kindest regards
Ranga Mberi
Corporate Communications Manager
Econet Wireless (Pvt) Limited
Mobile: +263912222407
Tel: +263-4 486121/6
Fax: +263-4-486120/486183
rmberi@econet.co.zw

Twyford Farm in Chegutu

Yesterday, 14th September, my beautiful home on Twyford Farm in Chegutu was burnt to a cinder and nothing is left of it.

This farm is protected by a French BIPPA and a High Court order in my favour from 2007 and despite all that, I was ordered on the 18th March 2010 to pack all my belongings and fined $200 for illegally occupying the farm. Since then, my home has not been occupied by Jamaya Muduvuri who has an Offer Letter on Twyford. In February last year 30 thugs, led by Muduvuri, occupied the farm and Muduvuri proceeded to steal all my crops, farming equipment and vehicles. Yesterday he finished gutting the farm completely by burning the main homestead. It has taken one year for my profitable farm to become a totally abandoned land where no crop has been planted and the home has been destroyed. Furthermore, Muduvuri already has 4 farms to his name and mine was the 5th one.

Today I find myself asking our Prime Minister:

"As the owner of a French BIPPA farm, where is the compensation I am meant to receive the day someone steps on my farm (as per the Land Reform text)?"

My continuous efforts towards the PM's office have been filled with empty promises and no action.

What happened on my farm has NOTHING to do with any kind of land reform: the land has not been utilized, the equipment and crops have been stolen, all my animal stock has been slaughtered and finally my home has been burnt.

Catherine Jouineau-Meredith
Very disheartened and angry French farmer

Woman who took part in violent attacks on white farmers in Zimbabwe denied UK asylum

By David Gardner
Last updated at 8:02 AM on 17th September 2010

A woman who admitted taking part in savage evictions of white farmers from their homes in Zimbabwe lost her bid for asylum after a High Court judge accused her of ‘crimes against humanity.’

Mr Justice Ouseley threw out the widowed mother-of-two’s appeal to remain in the UK after she confessed to beating up ten people during two land invasions.

The judge said the state-sponsored mob violence, which saw white famers’ land seized and shared out among President Robert Mugabe’s cronies, was akin to genocide.

A woman who admitted taking part in savage evictions of white farmers from their homes in Zimbabwe lost her bid for asylum after a judge accused her of 'crimes against humanity'

‘We are satisfied that the two farm invasions were crimes against humanity,’ he said, likening the 39-year-old woman’s role to a concentration camp guard who followed Nazi orders during the Holocaust.

Mr Justice Ouseley threw out the mother-of-two's appeal to remain in the UK after she confessed to beating up ten people during two land invasions

The woman, who cannot be named, came to Britain illegally in 2002 and did not claim asylum until six years later.

Her bid for refugee status was rejected on the grounds that her own violent actions in Zimbabwe disqualified her from humanitarian protection in this country.

She admitted to being part of a gang of thugs from Mugabe’s Zanu-PF party who invaded two white-owned farms intent on causing maximum terror and driving away black workers.

The woman, referred to only as ‘SK”, agreed she had beaten up to ten people whilst their homes burned, ‘inflicting enough pain to get them to run away.’

She said that on one occasion, she beat a woman so badly she thought she would die.

However, she insisted she had taken part in the raids under duress to prove her loyalty to Mugabe’s regime and she had never intended to kill anyone.

Mr Justice Ouseley, sitting at the Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber said the farm invasions were ‘part of widespread, systematic attacks’ against white farmers and their black workers, carried out with the full knowledge of the regime ‘as a deliberate act of policy’.

The intention behind the ‘obviously inhumane’ invasions ‘was to cause great suffering or inflict serious physical or mental injury’ on victims and cow them into never returning to their homes or opposing the Mugabe regime, he added.

The woman insisted she had taken part in the raids under duress to prove her loyalty to Mugabe¿s regime and she had never intended to kill anyone

‘The aim was achieved by the mob violence of beatings administered to men and women, burnings and lootings in a deliberately brutal and terrifying experience.

‘They were undertaken for political reasons, the suppression of perceived opposition and for the financial advancement of the regime members and supporters,’ he added.

There was also a ‘clear racial element’ to the attacks, the judge said.

Zimbabwe had 4,500 white commercial farmers and agriculture was the cornerstone of the country’s economy before the Mugabe government’s controversial land seizures began a decade ago.

Of the 300 farms left, at least 152 of them have reportedly been targetted for eviction with foreign farmers at the top of the list to go.

The Tribunal accepted that the woman was a ‘lesser participant’ in the bloodshed and others were even more brutal.

However, she took ‘a voluntary, even if reluctant’ part.

Even though not a ringleader, the same could be said of concentration camp guards who ‘make a substantial contribution to genocide’ despite their peripheral role, said the judge.

Venus

From: Mike Begbie [mailto:Mike.Begbie@hotmail.com] Venus is the brightest planet. And it's brightest this week in the evening for all of 2010.


Look outside shortly after sunset, and you can't miss Venus. It's an eerie light low in the southwestern sky. Venus' brightness will surprise you if you've never noticed it before. It's so bright that, around now, many people will report Venus as a UFO.

But this is no exotic or unidentified object. It's simply our neighboring planet in orbit around the sun. On August 20, Venus passed a hallmark of its year when it appeared at its farthest from the sun on our sky's dome. Right now, Venus is approaching its brightest - what astronomers call its greatest brilliancy - in the western twilight sky. Venus' illuminated portion covers the most sky on September 23, the same date as this year's September full moon.

In the coming week, Venus will shine at its maximum brightness, at -4.6 magnitude. How bright is that? That's about 70 times brighter than Arcturus, one of the brightest stars in all the heavens - now in the same part of the sky as Venus. In you're in the southern hemisphere - where Venus stays up for a few hours after nightfall - it might be possible to notice shadows cast by Venus. You'll have your best chance to see shadows cast by Venus once the moon leaves the evening sky later this month.

So Venus is about at its brightest for the year now. Yet - in what seems like a paradox - a telescope would reveal Venus now as a waning crescent. It looks like a tiny, featureless crescent moon. Because the orbit of Venus lies inside of Earth's orbit, Venus goes through phases, much like our moon.

Surprisingly, Venus' disk appears only 29% illuminated right now, as seen from Earth. How can it be shining at or near peak brightness when we're seeing only a portion of its lighted hemisphere? The answer is that - when Venus appears full as seen from Earth - it's always much farther away, on the far side of the sun from us. That's the only place it can be in order for its fully lighted disk to be facing our way.

Now Venus is on the same side of the sun as Earth. It will go between us and the sun on October 29, 2010. So a portion of the day side of Venus is turned away from us, and we see a crescent Venus. Yet Venus on the same side of the sun as us, and therefore closer. A telescope would reveal the crescent, but it would also show the crescent as very large. Thus Venus is brightest now.

By the way, in the weeks ahead, Venus will be coming closer still to Earth, but it will be showing us less and less of its lighted hemisphere (day side) as it prepares to pass between us and the sun. So now is the time of maximum brilliance for Venus! Watch for it as a brilliant light looming low in the west after sunset.

CHARLIE TREMLETT-JOHNSTONE (NZ)

CHARLIE TREMLETT-JOHNSTONE (NZ)

My condolences to all Charlie's family - a long illness bravely born. So many memories will be treasured.

With much love Karen Cork (SA) and Wendy Leighton

The address I have for Ant & Gilly Maclachlan's e-mail is:antmac@clear.net.n

BROOKS (NEE HARVEY) MARGARET

It is with such sadness that Margaret passed away after a short illness on Sunday 12 September 2010. There is a huge void in our lives.

Lynette, Carol, Richard, Sandy and their respective families.

'Service of Thanksgiving' will be held at the Highlands Presbyterian Church on Friday 17th at 11 a m

Followed by teas and refershments at the Church Pavillion.

Fin and Jane O'Donoghue [jane@iquartz.com]

news from Zimbabwe

ANGUS BUCHAN in Harare 25 September 2010


Angus Buchan is coming to Harare and will be speaking on the playing fields at Chisipite School on 25 September at 6pm.

Angus was born in this country and as a fellow farmer - a farmer with a bigger following than any farmer in the whole of Africa - he has a message of hope that we all need to hear. The evening is free.

The mighty mans conference had around half a million men on Angus'

farm. This is for women too. Invite your friends. Get excited and let's get there in numbers and hear what Angus has to say.

Ben Freeth.

Ben Freeth - Protecting Communities in Zimbabwe from Violence:

Peace Watch has started a discussion with the above title. As farmers we need to contribute - perhaps let's have a discussion on this forum? So long as the issue of fear is not overcome with in all of our hearts and in the nation as a whole, malevolent dictatorship will persist and the future will remain bleak for the vast majority of Zimbabweans.

Let me kick off:

I think that it is important to try to learn from the past if we are going to have any hope of countering violence in the future. It has been our experience in the past in the rural areas, where the majority of Zimbabweans live, that a few key people in authority in each district will run the campaign of violence. Rural people are very isolated and vulnerable to campaigns of violence. The main violence will be timed just before the election - but it will be kept simmering in the interim period too so that people continue to live under a dark cloud of fear.

The police are under strict instruction to not get involved in stopping violence - and just a few key people in each police station make sure that this instruction is adhered too. The ruling party militia camps will be started up properly again very soon and the youth will be forced to attend them and be trained in violence with a breaking down process that instills intense fear into them. Alcohol, drugs, loot and money will be used to enhance the fervor of the militia in carrying out the orders from the few in command - the finding of Zimbabwe's diamonds will be a big factor in ensuring that the militia can be well paid to seal off rural wards from those who care about trying to expose and stop violence, and thereby ensure that a campaign of violence can go on unhindered.

When the violence starts in earnest, we know from the past that the wards will be sealed off and people will be stopped from moving around from ward to ward. Rural people will be called in to compulsorily attend meetings - pungwes. We know that non attendance will result in houses being burnt and people being beaten. We know that meetings will be more often held at night when they will not be discovered by observers in their hotel beds and the safety of town. In the night no pictures can be taken either. We know that the pungwes will involve the trusted torture method of much sleep deprivation. Many threats will be issued. Much hate speech will be pronounced. Rural people will be forced to denounce people within their communities for the crime of saying something or doing something unsupportive of the ruling party. These people will be brought forward and fear will gradually be instilled into everyone through the night as more are brought forward and eventually dealt with by being beaten in front of their whole community - often by members within the community who are forced to do so. The youth militia will be stationed around to stop anyone coming in to observe and to stop anyone from leaving.

When it comes to voting day everyone will be forced to vote. There will be very few opposition polling agents prepared to come forward because of the violent example that has been made of them in the past. Either they will be in hiding or abducted or in hospital or even in their graves as they were by the hundred in the last election. People will be lined up

in groups. Each group will have a number and an order within it where each individual goes into the voting booth. That way each person will know that his number on the ballot paper will correspond to his or her number in his or her group. They will be told again of the dire consequences of violence for not voting for the ruling party.

By this process of all night indoctrination pungwes of fear - repeated in each ward as often as is necessary to instill total fear and therefore total control, violence will win. It has won every time it has been used. How can a rural community protect itself from it? It is almost impossible. Here are some options:

Each rural community refuses to go to the meetings en masse. But if they refuse to go to meeting they will have selected violence committed against them or against their property or family and realistically most people will be too scared not to go to the meetings.

Individuals in the community get past the road blocks sealing the wards off and manage to get to the police to report on the pungwes and violence and threats. The problem here is that the police will do nothing as we have seen so often in the past because although they want to help they are also under intense fear.

Individuals in the community go to the observers and diplomats and NGO's and report on the violence. The problem here is that none of these people will ever go out at night and are too scared to even go to many the rural areas in the day where there is trouble. In any case what will the observers do besides make a report as they have done in the past. They have no power to stop the violence.

Groups in each rural community try to single out the perpetrators of violence and fight back by committing violence against them. The problem here is that the police and army and militia from other areas will then react with a heavy hand and the cycle of violence will continue much worse.

The rural people evacuate the rural areas en masse and go to the towns or protected villages where they are not so isolated and vulnerable. The problem here is that the majority of the Zimbabwe population live and derive their subsistence livelihoods from the rural areas. What do they do with their crops and livestock? Where in the towns can they all live? Murambatsvina effectively closed down this option.

People in rural communities form up as "peace keepers" where they try to properly document the violence and get the press involved and bring the perpetrators to justice through exposure and the courts. The churches which constitute by far the largest constituency in Zimbabwe would have to take a leading role too, with large groups of clerics and pastors descending on hot spots of violence to plead with the police and the perpetrators of the violence to stop it and document it for the sake of truth and justice in the future in both the local and the international courts. So far the churches and the church leaders have been sadly uncoordinated and fearful themselves to get involved with any kind of plan in stopping violence when it starts. The trouble with the courts is that this is so long term - getting justice in the Zimbabwe courts takes years; and if the perpetrators are agents of the ruling Party, justice will take much longer and will be frustrated by fearful magistrates. This is no reason not to seek justice though.

Prevailing on the leaders in the MDC who now hold office in Government to go on an all out international campaign now to call in international peace keepers to protect the rural people of Zimbabwe. Unfortunately, the MDC leadership do not seem to be willing to do anything to protect our rural people [who form the majority of the population] from violence: the PM has not been to a rural police station to try to get police to follow court orders or protect the people in his 2 years in office that we know of; neither has he even been to a commercial farm to see with his own eyes the violence that is being perpetrated on them! If the MDC leaders do not focus on stopping violence, I fear that they will not have a future either

Revelation says: "they overcame him by the blood of the lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

Ben Freeth - once from rural Chegutu.
 Hand Bag Slashers on the Prowl - Mary

Please be warned that there are two women masquerading as shoppers and in the process stealing from unsuspecting individuals. I was a victim on Saturday midday at the Caves toy shop at Sam Levy's village.

I have also since found out that two similar incidents occurred at Arundel Spar and TM Borrowdale recently.
I now suspect that they followed me from Coconut Joe where I ( misguidedly in retrospect )paid for my stuff taking money from a bunch of $10 notes held by a rubber band that I had gotten from the bank. I went into Caves to pick up some games for the children and as I was going through some, there were two "girls" I would put them in late twenties to thirty behind me making a din on which items to buy.

I felt one of them sort of bumping into my bag and I moved away slightly thinking I was in someone's way. That was the first slash and she failed to get the money as I had moved. They then followed me to the till, where my stuff was about 133 and I gave the guy 130 again from the same bunch of tens and I threw the remainder into my bag and got my wallet to look for 5 dollars. By now the same ladies had also come to the till and were on either side of me and pretended to be in such a great hurry with the "slasher" literally paying for their stuff over my shoulder (as a cover) I simply thought this was a very rude person invading my space and waited for my change but in the meantime she had slashed my bag the second time and pulled out the money and left her mate to get their change. As we walked out of the shop that's when my daughter noticed that my bag was ripped as some of my stuff was almost falling out.

What is scary to note is that they have the audacity to do so in a shop with cameras and interestingly when we went back to Caves and they tried to play back the camera it was off from the time I got into the shop and up to the time I paid for the games.

I am told (though I cannot confirm) that at Arundel Spar only their back profiles were caught on camera.

Looking at them from the little that I can remember, they did not seem threatening at all I just brushed them off as being rather rude, and normally you suspect men not women. They must have used a very sharp blade as the cuts are very "clean".

Please be very careful as you go about your routine business, I just thank God that the kids and I were not harmed as I don't want to imagine what would have happened if I had turned around and found the blade in my bag or worse still if any one of the kids had noticed and raised alarm, if they can have the nerve to slash a bag over one's shoulder at 12.30 in the afternoon am sure they are capable of worse.

Regards,
Mary

REPS REPORTER – SEPTEMBER 2010

Now that summer is here, I hope that all of you will be able to winkle yourselves out of the warm cocoon of your favourite chair and make time to pay your Society a visit. We have a number of productions in the pipe line ranging from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat to ‘Allo ‘Allo to Stars of Tomorrow to the annual panto. Something for everything on stage, and if the stage is not your particular thing, then come along to try out the new range of stock we are holding in the bar. I hope to see you somewhere there soon.

Congrats to Babysitting Calvin

Well done to Colleen Hardy and her team in Babysitting Calvin on winning the Best Production award in the 2010 National Invitational One Act Play Festival, which was held at Reps on September 3 and 4. We were delighted to be able to host this most worthwhile exercise and to welcome plays from Kadoma (Campbell Theatre Club) and Mutare (Four000 Miles Theatre Group). The adjudicator, Dr Susan Hains, selected the following award winners:

Best Production: Babysitting Calvin

Best Actor: Larry Greeff (Babysitting Calvin)

Best Actress: Carole Newman (Cream Cracker under the Settee)

Best Supporting Actor: Leroy Machiso (Dirty Laundry)

Best Supporting Actress: Gaye O’Reilly and Cherry Gordon (Happiness My Goal)

Best Newcomer (Male): Ronald Pilime (Postal Orders)

Best Newcomer (Female): Gaby Levey (Babysitting Calvin)

Best Cameo: Carole Newman (Night Temperature)

Best Achievement: Cream Cracker under the Settee

Best Costumes: Dirty Laundry

Best Technical: Cream Cracker under the Settee

These were the productions presented at the festival:

Campbell Theatre Club, Kadoma:

Cream Cracker under the Settee

Night Temperature

Happiness My Goal

Four 000 Miles, Mutare:

Dirty Laundry – A Family Affair

The Repertory Players:

Babysitting Calvin

Postal Orders

Sins of the Father

Does anyone want to try their hand at directing? The 2011 One Act Festival is only 11 months away. Put in your application NOW!

Joseph promises to be a super musical treat

All is set for the run of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the updated revival of the Tim Rice-Andrew Lloyd-Webber hit that is timeless and popular. It opens on Tuesday September 14 (preview night Monday September 13 – pensioners free) and ends its run on Saturday September 25. Three nights are already booked out for gala evenings and tickets are selling fast for the other performances. This show has a cast of over 40 and will be a real treat for the eye and ear.

Fraser brings in another comedian
After his success with John Vlismas a few weeks ago, Fraser Mackay is bringing in another SA comedian, Mark Banks, highly regarded in SA and abroad. This run will feature only three performances – September 30, October 1 and October 2. This sounds like a lot of fun but please remember that it is rated No Under 18.

I shall say this only once!

If you happen to be walking past the rehearsal room any time in the near future and hear the lyrical Gallic language being mangled to the accompaniment of hoots of laughter, then you have just walked past a rehearsal of ‘Allo ‘Allo. This show, directed by Sue Bolt, runs on the main stage from October 12 – 23.

Also coming up
For additional entertainment
• Josh Ansley sings live in the Reps Members’ Bar on Friday September 10 from 8.30pm
• The Dance Trust of Zimbabwe presents An Afternoon of Dance on the main stage for one performance only – 2.30pm on Sunday October 3. It features 10 dancers from the South African National Ballet and a number of local dancers.
• We are hosting a fun quiz evening on Sunday September 26 in the Theatre Upstairs. It starts at 6pm and features two “shows” and a lasagna dinner betweens the two. It’s called The Weakest Link and will run along the lines of the TV show.

Did you know…
that we do not allow glasses or bottles into either of our auditoriums? This is to help prevent expensive breakages and, more important, possible injuries. Please cooperate with us and take plastic “cups” into the theatres if you take drinks in. If plastic cups are not available please also cooperate and refrain from using this as an excuse to “have to” take in drinks in bottles and glasses. Many members have, in fact, asked us to stop allowing drinks into the theatres but we still allow this if it does not develop into a problem – and providing no glasses or bottles are used. Cans and plastics are fine.

Until next time, keep well and remember – there is no such thing as failure, only a result.

Dramatically yours,
Teri Grimmel
Chairman

Anti-hijack Trust

August has seen an increase on crime again … mainly house robberies, with gate motors, swimming pool and borehole pumps being high on the list. Power cuts have been extremely long, and therefore perfect for the underworld to work in – it means that the upgrade of security is essential where at all possible. It seems that ALL suburbs have been targeted so take this is a WARN ING to be on your guard.


In Central Business District (City centre/surrounding areas) there have been reports of ‘missing’ vehicles which have turned out to be that vehicles have been clamped and then towed away by the City of Harare for parking in NO PARKING areas. Be warned, make sure you are in a parking area and that you have the parking discs displayed and filled in correctly. Do not double park and leave vehicles running as you are then leaving yourself wide open for theft as well as being on the wrong side of the law. Please keep in mind the safety of your vehicle. There is an increase of motorists not wearing seatbelts, talking on mobile phones without using the correct NO HANDS equipment available , jumping the traffic lights etc whilst travelling, - generally not being vigilant to the rules of the road, with an increase of accidents and sadly even loss of life due to carelessness. As motorists we must be fully aware and alert at all times, do NOT take other people’s lives in to your own hands, as so often is the case of the innocent victim being involved. Lets tame this road rage – be courteous to other motorists, its better to be safe than sorry at the end of the journey. We seem to have a’ motor ‘ jungle out there, let’s control it !

Smash and grabs are still occurring, so be warned, with the warmer weather around the corner, travelling with windows open with valuables etc left within reach or in view is not wise. Keep all items in the BOOT and out of sight. Travelling to and from the airport please make sure all baggage etc is safe and out of view. Its a stressful hassle when passports, money, tickets etc are stolen, this can all be avoided.

Our aim should be to see Zimbabwe as a safe and secure haven for us all to live in !

Let’s ALL fight this crime together - stay ALERT and SAFE !

ANTI HIJACK TRUST: NATIONAL HOTLINE: 091 2 242 512

TEL/FAX: HARARE 04-309870/309800 /091 2

Toll fees for Kariba Dam wall set

Herald Reporter

All vehicles using the Kariba Dam wall to gain entry into Zimbabwe or Zambia will now be required to pay toll fees for the use of the facility as the Zambezi River Authority seeks to raise funds for the maintenance of the site.

Heavy vehicles will pay US$20 while light vehicles would pay US$5 for the use of the bridge jointly owned by Zimbabwe and Zambia.

Energy and Power Develop-ment Minister Elton Mangoma, in a Statutory Instrument published in a Government Gazette published last Friday, annou-nced the new measures.

"Vehicles belonging to the Authority, governments of the Republics of Zimbabwe and Zambia and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, Zesa Holdings (Private) Limited and Zesco Limited are exempted from paying fees when using the Kariba Dam wall," reads the notice.

The governments of the two neighbouring countries constructed Kariba Dam wall across the Zambezi River between the Zimbabwean and Zambian border posts and is managed by the Zambezi River Authority.

The money raised is expected to go a long way in maintaining the site and make the road user friendly.

John Roy (Jacko) Coleman

JOHN ROY (JACKO) COLEMAN

John Roy (Jacko) Coleman passed peacefully away in his 87th year in Petersfield, Hampshire U.K. latterly of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and Kokstad KZN, S.A. Very sadly missed by his beloved family in England, South Africa and mourned by his friends everywhere. His sense of humour and twinkling eyes were second to none, a gentleman to the end. M.H.D.S.R.I.P.

Funeral arrangements to be announced. Any enquiries please contact his daughter Christine Hydes on Pietermaritzburg 033 942 726.

THE deadline for the registration of mobile phone line cards has been extended

Bulawayo Bureau-Herald Reporter.


THE deadline for the registration of mobile phone line cards has been extended until further notice, after only 25 percent of subscribers managed to register, the Postal and Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe said yesterday.

The Potraz board met yesterday in Harare and decided that registration by subscribers be extended and a new deadline would be announced some time next week.

The initial deadline elapsed yesterday.

In an interview, Potraz board chairman Engineer Charles Sibanda said the deadline had been postponed until further notice.
"The board decided that we are going to extend registration," he said.
Eng Sibanda said the board had decided to hold a Press conference next week at which a new deadline and conditions of the extension would be laid down.
He said the decision had been arrived at after realisation that 75 percent of the subscribers were yet to register their Sim cards.
"The board decided that the deadline should be extended because only 25 percent of subscribers have registered so far. For now we cannot give the new deadline but we will call a Press conference next week where a full statement would be made."
"There are certain things that need to be addressed like the conditions of extension and the new deadline, but people can continue registering their Sim cards," he said.
Weekend media reports had quoted Potraz officials as saying the deadline might be extended after mobile phone companies reported that they were failing to access all their subscribers particularly those in rural areas.
The revelation by Eng Sibanda that just 25 percent of subscribers had registered by yesterday comes amid claims by some mobile phone operators that the majority of their customers had registered.
Speaking in separate interviews, officials from the service providers blamed subscribers for failing to take heed to the call to register before the initial deadline.
"Potraz are the ones who are driving the programme and we are the ones implementing it with our subscribers. The problem is that people want to wait until the last minute when they would start rushing to beat deadlines," said a NetOne official, Ms Rutendo Chaburuka, yesterday.
In a recent interview, Econet spokesperson Mr Rangarirai Mberi said although the mobile operator had decentralised registration centres by establishing mobile centres around towns, there were still some subscribers who were yet to register their lines.
In the past few days, long queues had been the order of the day as subscribers thronged service providers in an effort to beat the deadline.
Yesterday there were still long queues at the Econet First Street shop in Harare, Telecel Sam Nujoma Street shop and the Bulawayo NetOne shop as subscribers were submitting their registration forms. - Bulawayo Bureau-Herald Reporter.

Robin von der Hyde

Death and Memorial Notice

Robin von der Hyde, beloved Father, father in law and Grandpa of Amanda, Nick, Rob, Sabrina, Katherine and Jonathon died in Mvurwi on 1st Sept. A gentleman to the very end.
Memorial Service will be held at the Anglican Church Mvurwi on Saturday 4th September at 1

VERY VERY URGENT PLEASE

THE PIONEERS SOCIETY
130 A Jason Moyo Street Telephone / Fax 65367
P. O. Box 100
BULAWAYO
e-mail pioneers@gatorzw.co.uk Zimbabwe
9th June 2010
APPEAL
PLEASE PASS ON / FORWARD TO ANYONE ELSE
ESPECIALLY OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS) WHO MAY BE INTERESTED)
Pioneer Descendants and Members of The Pioneers Society are now scattered to all corners of the world. Wherever they are they can be proud of their Heritage, their History and resilience.

It is in keeping alive this History and our Heritage that we The Pioneers Society,(Custodians of this History) send out this URGENT appeal to you all, PLEASE make whatever DONATIONS, of any amount you can, to help us survive, as well as to keep the fires burning..

Reminder also that children, Grand Children, Great Grandchildren etc are also eligible

to become members. Application Forms available from The Pioneers Society.

The current cost of Life Membership and Scoll is USD $ 55 each. This does not have to be paid all at once, especially if there are several members to be registered., It can be paid in instalments, which can be arranged to suit you.

The Society finds itself, from being financially sound and independent, to being destitute. The funds of The Pioneeers Society were completely lost, (due to the removal of an additional TWELVE ZEROS from the Zimbabwean Currency in February 2009). We are now unable to meet the basic functions of our office ie electricity, Council rates / water, or telephone as well as staff wages and salaries.

This disaster also affected many of our elderly people who became penniless and now have to rely on hand-outs or assistance from Family Members, friends or Charitable Organisations.

We are no longer able to assist members with financial assistance as we do not have any finance and are in a critical situation.

In order to minimise the HIGH costs of transferring funds, (normally a minimum charge of approx USD $ 35 at the Transferring Bank) it is suggested that any funds originating from outside Zimbabwe should be accumulated in a designated account in the country of origin. PLEASE, URGENTLY ADVISE DETAILS IF YOU WOULD BE PREPARED TO ALLOW THE USE OF YOUR PERSONAL ACCOUNT FOR THIS PURPOSE before transferring funds in bulk to our USD $ Foreign Currency Account in Bulawayo.

Account Details ACCOUNT NAME THE PIONEERS SOCIETY

BANK STANDARD CHARTERED P. O. Box 587 BULAWAYO Zimbabwe.

BRANCH Fife Street, Bulawayo

BRANCH CODE 5337 SWIFT CODE SCBLZWHXA

ACCOUNT TYPE US Dollar Foreign Currency Account

NEW CURRENT ACCOUNT NUMBER 8700240550500

PLEASE NOTE THERE WAS A DIGIT MISSING FROM

THE NUMBER SENT PREVIOUSLY. THIS IS THE CORRECT ONE.

SINCERE APOLOGIES FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE CAUSED

In order to keep our records up to date IT IS ESSENTIAL that DETAILS of ALL

Transfers / Deposits are E-MAILED to THE PIONEERS SOCIETY and also to the relevant ACCOUNT HOLDERS, so that we can make follow ups and keep track of them, and of course ACKNOWLEDGE THEM (Be they large or small).

Details of the relevant Accounts to be used can be obtained by e-mail request from

THE PIONEERS SOCIETY: E_Mail (pioneers@gatorzw.co.uk)

or the Executive Chairman _ P. McCay: E-mail (Eastnor@netconnect.co.zw)
Regards and THANKING YOU in advance: PAUL McCAY