On 21 September three Zanu PF activists led by a villager known as Ndou, deprived a number of citizens their
monthly share of Social Welfare aid, in Beitbridge West, Ward 10. The community had gathered in anticipation
of receiving their food allocation but were told that they must pay R30 in order to receive their share. Community
members were reportedly confused as they did not know the reason they were required to pay this money. Only a
few managed to pay while the majority left without their monthly food allocation.
Despite assurances by the Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare, Sekai Nzenza that beneficiaries
are not supposed to pay any money to receive food aid, a notable number of violations in September were linked
to the demand for transport fees from beneficiaries reportedly to transport maize from the Grain Marketing Board
(GMB) depot to their locality. On 7 September in Guruve South Ward 7 at Ruvinga Business Centre, 8 September
in Guruve North Ward 29 at Negomo Primary School, 11 September in Hurungwe North Ward 8 at Karuru
Business center and 24 September in Epworth, Harare, Ward 2, beneficiaries were told that they had to pay
amounts ranging from ZWL5-10 in order to receive aid.
Artisanal Miners and Residents clashed in a number of areas in the month of September. ZPP has consistently
called for law enforcement authorities to arrest the brewing conflict between artisanal miner gangs and the
communities that they operate in. In September, violent clashes were recorded in Glendale, Mazowe Central when
residents took the law into their hands to chase artisanal miners from their area due to the lawlessness that has
permeated their community. Property was damaged in the process, including two commuter omnibuses which
were burnt to shells. In Pfungwe, villagers fought with tantalite artisanal miners over the land degradation in the
Sawa area. In Bindura, the Chipadze, community was also involved in violent clashes with miners chasing them
from their area. Bindura Town Council had to stop pumping water amid fears that water sources had been poisoned
with cyanide by artisanal miners in retaliation of their eviction from the area. Fortunately, after tests done by Freda
Rebecca Gold Mine laboratory, the results showed that the speculation was false. These reports come on the heels
of murder cases that ZPP recorded in August 2019 in which one person was murdered in Mashonaland Central
Province by MaShurugwi terror group and three were murdered in Mashonaland West province by a gang called
MaGokwe.
Economic Conditions continue to shrink leading to a myriad of issues which are causing conflict and unrest.
Harare City Council (HCC) stopped pumping water on the 23rd of September 2019 citing lack of funds to buy
required chemicals for water treatment. The local authority stated that they were owed upwards of $1 billion dollars
in bill payments by government institutions and residents leading to their failure to secure chemicals. This resulted