7 Lessons Of Customer Service That Are Vital To Getting Through Crises

It’s a sensitive time, and customer service has never been needed more. People are vulnerable and scared. They aren’t going to act rationally sometimes, and emotions can take over when people are driven by fear.  It’s important as an entrepreneur, a leader, and a professional to strive to make customer service a priority. It’s harder these days, with…

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Post-COVID Tourism Recovery consultations begin

… As domestic tourism takes centre stage Zimbabwe’s tourism sector yesterday met in Harare to craft a post-COVID-19 tourism recovery strategy. The discussion hinged on prioritizing the domestic market and product diversification. Addressing the meeting, Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndholvu emphasized the need to have a three-phased approach that starts…

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Econet reopens shops and service centres countrywide

Urges patience as customers flock to get service after 6 weeks lockdown Econet Wireless has begun reopening its shops following the lifting of some COVID-19 Coronavirus lockdown restrictions. But the company cautioned customers to be patient as it ramps up processes in and around its shops to balance quick service turnaround and ensuring public safety. …

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Implementing Africa’s free trade pact will lift economies – expert

Mr. Wamkele Mene was recently appointed Secretary-General of the African Continental Free Trade Area Secretariat. The effects of Covid-19 have halted free trade in member countries. In this interview with Africa Renewal’s Kingsley Ighobor, Mr. Mene explains the way forward, and how increased intra-African trade can help lift post-COVID-19 economies. These are the excerpts:  Describe…

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African countries get new tool to predict climate-related disasters

A new weather forecasting system in Africa allows meteorologists to track approaching storms in real time, potentially saving lives from climate-related disasters, scientists said on Monday.  The technology is already used in developed countries but was not available until recently in most of sub-Saharan Africa, according to scientists behind the project at the University of…

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Rediscovering the value of indigenous knowledge through COVID-19

By Charles Dhewa By restricting movement between rural and urban areas, there is no doubt that lockdowns in African countries have weakened domestic trade and social fabrics that sustain most low-income economies. Contrary to views from policymakers, African economies are not sustained by international trade but domestic commerce and social capital. COVID19-induced lockdowns have made…

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Africa Data Centres acquires world-class data centre in Johannesburg

Africa Data Centres’ investment reflects significant confidence in South Africa and further consolidates Africa Data Centres’ position as the continent’s leading data centre and co-location provider JOHANNESBURG, May 18 – Africa Data Centres, part of the Liquid Telecom Group, has completed the acquisition of a state-of-the-art Tier IV data centre in Johannesburg from Standard Bank,…

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Machakaire unpacks Youth Fund to Bulilima East youths

Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation Deputy Minister Tino Machakaire recently announced that Government will continue disbursing start-up relief funds to youths and urged those that have not received the funds to register. Addressing youths at Dingimuzi Hall in Plumtree over the weekend, the Guest of Honor at the Plumtree Youth Dialogue,  Deputy Minister Machakaire said…

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ICTs keep the world focused on SDGs, connected amidst COVID-19

Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Postal and courier Services, Jenfan Muswere has paid tribute to the important role ICTs play in keeping the world on track towards achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs) and coping with the coronavirus pandemic. He made the remarks today (17 May 2020) on the celebration of the World Telecommunication and Information…

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Masiyiwa urges multi-stakeholder collaboration in fighting COVID-19 in Africa

Businessman Strive Masiyiwa has urged Africans to adopt what he calls the ‘ITTIT’ formula to fighting the spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus epidemic as governments across the continent gradually ease national lockdown restrictions imposed to reign-in the spread of the disease. Writing on his popular Facebook blog following his appointment by the African Union as…

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Kadoma Water Woes Hinder Progress In The Fight Against Coronavirus

By Ronnie Chisamba in Kadoma The Kadoma Progressive Residents Association has voiced its concerns over the critical shortage of water and pointed out that the crisis presents a stumbling block in the fight against the deadly coronavirus, popularly known as COVID-19. The residents association recently made the statement through its Chairperson, Mr. Wilbert Batanai Murambiwa…

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Afreximbank Bucks COVID-19 On Course to Raise over US$1 billion in Syndicated Loan

The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) vaulted market uncertainties caused by COVID-19 pandemic to successfully conclude a dual-currency Syndicated Loan, raising the equivalent of US$907.5 million, comprised of two tranches of US$485 million and EUR390.4 million. Proceeds will be used for general corporate activities, and will strengthen the Bank’s liquidity position as it implements its US$3 billion Pandemic Trade Impact Mitigation…

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COVID-19 has its problems but identify opportunities, Minister Ndhlovu tells youths

Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu has urged youths to identify opportunities that came with the Coronavirus pandemic and start doing business. Addressing youths in his constituency at Dingimuzi Hall in Plumtree on Thursday, Minister Ndhlovu, said despite the challenges facing the country youths should look at what solutions they can…

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2Africa: A transformative subsea cable for future internet connectivity in Africa

China Mobile International, Facebook (www.Facebook.com), MTN GlobalConnect, Orange, stc, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone and WIOCC announced today that they will partner to build 2Africa, which will be the most comprehensive subsea cable to serve the African continent and Middle East region. The parties have appointed Alcatel Submarine Networks (“ASN”) to build the cable in a fully…

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COVID-19 response must target African agriculture and the rural poor

By Olusegun Obasanjo and Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe Africa has so far escaped the worst health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the continent looks like it could be the worst hit from the economic fallout of the crisis: 80 million Africans could be pushed into extreme poverty if action is not taken. And disruptions in…

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COVID-19: Standard Chartered donates USD11, 8m to Africa, Middle East

Standard Chartered (https://www.SC.com/) today announced donations totalling USD11,8 million to the Red Cross, UNICEF, and local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and Government Partners providing emergency relief in countries across Africa and the Middle East impacted by COVID-19. The donations will contribute to programmes providing urgent medical support and the protection and education of vulnerable children, as…

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Court victory for Chinhoyi vendors

By Kumbirai Mafunda High Court Judge Justice Jacob Manzunzu on Monday 11 May 2020 orderedChinhoyi Municipality to stop demolishing vending stalls and repair a shade that was damaged by its employees as they pulled down structures owned by some informal traders. Justice Manzunzu granted the order to stop the demolition of any vending stalls and…

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Old Mutual Zimbabwe donates PPE to Sally Mugabe Central Hospital

Old Mutual yesterday delivered a consignment of Personal Protective Equipment for health workers at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare, keeping its promise to commit $3.5 million towards Zimbabwe’s fight against COVID-19. This is the second such donation, following a similar handover at Thorngrove Hospital in Bulawayo last month as part of the #BusinessFightingCovid-19 initiative….

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Econet & Cassava group imports 100 000 COVID-19 test kits, targets corporates & vulnerable groups for testing

The Econet Group has imported 100 000 COVID-19 test kits for use in testing critical target groups such as essential services staff and the elderly and vulnerable, as Zimbabwe enters its seventh week under a national lockdown imposed by the government in efforts to curb the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. Announcing the development, the…

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COVID-19 shows symbiotic relationships between formal and informal economies

By Charles Dhewa Among other revelations, COVID-19 has shown the extent to which formal and informal African economies do not work in isolation but are more like Siamese twins. African economies are structured in such a way that there are no distinct supply chains that can be locked down without affecting entire ecosystems. For instance,…

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The Top 10 Technology Trends Of The 4th Industrial Revolution

By Bernard Marr We have never lived in a world of faster and more wide-reaching technology innovations. Our jobs, businesses, and how we operate as societies are being transformed by technology, and the current global pandemic is only fast-tracking the digital transformation. With this post, I want to delve into the top 10 tech trends that…

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United States provides additional US$2.5 million in response to Cyclone Idai

USAID Announces New Program to Combat Food Insecurity in Zimbabwe

USAID/Zimbabwe announces a new Feed the Future activity, Fostering Agribusiness for Resilient Markets (FARM).  The US$19.8 million, five-year contract with Chemonics International will commence in the next few months and will focus its efforts in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces. FARM builds on the work of Feed the Future Zimbabwe-Crop Development, Feed the Future-Livestock Development, and USAID’s…

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Afreximbank Cancels 2020 Annual Meeting Side Events due to COVID-19

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has made the decision to cancel the series of events which were set around its 27th Annual General Meeting and to hold the Shareholders’ meeting by correspondence. Afreximbank President Prof. Benedict Oramah said that the decision to hold the Shareholders’ meeting by correspondence was made after…

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COVID-19 Related Deaths At Tobacco Factory In Indonesia Are Latest Example of Prioritizing Profits Over Workers

Global tobacco industry watchdog STOP (Stopping Tobacco Organizations and Products) and Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) are urging caution following a rash of reports that tobacco industry practices may be putting their workers at risk for COVID-19. The alert comes amid news that two factory workers have died from COVID-19 and dozens of others tested positive at HM Sampoerna, a…

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Cassava Fintech responds to Covid-19, unveils Sasai TeamTalk with FREE calls on Sundays

Cassava Fintech International (CFI), a subsidiary of Econet Global, today released an enhanced voice and video conferencing service that allows up to 20 people on one call. The service, branded Sasai TeamTalk, was unveiled as a promotional offer of FREE Sasai Conference calling, between 8 am and 5 pm every Sunday until the end of…

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IOM enhances capacity to respond to COVID-19 challenges at main points of entry

By Anyway Yotamu International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Zimbabwe has provided over 980 tarpaulins and 250 sets of Non-Food Items kits to selected institutions in the country towards the fight against COVID-19. The beneficiaries include the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) Hotel (Rainbow Hotel) in Beitbridge, Plumtree High School in Plumtree and Vuti High…

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US$84.9 million urgently required to support National COVID-19 response in Zimbabwe

Today the United Nations and partners launched an updated Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP) in New York requesting for US$6.7 billion to protect millions of lives and stem the spread of coronavirus in fragile countries. Launching the updated GHRP, UN Humanitarian Chief, Mark Lowcock called for swift and determined action to avoid the most destabilizing…

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Minister Ndlovu unveils stimulus package to boost the tourism sector

The government will provide Bank Guarantee Facility worth ZWL$500 million to assist the Tourism Sector to access working capital loans from banks, Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality industry Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu has said. Unveiling a stimulus package today to boost the tourism sector in post COVID-19 lockdown, Minister Ndhlovu announced a raft of measures…

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VAYA helps with COVID-19 safety compliance measures

VAYA has partnered with widows from the United Methodist Church in Mabelreign, Harare, to make reusable cloth masks to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Following a month-long lockdown which has since been extended by another two weeks, the government has ordered that citizens wear masks in public, in a move meant to arrest…

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Africa50 donates US$800,000, joins African Countries to help fight COVID-19

Africa50 (www.Africa50.com), the pan-African infrastructure investment platform, has announced its COVID-19 Relief Support Initiative, which aims to support the continent’s fight against the pandemic. Under this initiative, Africa50 is providing US$800,000 to help contain the spread of the virus and minimize its impact. Given the likely long-term effects of the pandemic, Africa50’s COVID-19 Relief Support…

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African leaders laud AfDB President for visionary leadership amid COVID crisis

South Africa’s President and African Union chairperson Cyril Ramaphosa and the Nobel peace laureate and former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf have commended Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (www.AfDB.org), for his visionary leadership and bold initiatives to accelerate Africa’s development and to support the continent through the COVID-19 crisis. President Ramaphosa expressed…

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Law Society, Veritas comment on Deferment of Rents and Mortgage Payments (SI 96 of 2020)

By Veritas On the 3rd of May 2020, the Law Society of Zimbabwe published a critique on the impact and legitimacy of SI 96 of 2020.  The Law Society’s critique is reproduced here with the kind permission of the Executive Director of the Law Society, Mr. Edward Mapara.  Statutory Instrument 96 of 2020, inter alia, allows for…

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Japan provides nutrition, HIV/AIDS and WASH support for women and children in four districts across Zimbabwe

The Japanese Government has contributed over US$450, 000 to provide life-saving nutrition, HIV/AIDS and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) interventions to communities affected by drought and floods. The project will be implemented in four food-insecure districts, namely Binga, Buhera, Chiredzi and Masvingo, through UNICEF in collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe. It will particularly focus…

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Business returns to normal in Bulawayo

By Habakkuk Trust The relaxation of lockdown regulations threatens to reverse the gains made by the Zimbabwean government in combating the Covid-19 virus. The government of Zimbabwe enacted  Statutory Instrument 99 of 2020 in line with Presidential proclamation on the easing Covid-19 national lockdown regulations. Provisions of the statute make the wearing of masks mandatory…

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Reflections on costing of agricultural commodities – thanks to COVID19

By Charles Dhewa In addition to disrupting food supply chains, COVID-19 has presented a pricing headache for smallholder farmers in African countries. If government directs supermarkets to revert back to pre-COVID19 prices they can easily do so because they have a tradition of keeping records on stocks and prices.  On the other hand, mass markets…

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VAYA Express Medical Deliveries offers free delivery of medicines

VAYA Express, through VAYA Express Medical Deliveries, is now offering free delivery of medical supplies to assist Zimbabweans in need of critical medicines and drugs during the restrictions imposed due the COVID -19 pandemic and beyond. VAYA Express Medical Deliveries is collaborating with Maisha Health fund (formerly Steward Health) to help people in need to…

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COVID-19: Whither tourism in the era of a socially isolating world?

By Tatenda Mabara (Researcher) The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting all sectors of the global economic ecosystem and the tourism and hospitality sector will experience the most severe impact. This is mainly because tourism is increasingly hypermobile and largely based on interaction among people. Based on the latest COVID19 induced developments such as quarantine measures, travel…

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Government committed to creating a clean environment in the fight against COVID-19

By Joyce Mukucha  As the world is experiencing unprecedented crises caused by the COVID-19, the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism, and Hospitality Industry continues to stand with citizens in this difficult time as it commits to support the National fight against the pandemic. In his national clean-up campaign statement, the Minister of Environment, Climate, Tourism,…

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