Bill-Watch: Committee Meetings Open to the Public Next Week

Posted on by TSA Press



PARLIAMENTARY
COMMITTEES
SERIES
1/2025


Open
Committee
Meetings
Next
Week

There
are
four
open
portfolio
committee
meetings
scheduled
for
next
week,
as
indicated
below.

“Open”
means
that
the
meetings
will
be
open
to
attendance
by
members
of
the
public,
but
as
observers
only. 
Members
of
the
public
wishing
to
attend
the
meetings
in
the
New
Parliament
Building
will
need
to
produce
their
IDs
to
gain
entry
to
the
Building.

Monday
10th
February
at
10:00
am

Joint
Portfolio
Committees
on
Defence,
Home
Affairs
Security
Services
and
War
Veterans
Affairs

Oral
evidence
from
the
Ministry
of
Home
Affairs
and
Cultural
Heritage
on
the
petition
from
the
Zimbabwe
Human
Rights
Association
on
the
need
to
review
the
Vagrancy
Act.



Venue: 
Committee
Room
2,
first
floor,
New
Parliament
Building.

Monday
10th
February
at
10:30
am

Portfolio
Committee
on
ICT,
Postal
and
Courier
Services

Oral
evidence
from
the
Ministry
of
ICT,
Postal
and
Courier
Services
on
the
African
Convention
on
Cyber
Security
and
Data
Protection,
and
on
progress
made
on
Bills
to
be
presented
to
Parliament.



Venue: 
Committee
Room
3,
first
floor,
New
Parliament
Building.

Monday
10th
February
at
2:00
pm

Portfolio
Committee
on
Youth
Empowerment,
Development
and
Vocational
Training

Oral
evidence
from
the
National
Taskforce
on
Drug
and
Substance
Abuse
on
the
status
of
rehabilitation
centres.



Venue: 
Committee
Room
7,
second
floor,
New
Parliament
Building.

Tuesday
11th
February
at
10:00
am

Portfolio
Committee
on
Industry
and
Commerce

Oral
evidence
from
stakeholders
on
the
impact
of
the
prevailing
business
environment
on
industry.



Venue: 
Committee
Room
7,
second
floor,
New
Parliament
Building.



Veritas
makes
every
effort
to
ensure
reliable
information,
but
cannot
take
legal
responsibility
for
information
supplied.

Post
published
in:

Featured

Police Warn Touts, Rank Marshals, Hooligans, And Transport Operators Who Hire Them

Posted on by TSA Press

ZRP
spokesperson
Commissioner
Paul
Nyathi
has
expressed
concern
about
the
ongoing
disruptions
to
public
transport
at
bus
terminals
and
other
illegal
pick-up
points.

He
said
touts,
rank
marshals,
and
hooligans
are
not
only
interfering
with
public
transport
but
also
putting
the
safety
of
commuters
at
risk.

In
a
statement
released
on
Friday,
7
February,
Nyathi
said
that
touts
and
rank
marshals
have
been
observed
loading
passengers
in
the
middle
of
roads
and
at
undesignated
spots,
causing
traffic
jams
and
obstructing
the
smooth
flow
of
vehicles.

He
added
that
this
behaviour
is
worsening
congestion
in
Central
Business
Districts
and
creating
serious
safety
hazards
for
both
commuters
and
other
road
users.
Said
Nyathi:

In
some
instances,
the
touts
and
rank
marshals,
who
would
be
visibly
intoxicated,
will
be
seen
harassing
and
intimidating
the
commuting
public,
with
others
engaging
in
violence,
theft
and
other
criminal
activities,
creating
an
atmosphere
of
fear
and
discomfort
among
passengers.

The
Zimbabwe
Republic
Police
issues
a
stern
warning
to
these
perpetrators
and
urges
transport
operators
to
refrain
from
hiring
touts
and
bouncers,
who
are
not
only
tarnishing
the
reputation
of
the
transport
industry
in
the
country
but
also
undermining
its
efficiency
and
effectiveness.

The
Police
has
intensified
efforts
to
identify
and
apprehend
those
responsible
for
engaging
in
illegal
practices
that
undermine
the
well-being
of
the
commuting
public.

Nyathi
urged
the
public
to
report
any
incidents
of
misconduct,
harassment,
or
criminal
behaviour
involving
touts
and
rank
marshals
to
the
nearest
police
station.

Alternatively,
they
can
contact
the
National
Complaints
Desk
at
(0242)
703631
or
via
WhatsApp
at
0712
800
197.

Mafume Accused Of Bypassing Harare By-Laws In Luxurious Home Renovation

Posted on by TSA Press

Appearing
before
the
Presidential
Commission
of
Inquiry,
appointed
by
President
Emmerson
Mnangagwa
in
May
2024
to
investigate
corruption
and
mismanagement
within
the
Harare
City
Council,
Director
of
Housing
Edmore
Nhekairo
raised
concerns
about
the
process
behind
the
construction
of
Mafume’s
home.

Nhekairo
claimed
that
the
renovation
was
carried
out
without
applying
for
a
change
of
use,
a
necessary
procedure
when
altering
the
purpose
of
a
property.

During
a
hearing
led
by
Justice
Maphios
Cheda,
Mafume
presented
a
building
plan
for
his
home,
which
was
scrutinized
by
evidence
leader
Tapiwa
Godzi.

Questions
were
raised
regarding
the
authenticity
of
the
plan,
with
some
suggesting
it
might
have
been
fabricated.

According
to NewZimbabwe.com,
Mafume
admitted
that
he
had
not
applied
for
a
change
of
use
from
the
council,
a
requirement
when
converting
a
property’s
designation.

He
argued,
however,
that
such
an
application
could
be
submitted
at
a
later
stage,
once
the
building
was
completed.
Mafume
said:

When
you
want
to
turn
it
into
a
boarding
house
you
then
apply
for
the
change
of
use.
Normally
people
apply
as
they
are
building.
You
can
start
by
building.
You
can
use
the
premise
for
a
living
(if
not
approved).

Mafume
said
the
facility
will
be
used
as
accommodation
for
students
from
the
Harare
Institute
of
Technology
(HIT)
once
completed.

However,
Nhekairo
argued
that
the
failure
to
apply
for
a
change
of
use
was
a
clear
violation
of
City
Council
by-laws.

He
also
said
according
to
council
regulations,
one
is
required
to
pay
application
fees
for
plan
approvals,
and
development
fees,
and
obtain
official
approval
before
undertaking
any
project.
Said
Nhekairo:

It
is
the
application
that
must
be
tendered
first
with
council.
You
apply
to
the
Department
of
Planning…
The
circulation
to
the
district
officer,
the
councillor
to
ZESA
and
other
utility
providers.
All
those
must
comment
on
that
application.
If
the
application
is
favourable
then
it
will
be
presented
to
the
committee.

If
it
is
rejected,
you
cannot
build.
It
is
not
proper
(to
build
before
application).
It
is
an
illegal
development.
If
that
illegal
development
has
occurred
someone
is
given
48
hour
notice
to
ensure
the
illegality
is
corrected.
You
have
to
dismantle
the
property
so
that
you
can
salvage
the
salvageable
materials.

Job Sikhala Arrested

Posted on by TSA Press

<br /> Job<br /> Sikhala<br /> Arrested



8.2.2025

16:31


by
Staff
Reporter

Job
Sikhala
and
at
least
40
other
citizens
have
been
arrested
this
afternoon
while
holding
a
private
meeting
in
Mutare.


Job
Sikhala

Human
Rights
lawyers
are
attending
the
matter.



Details
to
follow….

Post
published
in:

Featured


Manage
consent

ConCourt confirms High Court’s landmark ruling on demolition by-laws

Posted on by TSA Press

HARARE
–
The
Constitutional
Court
has
confirmed
the
order
of
constitutional
invalidity
by
the
High
Court
which
last
year
ruled
that
some
by-laws
which
were
being
used
by
local
authorities
to
demolish
people’s
houses
without
obtaining
court’s
permission
were
unconstitutional.

A
seven
panel
bench,
in
a
recent
judgement,
confirmed
the
lower
court’s
ruling
stating
that
the
concessions
made
on
behalf
of
the
respondents
were
properly
made.

“Accordingly,
with
a
few
minor
but
necessary
amendments
to
the
draft
order,
it
is
ordered
by
consent
that:
The
order
of
constitutional
invalidity
issued
by
the
High
Court
under
Case
No.
HCH
6718/20
be
and
is
hereby
confirmed,”
said
the
bench.

The
judges
also
said
Section
32(2)(c)
and
section
32(2)(d)
of
the
Regional
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act
[Chapter
29:12]
is
declared
to
be
inconsistent
with
section
74
of
the
Constitution
and
therefore
invalid.

The
matter
before
the
High
Court
was
instigated
by
the
publication
of
a
demolition
order
by
the
Chitungwiza
Municipality.

The
published
notice
contained
a
schedule
of
identified
municipal
areas
in
St
Mary’s,
Zengeza,
Seke,
and
Nyatsime,
where
illegal
structures
had
been
prefabricated
without
prior
council
approval.

The
residents
in
these
areas
were
ordered
to
restore
the
land
to
its
original
state
after
demolishing
all
illegally
erected
structures
and
removing
all
their
property.

The
notice
stated
that
the
failure
to
comply
with
the
order
within
the
prescribed
period
would
entitle
the
municipality
to
proceed
with
the
required
demolitions
without
incurring
any
legal
liability.

Following
the
demolition
notice,
the
lawyers
representing
Chitungwiza
Residents
Trust
wrote
the
municipality
reminding
it
that
s74
of
the
Constitution
proscribed
any
eviction
or
demolition
of
a
home
without
a
court
order
made
after
considering
all
the
relevant
circumstances.

They
requested
it
to
furnish
them
with
an
order
that
gave
it
permission
to
evict
and
demolish
houses
in
the
areas
mentioned
in
the
demolition
order.

In
turn,
the
municipality
wrote
to
the
applicant’s
legal
practitioners
on
11
October
2020
and
indicated
that
they
had
resolved,
through
a
special
full
council
meeting
held
on
9
October
2020,
to
put
the
demolition
exercise
in
abeyance
and
that
the
demolitions
would
no
longer
be
effected
as
per
the
order.

However,
the
applicant
then
approached
the
court
a
quo
for
an
order
of
constitutional
invalidity
in
respect
of
ss
32(2)(c),
32(2)(d)
and
37(1)(a)(i)
of
the
Act.

A
ruling
was
then
made
in
favour
of
Chitungwiza
Residents
Trust.

High
Court
Judge
Never
Katiyo
adjudged
that
the
provisions
of
section
32
of
the
Regional,
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act
and
section
37
of
the
Regional,
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act,
which
Chitungwiza
Municipality
relied
upon
in
issuing
some
enforcement
orders,
had
outlived
its
usefulness
and
hence
should
be
repealed
and
realigned
with
the
Constitution.

Justice
Katiyo
had
earlier
on
24
July
2024
declared
section
32(2)(c)
and
(d)
of
the
Regional,
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act
as
well
as
section
37(1)(a)(i)
of
the
Regional,
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act
to
be
ultra
vires
section
74
of
the
Constitution
and
therefore
unconstitutional
and
had
also
declared
the
demolition
order
issued
by
Chitungwiza
Municipality
on
8
October
2020
to
be
invalid.

On
16
October
2024,
Justice
Katiyo
ruled
that
local
authorities
such
as
Chitungwiza
Municipality,
which
administer
the
Regional,
Town
and
Country
Planning
Act,
must
always
ensure
that
construction
of
residential
properties
on
areas,
where
there
are
disputes
of
ownership
of
land,
do
not
take
place
in
their
full
view
and
they
must
not
react
after
the
construction
of
houses.

The
Judge
stated
that
local
authorities
must
follow
due
process
and
procedural
safeguards
provided
in
terms
of
section
74
of
the
Constitution,
which
guarantees
freedom
from
arbitrary
eviction.

The
residents
were
represented
by
Tererai
Mafukidze
who
was
instructed
Tinashe
Chinopfukutwa,
Kelvin
Kabaya
and
Paidamoyo
Saurombe
of
Zimbabwe
Lawyers
for
Human
Rights,

Air Force of Zimbabwe pilot killed on training flight near Gweru

Posted on by TSA Press

GWERU
–
An
Air
Force
of
Zimbabwe
pilot
died
on
Thursday
after
a
trainer
aircraft
he
was
flying
went
down
near
Gweru.

Zimbabwe
Defence
Forces
(ZDF)
commander
General
Phillip
Valerio
Sibanda
said
he
had
received
the
news
of
Air
Lieutenant
Nesbert
Tambudza’s
death
“with
a
heavy
heart.”

A
ZDF
statement
described
Tambudza,
whose
age
was
not
disclosed,
as
a
“young
pilot
who
had
demonstrated
immense
potential.”

His
aircraft,
a
Karakorum-8
went
down
near
Guinea
Fowl,
about
20km
southeast
of
Gweru.
He
was
flying
solo.

The
aircraft
was
“extensively
damaged”
on
impact
with
the
ground,
the
ZDF
said.

The
cause
of
the
accident
is
under
investigation.

The
ZDF
said
Tambudza
had
been
selected
to
undergo
a
jet
flying
conversion
course
at
Number
2
Squadron
based
at
the
Josiah
Tungamirai
Air
Force
base
in
Gweru.

“He
was
on
the
final
phases
of
training
on
the
K-8
jet,”
the
ZDF
said.

The
K-8
is
a
two-seat
intermediate
jet
trainer
and
light
attack
aircraft
designed
by
China
Nanchang
Aircraft
Manufacturing
Corporation
and
Pakistan
Aeronautical
Complex.
It
made
its
first
flight
in
1990.
Zimbabwe
had
10
K-8
aircraft
as
of
2023.

Reagan Judge Still Respects The Rule Of Law – See Also – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

Nice
Try
Circumventing
The
Constitution:
Not
on
Judge
Coughenour’s
watch!
Has
It
Gone
Underground
Or
Is
It
Gone:
Biglaw
firm
scrubs
diversity
from
their
homepage.
Goodman
Says
Things
Can
Get
Really
Bad:
What’s
the
real
check
to
Trump
skirting
the
Constitution?
Put
The
Faith
Office
Where
The
Separation
Clause
Used
To
Be:
Apparently
the
Christians
need
protection.
How
is
everyone
else
doing?
Not
The
Best
Time
To
Hire:
Government
agencies
are
skipping
law
school
recruitment
efforts.

NBA Players Association Gets New GC With Unique Experience – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press



Ed.
Note:
Welcome
to
our
daily
feature

Trivia
Question
of
the
Day!


The
National
Basketball
Players
Association
recently
hired
David
Kelly
as
its
General
Counsel.
Kelly
worked
in
the
front
office
of
which
NBA
team
—
which
won
multiple
titles
during
Kelly’s
tenure
—
before
this
new
role?


Hint:
Kelly
also
has
a
musical
career
as
a
rapper
under
the
name
Capital
D.



See
the
answer
on
the
next
page.

The Top Tool For Attracting New Clients – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

How
can
lawyers
harness
AI
and
automation
to
scale
their
firms
and
optimize
efficiency?

“You
have
to
create
your
own
rules;
if
not,
other
people
will
make
rules
for
you,”
says
Sam
Mollaei,
a
lawyer
and
entrepreneur.

In
a
recent
episode
of
“Be
That
Lawyer,”
Sam
joins
host
Steve
Fretzin
to
explore
the
game-changing
role
of
AI,
automation,
and
strategic
focus
in
building
a
high-performing
law
firm.


Attracting
New
Clients

In
2025,
platforms
like
Facebook,
Instagram,
and
TikTok
outperform
Google
Ads
for
attracting
clients,
Sam
says.

Here,
he
breaks
down
why
and
how
law
firms
should
adjust
their
marketing
strategies.

‘Done
Is
Better
Than
Perfect’

According
to
Sam,
this
is
the
“line
that
he
lives
by”
in
business.
Here,
he
explains
why.

Looking
for
guidance
in
future-proofing
your
firm?

Listen
to
the
full
conversation
here.



Steve
Fretzin
is
a
bestselling
author,
host
of
the
BE
THAT
LAWYER
Podcast,
and
business
development
coach
exclusively
for
attorneys.
Steve
has
committed
his
career
to
helping
lawyers
learn
key
growth
skills
not
currently
taught
in
law
school.
His
clients
soon
become
top
rainmakers
and
credit
Steve’s
program
and
coaching
for
their
success.
He
can
be
reached
directly
by
email
at [email protected].
Or
you
can
easily
find
him
on
his
website
at www.fretzin.com or
LinkedIn
at https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevefretzin.

Conquering Conferences: Mastering The Art Of The Post-Conference Follow-Up – Above the Law

Posted on by TSA Press

We’ve
used

the
Playbook
Strategy
to
lay
the
groundwork
and
prepare
our
minds
for
a
successful
conference.

Stepping
into
the

conference
social
dance,
we’ve
embraced
the
rhythm
of
networking
with
confidence.

Now,
in
this
new
series,
we’ll
be
exploring
the
art
of
the
post-conference
follow-up.

To
start,
picture
yourself
as
a
chef
in
the
grand
kitchen
of
networking.

The
conference
has
ended,
but
the
ingredients
you’ve
gathered
—
the
contacts,
the
conversations
—
are
fresh
and
ready
to
be
transformed
into
something
delectable.

Like
a
culinary
artist,
your
task
is
to
take
these
raw
interactions
and
craft
them
into
memorable,
long-lasting
relationships.
Let’s
don
our
chef
hats
and
aprons
and
explore
the
recipe
for
post-conference
success.


The
Timely
Follow-Ups

Imagine
the
moments
after
a
conference
as
the
crucial
time
when
your
networking
“pot”
is
on
the
stove,
simmering
with
potential.
The
key
to
turning
these
fresh
connections
into
a
gourmet
feast
lies
in
the
timing
of
your
follow-up.

Just
as
a
chef
knows
the
perfect
moment
to
add
each
ingredient
to
a
dish,
you
must
gauge
the
right
time
to
rekindle
the
conversation
with
your
new
contacts.


Keeping
Ingredients
Fresh:
Reach
out
while
the
memory
of
your
meeting
is
still
hot.
Ideally,
within
48
hours
post-conference,
send
a
personalized
message.
This
shows
attentiveness
and
eagerness
to
continue
the
dialogue.


First
Contact
Delicacy:
Your
initial
follow-up
should
be
light
and
flavorful,
not
overwhelming.
A
brief
email
or
LinkedIn
message
that
recalls
a
specific
detail
from
your
interaction
shows
you
were
genuinely
engaged.
It’s
like
adding
a
hint
of
seasoning
to
enhance,
not
overpower.


The
Reminder
Garnish:
If
you
mentioned
any
resources
or
connections
during
your
conversation,
now’s
the
time
to
share
them.
Attach
an
article,
link
to
a
study,
or
offer
that
introduction
you
discussed.
It’s
the
garnish
that
makes
your
follow-up
memorable.


Simmer,
Don’t
Boil:
After
your
initial
follow-up,
let
the
conversation
simmer.
Avoid
the
urge
to
turn
up
the
heat
with
too
many
messages.
Patience
is
a
virtue
in
the
kitchen
and
in
networking.
Allow
them
time
to
respond
before
reaching
out
again.


The
Tasting
Spoon:
If
you
don’t
receive
a
response,
a
gentle
reminder
after
a
week
or
so
can
be
the
equivalent
of
a
chef’s
tasting
spoon.
A
simple
message
like,
“Just
wanted
to
make
sure
you
received
my
last
email,”
can
nudge
the
conversation
without
being
intrusive.

By
managing
the
heat
of
your
follow-up
interactions
with
care,
you
ensure
that
your
networking
efforts
cook
to
perfection,
resulting
in
a
delightful
array
of
professional
relationships
ready
to
be
savored.


Don’t
Let
the
Pot
Boil
Over:
Timely
Follow-Ups

√
Reach
out
within
48
hours
of
the
conference.
√
Send
personalized,
concise
messages
to
keep
the
conversation
fresh.

Sejal Patel



Sejal
Patel
is
a
Rainmaking
Consultant
and
the Founder
of
Sage
Ivy,
a
New
York-based
consultancy
dedicated
to
helping
attorneys
turn
relationships
into
clients.
With
over
20
years
of
experience,
Sejal
strategically
analyzes
attorneys’
networks
to
uncover
revenue
and
relationship
opportunities,
crafting
individualized
approaches
that
align
with
their
unique
strengths
and
styles.
Learn
more
at www.sageivyconsulting.com.