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POSB and Zimnat Forge Strategic Alliance to Broaden Access to Insurance Services

The People’s Own Savings Bank (POSB) has joined forces with Zimnat General Insurance to launch a suite of insurance services, marking a significant step in expanding access to essential financial products across Zimbabwe.

 

Through this newly announced partnership, POSB customers can now access Zimnat’s motor vehicle insurance — both third-party and comprehensive cover — directly through the bank.

The collaboration also enables convenient payments and renewals for ZINARA and ZBC radio licences, streamlining a once-fragmented process into a one-stop banking experience.

Another key offering introduced is the Zimnat Hospital Cash Plan, which provides daily cash payouts to clients during hospitalisation.

Designed to cushion families from the financial strain that comes with medical emergencies, the plan exemplifies the two institutions’ shared commitment to delivering meaningful financial support.

“This partnership with Zimnat General Insurance allows us to provide convenient and accessible insurance solutions, ensuring that our customers can manage their financial needs under one roof,” said Mr. Garainashe Changunda, Chief Executive Officer of POSB.

“We are dedicated to continuously enhancing our service offerings and meeting the ever-evolving needs of our customers.

“As we celebrate our 120th anniversary, we reaffirm our dedication to a customer-centric approach, leveraging partnerships and innovation to rapidly transform customer experiences and continue our legacy of innovation and inclusivity.”

Mrs. Betty Chiware-Togarasei, CEO of Zimnat General Insurance, highlighted the importance of the alliance in extending Zimnat’s reach: “Zimnat is excited to collaborate with POSB, a resilient bank with an extensive network, including in some remote parts of the country, to bring our widely sought-after insurance services to a broader audience.

“This partnership aligns with our mission to empower prosperity and provide innovative and reliable insurance solutions to the people of Zimbabwe. We look forward to a successful and mutually beneficial collaboration that benefits our customers and strengthens our communities.”

The partnership signals a growing trend among financial institutions to integrate banking and insurance services, a move that not only increases convenience for customers but also supports financial inclusion in underserved areas.

More insurance products are reportedly in the pipeline as part of the POSB-Zimnat alliance, promising customers a broader, more accessible suite of services in the near future.

Mukuru Derby Festival Delivers Drama, Flair and Early Season Talking Points

The curtain came down on a thrilling Mukuru Derby Day Festival this past weekend, as rugby enthusiasts flocked to Rolf Valley to witness some of the best schoolboy rugby Zimbabwe has to offer.

 

This year’s edition had a vibrant international flavour, headlined by the debut of St. Andrew’s College from Grahamstown, South Africa. They were joined by St. Alban’s College from Gauteng and the Sharks Academy from KwaZulu-Natal—adding much-needed quality and diversity to the competition.

Thursday and Saturday were the biggest days, with record crowds turning up. But it wasn’t just about the rugby—food stalls offering a variety of cuisines, lively corporate tents, and top-notch security made the event a true family affair.

Credit must go to St. John’s College Sports Director Chris Fourie and the entire St. John’s community for putting together such a well-organised event.

 

St. Andrew’s Light Up the Festival

Of the three touring teams, St. Andrew’s College were undoubtedly the pick of the bunch. They swept aside all their opponents, showcasing structured rugby and polished execution. They opened their campaign with an emphatic 46-3 win over St. George’s College, before seeing off a spirited Peterhouse side 46-24 in their second outing.

Their final match, played against hosts St. John’s College in the main game of the final day, was a thriller. St.

Andrew’s edged the Rams 41-39 in a match that had the crowd on its feet. Their rugby was a masterclass in precision—clinical ball-handling, pin-point passing, and effective use of their forwards to punch holes in defences. Unlike the typical Zimbabwean style of running everything from deep, St. Andrew’s favoured structure and control, and it paid off handsomely.

 

St. Alban’s Hold Their Own

St. Alban’s College kicked off their tour with a tightly contested 24-all draw against a fired-up Lomagundi College.

They followed it up with a 26-14 win over St. John’s College and closed their tour with a hard-fought 17-14 victory over Falcon College. They showed composure in tight moments and proved they can handle Zimbabwe’s top schoolboy sides.

 

Sharks Academy Too Strong for Steelers

The Sharks Academy had a one-sided affair against the Zambezi Steelers, running riot with a 67-10 win. Their speed and power were too much for the Steelers, and the scoreline reflected the gulf in class.

 

Lomagundi Fire Early Warning Shots

Lomagundi College were arguably the best Zimbabwean team at the festival. The Chinhoyi-based side put on some scintillating displays, with a backline oozing pace and flair.

Their link-up play between forwards and backs was smooth, and they were rewarded with wins over Churchill (29-20) and a dominant 39-15 dismantling of a highly rated St. George’s College team.

 

PE and CBC Disappoint

Prince Edward School, one of the traditional powerhouses, were a pale shadow of their former selves. They never really got going, suffering a heavy 35-14 loss to St. George’s and another 23-3 defeat to bitter rivals Churchill.

The Tigers looked disjointed throughout—kickers failed to find touch, the backline lacked direction, and attacking play was flat and uninspired. For a school known for running rugby, their performance was worrying ahead of the regular season.

Christian Brothers College (CBC) also had a rough time, going winless. They were outplayed by Falcon College 29-7 in their opener and later fell to Peterhouse 32-12.

 

Eaglesvale Show Grit

Eaglesvale continued to build on their growing reputation. They started with a 49-21 thrashing of Hillcrest and ended the festival with a gritty 8-7 win over Heritage. Their blend of physicality and flair could see them make serious noise in the co-ed league this season.

 

Looking Ahead

If this festival is anything to go by, Zimbabwean schoolboy rugby is heading into one of its most exciting seasons in recent memory. The inclusion of top South African schools has raised the standard, and it’s clear that teams like Lomagundi and Eaglesvale are setting the tone.

Now the big question,who can maintain this momentum when the real battles begin?

Featured image by Wonder Mashura

Zimbabwe Thrash Zambia 70–15 in First Leg of Battle of the Zambezi

The Sables began their 2025 campaign in dominant fashion with a commanding 70–15 victory over Zambia in the first leg of the Battle of the Zambezi at Harare Sports Club.

 

Despite conceding the first points through a penalty by Zambia’s Alex Mwewa, Zimbabwe wasted no time in asserting their authority.

Debutant Nyasha Shiripinda responded almost immediately, collecting the return kick-off and slicing through to score under the posts.

Linience Tambwera, who had a flawless day with the boot, slotted the conversion to give the hosts an early lead.

French-based prop Bornwell Gwinji then powered over for Zimbabwe’s second try, capping off a series of bruising carries from the forwards. Tambwera added the extras once again.

Captain Hilton Mudariki, marking his 51st Test cap, added a third with a trademark dart from close range, converted clinically by Tambwera.

Although Zambia struck back with a converted try of their own, the Sables remained in full control.

They ran in several more tries before the break, showcasing fluid backline movement and relentless forward pressure. The halftime score stood at 28–10, with Zimbabwe firmly in the driver’s seat.

The second half saw the Sables explode into another gear, scoring an avalanche of tries as fatigue and defensive frailties took their toll on the visitors. Zimbabwe’s depth off the bench maintained the pace, as the scoreline ballooned past 50.

By the final whistle, Zimbabwe had racked up ten tries in total, with Tambwera converting most of them, including several from difficult angles.

Zambia managed one more try in the second half, but it was a mere consolation as the Sables finished the job emphatically at 70–15.

After the match, captain Mudariki praised the team’s effort but acknowledged room for refinement:

“Super happy to have such a great win in front of the home fans. It’s good to see all the work we put in translating to the scoreboard.

“It was a good win but we made a lot of errors on the field and had some discipline issues on the park, but these are things we will easily fix.

“Playing at home is always the best, especially when we also get a win. The home fans played a huge role today.”

With a 55-point margin, Zimbabwe take a massive advantage into the second leg and look well poised to retain their dominance in this regional rivalry.

Half-time: Zimbabwe 28–10 Zambia

Full-time: Zimbabwe 70–15 Zambia

TikTok fined $600 million for sending user data to China

TikTok has been ordered to pay €530 million (around $600 million) for sending European users’ data to servers in China, a breach of the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

 

TikTok has six months to bring its data processing into compliance, pending any possible appeal.

The Irish Data Protection Commission (DPC) found that TikTok violated GDPR laws because it couldn’t guarantee that data transferred to China would be protected to a standard equivalent to the EU’s.

The court singled out China’s anti-terrorism and counterespionage laws as potential risks that Chinese authorities could access European users’ data.

The video app was fined €485 million for sending the data to China, and €45 million for its privacy policy failing to adequately explain the data transfers.

TikTok updated its privacy policy in 2022, and the court deemed that new policy “compliant.” The company has also promised to invest €12 billion (about $13.6 billion) in data centers in the EU, but that wasn’t enough to sway the court.

Throughout the inquiry TikTok insisted that user data was only remotely accessed from China, and not stored on servers there.

Last month the company informed the court that it had discovered that “limited” European data had in fact been stored in China, and has since been deleted.

DPC deputy commissioner Graham Doyle warned that “further regulatory action” may be required for that additional breach.

This is the third-largest GDPR fine yet, with only Meta and Amazon ordered to pay more.

TikTok, which has its European headquarters in Ireland, has already been given a hefty GDPR penalty from the Irish court before, receiving a $367 million bill in 2023 for how it processes children’s data.

Zimbabwe announce Test squad for historic England clash

Zimbabwe Cricket has named a 15-member squad for the historic Test match against England set for 22-25 May 2025 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.

 

The one-off fixture marks Zimbabwe’s first Test appearance on English soil in over two decades, the last such occasion having come in 2003.

Following a hard-fought one-all series draw against Bangladesh, the national selectors have made three changes to the Test squad.

Star all-rounder Sikandar Raza returns to the side, replacing Johnathan Campbell, while Clive Madande is back from injury to take over from Nyasha Mayavo as the back-up wicketkeeper.

Additionally, pacer Newman Nyamhuri reclaims his spot in place of leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, with the team opting for an extra fast bowler in light of the expected seam-friendly conditions in England.

Zimbabwe Head Coach Justin Sammons expressed confidence in the group, saying: “In terms of performance, I expect us to play to a standard that can compete with one of the best teams in the world.

“I really want to see the guys walking out there believing that they belong, embracing and enjoying the moment.”

The landmark Test match against England will be followed by a four-day encounter against South Africa from 3-6 June at Arundel.

That match will serve as vital preparation for South Africa ahead of the ICC World Test Championship final against Australia at Lord’s, scheduled for 11-15 June.

The Zimbabwe squad is expected to depart for England on Friday to acclimatise ahead of the much-anticipated Test.

ZIMBABWE TEST SQUAD FOR ENGLAND TOUR:

Craig Ervine (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams

Parliament to summon Podcaster MacG after comments on Minnie Dlamini

Podcaster Macgyver “MacG” Mukwevho is to be summoned to South African parliament by Deputy Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike.

 

The Deputy minister says podcaster MacG’s statements about media personality Minnie Dlamini were a violation of Dlamini’s rights.

Letsike said MacG, whose real name is Macgyver Mukwevho, speculated about the reasons for the break-up of Dlamini’s past romantic relationships on his Podcast and Chill platform last month, implying her genital odour was to blame.

“These comments are disgusting and must be regarded as an unconstitutional violation of Dlamini’s rights to freedom and security of the person, equality and human dignity as enshrined in the constitution,” she said.

Letsike said she considered MacG’s statements to constitute “online gender-based violence” (GBV).

“What is alarming is MacG has a history of disparaging Dlamini and other women on the same platform.”

Letsike criticised cultural history that allows shameful behaviour towards women such as an apartheid era statute that regarded black women as legal minors, commodifying women through lobola regulations and controlling women’s mobility, sexuality, finances and labour, regardless of their standing in society as adults with autonomy and of sound mind.

Letsike noted statements by the public and viewers of Podcast and Chill as well as the condemnation by Moja Love of MacG’s disregard for women’s rights and gender equality in his utterances.

“There is no room in our democracy for misogynistic and demeaning utterances that perpetuate patriarchal iterations of gender relations.

We are encouraged that within the ranks of South African society we have people who are sober in mind to call out abhorrent tendencies that are a distraction from achieving gender equality.”

Content creators should be accountable and responsible in pursuit of human dignity and ubuntu.

“Broadcasters must enforce strict standards that prohibit hate speech and personal attacks and regulators should consider whether measures are warranted to prevent the normalisation of GBV on the airwaves.”

MacG’s comments will be reported to the appropriate constitutional and legal bodies, such as the Commission for Gender Equality, the Human Rights Commission and the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa so they can look into the matter, she said.

Bongeziwe Mabandla Fronts Adidas campaign

Bongeziwe Mabandla is one of the faces of Adidas Originals’ new campaign — a celebration of individuality and creative spirit. His tagline? “It just takes one to build crowds instead of joining them.”

 

Joining fellow South African artists Focalistic, Doowap, and Shekhinah, Bongeziwe brings his distinct energy to a campaign that’s hitting billboards and screens across the country.

A celebration of South Africa’s singular ability to produce one-of-one voices, The Original spotlights those operating at the cutting edge of their craft — bold, visionary, and deeply rooted in culture.

It’s a campaign about individuality and legacy, powered by a collective belief in creativity as a force for connection and change.

Mabandla appears in a striking portrait series, captured by Room Studio, that reflects both his essence as an artist and the unique space he holds in South Africa’s cultural narrative — one that fuses tradition with emotion, intimacy with innovation.

He features as part of a powerful line-up of creatives each celebrated individually for their role in shaping a new era of originality in South Africa.

Simba Bhora Closes Gap on Unbeaten MWOS 

The Castle Lager Premier Soccer League is shaping up to be a thrilling contest, with just one point separating log leaders MWOS and resurgent defending champions Simba Bhora after Matchday 9.

 

MWOS remain unbeaten in their dream debut top-flight campaign, sitting on 19 points after a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Manica Diamonds at their newly renovated Ngoni Stadium in Norton.

The newcomers showed resilience, clawing back from a goal down to preserve their unbeaten run – though they may rue dropping two points in what could prove a pivotal moment in the title race.

Meanwhile, Simba Bhora kept the pressure on with a 2-1 victory over Kwekwe United, moving to 18 points as coach Joel Luphahla slowly silences early-season doubts.

In third place, Scotland FC stayed in contention with 16 points after a narrow 1-0 win over Herentals, sealed by Tymon Machope’s powerful 57th-minute header at Rufaro Stadium.

 

Castle Lager PSL Matchday 9 Results

CAPS United 1-2 FC Platinum
Green Fuel 0-0 Dynamos
Highlanders 1-0 Bikita Minerals
Chicken Inn 0-0 TelOne
Kwekwe United 1-2 Simba Bhora
Ngezi Platinum 1-2 Yadah
Triangle United 1-2 ZPC Kariba

Scottland Fc 1-0 Herentals

MWOS 1-1 Manica Diamonds

Victoria Falls Hosts UEFA Champions League Trophy on Its Worldwide Journey

The most famous prize in club football, the UEFA Champions League trophy, is at Victoria Falls as part of the tour, which will see it headed to Vietnam, Indonesia, South Africa, Zambia, and Kenya to meet the fans.

 

It was accompanied by German football legend Bastian Schweinsteiger, who posted images with majestic Victoria Falls providing a stunning backdrop.

Ahead of the 2025 decider in Munich, the Trophy Tour sets out with Heineken for Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Ha Noi, Jakarta, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Lusaka and Nairobi, with a series of events scheduled to reward some of the most committed Champions League supporters.

The most prestigious piece of silverware in world club football has been travelling the globe in recent years, with supporters in north, central and south America, PR China, Republic of Korea and Japan all getting the chance to be close to the trophy.

Almasi Arts to Stage August Wilson’s Jitney in Harare

Almasi Collaborative Arts will bring August Wilson’s celebrated play ‘Jitney’ to Zimbabwean audiences with a special staged reading at Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre on 3 May 2025.

 

The production, directed by Charmaine Mujeri, features a mix of established and emerging local talent including Michael Kudakwashe, Tanatswa Kumirai and Buhlebenkosi Chinhara.

Director Mujeri describes ‘Jitney’ as offering “a powerful lens to examine Black men’s search for identity within oppressive systems.”

The play explores the lives of African American cab drivers in 1970s Pittsburgh as they navigate economic hardship and personal struggles, particularly when the owner’s son returns from prison to a business facing demolition.

The production will begin with an intensive two-day dramaturgical workshop led by Almasi’s Programs Coordinator Gideon Jeph Wabvuta, who notes:

“Wilson’s language feels familiar yet revelatory. Audiences will recognise these characters’ resilience.”

This staged reading continues Almasi Collaborative Arts’ mission to bring important global narratives to African stages.

Founded in part by acclaimed playwright Danai Gurira, the organisation specialises in developing dramatic literacy and providing opportunities for African creatives.

Tickets for the 3 May performance at Jasen Mphepo Little Theatre are available through Almasi’s website at www.almasiarts.org

The event promises to deliver August Wilson’s signature blend of poetic dialogue and profound social commentary to Zimbabwean theatre-goers.