No-one really enjoys a long airport stopover, but for one Zimbabwean family, Bangkok’s main airport has been home for nearly three months.

According to the Thai immigration bureau, the four children under 11 and four adults arrived in Bangkok in May, but are refusing to return to Zimbabwe for fear of persecution.

Their plight came to light after someone who said he worked at Suvarnabhumi airport posted a photo on Facebook showing himself giving a little African girl a Christmas present.

In the now deleted post, Kanaruj Artt Pornsopit said the family had been living in the airport for nearly three months “because of the unsettled situation” in their country.

“Hope all of you back to your sweet home soon”, he said.  Read more

The government has announced that the Civil Service has been moved to the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC).

Under former president Robert Mugabe, the Civil Service was part of the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. However, the Ministry has since been reconfigured to the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare, without the Public Service part.

In a press statement, Secretary for Information, Media and Broadcasting Services and presidential spokesperson George Charamba said:

PRESS NOTICE

Media organizations are reminded that the old Ministry of Public Service Labour and Social Welfare has been reconfigured to Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare The Civil Service now falls under the Office of the President and Cabinet (OPC) and that includes all Public Service Training Institutions and the Zimbabwe Institute for Public Administration.

Please be so guided.

G Charamba

Former Sport Minister and Member of Parliament for Mberengwa East Makhosini Hlongwane was yesterday arrested by the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) at his farm on the outskirts of Zvishavane town.

Police recovered 10 tonnes of sugar beans whose origins could not be immediately established.

Sources who spoke to The Herald said that Hlongwane could not produce receipts for the sugar beans but said that they were donated by a company which he could not disclose.

Speaking to The Herald, acting police spokesperson for Midlands Province Assistant Inspector Ethel Mukwende confirmed the arrest and said Hlongwane was released pending further investigations. Read more

South African student Dineo Gwendoline, 22, this week told NewZimbabwe.com that she has been abandoned by Grace Mugabe’s son from her first marriage, Russell Goreraza after falling pregnant.

She said that she had opted for an abortion but shelved the idea after Goreraza failed to pay the money. Said Gwendoline:

I’m pregnant with Russell Goreraza’s child. He knew from the very first time I found out. He has changed towards me now. I asked for his help and he keeps giving me excuses till this day.

He has told me that if I decide to keep the baby he’ll run off since his not a South African (SA) citizen; it isn’t going to affect him at all. Read more