Alvine Chaparadza

A Techzim member recently shared that a friend was charged a license fee of USD $100 for an office printer. Shocking yes, but this is part of wider enforcement by the Reprographic Rights Organisation of Zimbabwe (RROZ), a controversial organisation that many Zimbabweans came to know this month, thanks to the reporting of earGROUND.

At a joint workshop organised by the Traffic Safety Council of Zimbabwe and the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe, motorists were warned to stop using mobile phones while driving. The workshop carried the message “Don’t phone, text and drive”. In recent weeks, traffic police officers especially in Harare have been arresting motorists caught attending to their phones while in traffic. Drivers have reported they are being fined $30 for the offence.

In the past few days, an image of the Sadza Cooker by Caroline Gundu circulated online, prompting some people to worry that the traditional practice of making sadza might be disappearing. That reaction led me to dig into what the Sadza Cooker actually does and how it fits into Zimbabwean kitchens. Making sadza the traditional way requires strength, focus, and careful timing. Stir too little and it becomes lumpy; leave it on the heat too long and it sticks to the pot.