Cold spell: Gweru teenager dies on shop pavement

GWERU – Gweru is known to have one of the coldest mornings in the country in winter such that
popular musician, the late Paul Matavire sang about one of his experiences in Chando Chinouraya.
Although not confirmed yet, it looks like the weather in city has claimed the life of a 16-year-old boy
who was found dead on Wednesday morning at a shop pavement in Gweru’s Central Business
District along Robert Mugabe Road amidst low temperatures.
Police will announce the cause of death once a post-mortem has been done.
The boy, who was identified by the police as Nhkosiaz Ncube is believed to have been suffering from
a mental illness and had fled home on July 11.
“His body was later found lying lifeless at around 5 am,” police spokesperson Inspector Mahoko said.
The body was taken to Gweru Provincial Hospital.
While police are waiting for post-mortem results, residents who saw Ncube said he could have died
due to cold weather.
Vendors who interacted with him daily said they saw him drinking illicit cheap brandy the night
before he was discovered dead.
The Meteorological Services Department warned of a cold front, which could cause respiratory
diseases.
The department urged members of the public to stay warm to avoid triggering respiratory problems.
“Windy and cool conditions may affect the health of vulnerable members of society and trigger
respiratory-related illnesses in all persons and poultry, especially day-old chicks, are sensitive to
overnight decline in temperatures.
Differences between night and daytime temperature can affect the body’s perception of the cold,”
read the statement.
The MSD said the cold spell would be accompanied by strong gusts of cold wind.
“The entire country should be cold and windy in the morning. Mostly cloudy and drizzly conditions
are expected over the southern and eastern parts of the country (namely Matabeleland South,
Bulawayo Metropolitan, Masvingo, south of Midlands, Manicaland, south of Mashonaland East and
Harare metropolitan) cool by day, becoming cold overnight,” read the statement.
The MSD also advised poultry farmers to closely monitor the temperatures of their fowl runs.