Dear Colleagues
Please
find the Ballot Update for February and March 2012.
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http://af.reuters.com
Wed Apr 4, 2012 2:46pm
GMT
By Nelson Banya
HARARE, April 4 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe is
looking into complaints by the
mining industry that steep hikes in its fees
and taxes will seriously hurt
miners by taking 60 percent of every dollar
they earn, an official said.
"The ministry is presently reviewing the
impact of these fees on the mining
sector," Prince Mupazviriho, the
permanent secretary in the Ministry of
Mines, told a mining conference in
Harare on Wednesday.
He offered no details on whether the ministry might
reduce the fees.
The southern African country hiked pre-exploration fees
for most minerals by
as much as 8,000 percent in January. Registration
charges for platinum and
diamond claims rose to $2.5 million and $5 million,
respectively, in a move
it said was meant to curb the speculative holding of
mine titles.
Miners also must now pay annual ground rentals ranging from
$500 per hectare
for chrome to $3,000 per hectare for
diamonds.
President Robert Mugabe's ZANU-PF party also is forcing foreign
mining
companies to hand over majority stakes to Zimbabweans, which analysts
say is
a way to bolster the party's coffers ahead of an election expected
next
year.
In February the Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines told a
parliamentary committee
hearing that fees and royalty increases of 7.5
percent for gold and 10
percent for platinum announced in the 2012 budget
would hit miners who have
yet to fully recover from a decade-long economic
crisis.
"It's estimated that 60 percent of every dollar earned in revenue
goes to
the government, making Zimbabwe one of the most expensive countries
to
mine," the chamber's vice president, Allan Mashingaidze, told the
committee.
Zimbabwe's mining industry has overtaken the troubled
agriculture sector as
the main foreign exchange earner, contributing $2.6
billion to its $4.4
billion total export earnings in 2011.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tichaona
Sibanda
04 April 2012
The MDC formations and ZANU PF have brought
their positions closer over a
new constitution following differences on some
contentious issues, a COPAC
co-chairman said on Wednesday.
The final
draft of this new charter is expected to be unveiled next week.
Douglas
Mwonzora, who is also the MDC-T spokesman, said partners in the
constitutional making process had reached a breakthrough in negotiations to
resolve the impasse on dual citizenship, devolution and the death
sentence.
‘We came up with solutions on the three issues that were in
dispute. However
this tentative solution is pending approval of the
management committee. But
as COPAC we have agreed on all the issues and we
are now producing the final
constitution,’ Mwonzora said.
The MDC-T
MP for Nyanga North was careful to point out that the document
will only be
final if the management committee gives it the green light.
Work on the
constitution is already running 18 months behind schedule.
Drafters have
targeted September for a referendum on the charter. Public
consultations
began in 2009 after the unity government was sworn in, but the
process has
been repeatedly disrupted by bickering between the political
parties.
Asked to elaborate on how they managed to bridge their sharp
differences,
Mwonzora told SW Radio Africa that ‘it (agreement) is
consistent with what
the people of Zimbabwe want.’
‘In our view on
citizenship, the people of Zimbabwe do not want Zimbabweans
by birth to be
prejudiced…and we have tried to incorporate that.
‘On the issue of
devolution we reached a fair compromise where the
(provincial) governor will
be elected by an electoral college. The
provincial government will have
limited powers specified in the
constitution,’ Mwonzora said.
On the
death penalty, the MP said it has been outlawed except where it
involves
aggravated murder. Aggravated murder is intentionally or knowingly
causing
the death of another person.
‘We are otherwise happy and satisfied at the
progress of the draft,’ he
said. A new charter is required before the next
elections can be held.
Robert Mugabe wants the elections held this year
while the MDC formations
are looking at March 2013, once other reforms have
been carried out.
http://www.radiovop.com
Bulawayo, April
04, 2012 - As the tension around the constitution making
exercise mounts –
especially around the issues of devolution of power -
Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs) have expressed fear that the Second All
stakeholders
Conference set for late April or early May could turn violent.
CSOs
challenged Copac to put up measures to secure a violence free
conference.
Copac has announced that the conference to discuss the
draft of the new
constitution – to be subjected to a referendum later this
year – will be
held in Harare in May, but will be preceded by provincial
conferences.
Addressing members of the CSOs at a public meeting organised
by Bulawayo
Agenda last weekend, the Matabeleland Constitutional Reform
Agenda (Macra)
director, Effie Ncube, said there is a likely possibility of
mayhem at the
conference in May.
“From the fact that the conference
will be held in the context of looming
elections, there is likely to be
political intolerance. Copac will have to
engage political parties because
it is important to secure their agreement
that the event will be a
non-violent function.
“They will have to get an agreement from Zanu PF,
MDC-T and MDC. They will
also have to get agreement from the police to
provide non partisan security
at the function,” he said.
There was
mayhem, bordering on violence, during the first stakeholders
conference in
2010 as the parties clashed on ideological grounds.
The National
Association of Non governmental Organisations (Nango) Western
Region
chairperson, Godwin Phiri, said the tensions around the constitution
making
process meant that the conference is likely to be violent.
“We are aware
that tensions are high in the country around the constitution
making
process. We hope that there will be maturity by all political
parties. Based
on what happened in the first all stakeholders’ conference,
we hope that
political parties won’t bring partisan issues into the
conference,” he
said.
Copac has announced that it will have provincial conferences in
order to
reduce the number of people attending the bigger conference in
Harare.
Mwonzora said, during the provincial conferences, stakeholders
will have an
opportunity to interrogate the draft constitution.
“This
has been necessitated by the fact that we want to reduce the number of
delegates coming for the second all stakeholders’ conference. Instead of 4
000 we will only have 2 500 delegates and we will meet other stakeholders in
their provinces,” he said.
Mwonzora said a small crowd at the second
all stakeholders conference will
be manageable to minimise chances of mayhem
that characterised the first all
stakeholders’ conference.
http://www.voanews.com
03 April
2012
Army General Constantine Chiwenga is reportedly the leader of
the third
group in ZANU-PF that is positioning itself to take over in the
event of Mr.
Mugabe giving up political office. Sources in the party say the
former
liberation fighter has presidential ambitions
Jonga Kandemiiri
| Washington
Rifts are widening in Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's
ZANU-PF party with
a third faction emerging as the fight to take over from
the veteran leader
intensifies.
Army General Constantine Chiwenga is
reportedly the leader of the third
group in ZANU-PF that is positioning
itself to take over in the event of Mr.
Mugabe giving up political office.
Sources in the party say the former
liberation fighter has presidential
ambitions.
Two prominent factions have existed in ZANU-PF for years now,
one led by
Defense Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa and the other by the late
army General
Solomon Mujuru. His wife, vice president Joice Mujuru, is now
the Godmother
of the faction following her husband’s mysterious death last
August.
Former Information Minister and Tsholotsho North Member of
Parliament,
Jonathan Moyo, is Chiwenga’s chief strategist, sources
say.
Analysts say factionalism in ZANU-PF cost President Mugabe votes as
his
party's candidates won more parliamentary votes than him in the bloody
2008
harmonized election.
ZANU-PF spokesman Rugare Gumbo told VOA
Studio 7 reporter Jonga Kandemiiri
he's not aware of the divisions in his
party. But he concedes there are
"fierce" debates in ZANU-PF on issues
affecting the country and how the
party can strategize and win elections
President Mugabe wants this year.
Policy and research director Charles
Mangongera of the Tsvangirai MDC
formation, said ZANU-PF should put its
house in order or face a repeat of
the 2008 elections scenario where it was
forced into a coalition government
after failing to win enough parliamentary
seats
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Tererai Karimakwenda
04
April 2012
A ZANU PF thug who allegedly tortured MDC supporters during
the 2008
elections has threatened villagers in the Zaka Central district of
Masvingo,
warning that they will experience worse violence after the next
election if
they vote for the MDC-T.
SW Radio Africa received reports
that former torture base commander Cephas
Ganyaka force marched Zaka
villagers to a meeting at Chimunjanja Primary
school on Wednesday and told
them elections will be held this year on a date
set by Robert
Mugabe.
The meeting was also addressed by the ZANU PF former chairman for
ward 18,
Daniel Mativenga, who also reminded villagers of the serious
violence that
took place in Zaka in 2008. However, it was Ganyaka who
allegedly made it
clear that voting for the MDC would bring worse violence
this time.
According to trusted sources Ganyaka has banned all political
activity by
other parties in Zaka Central and is threatening MDC activists
with
unspecified action if they do not comply.
Harrison Mudzuri, the
MDC-T spokesman for Masvingo, told SW Radio Africa
that Zaka residents know
that ZANNU PF is using intimidation, based on
violence from 2008. But he
said the fear factor will not translate into
votes for ZANU
PF.
Mudzuri said the threats simply encourage the MDC-T and their
supporters to
make sure that there is no repeat of the violence that gripped
the country
after the MDC defeated ZANU PF in 2008.
The MDC has
estimated that at least 500 people were brutally murdered during
ZANU PF’s a
violent campaign against the MDC in 2008. Tens of thousands were
tortured
and raped and hundreds of thousands were displaced.
A report released
this week by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network, which
covered the month
of March, concluded that the political environment “is
filled with tension”
due to in-fighting in the political parties and also
because the different
parties are “testing each other’s muscle” ahead of
elections.
ZESN
said their observers reported limited physical violence, but reports of
intimidation and harassment “continue to pose a real threat to citizens’
psychological wellbeing”.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Alex Bell
04 April 2012
Many
Zimbabweans have been left confused by new measures to curb ‘sham’
marriages
in Zimbabwe, with weddings being cancelled across the country.
The
suspension placed on weddings has been the result of fresh regulations
from
the Registrar General’s office, which has unveiled new marriage
certificates
as part of its attempts to clamp down on ‘marriages of
convenience.
Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede last week said the new
certificate is more
detailed and unlikely to be forged, requiring finger
prints, photos of the
couple and full details of witnesses. He also stated
that the new law came
into force with immediate effect, and in the days that
followed all old
marriage certificate books were withdrawn, awaiting
replacement with new
books.
Mudede’s announcement last week was
accompanied by a threat to marriage
officers, who he said would be punished
with arrest if they conduct any
marriage ceremonies without the new
certificates. This was despite the new
certificates not yet being made
available, resulting in scores of weddings
being cancelled over the
weekend.
“We are fighting this nuisance of marriages of convenience.
Marriage
officers will have to comply with this and, if you don’t, the jail
is
waiting for you,” Mudede warned.
The new regulations have been met
mainly with confusion, while other
observers dismissed the news as a joke.
Some SW Radio Africa readers said
the wedding ‘ban’ was an April Fool’s Day
joke. Other observers meanwhile
said the new regulations were
suspicious.
SW Radio Africa correspondent Simon Muchemwa spoke to a local
registrar’s
office this week, and he explained on Wednesday that the fresh
certificates
have not yet been issued and some are only available directly
from the
Registrar General’s offices in Harare. He said this has left even
more
weddings being cancelled, with most people too scared to risk arrest by
continuing with their marriage plans.
“Churches have been inundated
with people trying to get the right
information, but the Registrar General’s
office has not been forthcoming,”
Muchemwa said.
SW Radio Africa was
unable to get comment from the Registrar General’s
office, but it is
understood that weddings can only go ahead with the new
certificate, meaning
fresh applications are required. Muchemwa meanwhile
said that only weddings
approved by Mudede’s office will be allowed until
then, “as long as they
don’t involve foreigners or are deemed suspicious.”
http://www.swradioafrica.com
Tichaona
Sibanda
04 April 2012
The 2012 Ginetta Sagan Amnesty International USA
award has been given to
WOZA founder and national coordinator Jenni
Williams.
Williams becomes the second Zimbabwean woman to receive the
award in four
years. Girl Child Network founder, Betty Makoni won it in 2008
for her work
in training girls to succeed in school, thrive in the home and
society and
resist sexual abuse and rape.
Amnesty International says
winners of the award are recognised for their
work to protect the liberty
and lives of women and children in areas where
human rights violations are
widespread.
The award carries a grant of $10,000 and is named after
Ginetta Sagan, a
former honorary Chair of the Board of Directors of Amnesty
International
USA, who devoted her life to defending the rights of those who
were unfairly
persecuted by repressive governments.
Williams will
pick up the award at a ceremony in Washington, USA on
Wednesday.
Since 2003 she has led peaceful protests involving
thousands of women and
men, and they have all endured harassment, arrests
and violence for
demanding social and political reforms in Zimbabwe under
the brutal rule of
Robert Mugabe.
WOZA also encourages women and men
to speak out about issues they may be too
fearful to raise alone, including
domestic violence and rape.
A statement from Amnesty International said WOZA
has inspired tens of
thousands of women and men to stand up for their rights
to free speech and
assembly and the fulfillment of basic needs like food and
education.
The statement went on to say: ‘In nearly a decade of struggle
and hundreds
of protests, more than 3,000 WOZA supporters have spent time in
police
custody. Williams herself has been arrested 40 times including most
recently
in February during a demonstration to mark WOZA’s 10th anniversary.
She has
been beaten, imprisoned without food or medical supplies and
threatened with
execution.’
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Lance Guma
04 April
2012
Popular evangelist Emmanuel Makandiwa has prophesied the imminent
death of
someone he says has deprived people of their freedom in the
country. The 34
year old founder of the United Family International Church
(UFIC) also said
the country will be plunged into political chaos and urged
people to start
praying.
Makandiwa said this during a church service
on Sunday, the same day Nigerian
‘prophet’ Temitope Balogun Joshua (TB
Joshua) repeated his prophecy that
“the death of an old African president”
is imminent. In February T.B Joshua
announced that an African leader would
die within 60 days, but did not
mention the country.
On Friday an
estimated 100,000 UFIC church members are set to converge on
the National
Sports Stadium for what has been billed as ‘Judgment Night’.
Eerily the
theme of the service is ‘Your Enemy is Going to Die on that Night’and
Makandiwa said “lots of things are going to happen.”
“Because of our
environment, I will not give much detail, but as prophets,
we choose what to
say and what not to say. For now, all I can say is pray
for Zimbabwe.
Judgment Night has already created its atmosphere and our
enemies are ready
to die. We can’t reverse it, unless they repent before the
night,” he
said.
The charismatic evangelist issued a chilling warning saying: “They
are
dying. Somebody has to die on that Friday morning so that you will be
set
free. Some people may blame the church, but God is ready to make
changes.
Are you ready to be blamed? An angel of death shall be
released.”
Makandiwa also predicted that his church would be persecuted
as a result of
his prophecies, saying: “I see a group of professionals in
Zimbabwe
spearheading attacks against the ministry. I will not give you
their names,
but these are going to come from sectors with these initials:
the D and the
M and the J”.
The young prophet has surprised many with
his pulling power. His services
easily fill up the 60,000 seater National
Sports Stadium in Harare. His
wealth has also come under increasing scrutiny
after he bought a Lexus 570
sports utility vehicle and a 61-piece
Italian-made PA system worth
US$100,000.
Makandiwa is also building a
multi-million-dollar 30,000 seat church in
Chitungwiza. Questions were
raised about the deal that saw him get the land,
with the local MP and some
residents alleging corruption.
Makandiwa preaches what is known as the
‘prosperity gospel’, a doctrine
which claims that financial blessings are
the will of God and that faith,
positive speech and donations to Christian
ministries will always increase
one’s material wealth. In one service he
boasted that when he crashed his
Mercedes Benz S320 it was quickly replaced
by a brand-new S600.
Last year Makandiwa showered a Waterfalls couple,
and one of the Mahendere
Brothers gospel singers, with a house and a
Mercedes Benz vehicle as gifts
for their wedding.
This wealth concept
has tapped in to the high unemployment levels and
poverty in the country
with thousands of followers rushing to join his
church.
The young
preacher has cashed in by getting donations from rich and poor
people alike
and selling ‘spiritual airtime’ vouchers. Last month he was
given a licence
to begin publishing a monthly magazine called ‘The Family’.
It’s also
reported he might be launching a newspaper very soon ‘to grow his
following
and reach.’
http://www.swradioafrica.com/
By Alex Bell
04 April
2012
An Israeli man accused of smuggling diamonds out of Zimbabwe has
stated his
intentions to sue the local police for ‘theft’, accusing them of
stealing
‘his’ stones.
Zimbabwean lawyer Jonathan Samkange who is
representing the accused, Shmuel
Kainan Klein, told the court Tuesday that
his client will sue the police for
stealing some of the diamonds confiscated
last month.
Klein is facing charges of smuggling after he was arrested at
Harare airport
shortly before boarding a flight to Johannesburg last month.
Security
officials at the airport allegedly found more than 1,400 stones,
weighing
1.7 kilograms, in his hand luggage. The diamonds are said to be
worth an
estimated US$2 million.
Klein has insisted that he was in
transit and was “framed” by someone known
to him.
Last month he was
given US$5,000 bail and charged with unlawful possession
of the diamonds and
this week the State wrapped up its case against him.
But his lawyer has
applied for the case to be discharged, with Samkange
stating that the
evidence provided by the investigating officer contradicted
what the
previous five State witnesses had told the court. Samkange also
stated that
the police need to be investigated, claiming they stole about
2,000 carats
of the confiscated diamonds.
“We are going to order for an investigation
to ascertain what happened to
the missing diamonds,” Samkange told the
court.
The case will continue next week.
http://www.voanews.com
03 April
2012
Women in Mining, which includes women in small to medium mining
enterprises,
says the government should allocate claims in Chiadzwa, in the
eastern part
of the country, to women. The group says calls for access
Marange and other
major mining concerns have so far fallen on deaf
ears
Tatenda Gumbo | Washington
Zimbabwean women are demanding
concessions in the Marange diamond fields as
they continue to call for
economic empowerment and advancement.
Women in Mining, which includes
women in small to medium mining enterprises,
says the government should
allocate claims in Chiadzwa, in the eastern part
of the country, to women.
The group says calls for access Marange and other
major mining concerns have
so far fallen on deaf ears.
The government has partnered with companies
from South Africa, China and
others in joint ventures that many say have
largely short-changed locals,
including women.
Vice president
Christina Matika of the group Women in Mining says members
want shares not
only in Chiadzwa but in all sectors of the economy.
"If we cannot have
concession then the government should ensure that
proceeds from diamonds are
allocated to the development of women's
projects," said Matika.
The
Zimbabwe Chamber of Mines and the Zimbabwe School of Mines recently
rolled
out an affirmative action program allowing more female students at
the
institute to learn about mining.
Less than 10 percent of women on
Zimbabwe are miners in an industry largely
dominated by
men.
Chairwoman Virginia Muwanigwa of the Women’s Coalition says women's
groups
in the country are united in calling for more empowerment
initiatives, but
she adds the government’s response has been disappointing
so far.
"It is true whatever support is availed to people in a country
depends on
the resources of that country to the extent that resources may be
available
that determines if people access those resources," said Muwanigwa.
"But we
would agree to say that more could have been done to avail resources
to
women."
http://www.dailynews.co.zw
By Taurai Mangudhla, Business Writer
Wednesday,
04 April 2012 12:31
HARARE - A Zimbabwean delegation is expected at
the Kimberly Process (KP)’s
June intercession meeting in Washington, KP
chairperson Gillian Milovanovic
said yesterday.
“We have every
expectation that Zimbabwe will have a delegation here and we
look forward to
it,” she said in a live webcast.
“I might add that I also had an
opportunity to speak with Zimbabwean
officials who were present at the
Mining (Indaba) in Cape Town maybe about
six weeks ago when I was there and
we had a good conversation and certainly
we expect that Zimbabwe will be
here for the intercession,” added
Milovanovic.
Asked how KP is
dealing with the “controversy surrounding Zimbabwe being a
part of the
global diamond body”, Milovanovic vowed to ensure monitoring of
the southern
African nation’s gems is above board.
“For my part and as KP process
chair, I look to the future and to bringing
the entire KP family together
and that includes Zimbabwe. As I have also
said on a number of occasions,
you know, I am here for everyone because I’m
the chair and that’s how I
intend to conduct my work so as far as Zimbabwe
is concerned my role is to
ensure the regular processes of the Kimberly
process that the monitoring
visits are handled appropriately, which they
have been,” she
added.
“That the KP receives in the normal course of events the reports
which
Zimbabwe needs to send, which it has been getting and that is the
extent to
which I focus on Zimbabwe because I feel that it is important that
we move
now to everyone being a member of the KP family and we look to the
future
and we all work together.”
Zimbabwean gems, believed to
constitute 25 percent of world diamond
deposits, are expected to contribute
$600 million in revenues and up to $2
billion to the country’s fiscus
annually.
The estimates are underpinned by increased production and
favourable prices
on the international market.
However, a reputable
Russian diamond mining company Alrosa said Zimbabwe’s
ability to increase
sales from last year’s eight million carats is limited.
According to the
diamond firm, rough-diamond prices are unlikely to repeat
the volatility of
last year, when they jumped as much as 50 percent during
the year on
speculative demand, before retreating to end 24 percent higher.
Diamond
companies operating at Chiadzwa through joint ventures with
state-owned
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation include Anjin, Marange
Resources,
Mbada diamonds and Diamond Mining Corporation.
http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk
IN an interesting twist of events
the Government of Zimbabwe says it is
carrying out a Geological Mineral
Survey to ascertain the quantum and
potential value of mineral resources in
the country.
04.04.1212:13pm
by Ngoni Chanakira Harare
This
comes almost one year after the Zimbabwe Investment Authority (ZIA)
dished
out a pamphlet to international investors informing them of the
quantum of
minerals in the country. It now turns out that that document was
not done
professionally.
"The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) does not have geological
professionals
right now and I really wonder who gave them that information
about minerals
in the country," a UZ professor said in an exclusive
interview.
That document had alleged that Zimbabwe has 13 million tonnes
of gold, 2,8
billion tonnes of platinum, 930 million tonnes of chromite, 4,5
million
tonnes of nickel, 26 billion tonnes of coal, 16,5 million "tonnes of
diamonds", 30 billion tonnes of iron ore, 5,2 million tonnes of copper and
various quantities of methane.
However, the UZ professor said
diamonds were not measured in tonnes and so
the document could be
fake.
"Zimbabwe is endowed with abundant natural resources which, if
managed
prudently, will contribute significantly to the realisation of the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the MTP targets," Tendai Biti, the
Minister of Finance, said.
He said the Geological Mineral Survey
would establish a framework which
incorporated development funds for the
benefit of communities especially in
areas where mining activities were
being undertaken.
It would also involve a thorough verification process
using a comprehensive
Geological Survey which would be necessary for the
validation of Zimbabwe's
mineral resources and reserves.
"This
process, however, requires a considerable amount of technical, human
and
financial resources, which the country will have to mobilise," Biti
said.
"This verification process is key for assisting the country to
avoid
financial prejudice and investor's under-estimation of value of
underground
mineral resources, and ensure proper planning in the utilisation
of mineral
resources for the benefit of the economy and future generations
through the
creation of a Sovereign Wealth Fund."
Biti said in
addition, the exploitation of such mineral resources required
that
government launches an intensive investment drive in the mining
sector.
"Combined with the pursuit of sound macro-economic policies and
debt relief,
this initiative will ensure that the country is able to
generate sufficient
foreign exchange resources to attain sustainable and
inclusive growth," Biti
said.
http://www.swradioafrica.com
By Tererai
Karimakwenda
04 April 2012
A government subsidized loan scheme, meant
to benefit businesses in
marginalized areas, has been criticised for failing
to help needy companies
and individuals in Matabeleland and other
provinces.
The Distressed Industries and Marginalized Areas Fund (DIMAF)
was
established by government in response to serious criticism that some
areas
of Zimbabwe had been ignored since independence and were still
underdeveloped. CABS Bank was designated as a partner in the
scheme.
SW Radio Africa correspondent Lionel Saungweme said he has copies
of 216
applications that were processed by CABS under the DIMAF scheme, and
only
one company that received a loan is in Bulawayo. The rest are in
Mashonaland
and none are in the distressed Midlands and Manicaland
provinces.
“There were 215 disbursements from CABS Bank averaging about
$2,000 each
that were given to distressed businesses in other provinces. The
one company
in Bulawayo got a little under $3,000,” Saungweme
explained.
It is not clear exactly how many applications were received by
CABS in total
during the period in question, but the results point to a
continuation of
the problem the scheme was supposed to address, distressed
areas being
ignored.
CABS bank has also been criticized for setting
strict conditions for loan
applicants under the DIMAF scheme, making it
difficult for companies that
need the help to qualify.
Saungweme said
the Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube, and the
Minister of State
Enterprises Gorden Moyo, championed the scheme and should
be making sure it
serves businesses that need help and areas that are
underdeveloped.
“This is why there has been a loud chorus of voices
on the issue of
devolution of power. Residents in Matabeleland and in
Manicaland say the
resources in their province, like the Chiadzwa diamonds,
should also benefit
the people who live there,” Saungweme said.
We
were unable to contact the Industry and Commerce Minister Welshman Ncube
for
comment.
http://www.radiovop.com/
Harare, April 04, 2012 -
Mavambo/Kusile/Dawn (M.K.D) leader Simba Makoni
says Zimbabweans should
flatly refuse to participate in elections under an
environment which does
not guarantee a free and fair outcome.
Makoni, who contested the 2008
presidential election and polled more than
300 000 votes, in a statement to
the media said Zimbabweans should be
vigilant of President Mugabe’s
political machinations.
“Let us all be wary of the machinations of
President Robert Mugabe who is
intent on leading this country into yet
another bloodbath reminiscent or
worse than the run up to 27 June 2008
election run-off,” he said.
“We demand a satisfactory explanation as to
what the Inclusive Government
(IG) of Zanu-PF, MDC-T and MDC-N has been
doing since constituted in
February 2009, with regards to the issue of
putting in place necessary
electoral reforms.
“One of the main issues
the shaky Coalition Government was supposed to
tackle is readying the
country for the holding of free and fair elections
among a host of other
issues,” he added.
Makoni charged that the three leaders in the inclusive
government must
justify to the people of Zimbabwe the “unnecessary’ waste of
taxpayers’
money through funding operations of a bloated government which he
said does
not deliver results at the end of the day.
“This is another
straight case of political fraud committed in broad
daylight by the IG
leaders. It is now evident that the coalition government
has failed dismally
to prepare the country for a free and fair poll,” he
added.
Makoni, a
former Zanu-PF politiburo member and finance minister, implored
leaders of
the three political parties in the power-sharing arrangement to
acknowledge
failure, apologise and resign, paving the way for the setting up
of a
Transitional National Authority (TNA).
He said the TNA would, among other
things, carry out a genuine national
healing and reconciliation programme
feeding into creating an environment
suitable for the holding of free and
fair elections.
“The TNA should exclude all leaders of political parties
and have a lifespan
of twelve (12) months. Mavambo will only participate in
elections conducted
in an environment that guarantees a free and fair
outcome.
“The peace loving citizens of Zimbabwe should stand their ground
and
fiercely resist being cowed into another blood-letting extravaganza. If
President Mugabe forces an election without the necessary reforms, we will
have a repeat of 2008, which will be a disastrous non-event,” he
said.
Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and the leader of MDC, Welshman
Ncube have
constantly expressed reservations over the staging of fresh polls
under the
present Lancaster House constitution and without the requisite
reforms
enshrined in the GPA.
http://www.radiovop.com
Harare, April 04, 2012 - Relations
between President Robert Mugabe and
leader of the Democratic Republic of
Congo Joseph Kabila could have received
a knock after the long-serving
Zimbabwean leader insulted the youthful
leader during his last visit to
Harare.
Mugabe reportedly insulted Kabila during a meeting at State House
but the
alleged incident was not made public.
Kabila was in Harare
for talks aimed at saving the fragile unity government.
Kabila, then
chair of the Southern Africa Development Community, rushed to
Harare in
November 2009 to diffuse a dispute that was threatening the
existence of the
inclusive government in Zimbabwe.
This was after the MDC-T had partially
pulled out of the shaky government
protesting against Mugabe’s refusal to
obey certain sections of the Global
Political Agreement, which brought about
the inclusive arrangement.
Kabila met both Mugabe and Prime Minister
Morgan Tsvangirai during his
visit. He appeared with Mugabe at State House
posing at cameras but they
were no signs of acrimony between the
men.
But the DRC ambassador to Harare Mawapanga Mwana Nanga in diplomatic
discussions with the United States ambassador to Zimbabwe, Charles Ray, said
the DRC leader was insulted by Mugabe but he remained calm.
In
discussions with Ray, the DRC envoy acknowledged that Mugabe had insulted
Kabila when he visited Harare but did not disclose further
details.
Mawapanga however, said unlike his father, Laurent, who was
known for his
short temper, the young Kabila did not hit back.
In a
diplomatic cable dispatched from Harare by the US embassy after the
deliberations with the DRC envoy, Ray said: “Mawapanga also acknowledged
that Mugabe had insulted DRC President Kabila when he visited Harare, but
the young Kabila, unlike his father, does not believe in answering insult
with insult.”
Mawapanga is reported to once have told a Western
ambassador that he was
sent to Harare to defend Mugabe against
Western-initiated regime change.
But Ray said since Kabila's visit to
Harare, Mawapanga’s attitude and
demeanor had changed significantly and he
wanted to lobby to return home as
soon as Kabila was no longer chair of the
Sadc bloc.
“He has been in Harare for eight years, with his family
remaining in the
DRC, and he says that as soon as Kabila is no longer
President of the
Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) he plans to
lobby to return
home,” Ray said.
The US top diplomat in Harare said
this was probably the first time
Mawapanga had been so critical of Zanu PF
in discussions with a Western
official.
Ray said Mawapanga, who
served as DRC Finance Minister before Laurent
Kabila's assassination and was
thought to have a role in designing the
financial aspects of Zimbabwe's
then-military support for the DRC, has been
a thorn in the side of many of
the Western ambassadors in Harare, most
notably the U.S. and UK, who have
often been accused of trying to overthrow
the Mugabe
regime.
“Surprisingly, during our meeting he was friendly and in his
criticism of
Mugabe and Zanu PF, uncharacteristically candid and blunt. He
said, for
instance, that while he is against sanctions because he believes
they don't
really work, Zanu PF needs to quit using them as an excuse not to
govern the
country properly,” Ray said.
“As an example, he said he
finds it strange that Zanu PF will complain of
the crippling effect of
sanctions on the one hand, then spend millions on a
large delegation going
on a trip, or claim to have US$10 million for
agricultural
inputs.
Despite the alleged insult incident, Mugabe’s relations with
Kabila appear
to be warm especially after the youthful leader won a
controversial
presidential vote in his country.
Mugabe, the only head
of state at Kabila’s inauguration last December, said
Kabila’s victory
should not be questioned as the election had been
democratic.
He said
“any attempt to undermine that democratic government will be
resisted by
Africa, [the Southern African Development Community] and
Zimbabwe, which has
been a partner to the Congolese people.”
Mugabe assured Kabila that
Zimbabwe would help him fight off any
interference by presumably Western
outsiders.
Mugabe’s statement was interpreted to mean Zimbabwe could
again intervene
militarily in the central African country as it did in 1997
when it helped
Kabila’s father Laurent quash a massive armed rebellion
threatening his
errant regime.
Mugabe deployed thousands of troops
backed by heavy artillery and fighter
jets in 1997 to save the regime of
Kabila’s father which was on the verge of
being routed out by rebels
supported by Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi.
But after helping secure the
Kinshasa regime, the Zimbabwe government did
not exploit vast mineral
resources of the DRC, a move that could have
incensed powerful figures in
Harare.
Western mining companies reportedly partook to the mineral
resources much to
the chagrin of Mugabe and his Zanu PF party who were
apparently elbowed
following a damning United Nations report revealed top
Zanu PF officials
were looting the DRC resources for personal gain.
http://www.dailynews.co.zw/
By Everson Mushava, Staff Writer
Wednesday, 04
April 2012 09:11
HARARE - Health officials are having headaches over
how to deal with
religious sects which do not want their members to set foot
at health
centres.
With the country’s economic and political
situation still far from stable,
many Zimbabweans are turning to religion
resulting in growth of apostolic
sects.
Common for wearing white
robes, marrying young girls and worshipping under
trees and mountain tops,
the apostolic sects are infamous for claiming that
their leaders hold
special healing powers.
Members are barred from seeking medical attention
at conventional hospitals,
and instead pushed to “prophets”.
Health
workers yesterday told a visiting top United Nations Children’s Fund
(Unicef) official that they are cracking their heads over this phenomenon,
particularly when the country is battling acute maternal deaths and infant
mortality.
Expressing their challenges to the visiting Australian
United Nations
Children’s Fund (Unicef) chief executive officer Norman
Gillespie at Kunaka
Hospital in Seke yesterday, community health workers
said they still face
resistance from some apostolic church
sects.
Gillespie was touring Seke district to assess the work of
community health
workers and how best the international community can
assist.
“Some people still resist going to hospitals for health care but
seek help
from their churches. We are working with the midwives from these
churches
and telling them the dangers of delivering outside a
hospital.
“They are however slowly getting to understand the importance
of going to
hospital,” said one of the health workers identified only as
Mushonga.
She said some churches, especially from Marange and Mwazha
apostolic sects,
often pitched tents where they admitted sick people and
pregnant mothers
awaiting delivery.
“We have approached them and we
will continue working with them,” she said.
Zimbabwe’s maternal deaths
and infant mortality figures are worrying.
At least eight women die
every- day from giving birth, according to Unicef.
Unicef says at least
725 children per 100 000 die everyday at birth in the
country.
Gillespie said he appreciated the work of community health
workers in
reaching every member of the community and their dedication to
work.
“I am amazed that you still have this touch with the people in the
community, something that the West can no longer manage. We intent to lobby
for more funds to make the primary health care programme a national
project,” Gillespie said.
Gillespie said he would mobilise funds to
buy more bicycles for the
community health workers so they can access every
part of the community.
Unicef last month availed 1 500 bicycles for
community health care workers
in the country. Unicef has pledged to provide
20 000 more bicycles by the
end of the year.
http://www.theatlantic.com/
By Chris Nelson
Apr 4
2012, 3:04 PM ET
The Coalition against Typhoid was established to combat
this neglected
disease and advocate for the millions currently suffering
from it.
Since early November 2011, there has been a surge of typhoid
fever outbreaks
in central and southern Africa, affecting children and
adults alike.
Unfortunately, it takes a series of outbreaks such as these in
Zambia,
Zimbabwe, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), to draw
attention to
this often-overlooked disease in a region plagued by many needs
and few
resources.
Typhoid outbreaks usually occur when common water
and food sources become
contaminated with infected human waste. Symptoms
include high fever,
flu-like symptoms, abdominal pain, constipation or
diarrhea, and even death.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO)
approximately 21.6 million
cases of typhoid occur each year, resulting in at
least 200,000 deaths,
mostly among school- and preschool-aged
children.
The recent cases of typhoid fever reported in Zambia and
Zimbabwe can be
directly attributed to problems with water and sanitation.
In Kikwit, DRC,
typhoid is already highly endemic. However, contamination of
a local water
source caused cases to spike into the thousands, resulting in
life
threatening intestinal complications and death.
Apart from the
illness, severe complications, and death that accompanies
these typhoid
outbreaks, disruptions of local water supplies interrupt the
daily
activities of entire communities and cities. Despite this large
burden,
typhoid has remained on the back burner of the global public health
agenda,
allowing the cycle of endemic disease and episodic outbreaks to
continue,
particularly in Africa.
To combat this neglected disease, the Coalition
against Typhoid (CaT) was
established to advocate for the millions of people
suffering from typhoid
fever who cannot speak for themselves. CaT supports
research into
next-generation typhoid vaccines and improved diagnostics and
advocates for
the use of effective vaccines that are already available and
recommended by
the WHO. Our members are also working with local governments
to identify
sustainable funding mechanisms for typhoid prevention and
control programs,
and to improve typhoid surveillance, especially in parts
of sub-Saharan
Africa where the typhoid burden is not
well-documented.
Public awareness about typhoid and the areas where it is
endemic is
essential for effective disease control and prevention. To that
end,
researchers from CDC-Kenya have documented rates of endemic typhoid
fever in
urban Nairobi that, surprisingly, are comparable to those reported
from
urban slums in Asia, where the burden of typhoid was thought to be
highest.
Together with the recent outbreaks, these results from Kenya add to
growing
evidence of typhoid across Africa, from Ghana and Nigeria in the
west to
Ethiopia, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambique, and South Africa in the east
and
south.
Recent surveillance activities have also found that
multi-drug-resistant
(MDR) typhoid strains are widespread in Africa, in some
areas exceeding 75
percent of all cases. Historically, typhoid has been
treatable with
antibiotics, but as MDR typhoid becomes more prevalent and
widespread, new
and more expensive antibiotics are required for treatment in
order to
prevent serious complications and increased risk of
death.
Public health experts agree that a comprehensive approach is
needed to
effectively control typhoid. This includes providing safe water to
the
community; improving access to basic sanitation facilities; promoting
proper
hygiene, including hand washing and the safe preparation and
consumption of
food and drink; and typhoid vaccination. Improved
surveillance and
diagnostic tools are also needed to identify at-risk
populations and prevent
delays in treatment.
To date, typhoid control
efforts have focused on Asia. Emerging evidence of
high disease burden
across sub-Saharan Africa will serve as the basis for
developing a
comprehensive and integrated typhoid prevention and control
strategy for the
region.
While recent improvements in typhoid surveillance are a step in
the right
direction, much more work is needed to increase general awareness
and turn
the tide against typhoid in Africa and in other parts of the world.
This
falls on the international global health community, including CaT and
national governments, to develop and implement integrated typhoid control
strategies and protect these vulnerable communities from typhoid fever and
other diseases of poverty.
Christopher B. Nelson is the director of
the Coalition against Typhoid at
the Sabin Vaccine Institute. Before joining
Sabin, he worked as a consultant
in global health, with a focus on
international organizations and new
vaccine introduction.
With Ciro
de Quadros, executive vice president of the Sabin Vaccine
Institute.
http://www.newzimbabwe.com
03/04/2012 00:00:00
by Staff
Reporter
WAR veterans have claimed they are living in abject poverty
and demanded
that the coalition government comes up with a loan facility to
enable them
to start self help projects.
The independence war
fighters believe they are entitled to such facilities
under the 1997 War
Veterans Act.
War veterans were handed payouts of Z$50,000 in 1997
helping trigger the
so-called “Black Friday” on November 14 of the same year
when the Zimbabwe
dollar lost 71,5 percent of its value and the stock market
crashed 46
percent.
Experts say although the country’s economy
properly hit the skids beginning
2000, the roots of the crisis could be
traced to the unbudgeted war veterans’
payouts as well as Zimbabwe’s
participation in the DRC civil war.
However, Retired Lieutenant Colonel
Cairo Mhandu, a member of the
parliamentary portfolio committee on defence
told state radio Tuesday that
war veterans were living in poverty and needed
more money to start self-help
projects.
“From 1997, Ministers of
Finance since then have totally ignored the War
Veterans Act. War veterans
are being disadvantaged in terms of accessing
loan facilities,” he
said.
“We are saying the government should make sure that we get these
loans now
because since 1997 we have been waiting, the economy is recovering
and
something should be done to assist us.”
Joseph Chinotimba,
another war veterans’ leader added: “war veterans are for
the country, they
fought for the liberation of the country.
“When the authorities deal with
our issues, they must not see us as Zanu PF
war veterans as we fought for
everyone, even for those who go to church.
“We are living in abject poverty
yet some members of the society have access
to loans.”
Under the 1997
legislation, the war veterans are entitled to a gratuity,
settlement
benefits, loans, and education benefits, medical as well as
funeral
benefits.
The ex-fighters – dismissed by critics as shock troopers for
President
Robert Mugabe and his Zanu PF party – are also entitled to a
monthly state
pension which many say is inadequate.
Wednesday 4 April 2012
Rhinos Musareva (37) the MDC Zaka West
district secretary for Defence and Security was abducted on Saturday at Chivamba
Business Centre by suspected Zanu PF thugs and war veterans led by Dunanga
Bwazvo and Mupangani Chekero from neighbouring Chiredzi North
Constituency.
He was handcuffed and taken to a homestead of one Mr
Tsvana, a Zanu PF activist, where he was severely assaulted and dragged around
the yard. Zanu PF thugs used sticks during the assault.
It is alleged
that after the battering they took him to the home of one Chiredzi North
Prophet, Hardlife Kuzonyei whom they assaulted for entertaining Musareva, who,
together with other MDC colleagues some time in March, approached him for
prayer. His alleged crime was that he had prayed for MDC activists in a Zanu PF
territory.
Upon realising the degree of injury on the two, Dunanga,
Chekero and their youths took Musareva and Kuzonyei to a woman in Wasara area,
village 4 in Chiredzi North Resettlements. The woman was allegedly force-marched
to a nearby Oscro Farm Police Base where the injured were handed over to
Constable Moyo and accused of stealing from the woman.
The youths forced
Prophet Kuzonyei to sign a statement admitting that he robbed the woman but
Rhinos refused despite further punishment that was inflicted on him in full
glare of Constable Moyo.
Hon Festus Dumbu, the Zaka West MP and the MDC
Party structures were then informed about the abductions searched for the two
only to find them at Chiredzi Police Station.
Hon Dumbu said: “When I saw
Musareva I was shocked to see horrific injuries on him. His limbs were swollen
and he was visibly in pain.I requested that he be taken to the hospital and
Police indicated it was in their plans to take him to hospital. Rhinos has not
received medical attention despite his serious injuries.”
He said, “We
urge the police to arrest these known thugs if people are going to have
confidence and feel secure in their own homes. People need real change. They are
tired of fighting. We have had enough tears, now we just want a new Zimbabwe
where all people are free to pursue opportunity and have a right to association.
They must have their security guaranteed, before and after making their
choices”.
Musareva sustained soft tissue injuries. The MDC has
categorically stated that elections in Zimbabwe should be held in an environment
free from violence and that all perpetrators of violence should be
arrested.
The people's struggle for real change: let's finish
it!!
--
MDC Information & Publicity Department
http://www.africanews.com/
Posted on Wednesday 4 April 2012 -
11:21
Misheck Rusere, AfricaNews reporter in Harare, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwean Vice President John Nkomo has diplomatically admitted that
his
country does not have a property rights policy that is consistent and
coherent, which is the source of investors' fears for investing in the
country. Addressing delegates at the official opening of a two day Euromoney
Investment Conference, Nkomo said there is need for the government to put in
place measure to safeguard property of investors.
“Government
needs to put in place mechanisms to protect the rights of
property in
Zimbabwe so that investor feel free to put their money in the
country,” said
Nkomo.
Nkomo said the Southern African country was now ranked number
three in
Africa as a preferred investment destination after Kenya and
Tanzania.
Finance Minister Tendai Biti however said one of the
reasons for the
investors shunning the country was because of the ignorance
of the
indigenization law and the manner in which the same law is being
applied by
the government.
“One thing that is hampering
investment in this country is lack of
understanding of the indigenization
policy. It is worrisome that
indigenization is pitted against investment yet
the two are supposed to be
complimenting each other,” said Biti.
Echoering Minister Biti’s sentiments African Century Limited an
investment
company that is focused on building businesses in sub-Saharan
Africa
co-founder Jonathan Chenevix-Trench formerly CEO and chairperson of
Morgan
Stanley International based in London said there is nothing sinister
with
Zimbabwe’s indigenization policy but the only worry was in the lack of
consistence of the same.
“There are very few countries in the
world maybe two or three that do
not practice indigenizations but it is all
about how it is executed. There
is need for a coherent and consistent policy
framework,” said
Chenevix-Trench.
He said Zimbabwe only needed to
assure investors that their investment
is safe through a consistent policy
framework.
Euromoney Investment Conference took place from 21-22
March and was
attended by hundreds of investors. Several speakers including
some from
international organizations like African Development Bank
President, Donald
Kaberuka graced the occasion along with some investors
from as far afield as
Europe and Asia.
Since the formation of the
inclusive government in 2009, Zimbabwe has
witnessed significant progress
and improvement in the in the economic sector
and other social services
sectors.
http://www.voanews.com
03 April
2012
A large number of local and international business
executives are showing
interest in attending the annual business summit
organized by the Zimbabwe
National Chamber of Commerce and held every year
during the trade fair
period
Gibbs Dube |
Washington
Preparations for this year’s premier commercial annual
event - the Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair (ZITF) - are in full swing
with 95 percent of the
exhibition space already snapped up by international
and local exhibitors.
Nomathemba Ndlovu, ZITF Marketing and Public
Relations Manager told the VOA
Tuesday that exhibitors are grabbing larger
pavilions compared to last year
and indications are that the fair will
attract high quality exhibits this
year.
More than 800 exhibitors and
over 112,000 members of the public graced the
event last year. This year’s
trade fair, with only two public days, starts
on April 24.
Ndlovu
said a large number of local and international business executives
are
showing interest in attending an annual business summit organized by the
Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce and other organizations held every
year during the trade fair period.
The ZITF is one of the largest
multi-sectoral exhibitions in resource-rich
Sub-Saharan Africa which
attracted 145,646 visitors in 2011 and provides
exhibitors with the
opportunity to conduct regional and international
business.
“After
decades of economic recession Zimbabwe’s economic tide is turning and
ZITF
2012 will be the place to be,” said Ndlovu.
http://mg.co.za/
FRIEDERIKE BUBENZER Apr 04 2012 14:01
On March 23,
the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) appointed Pablo
de Greiff as
the first-ever special rapporteur on the promotion of truth,
justice,
reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. De Greiff is a
Colombian
national and is currently the New York-based director of research
at the
International Centre for Transitional Justice. His tenure as special
rapporteur begins on May 1.
Like countless other organisations
working towards post-conflict peace and
development in Africa and elsewhere,
the South African Institute for Justice
and Reconciliation (IJR) welcomes
the creation of the mandate to establish
accountability for serious crimes.
And we hail De Greiff's appointment in
this important position. It is hoped
that this development will
significantly enhance the visibility of
transitional-justice issues within
the HRC and the UN system at
large.
But what does the mandate of this independent expert mean for the
victims of
Africa's seemingly endless conflicts? And how can civil society
engage with
him? These and other questions were explored at an in-depth
two-day IJR
consultation held recently with some of the continent's leading
voices
working on transitional-justice issues in IJR's target countries,
namely
Zimbabwe, Kenya, the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and
Uganda.
Titled "African Perspectives on the Appointment and Mandate of
the UN
Special Rapporteur on the Promotion of Truth, Justice, Reparation and
Guarantees of Non-Recurrence", the event sought to solicit the expectations
and needs of African civil-society organisations, governments and
intergovernmental agencies, working in the field of justice and
reconciliation in Africa, on the mandate of the special rapporteur. A
comprehensive report of the event is forthcoming.
"Special
procedures" is the general name given to the mechanisms established
by the
HRC to conduct fact-finding and/or monitoring into specific
human-rights
situations in all parts of the world. Currently, there are 33
thematic and
eight country mandates. Mandate-holders (individuals or groups)
serve in
their personal capacity, are independent -- that is, not UN
staff -- and are
unpaid. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human
Rights provides them
with some personnel, policy, research and logistical
support for the
discharge of their mandates.
The functions of this particular special
rapporteur will include addressing
gross violations of human rights and
serious violations of international law
through the gathering of relevant
information relating to the promotion of
truth, justice, reparation and
guarantees of non-recurrence, and to make
recommendations to affected
stakeholders on potential responses and remedial
interventions. The
resolution that established the position specifies the
need for a gendered
perspective and a victim-centred approach to be
integrated throughout the
fulfilment of the mandate. All Special Rapporteurs
are guided by a strict
code of conduct and are requested to report annually
to the HRC and the UN
General Assembly.
The authors of the resolution took care to emphasise
that the special
rapporteur should not take a one-sided approach to
transitional justice. The
mandate emphasises "the importance of a
comprehensive approach incorporating
the full range of judicial and
non-judicial measures, including, among
others, individual prosecutions,
reparations, truth-seeking, institutional
reform, vetting of public
employees and officials, or an appropriately
conceived combination thereof,
in order to, inter alia, ensure
accountability, serve justice, provide
remedies to victims, promote healing
and reconciliation, establish
independent oversight of the security system
and restore confidence in the
institutions of the state and promote the rule
of law in accordance with
international human rights law".
This all is a seemingly huge amount of
work for just one person. Given that
the role is voluntary and unpaid, it
requires a substantial time commitment
as well as constant readiness to
respond to urgent situations as and when
they emerge. This includes two to
three official country visits per year on
the basis of requests to and by
governments grappling with their own
transitional-justice situations. Such
visits may also include meetings with
NGOs, victims, traditional leaders and
so on (bearing in mind that resources
are very limited).
As such,
civil society can and should play a vital role in relation to the
special
rapporteur. As explained by one participant with extensive
experience in
this field, "the mandate holder will play the role that you
[civil society]
enable the mandate holder to play". Feeding the special
rapporteur with
succinct, reliable and accurate information on urgent
matters relating to
the mandate is one important function civil society can
take on. Raising
awareness about the special rapporteur and the relevant
mandate as well as
how it translates into reality is equally important in
order to ensure
increased participation in the broader process.
Information on urgent
developments in the realm of truth, justice,
reparations and non-recurrence
can be submitted by alleged victims (or
anyone on their behalf), by NGOs and
other partners such as UN agencies,
funds and programmes, trade unions,
professional associations, and so forth.
The special rapporteur will then
process and analyse this information and,
if the issue is deemed serious
enough, will take the matter up with the
relevant government and other
stakeholders. Also, the special rapporteur is
at liberty to attend
activities organised by civil society to raise
awareness about the
respective mandates, and create and strengthen
partnerships.
During
country presentations at the IJR consultation, it became evident just
how
many of the African countries represented face urgent
transitional-justice
challenges. Presentations highlighted the need for
truth-telling mechanisms
in Zimbabwe and Burundi, an end to impunity in the
DRC, the need for
reparations in Uganda and Rwanda, and the pursuit of
justice and
accountability in all countries represented.
South Sudan, where the
conversation about transitional justice remains
severely obstructed by
continued fighting between north and south,
incomplete disarmament processes
and severe infrastructure and governance
challenges, has the potential to
dominate this mandate entirely. Add to this
the burning transitional-justice
challenges that face Egypt, Tunisia, Libya
and, in due course, Syria --
never mind similarly urgent situations in the
rest of the world.
This
is no small task. Now more than ever, civil society organisations need
to
pull together to ensure that efficient collaboration directly impacts
this
mandate holder's ability to achieve justice and reconciliation for
communities affected by human rights violations.
Friederike Bubenzer
is the Acting Head of the Justice and Reconciliation
Programme at the South
African Institute for Justice and Reconciliation.
Dear Colleagues
Please
find the Ballot Update for February and March 2012.
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http://www.miningweekly.com/
By: Natasha
Odendaal
4th April 2012
JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) –
Anglo American Platinum (Amplats) said on
Wednesday that it would meet
officials from the Zimbabwe government later
this week to discuss the
indigenisation plan for its Unki mine.
The world’s largest platinum
producer, led by CEO Neville Nicolau, submitted
its indigenisation plan for
its first Zimbabwe-based platinum operation
earlier this
week.
Spokesperson Mpumi Sithole said Amplats was unable to divulge any
details
about the plan or the group’s expectations until the meetings were
concluded.
She added, however, that it expected a decision by next
week.
The Unki mine, near Gweru, is currently ramping up production and
will reach
full production of 120 000 t/m in 2013.
Zimbabwe’s
indigenisation laws require foreign firms to transfer 51% of
their assets in
the country to locals. Treaty protection under the South
Africa-Zimbabwe
bilateral agreement, however, committed the Zimbabwe
government to the
payment of fair compensation for shares in an operation
and covered the
exploration of alternative processes should compensation be
deemed
unfair.
Last month, the Zimbabwe government accepted the indigenisation
plan of
world number-two platinum miner Impala Platinum’s (Implats’)
Zimplats
operation.
Implats reached an in-principle agreement that
allowed for 10% of the
operation to be allocated to the near-mine community
trust, funded through
an interest-free loan. Another 10%, allocated to
Zimplats employees, would
be funded by an interest-bearing loan. Zimplats
would sell a 31% fully
contributory stake in Zimplats to the National
Indigenisation Economic and
Empowerment Board for cash - an independently
determined fair value was
still to be agreed.
Cadiz mining analyst
Peter Major said that the agreement between the
Zimbabwe government and
Implats was a significant milestone, however, he
questioned whether it was a
sustainable “once empowered, always empowered”
deal.
The arrangement
relied on the country’s ability to honour its commitment of
paying fair
compensation, as well as handling the responsibilities of such a
large
ownership.
Major said that he was not certain that Zimbabwe could, in the
future,
manage its portion of the capital required to grow and expand a
mining
project, which could result in a share dilution for the country.
