ZIMBABWE: Land reform beneficiaries under scrutiny
JOHANNESBURG, 24
February (IRIN) - Violations of Zimbabwe's "one man, one farm" policy by some
senior figures within the ruling party does not invalidate the entire land
reform programme, a land expert told IRIN on Monday.
"It is an issue that
some people have used their advantaged position to gain more farms," said Sam
Moyo, who helped draft the government's original framework for land reform. "A
certain opportunism happens within a process of change and a process of
redistribution. We should recognise this, but it should not be
overblown."
Responding to grassroots criticism that the principles of
land reform were being flouted, the government last year commissioned a national
audit through the office of Vice-President Joseph Msika. The interim report has
been completed and reportedly forwarded to President Robert Mugabe.
In
its latest issue, the UK-based newsletter Africa Confidential said it had
obtained a copy of the audit, and alleged that there was "evidence of corrupt
allocations and the use of violence by senior politicians and military officers
to evict landless small farmers - the very people that President Robert Mugabe
claimed the land reform policy would help".
Africa Confidential said the
worst case reported in the audit involved Air Marshall Perence Shiri who owns
three farms. One of them, at 1,460 hectares, was "three times the maximum size
allowed". Quoting the audit, the newsletter said Shiri was trying to evict 96
landless families who had been allocated the property under the government's
resettlement scheme.
"The fact that there are opportunists who have
breached the policy is not new at all, it's something that's been discussed in
government," Moyo said.
"[The issue of opportunism] from a left [-wing]
nationalist point of view is an argument we've been raising for a while.
Obviously, those against land reform have been raising [these examples] of
excesses to dismiss land reform, as if there has been no benefit from the
programme," he added.
Prior to land reform, as a consequence of the
colonial legacy of skewed land holdings, 11 million hectares of Zimbabwe's prime
agricultural land was in the hands of 4,500 commercial farmers. The majority of
rural Zimbabweans were forced to eke out a living on drought-prone communal
lands.
Moyo, director of the Southern African Regional Institute for
Policy Studies, said that land reform aimed at a complete transformation of the
rural economy. Under the fast-track scheme, the A1 model of resettlement was
geared to creating a large base of small-scale producers on plots of between 30
to 150 hectares. A "middle-class" group of settlers have been allocated 50 to
250 hectares, he said, with large-scale farmers leasing properties under the A2
model of around 400 hectares in the main arable areas. That compared with the
1,200 hectare spreads that were the average size of a commercial farm before
reform.
Moyo said the accusations of corruption in land redistribution
had to be seen in the context that only a "small number" of people had been
named in the audit.
"Some of these excessive allocations can be reversed
through directives," he suggested. "The bottom line is obviously a demand that
one person one farm should be implemented."
Africa Confidential said that
many of those named in the report told the newsletter that they were "being
smeared by political opponents in the [leadership] succession struggle".
Fast-track land reform has benefited at least 300,000 families,
according to the government. But it has also been criticised for the
"disorderly" process of allocations, and the slow take up of land - especially
with the A2 model - which has had an impact on food security.
"Many rural
black Zimbabweans expressed a profound disapproval of the manner in which
government is carrying out land reform, in particular the lack of clear criteria
for the allocation of land and the lack of structured support for new settlers,"
a report by Human Rights Watch said last year.
It pointed out that
"uncertainty has been exacerbated by the rule that land in the communal areas be
given up when fast-track land is taken" - resulting in a degree of wariness by
potential beneficiaries.
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in August
2002: "There can be no lasting solution to the current problems unless the
government of Zimbabwe implements a phased and fully funded land-reform
programme. It should be one that is run according to the rule of law, that
allows for proper training and adequate support to new small farmers and
compensation to displaced farm workers and commercial farmers."
Moyo said
the fast-track process could not "realise its full potential" under the current
"economic squeeze" that limited the government's provision of key agricultural
inputs, financial credits to the new farmers, and social service
infrastructure.
[ENDS]
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BBC
|
By Barnaby Phillips
BBC southern Africa corespondent in Bulawayo
|
The biggest match of Zimbabwe's world cup campaign passed off without
incident on a beautiful day in Bulawayo.
The Australian team, professional and ruthless to the last, secured a
valuable victory, and boarded a special charter plane straight back to South
Africa.
Pius Ncube (right) leads a small group of
protestors |
When I
asked the Australian captain, Ricky Ponting, why it was such a brief visit, he
said: "Because of concerns about the players security".
But, in reality, the Australian players were never at risk, just as the
England team would not have been at risk had they chosen to come to Zimbabwe.
That's because the government here is doing its utmost to ensure that
visiting players and officials have a safe and enjoyable time in Zimbabwe.
They are determined to prove that reports of a social and political crisis
have been exaggerated by the foreign media, which, insists the government, is
biased and even racist in its reporting of Zimbabwe.
Certainly, there was little sense of crisis inside the tree-lined ground at
Bulawayo's Queens Sports Club.
The vast majority of spectators, black and white, had simply come to enjoy
themselves, watch a good game of cricket, and drink a few beers.
But a few people had arrived with a point to make.
A group of churchmen, led by the Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube,
gave a brief statement to journalists outside the ground.
It read: "Our Christian faith compels us to stand in solidarity with the
starving, the oppressed and suffering people of this land and to work and pray
for our liberation from the cruel yoke of oppression."
The churchmen walked into the ground and unfurled a banner condemning
violence.
The police looked on, and did not intervene.
On the other side of the pitch, a small group of protestors had a flag with
the inscription "Zimbabwe needs change".
Zimbabwean police keep an eye on
spectators |
Eye-witnesses
in the crowd said the four men who had brought this flag into the ground were
arrested by police during the lunch interval, but released soon afterwards.
Otherwise, the day passed off without incident.
Spectators cheered wildly as Zimbabwe compiled a decent total.
Andy Flower, Zimbabwe's star batsman, received warm applause for his 62 runs.
Flower has been under intense pressure from the Zimbabwean cricket
authorities, after he and fast bowler Henry Olonga released a statement at the
beginning of the tournament condemning what they called "the death of democracy
in Zimbabwe".
Olonga has subsequently been dropped, but Flower's careful innings underlined
once again his value to the side.
And despite the innuendo and abuse Flower and Olonga have been subjected to
from Zimbabwe's state media, both players seem to be more popular than ever.
In the end, though, Zimbabwe simply did not score enough runs on a good
batting pitch.
And as the Australian batsmen closed in on their total, the home crowd fell
silent, and the voices of a few dozen Australian supporters grew louder and
louder.
A somewhat discordant rendition of "Waltzing Matilda" drifted over the ground
and the home crowd shuffled off.
A cheerful day in the sunshine was over. Tomorrow, it will be back to the
grim task of making ends meet in Zimbabwe's depressed economy.
Inter Press Service
Duplicity Surfaces at Paris Summit
Julio
Godoy
PARIS, Feb 24 (IPS) - The principled declarations made by
leaders of 42
African states in Paris last week stand undermined by what many
are doing in
their own backyards.
The leaders who were in Paris for
the 22nd French-African conference made
declarations against war, and agreed
that the rule of law and respect for
democratic rules should govern political
life in Africa.
The leaders who signed these declarations include many
accused of corruption
and continuing violation of human rights, such as
presidents Robert Mugabe
of Zimbabwe, Denis Sassou N'Guesso of Congo
Brazzaville, Gnassingbé Eyadéma
of Togo, Omar Bongo of Gabon, Ange-Félix
Patassé of the Central African
Republic and Ely Ould Dah of
Mauritania.
The leaders agreed a statement on Iraq saying that "the
United Nations
provides the only legitimate framework for the disarmament of
Iraq." They
said "inspections should continue and be substantially
reinforced, both
technically and in personnel, as to comply with UN
resolution 1441."
The leaders said in a joint statement: "The use of
force against Iraq, which
would entail serious destabilisation risks for the
Middle East, for Africa,
and for the rest of the world, can only be a last
resort. There always is an
alternative to war."
The principles they
agreed do not work in many African countries. Burundi
and Rwanda, the Central
African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Angola,
the Sudan, Algeria, and
the C- te d'Ivoire all witness wars and contempt for
human dignity and human
rights.
The journalists' organisation Reporters sans Frontières (RSF)
says the
African heads of state and government who came to the
French-African
conference include "23 oppressors of press freedom and human
rights."
In Eritrea in East Africa, 18 journalists are incarcerated right
now, making
the country "the world's biggest prison of journalists," says RSF
director
Robert Ménard.
Human rights organisations have launched court
proceedings against several
African leaders. The International Federation of
Human Rights has accused
Ange-Félix Patassé of crimes against humanity before
the International Court
of Justice.
Denis Sassou N'Guesso faces
accusations of war crimes and summary executions
by his troops during the
civil war that brought him to power in 1997.
Former prime minister of
Congo Bernard Kolelas who now lives in exile in the
Côte d'Ivoire says "my
country continues to be a stage to the worst human
rights
violations."
Mauritanian leader Ely Ould Dah is likely be sentenced in
absentia by a
tribunal in the southern French city Nimes. He is accused of
torturing
opposition leaders.
"The African state and its leadership is
dominated by contested legitimacy,
religious animosities, archaic political
manners, corruption in public
affairs, and an internationalisation of
conflicts," says Stephen Smith,
Africa expert with the daily Le
Monde.
The crisis in the Côte d'Ivoire continues despite a political
agreement
sanctioned by the UN reached in Paris last month. It calls for
installation
of a reconciliation government to include representatives of
rebels fighting
the government of Laurent Gbagbo. The accord also calls for
elimination of
racist clauses in the constitution.
Gbagbo signed the
agreement but later called it "propositions". He rejects
the inclusion of
rebels in the cabinet. Government-backed death squads
continue meanwhile to
hound the few opposition leaders still living in the
Côte
d'Ivoire.
French President Jacques Chirac said at the conference that
this cannot
continue and that "the end of impunity has come." That led to
questions
about the duplicity of French, not just of African leadership.
Chirac has
faced several prosecutions on corruption charges, but is protected
by the
immunity the French constitution guarantees a President.
France
has also been accused of military intervention in Africa,
particularly in
oil-rich countries such as Angola, Congo Brazzaville and
Gabon to secure
access to cheap energy resources and to maintain
political
influence.
Critics say declarations at the French-African
conference last week seem to
have been made for the gallery.
At the
very time the African leaders were saying use of force in Iraq should
be only
a last resort, the three African temporary members of the UN
Security
Council, Angola, Guinea and Cameroon, were being targeted by the
U.S.
government to back military action.
U.S. deputy secretary of state for
African affairs Walter Kansteiner visited
all three countries last week to
seek support for a second UN resolution
that would sanction war.
(END/2003)
VOA
Zimbabwe's Human Rights Activists Campaign Against President
Mugabe
William Eagle
Washington
24 Feb 2003, 17:49
UTC
Human-rights activists are still upset about the presence of
Zimbabwean
leader Robert Mugabe at last week's 22nd France-Africa Summit in
Paris. But
some activists say they hope new international laws against
torture will
help bring President Mugabe to justice.
British
human-rights campaigner Peter Tatchell and other activists tried,
without
success, to have President Mugabe arrested on charges of torture
last week in
Paris. Their tool against the Zimbabwean leader was to be the
U-N Convention
Against Torture of 1984, which has been incorporated into law
by several
European nations, including France.
But as Mr. Tatchell told V-O-A last
Wednesday, instead of President Mugabe
being arrested, it was he and fellow
protesters who were sought by the
police.
He says, "President Mugabe
would be proud of how the French police handled
the peaceful protests. There
was the same style of repression in Paris that
we have seen in Harare, in
Bulawayo, and other Zimbabwean cities and towns.
There is no right to
peacefully protest in Paris during the summit. It is
apparent that in the
city today human-rights abusers are protected, and
human-rights defenders are
arrested."
Later, Mr. Tatchell and members of Zimbabwe's opposition
Movement for
Democratic Change party went to the Paris deputy prosecutor's
office to file
an 80-page deposition. It included affidavits from torture
victims, plus
reports from Amnesty International and the Danish group
Physicians for Human
Rights, which said torture was routine in
Zimbabwe.
He says, "The deputy prosecutor told us he agreed our
submission should be
treated as an urgent matter, given that President Mugabe
may leave Paris
after the Franco-African summit ends, and he gave us his
assurance that it
would be treated seriously. He felt it was serious and
solid submission."
The prosecutor's office did not issue a warrant for
Mr. Mugabe's arrest.
Mr. Tatchell has tried twice before in recent years
to carry out a citizen's
arrest of President Mugabe during trips to Brussels
and London. Mr. Tatchell
invoked the U-N article against torture and, both
times, the authorities
failed to support him.
He says the main reason
is the argument in legal circles that serving heads
of state can not be
arrested.
He says, "Either human-rights laws apply to everyone, or they
end up being
devalued, because the main people abusing human rights are heads
of state
using the army, police, and intelligence services to persecute,
torture,
jail, and murder political opponents and dissidents. If these laws
do not
apply to [them], then let us get rid of the laws. They are useless
bits of
paper that have no meaning."
This week, Mr. Tatchell's
allegations were mirrored in a report by a group
of Zimbabwean Church
organizations and international human-rights groups.
They say that the use of
torture is, in their words, "unparalleled" as
government supporters try to
eliminate opponents.
The groups, which included Amnesty International and
the Southern African
Catholic Bishops Conference, warn that the increasing
rate of torture could
be a harbinger to a Rwandan-style genocide.
But
President Mugabe has defenders.
Chinondidyachii Mararike is a
London-based lawyer, writer, political
analyst, and secretary-general of
Davira Mhere, a group devoted to educating
the Zimbabwean public about the
need for land reform.
He rejects claims by two Zimbabwean opposition
members who have given sworn
affidavits that the police in Harare told them
they were being tortured with
President Mugabe's consent.
Mr. Mararike
says, "The president does not have anything to do with the
arrest of people
who are alleged to have committed crimes. We have separate
arms of
[government]. The commissioner of police...does not receive
instruction to
investigate people from president's office."
Mr. Mararike also criticized
two prior attempts by activist Peter Tatchell
to attempt a citizen's arrests
against President Mugabe during trips to
Europe.
He says, "Heads of
state, either from Europe, Africa or southeast Asia,
enjoy immunity; they
ought to be protected properly in terms of their
security when they visit
other countries. It is not [appropriate] for Peter
Tatchell to try these
tactics. If anyone attempted to make a citizens arrest
on Tony Blair or on
George W. Bush, it would not be accepted. President
Mugabe is not guilty of
human-rightsv abuses to the extent to what has been
put across in the
media."
Mr. Mararike says the Zimbabwean government has and will continue
to bring
to justice supporters of the government or the opposition who resort
to
violence.
He says, "The aim and policy of ruling party, ZANU P-F,
is that allegations
are properly investigated because we want to ensure that
we run a peaceful
country, where there is no break down of law and
order."
Activist Peter Tatchell says, as head of state, President Mugabe
is not
immune to prosecution under Article-27 of the International Criminal
Court.
He says, "The only problem is that the standards, evidence, and
procedures
are so complex, so comprehensive, and so expensive to organize the
full
documentation, it is not a case I could personally organize myself. But
it
is a case I could help have initiated by others who do have the
resources
like Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch."
Western
leaders may also be getting the message.
French President Jacques Chirac
told the 52 gathered leaders at last week's
summit that violence must be
denounced, and that those who perpetrate it
risk the punishment of the
International Criminal Court. The days of
impunity, he said, when people were
able to justify the use of force, are
truly over.
Brisbane Courier Mail
Protests silenced
By Robert
Craddock
25feb03
IT was previewed as the day when cricket and violence
would meet but in the
end it was just a another game, and a good one at
that.
The massive security and safety fears
surounding Australia's World Cup match
against Zimbabwe overnight became the
most over-hyped threat since the Y2K
virus.
The day had a festival
feeling about it with about 5000 spectators giving
the home side
full-throated support.
Security was supposed to be omnipresent but in
reality it was hardly more
than any World Cup game.
Had the game been
in Bowral it would not have felt much different.
There were no choppers
over the ground, bag searches were not over done and
the fleet of security
men around the boundary stayed out of the limelight
and let the day
live.
At one stage ACB chief executive James Sutherland meandered behind
the sight
screen to chat with journalists - and not a security man in
sight.
The major threat to Australia came not from protesters but from
the
Zimbabwean lower order which lifted their side to 9-246 after they had
been
struggling at 6-142.
For months there had been fears that
anti-government forces protesting
against the rogue presidency of Robert
Mugabe would use the match to send a
message to the wider world.
But
apart from a group of Christian ministers wearing black crosses and
armbands,
there was no major sign of protest, never mind violence.
That does not
mean the locals are happy or content.
Only 2km from the ground a petrol
queue stretched almost 800m around the
block and a queue for bread at a
nearby bakery contained about 40 tired and
undernourished locals.
But
for a day at least, many Zimbabweans forgot their desperate struggles
to
cheer on their side. Sport has always been a great escape from
other
hardships in life.
In a sense the forces opposing the Mugabe
government felt their job had been
done in the weeks leading up to the
game.
News24
Mugabe to get boost at summit
24/02/2003 12:59 -
(SA)
Kuala Lumpur - Embattled
Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe will receive a
major vote of support at
the summit here of the 116-nation Non-Aligned
Movement (NAM), officials said
on Monday.
A resolution will call for the lifting of sanctions imposed on
Zimbabwe a
year ago by the United States, Britain, Australia and other
countries after
violence in the run-up to Mugabe's re-election, according to
a draft seen by
AFP.
It also calls for international support for
Mugabe's widely-criticised land
reform programme, under which thousands of
white Zimbabweans have been
driven off their farms.
The resolution
expresses "deep concern at the grave humanitarian situation"
in Zimbabwe,
which it attributes to drought. Mugabe's critics say his land
reforms are
largely responsible for what the NAM admits is a looming
"human
catastrophe".
The NAM resolution calls for urgent assistance to
Zimbabwe and criticises
the International Monetary Fund and World Bank for
withdrawing financial
support.
An African diplomat said the draft had
been accepted without debate at a
summit dominated by the threat of war
against Iraq, which is also a member
of the organisation of developing
countries.
Zimbabwe's main opposition party on Saturday asked the
international
community to isolate Mugabe, blaming him for what it called the
"crisis" in
the southern African country.
NAM's resolution comes
barely a week after Mugabe was a controversial
participant in a
Franco-African summit in Paris at the invitation of French
President Jacques
Chirac, despite a travel ban imposed on him by the
European Union.
The
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) reacted with outrage to
Mugabe's
invitation, with MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai calling it a
"tragedy".
At a meeting on Saturday of the MDC's National Council,
members implored the
international community "to continue isolating the
Mugabe regime until such
a time that it restores democracy in Zimbabwe", a
statement said. - Sapa-AFP
Sydney Morning Herald
Court challenge to Mugabe election
likely
February 25 2003
An opposition challenge to
Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's controversial
re-election last year is
likely to be heard by the High Court in April, a
court official said
yesterday.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition Movement for
Democratic
Change (MDC), challenged Mugabe's re-election last March,
charging
Zimbabwe's long-serving ruler had robbed him of victory through
violence and
electoral rigging.
"The High Court is ready to hear the
case from April, the case is almost
ready in that regard but the actual dates
still have to be confirmed," a
court official said, confirming a report in
the state-owned Herald
newspaper.
Tsvangirai and two senior MDC
officials are on trial on charges of plotting
to assassinate Mugabe months
before the 2002 polls.
They could face a death sentence if convicted of
the charge, which they
deny.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since
independence from Britain in 1980, says
he won the March vote fairly and
accuses the West of trying to impose
Tsvangirai as leader of the southern
African state.
Tsvangirai says Mugabe has cracked down on the opposition
to forestall any
protests against his disputed election victory.
The
presidential poll was condemned as fraudulent by key Western
powers,
including the European Union, the United States and the
Commonwealth
grouping of mostly former British colonies.
Mugabe's
ruling ZANU-PF party insists the veteran 79-year-old leader won
fairly and
has rejected opposition calls for a re-run.
Tsvangirai alleges he lost
the 2002 presidential poll because Mugabe's
ZANU-PF party violently harassed
MDC supporters, locked out hundreds of
thousands of voters and used corrupt
methods to steal the election.
But ZANU-PF says Tsvangirai lost his bid
for the presidency because a
majority of voters did not support his policies
and his campaign was poorly
organised.
Zanu (PF) Leader Backs Mbeki's Bid for Solution
Business Day
(Johannesburg)
February 24, 2003
Posted to the web February 24,
2003
Jacob Dlamini
Johannesburg
PRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki appears
to be gaining ground in his quest for a
political settlement in Zimbabwe,
with his call for a unity government in
the troubled country gaining support
from France and key political figures
in both Zimbabwe and SA.
Simba
Makoni, tipped by observers as a potential future president of
Zimbabwe, has
thrown his weight behind Mbeki's call, saying only a united
Zimbabwe could
deal with its severe economic and political problems.
Makoni's statement
coincided with a weekend announcement by SA that France
had agreed to help
bring about an inclusive political settlement to
Zimbabwe, and amid
behind-the-scenes meetings between the Pan Africanist
Congress (PAC) and the
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), Zimbabwe's
leading opposition party,
about ways to end Zimbabwe's political and
economic crisis.
Makoni,
who sits on the politburo of the ruling Zanu (PF) and is a former
finance
minister in Robert Mugabe's cabinet, said last week: "What we need
in
Zimbabwe is a national government which has a mandate from the people
of
Zimbabwe. No country can move forward without a national
consensus."
However, Makoni said that while mediation by SA and Nigeria
had created a
platform for dialogue, "I don't think that the mediation
process has a
predetermined formula that says everything must lead to a
government of
national unity. The people of Zimbabwe must decide
that."
Meanwhile, David Hlabane, a spokesman for Mbeki, said yesterday
that France
had agreed to help bolster SA's and Nigeria's mediation efforts
in Zimbabwe.
"We have got a commitment from France to assist us to ensure
that Zimbabwe
moves towards political stability," Hlabane said.
This
was confirmed by Mbeki in an interview with the French newspaper Le
Monde at
the weekend.
According to Hlabane, Mbeki said SA, Nigeria and France
would work together
to halt the disintegration of Zimbabwe.
At the
same time, the PAC and the MDC have been meeting in secret in a bid
to boost
efforts for a government of national unity in Zimbabwe.
The PAC says it
has been asked by the MDC to use its historically close ties
with Mugabe to
help end the political impasse in Zimbabwe.
PAC secretary-general Thami
ka Plaatjie said yesterday: "The MDC is worried
about the economic and social
collapse in Zimbabwe and says the only way out
is through a government of
national unity. We are willing to broker some
form of cooperation between
Zanu (PF) and the MDC in the interests of the
people of Zimbabwe."
Ka
Plaatjie said the PAC was not trying to upstage Mbeki, but to complement
his
efforts.
CNN
Mugabe poll challenge 'in April'
Monday, February 24, 2003
Posted: 7:33 AM EST (1233 GMT)
<
HARARE, Zimbabwe (Reuters) -- An opposition challenge
to Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe's controversial re-election last year is
likely to be heard by the High Court in April, a court official said on Monday.
Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of the main opposition
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), challenged Mugabe's re-election last
March, charging Zimbabwe's long-serving ruler had robbed him of victory through
violence and electoral rigging.
A court official said Tsvangirai's petition was
almost ready to be heard, but no firm date had been set for the case.
"The High Court is ready to hear the case from April,
the case is almost ready in that regard but the actual dates still have to be
confirmed," the official said, confirming a report in the state-owned Herald
newspaper.
Tsvangirai and two senior MDC officials are currently
on trial on charges of plotting to assassinate Mugabe months before the 2002
polls. They could face a death sentence if convicted of the charge, which they
deny.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence
from Britain in 1980, says he won the March vote fairly and accuses the West of
trying to impose Tsvangirai as leader of the southern African state.
Tsvangirai says Mugabe has cracked down on the
opposition to forestall any protests against his disputed election victory.
The presidential poll was condemned as fraudulent by
key Western powers, including the European Union, the United States and the
Commonwealth grouping of mostly former British colonies.
But it was endorsed by many African countries,
including Zimbabwe's neighbour and one of the continent's most influential
states, South Africa.
Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party insists the veteran
79-year-old leader won fairly and has rejected opposition calls for a re-run.
The MDC has threatened "mass action" against Mugabe,
but lately it has said Zimbabwe's economic crisis -- coupled with food shortages
partly blamed on the state seizure of white-owned farms for black resettlement
-- might trigger spontaneous riots.
Tsvangirai and his MDC colleagues say the treason
charges they face are part of Mugabe's intimidation campaign, and maintain the
opposition has a strong legal case against Mugabe's re-election which could lead
to new polls.
Tsvangirai alleges he lost the 2002 presidential poll
because Mugabe's ZANU-PF party violently harassed MDC supporters, locked out
hundreds of thousands of voters and used corrupt methods to steal the election.
ZANU-PF says Tsvangirai lost his bid for the
presidency because a majority of voters did not support his policies and his
campaign was poorly organised.
ABC
Zimbabwe Treason Witness Ordered to Show
Evidence
Feb. 24
- HARARE
(Reuters) - The Zimbabwe High Court on Monday ordered a key
witness in the
treason trial of opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai to
produce documentary
evidence that defense lawyers say may help prove their
client was
framed.
Tsvangirai, the leader of the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) and
two senior MDC colleagues are accused of plotting to kill
President Robert
Mugabe last year.
All three could face death
sentences if convicted of the charges,
which they have denied.
Judge Paddington Garwe said Canadian political consultant Ari
Ben-Menashe --
the state's star witness in the case -- must supply defense
lawyers with a
collection of documents detailing his business dealings with
the Zimbabwean
government.
Among the items Ben-Menashe was ordered to produce were
a list of his
employees and contractors, what work they did for the Zimbabwe
government, a
certified account of nearly $100,000 his company received from
Tsvangirai's
MDC party, his company registration papers and financial
accounts for 2001
and 2002.
But Garwe turned down a request for
information such as contracts that
Ben-Menashe's firm might have registered
in the United States, which the
defense believes may lay out a clearer paper
trail on his activities.
"I find no basis for ordering (the witness
to produce) such
information...and I am not persuaded to its relevance," he
said.
Garwe made the order in the absence of Ben-Menashe, who was
given a
week off last Friday to attend to private matters in Canada. The
trial is
officially due to resume on March 3.
The state's case
against the MDC leaders rests mainly on a video tape
of a meeting in Canada
between Ben-Menashe and Tsvangirai, who allegedly
discussed Mugabe's
"elimination."
The tape was recorded just before Ben-Menashe's
firm, Montreal-based
Dickens and Madson, signed a contract with the Zimbabwe
government.
Last Thursday, Ben-Menashe admitted he taped the
meeting solely to get
incriminating evidence for Mugabe's government but
denied entrapping
Tsvangirai, who he described as intent on the idea of
killing Mugabe.
Tsvangirai's defense lawyers have repeatedly
criticized Ben-Menashe as
an unreliable witness.
The defense
says the video tape was doctored to discredit the
opposition as Mugabe faces
a deepening economic and political crisis which
critics say is due in large
part to the veteran leader's mismanagement.
State prosecutors have
argued that Tsvangirai plotted to kill Mugabe
as part of a larger plan to
stage a coup d'etat in the southern African
country, which Mugabe's ZANU-PF
party has ruled since independence from
Britain in 1980.
Copyright 2003 Reuters News Service. All rights reserved. This
material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
ABC Australia
Australia under pressure to lift Zimbabwe
sanctions
Australia will come under pressure to lift sanctions against
Zimbabwe during
a major conference of world leaders in Malaysia later
today.
The 116 members of the Non-Aligned Movement are set to pass a
resolution in
support of Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
Western
nations imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe a year ago after Robert Mugabe
won an
election marked by intimidation and violence.
The Non-Aligned Movement
resolution is expected to pass unanimously, with an
additional call for
international support for President Mugabe's land reform
program, under which
thousands of white Zimbabweans have been driven off
their
farms.
Delegates at the conference are attributing Zimbabwe's drastic
food
shortages on drought rather than mismanagement.
The Economy
In 2003, the country will experience its 5th successive
decline in the Gross
Domestic Product. By the end of this year it is expected
that the GDP of the
country will have fallen to less than US$5 billion. Per
capita incomes in
constant dollars have declined by 30 percent from the
levels that prevailed
in 1980 and are nearly 50 per cent below the peak in
incomes that was
reached in 1997.
Overall the economy has not
performed well since independence, growing only
by a marginal 1,3 per cent
per annum over a 22-year period. Its performance
in the decade after
independence was a bit better and averaged just over 4
per cent per annum but
these gains have been virtually wiped out by the
recent collapse of economic
activity.
The collapse has affected all sectors of the economy - mining,
agriculture,
tourism, industry are all experiencing steep declines in
economic activity.
This has been accompanied by a fall in employment with
over 400 000 workers
losing their jobs in the past 5 years. If anything, this
decline in
employment is accelerating due industrial closures and the parlous
state of
the mining and construction industries. Only the financial services
sector,
propped up by a highly inflationary environment accompanied by sub
economic
interest rates and very high rates of monetary expansion, has
escaped the
effects of the economic decline. However, any serious attempt to
get the
macro economic situation back under control will see bank
failures.
Government has been living well beyond its means for many years
and the
country is now so indebted that it is unlikely that it will be able
to
service the debt that has been created in the past 22 years. The
external
debt stands at US$4 billion and debt servicing is now almost US$2
billion in
arrears, domestic debt is even worse standing at Z$370 billion
with the
expectation that at least Z$200 billion in parastatal debt is not
accounted
for. The official deficit in the 2003 budget of 15 per cent of GDP
and 40
per cent of state expenditures is grossly understated, as it takes
no
account of the sub economic interest rates being imposed on the economy
by
the Reserve Bank and the Treasury. It also takes no account of
parastatal
debts estimated to be rising at the rate of Z$10 billion a
month.
The high government debt, excessive borrowings at short-term
interest rates,
and a high level of monetary growth and low interest rates
are driving
inflation. A collapse in the value of the Zimbabwe dollar in 2002
has
further fueled inflation, raising prices of all imported goods and
services.
As a consequence official inflation rates rose to over 200 per cent
by the
end of 2002, with the inflation rate in the last quarter running at
450 per
cent on an annual basis. This points to even higher inflation in 2003
and
this now shows all the classic signs of running out of control. The
attempt
to restrict the increase in prices by freezing prices and incomes in
January
2003 has been a total failure. The recent decision (yet to be
confirmed)
that the State has decided to devalue from 55 to 1 against the US
dollar to
800 to 1, will help restore viability to the export sector. However
with the
present level of inflation likely to be maintained or even
accelerate, this
gain is likely to be eroded very rapidly.
Since
Reserve Bank purchases of foreign exchange at low rates of exchange,
have
been used to fund essential imports such as fuel, food and essential
drugs,
this devaluation is likely to increase the cost of energy across the
board
and to raise all consumer costs and transport charges very
dramatically.
Consumers, already under pressure from declining employment
and incomes will
face further pressure unless wages and salaries are raised
very
substantially.
The export sector has fared no better and total foreign
receipts have
declined from US$3,4 billion in 1997 to just over US$1,5
billion in 2002.
Exports are expected to decline sharply in 2003 due to the
decline in
tobacco and gold production. The almost total withdrawal of aid
and other
forms of bilateral and multilateral assistance to the country have
further
exacerbated the shortage of hard currency. As a consequence the state
has
insufficient foreign exchange to import fuel, electricity, essential
spare
parts and water chemicals and food. Serious shortages of all these
essential
products are now evident.
In particular, the policies of the
government have lead to the almost total
collapse of the food industry. In
2003 we expect that basic foodstuffs will
be available from domestic sources
for only 30 per cent of total demand.
This is worse than in 2002 when it was
already estimated that over half the
population was threatened with
starvation. What make the present situation
much more serious is that many
protein foods such as meat, fish and milk are
now only available in very
limited quantities due to state policies. This is
creating a new crisis for
the 2,4 million people infected with HIV or Aids
and for millions of small
children.
Finally the economic crisis has led to the collapse or near
collapse of all
state controlled and managed institutions. The Cold Storage
Commission, one
the largest meat organisation in Africa is defunct, the
National Railways is
close to collapse - drivers are afraid to run the trains
over rail lines
that have seen no maintenance for years, the national train
control system
is now non functional throughout the system. The GMB is
running up billions
of dollars in debt, ZESA need an immediate injection of
at least US$150
million to cover essential needs. Hwange Colliery is only
meeting the needs
of half of domestic demand so that the three cement plants
are now closed
and the construction industry shut down, its 27 000 workers on
unpaid leave.
The tobacco industry - down to a third of its size, cannot cure
what it has
grown. The Post and Telecommunications Corporation is technically
bankrupt.
Budget allocations to the health and education sectors have
shrunk in real
terms so that these institutions can, at best, only offer
marginal services.
Patients now have to feed themselves, provide their own
drugs and critical
equipment failures are putting people's lives at risk.
Literally thousands
of qualified and experienced personnel have fled Zimbabwe
for greener
pastures and this is becoming a human tide, which could engulf
our
neighbors.
The failure of Zanu PF policies in the economic field
are creating
conditions which will lead to a collapse of all institutions,
including
central government, in the country. The human suffering caused by
this
collapse is massive and widespread, the middle class is now in a state
of
complete crisis, unable to secure even the most basic of their needs
and
lower income communities constantly on the edge of famine. Only a
tiny,
politically connected elite continues to enjoy a standard of living
that is
adequate by world standards and this is being achieved by corrupt
and
illegal means, which in turn, are a major cause of the present
situation.
The tragedy of this crisis is that it is self-imposed. You ask
why anyone
with an ounce of brains would undertake a program of
self-destruction like
this? The answer is political survival. Mugabe has been
forced to adopt
these policies because he has failed to deliver what he
promised to the
people of this country at independence. He has adopted them
in a desperate
attempt to hold onto power - at any cost - because to lose
power would be
the end of the world for him and his close associates. However
even these
desperate strategies are simply compounding his failure and
increasing the
pressure. Soon - just hang in there for a short while longer,
and then we
can start to rebuild the country.
Eddie Cross Bulawayo,
24th February, 2003.
Cameos
Sometimes it is the small things that tell a story much more
than the big
things. I thought I would collect a few short cameos, which to
my mind speak
loudly into our daily situation in Zimbabwe.
A group of
mainly white women had been arrested for handing out flowers on
the streets
of Bulawayo. After a most uncomfortable night standing or lying
on the hard
concrete floor, the Police decided that they could go. When they
finally
emerged into the sunlight of a new day and were allowed to put their
shoes
(and bras) back on to face the world, a flower vendor over the road
gave a
supporter 15 red roses - one for each of the girls, there was no
charge. It
was his way of saying, welcome back to the sunshine; we are part
of the new
tomorrow.
The same group of women were crowded into a cell built for 4 -
by midnight
there were 21 of them in the cell with one more still to come. It
was hot
and airless, the cell was filthy and they had all been abused
verbally and
rough handled. Most of them were women who had never ever seen
the inside of
a prison cell before, probably never had to sleep on a concrete
floor. It
was quiet and dark; they had the weekend, at least, ahead of them
and did
not know at that point what they would be charged with. All of a
sudden, one
of the girls sat up and said, "I am an activist!" It was a
revelation - as
if it had just dawned on her that she really was in the
struggle to make the
change.
The Minister was leading the Church
service and a rousing children's hymn.
In the song it called for hand
movements that illustrated the meaning of the
different words - one of which
was "God is mighty". The Minister said that
the children should show a
clenched fist as the symbol of God's strength.
When it came to this part, the
front of the Church which was full of small
children from a local primary
school, sang the song enthusiastically - but
when it came to the "God is
mighty" bit, there was a sea of open hands. I am
sure God was
impressed.
The other night I attended a meeting of my District - the
local MDC
leadership. I was the only white person there - the others were
from the
local peasant farming areas as well as the urban wards. What makes
this
different is that we sat in the dark, at a location only disclosed to
those
attending half an hour before we met. We eat some food together - meat
and
maize meal, for many of them it was their first meal after a days
travel
across bush roads. The chairman read the agenda by the light of
nearby
streetlight. They were very nervous - many of them had been in jail
before
and knew full well what lay ahead of them if we were caught.
We
went through the agenda and then they sat and talked quietly until
midnight -
it was the first such meeting in six months. All applications to
hold such
meetings are routinely refused by the local Police authorities. I
looked at
that small group - the treasurer was an elderly woman, a
grandmother who also
headed a family where all the men had died. She raised
children and ran a
small business - totally honest, after the last elections
she returned to the
Party Z$27 000 in surplus funds - a fortune to her and
her family together
with careful records of what she had spent. The chairman
had been a Zipra
soldier in the war of independence - he and I had probably
chased each other
in the south of the country during the civil war. He is
now unemployed, his
children in South Africa and on the "wrong side". His
own family were
harassed and some of the family murdered by the 5th Brigade
during
Gukurahundi - the attempt at genocide in the mid 80's when Mugabe
finally
broke the back of the Zapu leadership. He hates Zanu PF with a
passion that
comes only out of real hurt as one who has been deeply wronged.
I noticed
a middle-aged woman at the back of the group - her brother had
been the MDC
candidate in the local government elections 9 months ago. He
had been
murdered by Zanu PF people and she had stepped forward to take his
place. She
remains in the leadership of the Party in her ward. A simple
peasant woman
who only speaks the local language. Simple, but brave beyond
words and very
sure of just what she wants from the world. A short
businessperson in the
front row, one of the men, stood up and urged the
people not to give up the
struggle. In the end we will win, evil cannot be
sustained for ever he said.
The people wanted to clap his short speech but
were quickly hushed up by the
chairman. "It is not safe," he said.
I walked back to where I was staying
from the meeting thinking, what
courage, what determination, how can we not
stand with these people in their
struggle for a better life, for rights that
the West takes for granted. At
home they faced violence and intimidation from
Zanu thugs, they had all been
the victims of Zanu violence at one time or
another - many had loved ones
that had paid the ultimate price for freedom.
They were poor - I heard many
stories about being denied food and other
essentials just because they were
MDC. A young man came up to me and said he
had been accepted at a local
agricultural college as a student and was then
refused entry because his
place was given to a "green bomber" (a graduate of
the "National Service"
system). He was unemployed and we agreed to meet the
next day to see what we
could do for him. He said if he could find nothing
here, he would have no
choice but to go "south" to look for opportunities. I
urged him to stay and
fight the democratic struggle. Easy for me to say with
my own home and an
adequate income.
Do we really have to run democracy
in the dark like this? Meeting as if we
were thieves and robbers? The
Secretary for Foreign Affairs made a rather
fatuous statement the other day
when the US Government demanded an apology
for the arrest and detention of
one of their officers at a gathering in
Harare. He said "that is nonsense, we
do not arrest diplomats, only
politicians." My wife said - how true, they do
not arrest thieves or
murderers!
We have a Police station near us that
is known for its corrupt roadblocks.
The other day a family arrived at the
roadblock and whilst the driver was
speaking to the Police Officer on his
side of the vehicle, a cell phone was
removed from the passengers side
through the window. When this was noticed,
one of the kids in the back of the
car dialed the number on his own phone
and the cell phone rang in a pocket of
one of the other officers. I do not
know what action was taken after that. In
all probability, nothing. We no
longer regard a Policeman as a friend or a
source of help when we are in
trouble. We also are not surprised when we find
that those who are supposed
to uphold the law, are themselves breaking it
every day, or simply looking
the other way when the law is broken. It is
sad, because it never was like
that in the past and it will take a lot of
work to get us back to where we
should be in every field of
endeavor.
One last cameo. A commercial farmer who had been forced off his
farm and who
had lost both his parents who had died from the stress of the
experience,
was trying to put his life back together again and was running a
small
sawmill. He was a keen amateur dancer and he and his wife traveled
to
Bulawayo for a competition. On the way he ran into a herd of cattle on
the
road at night and his wife was killed. Virtually penniless he found
himself
in a state hospital - because he could not afford private care. The
local
community rallied round and he was plied with food and care for the
time he
was in hospital. Afterwards, the local Dance Association held a
special
concert to raise funds in memory of his wife. He donated the funds to
the
State Hospital that cared for him so that they could take better care of
the
people he had met in Hospital. He now faces the future with a
three-year-old
daughter to look after. While he was on his back in hospital,
his cell phone
rang. It was one of the War Veteran leaders who had forcibly
occupied his
farm. "Could you please come back and plough for us?" he
asked.
Eddie Cross Bulawayo, 25th February, 2003.
Confrontation and more
threats.
24th February 2003,
Dear Sir,
At about 11.30 am, Whitro Eng in Chiredzi had a visit from the
Prov. Governor Hungwe with Several members of the CIO, Army and DISPOL Snr.
Chief Insp.Ncube of Chiredzi. They drove into my yard and walked over to the
equipment that I have been storing for several farmers. About 10 minutes later
Chief Insp. Ncube came to my office and informed me that Gov.Hungwe wished to
meet me outside. I went outside and walked up to him, he put
out his hand to shake hands, I could not bring myself to shake hands with him
which made him very angry. I was threatened and told to leave the country, I did
not feel that I needed to listen to that kind of rubbish so turned my back on
them and went down to my workshop stores. About 10 minutes later they came down
to the stores and threatened me again calling me a racialist, one of the CIO
said that it was against the law to store the farmers equipment, I answered that
it was not against the law. I was asked how long had I lived in Zimbabwe and
that it would be better for me to leave now, I asked him if he was threatening
me and he said yes he was. This was in front of DISPOL Chief Inspector Ncube,
who made no comment.
The Governor and his entourage left and then proceeded to Farm
36. This is a copy of a letter I received from Mr GR Henning, owner of farm 36
earlier this morning.
I am a farmer aged 32 without a valid section 5 or section 8
farming sugar in Chiredzi, and a single farm owner.
At mid-morning on the 24th February 2003, I was advised by
one CID and one Police officer that Gov. Hungwe and his delegates were visiting
farm 54 and would soon be meeting on my property, farm 36. I was told to round
up all the supervisors and new farm owners for the meeting. Instead of meeting
him at the shed I was summonsed by the police officer to drive to my pump
station, were I met Gov. Hungwe, a few army personal, local DISPOL, local DA,
members of the Ministry of Lands Masvingo Province and Kanda, a prominent
squatter who had organised my previous assault and abduction and many of the
other squatters with land offer letters. Gov.Hungwe was not interested in
finding out what the problems were with regard to the sect.5 sect. 8 withdrawal
papers and current High Court injunctions on some of the squatters. He
interpreted the law as he saw fit. Such as ordering me to return my pumps and
motors to irrigate fields that I had abandoned due to increased theft of
overhead irrigation equipment. He called me a liar when I told him why I had
removed the pump and motor. He asked me about some land that I had recently
ploughed and again called me a liar when I told him of the maize that I had
wished to plant there, apart from the 12 Ha already planted for the farm
workers. I asked him to read my sect.5 and sect. 8 withdrawal papers,which I
tried to give him, I said I was as free as a bird, one of his colleges said "
Well why don't you fly away", but he was not interested and said that was water
under the bridge and a mere technicality. I was ordered to put back my
irrigation equipment immediately. I was unable to convince him that the farm
still legally belonged to me and would not allow me to continue such a
conversation. A man by the name of Fajo said: " Young man, if you do not move
from this farm, we are going to kill you." He is apparently a squatter and owns
a funeral service in Chiredzi. When the meeting ended and I was walking to my
vehicle, I received several derogatory comments such as: "If you stay here we
are going to fix you, you will see what happens."
Subsequently to today's issues, I have now been
summonsed to the Police station to give a statement as to why I have farmers
equipment in my yard. They intend charging me with some kind of theft according
to the police.
GW
Chiredzi North and South Support group
JOB OPPORTUNITIES: Updated February 24, 2003
Please send any job
opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG Job Opportunities
<justice@telco.co.zw>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
- BOOKKEEPER
(ad inserted 13th Feb 03)
We have clients looking for a
bookkeeper to assist in running the business.
Must be computer literate and
able to use Pastel. Will be required to keep
the books up to date as well as
assist in producing management information.
A competitive package will be
offered for the right person.
Contact Norman 369877 or pastel@ecoweb.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
- BOOKKEEPER
(ad inserted 13th Feb 03)
We are looking for a book keeper
type person for two months till the end of
March - needs computer experience
(pastel is used but easy to pick up if
computer literate) to work from a
house close to Highlands School - may be
able to take some work away - part
time or full time is OK - salary to be
neg depending on time and
experience.
Contact Lynda Scott 091 201 324 or
498705
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
HARARE
- BOOKKEEPER
(ad inserted 13th Feb 03)
WANTED: FARM TRIAL BALANCE
BOOKKEEPER, Needs to be computer literate and
based in Harare.
Pleasant
environment at Fife Ave/10th Street - hassle free on site car
parking. Full
time preferably, but part-time/flexi-time will be considered.
Negotiable
salary based on experience.
Contact Norma Gordon
Tel. 04-704949/email norma@zimcor.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEAR
HARARE - FARM MANAGER
(ad inserted 6th Feb 03)
Farm Manager wanted for
tobacco/paprika concern - fully irrigated -
starting ASAP. Farm situated 1
hour from Harare. Preference given to
young, experienced applicants single
or married. Package negotiable.
Please send CV to: boheke@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
CREDIT-CONTROLLER
(ad
inserted 6th Feb 03),
Bright Steel (Zimbabwe) Ltd requires a Credit
Controller with a strong
accounting background to manage a large debtors
portfolio. Strong computer
skills in Microsoft packages essential and the
ability to communicate
across the board. Main accounting package is Sage but
knowledge of at
least one accounting package is essential. Main duties will
include the
following:
1. All credit control functions
2. Product
costing of imports.
3. Salaries for junior staff using Belina Computer
System.
4. Computation of sales tax
5. Checking & capturing Goods
Received Vouchers.
6. Preparing audit schedules.
7. Spreadsheets -
excel.
8. Sage Computer System would be an advantage.
The above person to
report to the Financial Controller and will have a
debtors clerk reporting
directly to him/her from Bulawayo and a trainee.
Conditions:
1.
Competitive salary
2. Pension scheme
3. Profit Incentive Bonus Scheme
(P.I.B.S.)
4. Medical Aid paid in full
5. Lunch provided
6. Travel
allowance
7. Cell phone time paid.
Contact Brian Wilson
Phone: 754324.
091 400
588.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEAR
HARARE
(ad inserted 30th Jan 03)
Retired Farming couple required to live
and work on a farm 60 km from
Harare. Husband to carry out Sourcing and
Procurement of farm supplies as
well as run Stores and Arrange movements of
farm Transport fleet. Wife to
Run Farm Store and Tuck shop. Usual farm perks
are offered.
Contact 011 403 558 or 091 218 822 or email timjack@zol.co.zw.
NEAR HARARE
(Ad inserted 24th February 03)
Part time Manager for small farm 7 km on tar
from Westgate Shopping Centre,
Harare. Wide range of crops- herbs, spices,
etc with cleaning plant and
essential oils distillery, grown under EU organic
certification.
Accommodation available- cottage with 3 bedrooms. Might suit
someone with
farming experience who could combine this work with a job in
Harare.
Please email details to fsfoods@zol.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW
ZEALAND (Ad inserted 24th Feb 03)
Employment available as part of a Team,
thinning and harvesting summer
fruit, apples and kiwifruit in the Hawkes Bay
area of New Zealand, (North
Island, East coast). The company, Labour Force,
NZ, is expanding to fill
contracts. Dormitory/Single/Married Accommodation
is available within easy
commuting distance.
For more information, please
email labour.force@xtra.co.nz in
the first
instance with personal details, and a summary of recent work
experience.
Advice, assistance and support with settling in, will be given by
local
branch of the Zimcare Trust, NZ, contact kiwi_team@gpoffice.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 6th Feb. 03)
The JAG Office received an enquiry from Mr George
Mashinkila who owns some
farmland in Zambia. He wants to lease out his farm.
If anyone is
interested, they can get hold of him directly at e-mail
George.Mashinkila@fao.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOTSWANA
PRIME
CATTLE FARMS FOR SALE IN BOTSWANA
Cattle farming business in Ghanzi District,
North-West Botswana for sale.
(The owners moving for kids schooling.)
Comprises 2 well-developed freehold
farms, measuring 10 112,06 Morg (8 660
Ha) in total, 1050 head of cattle
(cross Santa-Sussex), all necessary farming
equipment, lighting-plants,
gensets, inverter equipment managers residence,
main farm residence, staff
accommodation, workshops and storerooms etc, etc
Walk-in / walk-out deal
BWP4 500 000-00 (Approx US$ 775 000-00). All serious
offers will be
considered.
Contact Mike on (267) 72290622 or e-mail airfield@it.bw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
MALAWI
- TOBACCO MANAGERS
Tobacco managers wanted in Malawi: 2003/4 seasons
100ha
Flue cured 100ha Maize African tobacco managers of Malawian
extraction
wanting to relocate with costs paid and paper work facilities.
Malawian
Passport Holders will obviously be given preference. Respond to
JAG's email
address and we will
forward.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANGOLA
(Ad inserted 22nd Feb 03)
A farming opportunity exists in Menongie ,
Cuando Cubango Province in
Angola for a person experienced in the cultivation
of maize. Land will be
made available and various options exist with regards
to the funding of the
operation. Interested parties can e-mail their
information and a summary of
their experience to hendrik@burmeister.com.na
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUSTRALIA
(ad inserted 24th Feb. 03)
Received this from a friend in WA, anyone
looking for a
horticulture/research job please ask to contact us. rcs@harrismith.co.za
"They have been
looking for a new horticultural technician for the research
station here for
some time. Haven't been able to locate anyone in this
country, so are now
looking overseas - particularly Zim and South Africa
(to help someone who
would like to escape). Do you know of anyone who
would like to move to
Western Australia for a position in horticulture? I
don't know all the
details as yet, other than they would need a relevant
degree and research
experience. The main crops grown here are mangoes,
bananas, with smaller
amounts of citrus, grapes, paw paws etc. The main
vegetable crops are
tomatoes and capsicums, beans, melons, pumpkins etc
etc
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
KENYA
(ad inserted 24th Feb 03)
I came across your website when searching for
information on Zimbabwean
Farmers. We are looking for a General Manager for a
large horticulture and
floriculture company based in Nanyuki, Kenya. I wanted
to know if you could
pass on the attached brief to farmers that might be
interested in looking
at this opportunity?
Many thanks and Kind
Regards,
Zia Manji
Recruitment Manager
CAREER CONNECTIONS (K)
LTD.
P.O. BOX 25118, 00603 NAIROBI, KENYA.
TEL: +254-2-3752400 / 1 FAX:
+254-2-3752401
MOBILE: 0733 994469 OR 0722 516043
EMAIL: info@careerconnections.co.ke
Position
Specification & Candidate Profile
GENERAL MANAGER, LARGE HORTICULTURAL
& FLORICULTURAL COMPANY
THE COMPANY
Our client, one of Kenya's most
established horticultural and floricultural
companies, is a major exporter to
the large retailers in the United Kingdom
and Europe. The group encompasses 3
large vegetable and flower farms,
packing facilities, a clearing and
forwarding company, and a propagation
business. Exporting Two Million stems
of cut flowers and 120 MT of
vegetables monthly, the Company is managed by a
dynamic multicultural team
employing over 3,000 staff countrywide.
Our
client's biggest challenge is to remain the market leader by
maintaining a
strong customer focus coupled with a continuous expansion
and
improvement
strategy to deliver the highest possible quality products
in line with the
requirements of this fast paced industry.
THE
LOCATION
Nanyuki, Kenya.
THE POSITION
The General Manager will be
responsible for independent co-ordination and
management of all aspects of
the business unit incorporating 15 hectares of
flower greenhouses, a fully
automated rose propagation unit and 25 hectares
of vegetables.
Within the
framework of the company's objectives and action plans, the
manager's key
focus will include:
Day to day growing, packing and propagation of required
product within the
specified quality, cost and time. Overseeing the packing
of flowers onsite
to meet international standards. Overseeing the cutting and
bulk packing of
vegetables to the centralized pack house in Nairobi. Managing
the financial
and administrative functions on the farm, providing frequent
and accurate
reports to the head office. Ensuring optimum processing and
workers
performance as well as maintaining safety and developmental
requirements.
Supervising the maintenance of all processing equipment.
Ensuring the
compliance of the farm, packing operations, workers welfare and
environment
within Company's and client requirements. Responsibility for the
manpower
organisation of 600 employees including maintaining cordial and
efficient
industrial relations. Managing and co-ordinating the audits by
client
supermarkets throughout the year.
Responsible for the preparation
of operating plans and programmes and
ensuring proper
implementation.
Providing strategic advice and co-ordination of agreed
development and
expansion projects.
The General Manager reports to the
Board of Directors.
KEY PERFORMANCE CRITERIA
These
include:
Respecting production commitments in terms of volume, deadlines,
costs, and
product compliance.
Correct team performance. Creating and
encouraging a cordial working
environment in the farming and
processing
team.
Guaranteeing the compliance of the Company and its Clients standards in
all
areas of farming, processing, staff welfare and environment.
Proper
management of the farm's budget.
PRINCIPLE RESPONSIBILITIES
Key
responsibilities include:
Help define the long-term plan, the improvement and
expansion plans for the
entire farm.
Proposing annual production
programmes and making adjustments as required
in line with group requirements
and good agricultural practice.
Preparation and submission of annual
budgets.
Identify adjustments and modification required in the farming
and
processing to optimise the performance and the quality of the
products.
Co-ordination of the program of inspections, visits, and audits
with the
Board of Directors.
Planning and organisation of manpower to best
suit the delivery programme.
Identifying and resolving problems relating to
farm and processing
management on a daily basis.
Maintaining of equipment
in good working condition by ensuring compliance
with correct usage
practices, and regular inspection and liaison with the
maintenance
team.
Implementation and management of approved expansion and
improvement
projects in line with Company objectives.
Monitoring labour
performance, setting work targets, implementing viable
bonus schemes to boost
labour productivity and motivation.
EXPERIENCE & BACKGROUND
NEEDED:
A graduate in agriculture/horticulture/floriculture or any other
relevant
field.
5 to 8 years experience at a senior management level in a
large
horticulture or floriculture concern.
Relevant experience in rose
growing is an advantage.
Good knowledge of product quality parameters and
compliance regulations.
In-depth knowledge and a proven track record in of
growing, packing and
propagation.
Computer literate and proficient in the
use of MS Office.
An understanding of management concepts, agricultural
practices and quality
management methods e.g. ISO 9000, HACCP and
EUREPGAP.
OTHER VITAL QUALITIES:
The candidate must also be:
Able
to manage and work with a culturally and educationally diverse team.
A good
planner and organiser.
Must have good analytical skills, and a
decision-maker.
Proactive in their work and take the initiative to propose
and implement
new approaches.
Out-going, articulate with high verbal
abilities.
Results oriented.
A team player willing to work in a very
competitive and fast-paced
industry.
COMPENSATION:
A highly
competitive package will be offered to the right candidate.
PROCEDURE FOR
CANDIDACY:
Online registration only. Log onto the following web-site,
register and
upload your CV: http://www.high-fliers.com
For more
information, please email: zia@careerconnections.co.ke
Zia
Manji
Recruitment Manager
DEADLINE:
28/02/03
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
(updated 24 February
2003)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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for Agriculture mailing list
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JUSTICE FOR AGRICULTURE LEGAL COMMUNIQUÉ - February 24, 2003
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please
refer to our communiqué sent on the 21st of February 2003.
Letter from
Ray Passaportis:
I refer to my telephone call to John Worswick on Friday
21 February and
confirm that the Minister of Justice has granted a
Certificate in terms of
Section 7 of the Legal Practitioner's Act. The
Certificate is dated the
19th February 2003.
As you know, Advocate
Trengrove practices as a senior Counsel in South
Africa. He is not resident
in this country. Only residents of Zimbabwe
can be registered as Legal
Practitioners and can appear in our Courts. That
is why the Section 7
Certificate was required. The Certificate exempts
Advocate Trengrove from
satisfying the normal requirements of residency.
In view of the fact that
the Minister has finally granted the Certificate,
it will no longer be
necessary to pursue the application filed with the
High Court under Case
Number HC 842/03. The Court is likely to grant an
order of costs against the
Minister but experience tells us that Government
never pays legal
costs.
I shall speak with Advocate Chris Andersen who has agreed to act
as a
junior to Advocate Trengrove. After speaking with Advocate Andersen,
I
will revert to you.
Yours sincerely
R M
PASSAPORTIS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
JUSTICE
FOR AGRICULTURE STATISTICAL COMMUNIQUÉ - February 24, 2003
ILLEGALITY
PROVEN BEYOND DOUBT
The publication on January 4 2003 of the preliminary
results of Zimbabwe's
2002 census provides the final proof that the Zimbabwe
Electoral Authority
had to vigorously inflate the voters' roll to overwhelm
the votes received
by Robert Mugabe's main opponent, Morgan
Tsvangirai.
According to the 2002 census, Zimbabwe's population was 11
634 663 in
August 2002. On the basis of the most recent breakdown of the
numbers
within each age group, the maximum total number of people eligible to
vote
would have been 4 770 212. This is because 59 percent of
Zimbabwe's
population is below the age of 18.
But according to the
Registrar-General, the voters' roll for the
presidential election had 5,6
million names on it. The number of names on
the roll for the 2000
parliamentary election was 5,2 million. This number
was not challenged
because estimates placed the population at about 13
million. However, just
before the election and in breach of the Electoral
Act, a supplementary
voters' roll was created and Zanu PF registered
another 400,000 voters in the
rural areas. Opposition candidates were not
permitted to examine or even see
this roll.
This action brought the voters' roll to 5 612 272. This number
can be shown
to be statistically impossible, even if the population had been
13 million.
Working with the known percentages in each age group, it can be
proved that
not less than 59 percent of Zimbabweans were under 18, and
therefore not
entitled to vote. And 41 percent of 13 million is 5,3
million.
According to the Registrar-General, the voters' roll for the
presidential
election had 5,6 million names on it. Now we discover from the
census that
Zimbabwe's population is only 11,6 million. Mugabe's claimed
election
victory rests on a clearly rigged voters' roll that now turns out to
have
been much bigger than the adult population.
Working from the
other direction, the demographics show that to have 5,6
million voters on the
voters' roll, Zimbabwe's population would have to be
17,5 million, about the
same as Australia's.
What should the figures have been? With only 41
percent of the population
of voting age, only 4,7 million people would be
qualified to be on the
roll, and the 80 percent who actually registered would
have numbered 3,8
million people. By pushing the voters' roll up to 5,6
million, the ruling
party gave itself the support of an extra 1,8 million
ghost voters.
A voter turnout of between 40 and 50 percent would mean
that genuine votes
cast would have been between 1,5 million and 1,9 million,
but Mugabe claims
to have won 1 688 939 votes by himself, beating Morgan
Tsvangirai, who
received only 1 254 930 votes. Another four candidates polled
just under
105 000 votes. The Registrar-General claimed at the time that 3
048 752
votes were cast.
On the assumption that all of Tsvangirai's
1,2 million votes were genuine,
this arithmetic proves that more than a
million of Mugabe's votes were
not.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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for Agriculture mailing list
To subscribe/unsubscribe: Please write to jag-list-admin@mango.zw
JAG Sitrep February 24,
2003
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
KAROI:
On
the afternoon of Friday 21 February 2003, Mr. Ian Gibson of Kiplingcotes
farm
Karoi was the first to be handed a section 8 notice requiring him to
quit his
farm in 90 days, just when crops are approaching maturity. The
official from
the Karoi DA's office showed Mr Gibson a list of plus minus
40 other farmers
upon whom he had to serve notice in the next few days. It
appears to comprise
of all remaining Karoi white farmers. It is uncertain
whether there is a
similar pattern elsewhere in the country, but its yet
another major shock to
the remaining Karoi white commercial farming
community, and, needless to say,
their bank managers. This list suggests
all white farmers must go now,
regardless of criteria, as many of the 44
had two farms and gave up
one.
Prior to March 2000, there were about 176 farmers in this community.
By
planting time in November 2002, this was reduced to 44, who had made
the
necessary compliance-gesture to 'share' their farms with others.
Moreover,
these 44 farmers all planted tobacco and increased maize crops in
the
national interest 'to help feed the nation'. However, it seems that as
of
Monday 24 February, they all are about to have yet another
dramatic
disturbance and this time lose both their homes and livelihoods,
just like
those gone before. There lies the thanks they get for their
patriotism to
country, requested co-existence etc.
It coincides with
the recent Franco-AU summit in Paris, and flies in the
face of recent
assurances given by the president to the just left SA
fact-finding mission
sent by Mbeki that farm invasions and farm take-overs
are finished. Perhaps
it results directly from Mugabe's deemed Paris
approval and support, or
punishment for England's Harare cricket boycott.
On the other hand, perhaps
it is being done in haste by his officials to
steal more land because they
know he is about to make another announcement
declaring the 'land-grab'
ended. So far, two Section 8's have been handed
out in
Karoi.
TENGWE:
In a similar report from Tengwe, 10 new Section 8s have
been
distributed.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE
JAG TEAM
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
JAG
Hotlines:
(011) 612 595 If you are in trouble or need advice,
(011)
205 374
(011) 863 354 please don't hesitate to contact us -
(091) 317 264
(011)207 860 we're here to help!
(011) 431
068
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for Agriculture mailing list
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JAG OPEN LETTER FORUM
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
Please
send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
justice@telco.co.zw with "For Open Letter
Forum" in the subject
line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
1: J.L. Robinson
The Chairman,
NADF.
My dear
Stoff,
Following on from your article in the Dairy Mail, I left out the bit
about
you "sharing your personal experiences since the start of the
Third
Chimurenga." I believe that you have been very open and honest
to
acknowledge this factor. Of concern to me, and perhaps of interest to
you
as a historian, is that there is an outside chance that we as farmers
have
been outmanoeuvred in the Third Chimurenga, at this stage of the game.
The
reason I say this is that I have been reading up about "Rommel's Rules
for
Desert Warfare," and perhaps the proponents of the Third Chimurenga
read
them long before I did. The other factors are that white commercial
farmers
were referred to as "enemies of the state"(Chronicle April 2000);
that you
have said that you have been "boxing with both hands tied behind my
back
and my feet tied together, and I am partially gagged"; and that there
is
also a chance of our country becoming a desert. Here are Rommel's
main
points:
THE RULES OF DESERT WARFARE:
1. "The enemy is
placed in the worst tactical situation imaginable."
- Take away his home, his
livelihood, his community and his pride, and at
the same time entice his
leaders to the table and instil into them a belief
that they, the leaders,
should work with you.
2. "When envelopment is completed, he is tactically
compelled to evacuate
the area which he occupies."
- I certainly fall into
this category personally, but am in good company
with about one thousand,
nine hundred, and ninety-nine others! But still my
various chairmen are
confident of an imminent break through round the
table, after three years,
having admitted that they have been gagged, and
tied up.
3. "Enemy
forces can only be destroyed:
- When they are not motorized or have been
rendered immobile by lack of
petrol or when they include non-mobile elements
which have to be
considered." (I have no petrol, and I do not know what to do
with all my
cattle, sheep, goats, furniture, my labour, my mother, and my
family.)
- "When they are badly led or are deliberately sacrificed to save
other
formations."(This has been my concern since May 2002, but I still do
not
have the full answer - are you sacrificing 2000 farmers `to keep the
Union
strong' or have you guys just made an incredible stuff up, or
both?)
- When their fighting strength is already broken and signs
of
disintegration are evident." - (having been gagged, and tied up they
then
tell their subordinates that they are going to work with their
foe?)
4. "Tactically the battle of attrition is fought with the
highest
possible measure of mobility. The following points require
particular
attention:
a) One should endeavour to concentrate one's own
forces both in space and
in time, while at the same time seeking to split the
opposing forces and to
destroy them at different times. (This has been well
executed.)
b) Supply lines are particularly vulnerable as all petrol, and
food must
pass along them. Hence, one should protect one's own by all
possible means,
and seek to CONFUSE, or better still to cut the enemies'.
(Food and petrol
are a bit of a problem it seems.)
c) One's own tank
forces must deal the last blow.
d) Results of reconnaissance must reach the
commander in the shortest
possible time and he must take immediate decisions
and put them into effect
as quickly as possible. (Has the `building of
bridges and the opening of
doors' not facilitated this very scenario - i.e.
straight after a CFU
Council meeting?)
e) Speed of one's own movement and
organizational cohesion of the force are
decisive factors and require
particular attention. (After three years, we
still have not got a
plan?)
f) Concealment of one's own intentions is of the greatest importance,
in
order to provide conditions of surprise for one's own operations and
thus
enable one to exploit the time required by the enemy to react
(three
years?) DECEPTION MEASURES OF ALL KINDS SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED, NOT
LEAST TO
MAKE THE ENEMY COMMANDER UNCERTAIN AND COMPEL HIM TO MOVE WITH
HESITATION
AND CAUTION." (Interesting?)
g) "Not until the enemy has been
thoroughly beaten should one attempt to
exploit success by overrunning and
destroying large parts of his
disorganized forces." (Particularly if they are
part of your food supply
and revenue base to keep you going?)
Stoff, I
hope you find Rommel as interesting as I did. The book I have
quoted from is
"Rommel -by Desmond Young." He himself was one of Rommel's
victims and was
captured in the desert.
Yours faithfully,
J.L.
Robinson.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
2: Helen Clarke
Dear Mr Robinson,
Thank you so much for all your
remarks always.
I managed to acquire 5pkts of Chimombe last week, which
meant my
strapping (at the moment) 16yr old son could have a glass of milk
with his
breakfast. He rose from the table grinning and said "I'd forgotten
what
milk tasted like".
Helen
Clarke
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All
letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinions
of the
submitters, and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justice
for
Agriculture.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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for Agriculture mailing list
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OPPORTUNITIES IN
AUSTRALIA
There has
been extraordinary support from Australians for Zimbabweans - particularly from
those in rural areas who are, despite 'the worst drought in 100 years',
generously trying to help Zim farmers to stay farming, or to attract others with
trades or specific skills. They are in some cases, offering direct employment,
or looking at the chance to diversify perhaps, through share-farming or joint
ventures.
There are
many opportunities starting to gather momentum and an indication of these can be
seen below. In helping you to access these, please click "role of the
Zimbabwe Connection" and read the
information at the bottom of this page. We also enclose for your help, some
useful websites and contact points.
FARMING :
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
DAIRY
: a
farmer who grows large acres of broadacre crops, has land adjacent to an area
which has become known for its leading edge dairy production and
for who is either
looking to joint venture on a business visa, or employment could be
considered. CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
CITRUS
: in the same area, adjacent to
the famous Coonawarra wine region, another farmer is looking for a joint venture
with someone who knows citrus as he wishes to develop some 100 acres for essence
and other value-add purposes.
CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
POTATOES
: two farmers are looking for
expertise in potato growing - one as a pure employment (managerial) opportunity
and the other looking at a joint venture on value adding existing potato volumes
and to differentiating these to new market places. CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
HORTICULTURE
: there are many opportunities
for the growing of Australian native flowers as well as soft flowers.
CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
OTHER : South Australia
VETS:
We need vets in at least two areas - Victor Harbor
and Mount Gambier - both small animal practices.
CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
DOCTORS
AND NURSES: Specialists, general practitioners, and a wide
range of other medical and nursing skills required in Mount
Gambier. CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
TIMBER
MILL: This large enterprise in the South-East of South
Australia is looking for a variety of expertise to meet expansion
requirements. These include management, engineering, fitters and turners,
mechanics, big machinery drivers, wood carving and craftsmanship. It is likely
that a senior executive of this company will travel to Zimbabwe for interview
purposes. Please contact us if you are interested and would like to meet up
with them. CONTACT: james@zimbabweconnection.com
MOTOR/DIESEL
MECHANIC: Kangaroo Island is the State's leading tourism
destination and there is a new position available for a motor/diesel mechanic as
soon as possible. CONTACT Maureen Taylor
maureen@arams.com.au
NURSES:
A Health Authority in Regional South Australia is urgently
seeking to
employ 6 Registered Nurses. CONTACT: Rick Du Bois
rdubois@pringlesagplus.com.au
: Victoria
KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS : Two positions
available in beautiful areas of Victoria, one in Colac and one in Apollo
Bay. CONTACT: Maureen Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
MOTOR/DIESEL MECHANICS Two vacancies for motor or diesel
mechanics in Regional Victoria in the Warrnambool area. CONTACT Maureen
Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
MOTOR/DIESEL MECHANICS with particular emphasis on
agricultural machinery - should also be able to drive a bus, maintain a fleet
and weld. Area: Charlton
CONTACT Maureen
Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
LA TROBE VALLEY - a
fertile, go-ahead region of the State is looking for a variety of positions,
from diesel mechanics to spray painters, fitters and turners and an electrical
engineer. CONTACT: Maureen Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
:
Queensland
MOTOR/DIESEL MECHANICS
: A company in northern Queensland is seeking to employ six diesel
mechanics. Area: Mackay.
CONTACT: Maureen Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
BOILERMAKER/SHEET METAL WORKER : to work in an engineering
company in Queensland - would suit anyone with mining experience. CONTACT:
Maureen Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
: New South
Wales
A chain of Subway Food Stores (fast food outlets)
is seeking to employ a Manager. The position will be located in Newcastle. The
requirement is for a candidate in late 20's early 30's with management
experience, people management experience, retail experience, business control
skills and a good client service attitude. Experience in the hospitality/food
trades would be highly regarded but not essential. The organisation currently
has two stores operational, a third being built and more on the way. This
is
being seen as a long term appointment with excellent career prospects for
a
candidate who is prepared to live and work in regional New South Wales.
CONTACT: John Nixon jnixon@bigpond.com
BUSINESS
OPPORTUNITIES : South Australia For those coming in on business visas, these might be worth looking
at.
SOFT FLOWER
NURSERY: in
the Adelaide Hills - approximately 35 minutes from Adelaide, fully established
soft flower nursery, all under shade cloth with export contracts in hand.
Would support three families working together as a joint venture and although
the present owner wants to retire, he is prepared to stay on as an employee for
a year to mentor and help, passing on his contacts and local
knowledge. CONTACT: jill@zimbabweconnection.com
:
Victoria
COUNTRY
PHARMACY:
Small friendly town close to Victoria/South Australia border
in rich farming district with nearest pharmacy 43 kms away. Steadily
increasing turnover - government pays isolated and remote fee of $2,812 per
month. $60,000 govt. grant available to the buyer. Great medical and
community facilities. Strong consumer loyalty. Owner wishes to retire.
Price $280,000 (negotiable). Would suit a person who has completed the English
pharmacy degree as this has parity. South African degree holders have to
re-write exams and do 3-months work experience. CONTACT Maureen Taylor maureen@arams.com.au
IN
GENERAL:
There is a steady demand for Trades people, Nurses, Agronomists
and those with a good knowledge of irrigation. These people are usually placed
quickly.
http://www.zimbabweconnection.com/index.htm
ROLE OF THE
ZIMBABWE CONNECTION:
The Zimbabwe Connection is a
strictly non-political organisation and it does not act as an immigration or
personnel placement agency.
The Association works
with a number of, preferably, ex Zimbabwean migration agents in several
states. Contacts tend to come from positive word of mouth referrals. We do
not believe in encouraging anyone to leave Zimbabwe because that is a unique
and personal decision. We are here simply to help those who have actively made
a decision to move on.
If you are starting at
the very beginning, have a look at the sites on the left as these will link to
the Department of Immigration for more information, or as an example, to a State
Department of Skilled Migration. We have added the link to the South
Australian Skilled Migration department so that you can better understand the
role they can play.
On these sites you will
gain a clearer understanding of what is involved, you could self-assess your
chances of getting in, and download the various visas you think might be
applicable. We try particularly hard to help those who might be 'marginal' in
terms of age or assets and have been fortunate enough to help many families in
this category.
If you are not yet using
an immigration agent, we can send you an assessment from from one of the
migration agents for you to fill in and return to them. If you do not have a
resume, we can also let you have a resume template to help you put one together
and send it back to us to keep on file.
We play the role of a
caring 'relative' or 'friend' and try to match your skills up with existing job
or business opportunities. We play no part other than to put you both in touch
and you and the prospective employee/joint venture partner then make contact to
determine whether there is the potential for sponsorship or a business
partnership.
Once we know you are on
your way, we can help in a number of areas - ideas on what to bring with you,
and gain insight into what your needs might be so that we can use our contacts
to meet them if possible. A couple of months before you come, we will also put
you in touch with a local ex-Zim family (preferably with children the same age)
- they will be in touch with you before you arrive and will be your 'mentors'
for a while to help you settle once you get here.
We make no charge for
this - perhaps one day when you are earning millions of dollars in Aus, you will
be able to make a donation so that we can keep on helping people!
PRIVACY STATEMENT
The Zimbabwe Connection treats all personal
information as confidential.
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The Times
Zimbabwe's suspension
From Mr
Richard Morton
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| Sir, In his autobiography Ian Smith, quoting
from the official journal The Parliaments of the Commonwealth,
describes the Commonwealth as
united by community of interest, respect for the rule of law and human
rights and freedoms, and pursuit of the positive ideals of parliamentary
democracy (The Great Betrayal, Blake, 1997).
Since none of these points applies to Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, surely Zimbabwe
should be expelled from the Commonwealth, not have its suspension ended? It
would seem that the Commonwealth troika (letter, February 19) is weighted in
favour of Mugabe, with two of the three leaders (Obasanjo and Mbeki) supporting
him.
Yours faithfully,
RICHARD MORTON,
28 Fenton Road,
Bishopston,
Bristol BS7 8ND.
cegmorton@aol.com
February 19. |
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