via Company closures climbdown: You have been pranked – NewsDay Zimbabwe April 1, 2016
Our story in which government has reportedly shelved plans to shut down companies that have failed to comply with the country’s indigenisation policy was an April fool’s Day prank.
STAFF REPORTER
NewsDay was today inundated with calls of people who wanted clarification on whether indeed Indigenisation minister has shelved plans to revoke licences of non-compliant companies.
As of this morning the government position on revoking licences has not changed.
According to Wikipedia, the custom of setting aside a day for the playing of harmless pranks upon one’s neighbor is recognized everywhere. Some precursors of April Fools’ Day include the Roman festival of Hilaria, the Holi festival of India, and the Medieval Feast of Fools.
COMMENTS
EVERYDAY IS APRIL FOOLS DAY IN ZIMBABWE. WHEN YOU HAVE FOOLS THAT RUN GOVERNMENT FROM TOP TO BOTTOM. EVERYDAY CAN BE CELEBRATED AS A DAY OF FOOLS. ISN’T IT NICE TO KNOW YOU CAN KEEP ENJOYING THE SAME DAY OVER AND OVER AGAIN, 365 DAYS OUT YEARS.
stories that give people false hope followed by heart attacks or seizure can hardly be described as a prank.
How does one know that this “it was a prank” announcement isn’t the April fools prank?
Does not make a difference if it was an April Fools prank. Facts is you have a fool in Minister Zhuwao. He is not an idiot, he just dumb by nature. He wants to make sure Bob is happy and then when things blow up in his face, he will be replaced soon also. If Zimbabwe think investors are desperate to invest in the country. Their are sadly mistaken. No one will go alone with such madness. You cannot blame investors for marginalized Zimbabweans for the past 100 years. What is the difference with what the brothers are doing to investors and what whites did to the native Zimbabweans. If the government has any balls that include the President. Direct the Indeginestion to all Europeans who want to do business in Zimbabwe. Then as a black man I will have more respect for this government. But they still have the fear of their oppressors, cowards in suits. And all the while cannot come up with any policies to get revenue in the country without shaking down the Locals with roads side police stops and taxing people to death that can barely live. While all the remaining whites, Indians, and Chinese living in luggary. They will rather wait until Bob is dust, or invest in other countries on the continent. I use to believe in and respect Mugabe as black man. But somewhere over the past 36 years, his legacy has fallen and is to late to redeem himself. Bad deals cut with Britian after liberation only profited him and his inner circle. And when you finally realize Britian had no intention of honoring the Lancaster agreement, it was to late. Now Bob is disgraced. If he thinks the people still want him to stand as the image of Zimbabwe his age and mental capacity is gone. If you love your people, you will do whats best for the people. Not your ego, and legacy. Love to all my African Brothers and Sister Worldwide. Time to become one again as a people.
The climb down article is easily the most irresponsible prank I have ever come across. April Fools day jokes should be harmless fun. This clearly was not. I will not enumerate the various serious potential harms this mischievous story could have caused. Anyone with half a brain should be able to work those out for themselves. Clearly your editor does not fall into that category!