Zim Online
Saturday 04 November
2006
CHINHOYI - A frustrated
Vice-President Joice Mujuru this week
berated blacks allocated former
white-owned farms for failing to produce
enough food to feed their own
families and let alone the country.
In what is fast becoming
routine confession by top government
officials that the chaotic and often
violent land reform programme flopped,
Mujuru told a conference of the black
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) in
Chinhoyi city that the government had had to
draft in the army to work on
former white farms because the new black owners
were failing to produce.
"ZFU you are a problem to the
government," Mujuru told the
farmers on Thursday. "We will never be able to
rule this country in comfort
when members of the ZFU are still being fed by
the government. You cannot
even produce enough to feed
yourself."
Mujuru said there was disquiet among some senior
officials in
the government about the use of the army to grow food on former
white farms
but said the decision to send soldiers onto farms was taken only
because
black civilian farmers allocated white farms were failing to
perform.
The army has taken over huge swathes of former
white-owned land
under a programme codenamed Operation Maguta and which the
government says
is aimed at producing strategic crops such as maize and
wheat to beat off
food shortages.
Mujuru said: "Operation
Maguta came as a result of our failure
as ZFU members. If you were doing
your best why would we want Maguta to
come?"
Maguta has
however been largely a failure with army commanders
on farms saying they
were hampered by the lack of machinery after senior
officials of the ruling
ZANU PF party and the government looted equipment
from the former white
farms.
Zimbabwe has grappled with severe food shortages since
the
government t expelled large-scale producing white commercial farmers and
parceled out their land to landless blacks.
The farm
seizures destabilised the key agricultural sector
causing food production to
plunge by 60 percent to leave once self
sufficient Zimbabwe dependent on
imports from neighbours and handouts from
international food relief
agencies.
But the shortage of food is only one of many severe
symptoms of
a seven-year economic and humanitarian crisis, critics blame on
mismanagement by Mugabe and which has also spawned shortages of fuel,
electricity, essential medicines, hard cash and just about every basic
survival commodity.
Mugabe, who has ruled Zimbabwe since
the country's 1980
independence from Britain, denies mismanaging the country
and says its
problems are because of economic sabotage by Western
governments opposed to
his seizure of white land. - ZimOnline.
Zim Online
Saturday 04 November
2006
HARARE - Magistrate Mishrod Guvamombe on
Friday granted a $10 000 bail
to prominent human rights campaigner Lovemore
Madhuku and two others who
were arrested on Wednesday for demanding a new
and democratic constitution
for the country.
Human rights
lawyer Alec Muchadehama, representing the jailed, told
the court that he
would challenge the trio's arrest on 22 November 2006 when
they next appear
for further remand.
"My clients were kept in cells without being
told why they were being
denied their liberty until Thursday around 4 pm,"
said Muchadehama. "As for
Madhuku, the court outline does not show how he is
linked to the organising
of the demonstration. He was a participant like any
other persons."
The trio was arrested when police pounced on a
group of about 150
members of the National Constitutional Assembly (NCA)
civic alliance who
were marching in Harare demanding a new constitution. The
police severely
assaulted the demonstrators who they also
arrested.
The police later released the rest of the demonstrators
except Madhuku
and the two other activists whom the police allege stoned one
of their
vehicles. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Saturday 04 November 2006
MUTARE - High
Court Judge Alfas Chitakunye yesterday dismissed a bail
application by
lawyers representing Peter Michael Hitschmann who is facing
charges of
illegally stockpiling arms of war and plotting to assassinate
President
Robert Mugabe.
Chitakunye dismissed the application saying
Hitschmann was facing
serious charges and was therefore likely to abscond
since there was a
possibility he could be convicted.
"The
evidence led so far can lead to a conviction," said Chitakunye,
who however
granted Hitschmann leave to appeal against denial of bail at the
Supreme
Court.
Defence lawyers had argued that it was unfair to keep
Hitschmann in
remand prison- where he has remained since his arrest last
March - until
March 2007 when the High Court returns to Mutare to conclude
his case.
In support of the application, the defence cited examples
of
opposition leaders Morgan Tsvangirai and the late Ndabaningi Sithole who
on
separate occasions were granted bail by the courts even though they were
facing charges of plotting to kill Mugabe.
Hitschmann, a
soldier in the former white government of Rhodesia -
Zimbabwe's name before
independence in 1980 - was initially arrested
together with MDC officials
that included Mutare North legislator Giles
Mutsekwa for working with
the hitherto unknown Zimbabwe Freedom
Movement to overthrow the
government.
The group was accused of conspiring to murder Mugabe,
businessman and
ZANU PF activist Esau Mupfumi and ZANU PF Chipinge South
legislator Enock
Porusingazi during the 21st February Movement celebrations
held in Mutare to
mark Mugabe's 82nd birthday.
The state later
dropped charges against Mutsekwa, MDC Manicaland
provincial youth chairman
Knowledge Nyamhoka, party treasurer Brian James,
activist Thando Sibanda and
four ex-policemen Peter Nzungu, Wellington
Tsuro, Jerry Maguta and Garikai
Chikutya. - ZimOnline
Zim Online
Saturday 04 November
2006
MASVINGO - Thousands of teachers who
were engaged as polling officers
in last weekend's rural council elections
yesterday demanded that the
government pays them their outstanding
allowances or face legal action.
The cash-strapped government of
President Robert Mugabe had promised
to pay the teachers a day after the
elections which were held last Saturday.
But almost a week after
the controversial elections won by the ruling
ZANU PF party, the teachers
are still to receive their money.
A petition signed by about 5 000
teachers which was sent to the
Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) which ran
the elections, accused the
government of making empty promises over their
payment.
"We are demanding our outstanding payments within seven
days, failure
(of) which we will engage our lawyers to recover the owed
money with
interest.
"This is not the first time that
we have failed to get our payments on
time after conducting
polls.
"Last year, some of our members were not paid their monies
and later
gave up after a series of follow-up meetings which did not bear
any fruit,"
read part of the petition.
Nobert Magobe, a teacher
in Masvingo, said out of the Z$30 000 they
had been promised for conducting
the elections, they had only received $6
000 which ZEC said was for their
upkeep during polling.
"Since Monday, we have been checking at our
banks and no payments have
been made so far. Next time, I will not
participate in any elections," said
Magobe.
Contacted for
comment yesterday, ZEC spokesman Utoile Silaigwana said
he was not aware of
the petition adding that payments for the polling
officers were being worked
out.
"We are still processing payments for some civil
servants who were not
paid," said the spokesman. - ZimOnline
VOA
By Luis Ramirez
Beijing
03 November
2006
Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir is defending his
government's human
rights record, a day after Chinese President Hu Jintao
publicly called on
him to step up efforts to resolve the bitter conflict in
Sudan's Darfur
region. Sudan - a major supplier of petroleum to China - is
among 48 African
nations that Beijing is hosting Saturday and Sunday in a
bid to boost its
imports of resources from the continent.
China's
decision to invite Sudanese President Omar Hassan al Bashir to the
Africa
summit has drawn criticism from international human rights
advocates.
They are concerned that Beijing is overlooking the poor human
rights record
of some African governments so it can obtain resources and new
markets in
Africa.
Beijing's invitation to Zimbabwean leader Robert
Mugabe, whose government is
accused of massive human rights violations, has
drawn similar fire.
Sudan's government is accused of supporting militias
that have killed tens
of thousands of people, destroyed villages, and
committed wholesale rape of
women in Darfur, in the country's
south.
Mr. Bashir, the Sudanese leader, met with reporters here in
Beijing Friday
on the sidelines of China's gathering of 48 African
countries, and denied
those charges.
He defended his government's
handling of the three-year-old Darfur crisis,
and sought to downplay the
atrocities that have been widely reported there.
He said only 10,000 people
had died in the conflict, contradicting
international figures that put the
toll at 200,000.
Mr. Bashir also reaffirmed his government's refusal to
allow U.N.
peacekeepers into Darfur.
"We refuse to accept the entry
of U.N. peacekeepers into Sudan, because the
result of our refusal is better
than the impact of accepting the
deployment," Mr. Bashir said.
He
said allowing U.N. peacekeepers would create a situation similar to the
instability that now exists in Iraq, and letting them in would be worse than
not letting them in.
Mr. Bashir says he appreciates China's support
at the United Nations, which
has authorized 20,000 U.N. troops to replace
the seven thousand African
Union peacekeepers currently deployed. China says
it will support the
presence of U.N. troops only if Sudan agrees to
it.
However, Beijing at the same time is eager to avoid the kind of
international criticism it has been suffering for embracing Mr.
Bashir.
Chinese television quoted President Hu as making unusually
forceful
statements about the situation in Darfur, urging the Sudanese
leader, when
the two met on Thursday, to push for a diplomatic solution to
the crisis.
The official reports quoted Mr. Hu as telling Mr. Bashir the
Darfur matter
had "reached a critical stage," and saying China hopes the
Sudanese
government will maintain dialogue with all parties in the conflict,
adjust
its position, and improve the humanitarian situation in the
region.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao this week
explained how
Beijing justifies its invitation to such leaders as Mr. Bashir
and Mr.
Mugabe.
Mr. Liu says strengthening cooperation with Africa in
all fields is
conducive to peace, development and prosperity for everyone.
He says China
is not ashamed to hold this summit with these
leaders.
China traditionally abides by a policy of non-interference in
the affairs of
other countries - a position that Human Rights Watch, a major
U.S.-based
human rights group, has likened in this case to remaining silent
as mass
killings go on.
[This report does not necessarily reflect
the views of the United Nations]
HARARE, 3 Nov 2006 (IRIN) -
Zimbabwean families have had to fork out an
extra US$100, almost an average
salary, to pay for food and other
essentials, over the course of a month,
according to a government-funded
consumer rights watchdog.
The
Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) reported that the cost of living for
a
family of six for the month of October surged to Z$141,706 (about US$565),
up by 26.4 percent from Z$112,034 (about US$447) in September.
Health
costs were the worst affected, up by a staggering 68.2 percent from
September. It was followed by washing powder, which went up by 46.9 percent,
bread 42.4 percent and white sugar 38.6 percent.
The official
newspaper, the Herald quoted CCZ, as saying, "The major mover
for October
was health as consultation fees and costs of medicines increased
at most
clinics in the month."
A consultation with a general physician could now
set Zimbabwean families
back by US$16, up from almost US$10 in September. A
major operation, which
could cost anything from US$5,900 is unaffordable for
most ordinary
Zimbabweans who earn salaries ranging between US$119 to US$160
a month.
Rising costs forced Nyasha Mugaviri, who lost her husband to
HIV/AIDS in
2004, to pull her children out of private school. Mugaviri, 42,
scrapes out
a living by selling car parts that she sources from downtown
Johannesburg in
South Africa.
"I never imagined that life would
become so difficult. The trade that I have
now entered is strenuous and is
dominated by men. But I have to soldier on
because I should see all my
children through school," she said.
The consumer watchdog has welcomed
the gazetting of the National Incomes and
Pricing Commission Bill, which
would help set up the National Incomes and
Pricing Commission (NIPC), whose
mandate would be to regulate the prices of
goods and services, among other
functions.
"The timeous setting and gazetting of prices is vital to
ensuring
sustainable access to basic commodities for all consumers," said
CCZ.
The government, through the central bank, has adopted several
policies to
stabilise the economy, but analysts say the measures have
adversely affected
thousands of people.
One such measure, designed to
stem the illegal foreign currency trade, was
last month's closure of 16
money transfer agencies, accusing them of
changing remittances from
Zimbabweans living abroad using unofficial rates.
The closure has added
to Mugaviri's woes because she can no longer receive
the US$100 that her
sister in Canada used to send her monthly and the money
that she was sent
just before the closures remains trapped in the agency.
"That the RBZ
[Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe] has the noble intention of making
the economy
better by stamping out corruption in the financial sector cannot
be denied.
The problem, though, is that its policies are ambushing the
suffering
majority and we are worse off now due to the turnaround policies
that it has
adopted," Mugaviri said.
Lovemore Matombo, the president of the Zimbabwe
Congress of Trade Unions,
said the monetary measures adopted by the central
bank were pushing up
unemployment figures, which is estimated to be over 70
percent.
"The central bank's measures are unfortunate because they have
rendered
thousands of people who were employed by the closed financial
institutions
jobless, in the process negatively affecting the livelihoods of
many more
who depend on those that have been affected," Matombo told
IRIN.
John Robertson, an independent economist, said the central bank "is
only
dealing with the symptoms of the crisis" suggesting that in order to
turnaround the economy, there was a need to find ways of reviving industry,
which he said had shrunk by around 65 percent in the last six years, improve
investor confidence by respecting property rights and increase production of
export crops on farms.
Since government's fast-track land reforms
launched in 2000, Zimbabwe's
economy has gone into freefall. An annual
inflation rate hovering at around
1,000 percent has seen unemployment levels
rise and shortages of foreign
currency have caused food, fuel and
electricity to become scarce
commodities.
Mail and Guardian
Harare, Zimbabwe
03 November 2006
05:07
A witness in the trial of a white Zimbabwean security
expert,
Michael Hitschmann, has claimed the man planned to kill four
prominent
businessmen as a bad-taste birthday present for President Robert
Mugabe, it
was reported on Friday.
Army instructor Israel
Phiri told a packed court in Mutare this
week that Hitschmann tried to
recruit him into the little-known Zimbabwe
Freedom Movement, a United
Kingdom-based splinter group that says it is
trying to unseat Mugabe,
reports the state-controlled Manica Post.
"He reported to me
that they already had a list of names of
people who were supposed to be
eliminated before President Mugabe's birthday
celebrations in Mutare in
February," Phiri told the court.
The four were ruling-party
businessmen and officials based in
the eastern border city of Mutare and the
second city of Bulawayo, Phiri was
quoted as saying.
The
army officer claimed Hitschmann and his colleagues also
planned to burn the
offices of the state-run Chronicle newspaper in Bulawayo
and spill oil on a
major Mutare highway so that Mugabe's vehicle would slip
and
overturn.
Hitschmann has been in custody since March, when
police
announced they had found a weapons cache at his Mutare
home.
The police said he was linked to the opposition
Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) and wanted to overthrow Mugabe with the
help of
disaffected army officers.
He has been charged
under Zimbabwe's tough Public Order and
Security Act for possessing weapons
for insurgency, banditry, sabotage and
terrorism. If convicted, he could
face life imprisonment.
Hitschmann denies the charges. His
lawyers say their client is a
registered arms dealer and was thus entitled
to have weapons on his
property.
Phiri says Hitschmann
promised him $500 a month, to be paid into
a bank account in neighbouring
Mozambique, if he agreed to work for the
Zimbabwe Freedom Movement, reports
the Manica Post.
The army officer says he briefed his army
superiors in Harare on
the matter, while pretending to work with Hitschmann.
The trial
continues. -- Sapa-dpa
OhMyNews
Patients face water shortages, power cuts and insanitary
conditions
Nelson G. Katsande (NELKA)
Published 2006-11-03 12:18 (KST)
Zimbabwe's health delivery
system is reported to be in a state of
collapse with government hospitals
going for days without water and
electricity. The Ministry of Health and
Child Welfare is said to be aware of
the terrible situation and has done
very little to improve it.
At Harare Central Hospital patients go
for days without bathing and
the hospital is finding it difficult to wash
linen and patients' hospital
uniforms.
A source told OhmyNews
that the hospital is experiencing water
shortages. This week the hospital
ran dry on Wednesday and supplies have not
yet been restored.
The source suggested that disgruntled patients may be planning to
stage
demonstrations against the government for its neglect of the
institution.
Patients are reported to have accused nursing staff of
neglecting their
duties, with some reported to be turning up late for work.
Absenteeism by nursing and auxillary staff is also reported to be
high. Some
nurses leave work early as they rush to petrol stations in search
of petrol
which has become a scarce commodity.
The mortuaries are filled to
capacity and most of the fridges are not
working properly.
Most
of the water pipes in Harare are leaking, resulting in the loss
of water.
The cash-strapped city council has failed to replace the worn out
pipes and
its plea for government funding has failed to produce results.
Parirenyatwa Hospital is also reported to be experiencing the same
problems.
A source said that regular water and power cuts have become the
order of the
day. Most hospitals are infested by rats, cockroaches and mice,
which are
seen in the kitchen drawers and wards. The daring rats are even
reported to
be eating patients' medicines.
A patient at Parirenyatwa hospital
said that they were having
sleepless nights as the rats make noise chasing
each other on the ceilings
and rooftops. The dreadful standards at the
government hospitals are an
embarrassment to President Mugabe, who has in
the past been reported to seek
medical treatment abroad.
It is
said that Mugabe is ashamed to use the country's hospitals
because of their
deteriorating condition.
IOL
November 03
2006 at 01:37AM
Harare - Zimbabwe's electricity regulatory board
has approved hikes in
electricity tariffs of up to 270 percent in a bid to
improve the shaky power
supply, state television reported on
Thursday.
Mavis Chidzonga, head of the Zimbabwe Electricity
Regulatory
Commission (ZERC), said the increases - likely to send many
consumers into a
panic - were necessitated by fast-rising
costs.
The percentage increases take into account the soaring
generation,
transmission and distribution costs involved in the supply of
electricity,
Chidzonga said.
The hikes will be implemented
across farming, business and residential
areas from November 1 and should
mean fewer blackouts, the television
reported.
Zimbabwe's power
supply has long been in a sorry state, with
deteriorating infrastructure
especially at the key Hwange generating
station, countrywide blackouts and
regular theft of cables and oil from
substations.
Because of Zimbabwe's skewed
exchange rate, electricity is the
cheapest in the region. An average monthly
electricity bill for a
three-bedroomed house is less than ZIM$4 000, the
cost of two packs of
candles.
But previous attempts to push up
power tariffs have been quashed by
the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe because of
the knock-on effect increases would
have on the inflation rate, which at 1
023 percent is already the highest in
the world.
Defending the
hikes, Chidzonga said studies had shown this week's
electricity price hike
should have only minimal effects on the prices of
basic commodities like
bread and the staple maize-meal. - Sapa-dpa
Lawyer-activist condemns Canadian government for failing to
prosecute
Zimbabwean president
By Rishi Hargovan
The McGill
Daily
When Gabriel Shumba graduated from law school in 2002, he was arrested
in
his cap and gown and jailed for having signed a petition decrying the
deteriorating rule of law in Zimbabwe.
The Zimbabwean human rights
activist and lawyer spoke at New Chancellor Day
Hall last week in part of a
cross-country speaking tour aimed at exposing
the Canadian public to the
continuing, egregious human rights violations of
Zimbabwean President Robert
Mugabe and members of his ruling party, and
pressuring the Canadian
government into using its 2000 'crimes against
humanity' and war crimes
legislation to prosecute him.
"When a president can say with impunity, 'I
am Hitler times ten', that is a
shame," Shumba said at the outset of his
remarks.
Shumba works with the Zimbabwean Exiles Forum (ZEF), a South
Africa-based
human rights group involved in documenting human rights abuses
in Zimbabwe
and campaigning for change. He has been arrested by the
Zimbabwean
government 14 times, and recounted his 2003 torture by government
agents at
last week's talk.
"[The police applied] electric shocks to
my private parts and mouth. I was
beaten to the point of vomiting blood and
urinating on myself. They urinated
on me and said, 'There's no place for
human rights lawyers in Zimbabwe,'" he
said.
Much of ZEF's work has
been cataloguing and documenting such tactics, which
Shumba said are
becoming more and more widespread.
"The torture we have experienced in
recent years has been systematic," he
said. "[The government uses]
near-drownings - where they tie a plastic bag
over your head and dip your
head in a pool of water. Next they add
electricity. They hang you upside
down and beat the soles of your feet, so
the bruises don't appear in court.
They insert guns in women's private
parts."
According to Human Rights
Watch, the situation in Zimbabwe has been
degenerating since 2000, when
labour unions began to back newly-formed
opposition party Movement for
Democratic Change.
In January, Human Rights Watch released a briefing
that highlighted
Operation Murambatsvina, a government program of mass
forced evictions and
demolitions, which has displaced approximately 700,000
people. It
highlighted the government's lack of cooperation with subsequent
aid
efforts, and the introduction of laws aimed at silencing criticism of
political and economic policies.
Last year, Shumba traveled to Canada
to make the same case for Canadian
intervention in Zimbabwe. He
characterized the reaction as "half-hearted" -
although the Liberal
government expressed support for his cause, they did
not follow up with
action.
At the time, the government took a narrow view of the Crimes
Against
Humanity legislation, arguing that a Canadian citizen must be
affected in
order to invoke it. Shumba said he hoped that the Conservative
government
would be more receptive to his message, and would be more open to
enacting
human rights abuse legislation.
The speaking tour was
sponsored by non-governmental organization Rights &
Democracy, and wraps
up today at Memorial University in St. John's.
VOA
By Stephanie Ho
Washington
02 November
2006
As China prepares to host a summit with African leaders in
Beijing, American
experts say they are concerned about Beijing willingness
to maintain close
relations with pariah states on the
continent.
China proudly displays its growing ties with Africa in holding
a
high-profile summit for African leaders in Beijing. But critics in the
United States warn of the negative aspects of Beijing's pragmatic foreign
policy.
"The story, I'm afraid, is not a good one. In Africa, as
elsewhere in the
world, the Chinese government has shown that it is eager to
embrace
dangerous and or unsavory regimes in order, among other goals, to
secure
access to oil," said Carolyn Bartholomew, a member of the U.S. China
Economic and Security Review Commission, a body that advises Congress. She
said China has sought close ties with countries that western countries
consider pariah states, such as Sudan, an oil-rich country that has come
under international criticism for the ongoing crisis in Darfur.
She
accuses Beijing of selling the Sudanese government military equipment
that
has been used to commit atrocities in Darfur.
The Chinese government has
rejected criticism about its sales to Sudan,
saying its arms sales are not
large enough to destabilize the region.
Walter Kansteiner, who recently
served as assistant secretary of state for
Africa and is now at the
consulting firm, Scowcroft Group, says in the 1960s
and 1970s, relations
between China and Africa were based on shared political
vision.
"It
was ideologically driven. It was politically mandated. It was part of
the
international socialist system of supporting your liberation brothers,"
he
said.
Today, he says, China-Africa ties are largely based on commercial
interests.
"It's about raw materials. It's about feeding the industrial
base back in
China. So, what is this industrial base, and what is it that
they need? They
need raw materials. They need strategic minerals. They need
hydro-carbons.
They need iron ore and timber, they need to keep their
industrial base
alive," he said.
Kensteiner said Washington
should be concerned about China's close ties with
leaders, such as the
president of Zimbabwe, Robert Mugabe.
"Does it worry the U.S. government
that China is aiding and abetting Robert
Mugabe? Yeah, it does and it
should. You know, he's a bad guy, doing bad
things to his people. And so, if
Beijing is supporting and helping him, from
a policy-maker's point of view,
that's counter-productive," he said.
Another way China is making
friends and allies in Africa is through generous
aid donations. Joshua
Kurlantzick, at the Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, says China's
contributions have increased exponentially
in the past decade, reaching $2.7
billion in 2004.
"That's up from about $100 million from a decade before,
so that's a
substantial increase, and puts China, as a donor on the
continent, on league
with other donors, including the U.S., France and
Japan," he said.
Despite the positives, Chinese efforts to make friends
in Africa has not
been a completely smooth process. Paul Hare, the
executive-director of the
U.S.-Angola Chamber of Commerce and a former U.S.
Ambassador to Zambia, says
he is noticing what he calls a "downside" for the
Chinese in Angola, which
has become China's main foreign source of crude
oil.
"Others claim there is a growing resentment of the Chinese role in
Angola,
among the Angolans, taking jobs and contracts away from the
Angolans, and
speak of the Chinese invasion. I think there is some
increasing xenophobia
against the Chinese," he said.
There are some
indications China is taking international criticism into
consideration on
issues like Sudan, which Carolyn Bartholomew called the
Chinese government's
"biggest public relations nightmare on the global
stage."
In a rare
public statement broadcast on Chinese television Thursday, Chinese
President
Hu Jintao told Sudanese President Omar al Bashir that the Darfur
conflict
has once again reached what he called a "critical stage." The
Chinese
president said Beijing understands Khartoum's concerns on Darfur,
but said
he hopes the Sudanese leader will strengthen dialogue with all
parties
concerned and help improve the humanitarian situation there.
Reuters
Fri Nov 3, 2006
12:56am ET
By Ben Blanchard
BEIJING (Reuters) - China will
announce a package of measures covering aid,
trade and social development
for Africa during a summit of 48 African
leaders that opened on Friday amid
concerns from rights groups about links
with Sudan and Zimbabwe.
The
summit, which follows a dialogue and trade forum and closes on Sunday,
underscores China's deepening links with Africa, whose mineral and oil
wealth it covets and whose countries form an important strategic bloc vote
in world bodies.
"We take great pride in China's strong and warm
friendship with Africa,"
Chinese Vice Premier Wu Yi said at the opening of
the ministerial
conference.
"We should, with an eye on new
developments, fully tap cooperation potential
and draw on each other's
strengths to broaden and upgrade cooperation."
China's trade with Africa is
expected to top $50 billion this year, and
while the summit is largely about
handshakes and banquets, analysts also
expect it to be an opportunity to
cement trade and investment deals that
have been in the
pipeline.
Ghana's energy minister said on Thursday it was close to
finalizing a $600
million deal with China's Sino Hydro Corporation to build
at 400 megawatt
hydroelectric dam in the north of the West African
country.
Financing will come from state-owned policy lender Export-Import
Bank of
China, the minister, Joseph Adda, said.
A Chinese consortium
also recently signed a $3 billion iron ore deal in
Gabon, which includes
extending a railway and building a bulk commodities
and container
port.
And last week, industry officials said Chinese investors
would build a $200
million smelter in Zambia with a capacity to produce
150,000 tonnes of
finished copper a year -- most of which would be destined
for China, which
is desperate for raw materials to feed its booming
economy.
"It would be remiss of me if I failed to mention the very
commendable step
that was taken by China to facilitate greater access for
commodities from
Africa," Ethiopian Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin
told the
conference.
The volume of African exports to Asia rose by 20
percent in the past five
years, largely as a result of China buying up raw
materials.
China also invited the five countries in Africa who have
diplomatic ties
with ideological rival Taiwan -- Gambia, Malawi, Burkina
Faso, Swaziland and
Sao Tome and Principe -- but none appeared to have taken
up the offer.
Aside from trade deals, analysts say the summit, which
winds up on Sunday,
could bring fresh promises from China on debt reduction
or training and
scholarships for students, an effort to build goodwill on
the continent.
But rights groups say China's policy of non-interference in
domestic affairs
mean its engagement with Africa is bolstering governments
in places like
Sudan and Zimbabwe, with whom Western countries have long
since curbed trade
ties.
"China's policies have not only propped up
some of the continent's worst
human rights abusers, but also weakened the
leverage of others trying to
promote greater respect for human rights,"
Human Rights Watch said in a
statement.
China should use its growing
influence in Africa to press for improvements
in human rights, the New
York-based group said.
Both Sudanese President Omar Hassan al-Bashir and
Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe
are attending the summit.
By Lance Guma
03 November 2006
Lindiwe Mabuza, the South
African High Commissioner to the United
Kingdom, was on Wednesday heckled by
a Zimbabwean student during her visit
to Oxford University. Mabuza was
delivering an address on the state of post
apartheid South Africa at
Oxford's Exeter College in the Rectors' room. Only
a few weeks ago South
Africa's foreign affairs minister Dr Nkosazana
Dhlamini Zuma also had her
speech in London interrupted by a radical group
known as Free-Zim Youth UK.
On this particular occasion however one
unidentified student managed to take
over the question and answer session.
According to Zimbabwean journalist
Blessing-Miles Tendi who was present at
the meeting, 'Mabuza's address was
tranquil and the audience affable. This
masked the drama that would later
unfold during the question and answer
session of her address.'
The student is said to have questioned South Africa's foreign policy
in
terms of its perceived success in the Ivory Coast, Burundi and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo and yet the Zimbabwean crisis remained
unresolved. Tendi told Newsreel that, 'Before Mabuza could respond, the
Zimbabwean student declared, 'I have a present I would like to give you on
behalf of all Zimbabweans.' He reached inside his satchel and produced a
placard, which he displayed to Mabuza and the Oxford audience. "Shame on
South Africa" was emblazoned on the placard in bold capitals.'
The student is said to have proceeded to the front of the Rector's
room and
placed the placard next to the South African High Commissioner
saying it was
a "present from all Zimbabweans." He is said to have wished
her a merry
Christmas, Newsreel was told. Although the student tried to walk
out of the
venue the commissioner asked him to sit down so she could answer
his
queries. This was in stark contrast to Zuma's outbursts in London after
she
was heckled and declared that Zimbabweans were busy sitting in the
diaspora
doing nothing. Mabuza decided to respond and said, "There has been
loud
diplomacy from critics of Zimbabwe other than South Africa and what has
loud
diplomacy achieved?'
The Zimbabwean student quickly responded by
saying, 'And what has six
years of South African quiet diplomacy achieved?'
Mabuza is said to have
angrily replied "Zimbabwe is not South Africa's tenth
province, we will not
send our army into Zimbabwe and neither will we apply
economic sanctions
because we believe Zimbabweans should solve their
problems by themselves.
Only Zimbabweans can solve Zimbabwe's
problems.'
According to Tendi, Exeter College Rector Frances
Caincross
interjected saying, 'I think you have hijacked the evening
enough.' This was
before the student tried to make a response to Mabuza's
utterances. 'If the
Apartheid South African government could bring Ian Smith
and the Rhodesian
government to the negotiation table in 1979 then why can't
a liberation
government do the same to another liberation government? You
talk about
international human rights, the universality of human rights, and
this is
how your country behaves. I am appalled. Merry Christmas", the
Zimbabwean
student shouted as he left the gathering
voluntarily.
He later told Tendi after the meeting that,
'Zimbabweans in the
Diaspora must shame South African officials whenever
they are out and about
making hypocritical utterances of an African
Renaissance. I am calling on
all Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to maintain the
precedent that has been set
in the last two weeks,' he
added.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
Zimbabwejournalists.com
By Grey Samakande
A fortnight ago the
Mashonaland East education director Mr Sylvester
Matshaka encouraged
boarding schools to take advantage of the land reform
programme in order to
produce food to feed students. A week on, the Minister
of Education, Sport
and Culture, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere announced that
State-run and mission
schools countrywide will be allocated farms and inputs
for agricultural
ventures aimed at containing operational expenses and,
eventually, school
fees hikes.
There are major problems in the educational delivery
system in
Zimbabwe and the problems cannot be solved through the land reform
programme. Mr Matshaka concentrated on boarding schools while the minister
of education is targeting state-run and mission schools. They all want
schools to take advantage of the land reform programme, but cannot explain
the exact connection between the two. Where and how are they going to
allocate the farms to schools? They must make us understand how the system
is going to work. The government need not just talk about how they intend to
resolve problems, but must come up with reasonable and practical
ways.
Political issues must not be mixed with educational matters
because
these are two different entities. Some mission schools have their
own farms
which were excluded from the resettlement programme. The
government must
only concentrate on helping such schools with machinery,
inputs and finance,
and not talk of allocating new farms. Some schools also
have pieces of land
which through financial difficulties, are not
productive. The government
must assist these schools with all requirements
and not encourage them to
take loans as this will sink them deeper into
debt. Those that may not have
land, must be given subsidies. Isn't it every
government's right to provide
education to its nation?
It is
surprising that we are already in the cropping season but no
mention of what
the government has done so far with regards to assistance.
What we only hear
is what has been proposed. If nothing has been put in
place by now, then
this is going to end up just an empty promise. For the
programme to work, it
must have been implemented long before the start of
the cropping season. For
this year, we are going to count this as failure
because if ever it is going
to be implemented, the season will be long gone.
The students and parents
will continue to suffer until the next season when
new promises will be
showered.
The problems that have engulfed Zimbabwe's economy seem
to be giving
the government great worry and they do not have a solution.
Going round and
round will however, not help as the problems will keep
multiplying. Let us
not force all schools to use the land reform programme
as if it is the only
way of generating income to cover the running
costs.
Scratching the
surface
Martin Williamson
November 3, 2006
On the face of
it, the arson attack by Mark Vermeulen on Zimbabwe's Cricket
Academy looks
fairly self explanatory. A former player, disgruntled at not
being
considered for selection, takes out his anger against a symbol of
something
that he feels has thwarted his ambitions. Simple. And yet, nothing
could be
further from the truth. The stark facts of the incident barely
scratch the
surface.
Most people will recall that last September Vermeulen was
banned for ten
years after an unsavoury fracas during a club match in
Lancashire. That
punishment was subsequently reduced on appeal to a
three-year ban, with two
of those suspended.
However, what became
abundantly clear from the evidence given at the time
was that Vermeulen was
a very troubled young man. His behaviour at other
times last summer had been
eccentric and specialists consulted before the
appeal hearing were clear
that he needed treatment.
With hindsight, it is now apparent that
Vermeulen has always had problems.
Reports of bizarre behaviour go back as
far as his early teenage years when
he was banned from school cricket. One
can only wonder how much the serious
skull fracture he sustained at the
hands of Irfan Pathan in early 2004
exacerbated his troubles. And that was
his second serious head injury within
12 months.
A friend of his
said that one moment he would be up, the next down in the
dumps. His
complete over-reaction to situations was the most outward sign of
his
fragile mental state. His lawyer claimed that his client was "suffering
from
a depressive illness which of course has a significant impact upon his
behaviour". He returned to Zimbabwe where his mental state seemed to slide
even further.
He arrived back confidently aiming to regain his place
in the national side.
And yet that buoyant optimism soon gave way to
depression when he was
ignored by selectors and officials. Within weeks he
was in the depths of
another low.
Earlier last month he was
arrested after arriving at the gates of Robert
Mugabe's fortified official
residence in Harare demanding to speak to the
president, who is the patron
of Zimbabwe Cricket. Any local will admit that
people have been shot for
just being in the vicinity of the palace at the
wrong time, underlining just
how ill-advised Vermeulen's conduct was. He had
also been undergoing
treatment after a car crash.
On Monday, he was reportedly escorted
from the South African embassy where
he was trying to obtain a visa to
travel to Johannesburg. The first fire
happened that night, the second less
than 24 hours later.
No one I have spoken to who knows Vermeulen
doubts that he desperately needs
psychiatric help. It seems there was no
real thought process behind his
attacks this week. As happened in
Lancashire, he just hit out at the closest
and most immediate target who be
blamed for his situation. In this case it
was the Zimbabwe cricket
establishment.
Those looking for a real motive miss the point,
although it was deeply
disturbing to learn that a senior ZC official sought
to capitalise on the
destruction of the Academy by ranting that Vermeulen
was a pawn of the
whites and this highlighted why they should be barred from
the game as a
result. That is palpable rubbish, and he knows it. It is also
ironic that
the official railed against the destruction of ZC property when
the board
had contributed not one cent towards the building of the Academy
in 1999.
The building can be rebuilt. Vermeulen is not so easily
mended.
What happened was nothing more than the illogical act of a
very sick person.
"This is a tragedy for cricket and a tragedy for a young
man," one friend
told me. The real tragedy will be if this is treated as a
simple criminal
act and he is sent to prison. In his state of mind,
incarceration will be
worst possible thing for Vermeulen and will serve no
purpose. What he needs
now is help.
Martin Williamson is managing
editor of Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
People's Daily
Zambia and neighboring Zimbabwe are holding
consultation meetings on
the revision of the emergency preparedness plan for
the Kariba Dam to be
ready for any disaster, local newspaper Zambia Daily
Mail reported on
Friday.
Speaking at a consultation meeting in
Siavonga, 220 km south of
Lusaka, on Thursday, permanent secretary in the
office of the Vice President
Bernard Namachila said there was need to revise
a plan to enhance a more
proactive approach to disaster management with a
framework of disaster risk
reduction.
"This plan is important
for our future as any action to be taken
before, during or after a disaster
will depend on how well the roles,
responsibilities and functions are spelt
out in the plan," Namachila said.
The meeting was organized by the
Zimbabwean Civil Protection Unit
(ZCPU) and Zambia's Disaster Management and
Mitigation Unit ( DMMU).
Namachila said the meeting would discuss
issues related to awareness
campaigns, stimulation exercises and rescue
operations that may be necessary
in the event of the dam
failing.
ZCPU director Madzodzo Pawadyira said the consultation
meeting was to
prepare for any unforeseen eventualities.
He
said although the last assessment by Zambezi River Authority showed
that the
dam was still in good shape, it was important to formulate and put
in place
plans for the betterment of the two countries.
The Kariba Dam is a
hydroelectric dam in the Kariba Gorge of the
Zambezi river basin bordering
Zambia and Zimbabwe. At 128-meter high and
579-meter long, it is one of the
largest dams in the world and controls 40
percent of the total runoff of the
Zambezi River.
Source: Xinhua
Zimbabwejournalists.com
By a Correspondent
As the vampire regime
of thugs and morons continues with violationg
people`s rights with immunity,
Zimbabwe today witnessed the arrest of Dr
Lovemore Madhuku,the National
Constitutional Assembly ( NCA) Chairman at
the parliament of Zimbabwe. The
police ordered the other participants to go
and remained with Dr Madhuku
whom they have since illegally detained.
Zimbbawe National Students
Union (ZINASU) condenms the arrest and
possible torture of Dr Madhuku and
will be going to the streets soon in
protest of Dr Madhuku`s arrest.ZINASU
is disturbed at the trend which human
rights abuses are taking in
Zimbabwe.
Barely three days after arresting more than fourty
students in
Bulawayo and releasing them on bail pending their appearence for
trial on
the 15th of november 2006,some of the arrested students were later
suspended
for putting the names of their colleges into
disrepute.
Four of the University of Zimbabwe members of the
Students Executive
Council were suspended and the UZ President spent two
nights in police cells
for reasons yet to be established. Recently the
police in connivance with
the dreaded youth militia brutally crushed the
lawful and legitimate Zimbawe
Congress of Trade Unions
protests.
We reaffirm our commitment to fight this tyranny to the
bitter end and
express our profound solidarity with Dr Madhuku.
We want to remind ZANU PF ( ruling or ruining party) that this is the
same
Union ( ZINASU) well known for its reckless but not foolish bravery and
with
the propensity to fight at a relentless capacity. We can safely confirm
that
the on going students protest are continuing and increaisng in
capacity.
A massive national class boycott will soon be called
and therefter our
demonstrations will take a national scale and outlook
until this evil regime
yields to the demands of the sovereign people of
Zimbabwe,students included.
DEFENDING ACADEMIC FREEDOMS IN
ZIMBABWE.
For and on behalf of ZINASU,
Promise
Mkwananzi
ZINASU President
Zimbabwe National Students
Union
21 Wembly Road, Eastlea, Harare, Zimbabwe,
0026391301231/ 002634788135
zinasu@gmail. comn
Mail and Guardian
Godwin Gandu
02 November 2006 11:59
President Robert Mugabe blocked the release of a report by the
ministry of
finance that exposes the looting of the country's sole steel
manufacturing
company, Zisco, by Cabinet members and senior Zanu-PF
officials.
Mugabe's cronies are believed to have been
under-invoicing and
using front companies to overcharge for goods and
services provided to
Zisco. Some of the goods and services were never
supplied.
Last month, Zimbabwe Industry and International
Trade Minister
Obert Mpofu told a parliamentary portfolio committee on
foreign affairs,
industry and international trade that "there are people
making money out of
Zisco . while Zisco is actually bleeding". He added:
"There is a thick file,
which, if you see it, you will be shocked. The
culprits are colleagues of
mine in Parliament."
According
to a verbatim account of Mpofu's appearance before the
committee on
September 27, which was leaked to the Mail & Guardian, Mpofu
made
stunning revelations that also revealed Mugabe's complicity in the
saga.
Mpofu -- who, along with Mugabe and the minister of
anti-corruption, received the full report -- was summoned by the committee
to answer questions on the matter in Parliament.
At a
stormy Cabinet meeting days after Mpofu's appearance in
front of the
committee, Mugabe told the ministers that the report should not
be made
public. He also ordered Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa to advise
the
committee to halt further investigations into Zisco operations. This
came
after the National Economic Conduct Inspectorate (Neci) briefed Mugabe
on
the implications of making the report public, given the number of Cabinet
ministers and legislators involved.
"That was going to
dent the credibility of his Cabinet,
resulting in a confidence crisis," a
member of Neci, who probed Zisco,
confided to the
M&G.
Mpofu subsequently backtracked when he appeared
before the same
committee seven days later, saying that he had been "quoted
out of context".
Mpofu also pleaded with the committee not to release the
report, arguing
that it would do more harm than good. Mpofu said that if
Neci's file on
Zisco was to be made public, "there would not be a single
investor" in
Zimbabwe.
"There are a lot of negative
perceptions about this country, and
for us to kill these perceptions we need
to avoid doing things that will
confirm them," said Mpofu. "When you start
talking about Zisco, that is okay
when the situation has stabilised. But now
it will create problems for us,"
he said.
The M&G has
been reliably informed that Mpofu's somersault is a
result of Mugabe's
desire to have the matter swept under the carpet.
In the
four-page report of the meeting, marked "private and
confidential", Senator
Guy Georgias, a committee member, close Mugabe ally
and Zanu-PF member, said
the minister's behaviour and the goings-on at Zisco
were
shocking.
"Facts at hand suggest impropriety, dishonesty,
incompetence and
outright betrayal of national trust," he writes. "[Mpofu
and ministry
officials] dithered, prevaricated, at times self-contradicted,
and reneged
on positions taken and statements made earlier," said
Georgias.
After apportioning blame to "unnamed powerful
colleagues and
members of Parliament", Mpofu then "decided to recant and
deny a statement
he had made under oath", says Georgias in another report
that was leaked to
the M&G.
At full capacity, Zisco
produced two million tons of steel a
year, but current production is less
than 300 000 tons. The drop in
production at Zisco stands in sharp contrast
to the firming of the world
steel price.
VOA
By
Blessing Zulu
Washington
03 November
2006
The lawyer for suspended Harare city clerk Nomutsa
Chideya has filed an
appeal in high court to declare that the municipal
commission put in place
by the government of Zimbabwe in 2004 to supersede
the elected city council
is illegal.
But lawyer Happius Zhou,
representing commission chief Sekesai Makwavarara,
said Zimbabwean law
empowers Local Government Minister Ignatius Chombo to
re-appoint a
commission "once he is satisfied that no elections are being
conducted."
On Thursday, high court Judge Lawrence Kamocha summoned
Makwavarara to his
court seeking an assurance she would respect a court
ruling barring her from
making changes to Chideya's compensation while
litigation continued over his
status.
Zhou said Makwavarara could not
attend the hearing Friday, and Kamocha
declared that said she must appear
Monday with a full explanation of why she
failed to attend.
Makwavara
has stood up a parliamentary committee probing her commission on
four
occasions, appearing recently only after being threatened with a
contempt
finding.
Lawyer Sternford Moyo, representing Chideya, told reporter
Blessing Zulu of
VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that Chombo must let Harare
residents elect
their mayor.
Harare has been without an elected mayor
since April 2004, when Chombo fired
the elected mayor, Elias Mudzuri, an
opposition politician, than fired 19
councilors of the Movement for
Democratic Change. Mudzuri had been suspended
in April 2003 and a commission
was set at that time to investigate his
conduct in office.
A November
2003 high court ruling declared that the commission had been
improperly
formed and that the evidence it gathered could not be used to
fire Mudzuri.
Under the law, an election was supposed to be held within 90
days of when a
mayor vacates the office. Instead, Chombo appointed
Makwavarara, then deputy
mayor, who abandoned the opposition to became mayor
as a member of the
ruling ZANU-PF party.
The remaining MDC councilors, who stayed on the
council after the firing of
Mudzuri and his 19 colleagues, resigned in
protest. On December 9, 2004,
Chombo appointed an eight-member commission,
led by Makwavarara, to run the
city. Since then the commission has been
re-appointed a number of times on
expiry of its term.
Please send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
jag@mango.zw with "For Open Letter Forum" in the
subject
line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
- Paul & Nikki Herley
In response to 'Unknown (for obvious
reasons)'.
Surely it is evident that looking to the outside world
for a solution has
resulted in nothing but meetings, signing of papers and
empty promises? It
has to come from those in Zimbabwe, be it peaceful means
or otherwise.
Living on the "outside", I can now see how far down
Zimbabwe is on the
agenda of world issues. We care because it's our country,
but everyone else
just sees another African country run into the ground by
one more African
dictator (it might be different if we had oil!). Certainly,
I don't
understand your comment "from afar, where there is freedom to
operate
successfully". Operate what - and how will it bring about change?
No one
is suggesting that lone individuals engage in civil disobedience all
by
themselves - there is no power in that. But just imagine if even half
the
population just stayed at home two days a week or didn't pay up? At the
end
of the day, they can't arrest everyone and that is where the phrase
"united
we stand, divided we fall" comes in.
I don't know what
it is like to be intimated or thrown in prison for no good
reason - but that
hasn't got anything to do with being "afar". I might not
know even if I
lived next door to you. Actually, I do know how bad things
are and can
imagine how terrifying it must be at times. Sadly, instilling
fear is the
triumph of the enemy because it disables any opposition. Civil
disobedience
etc. is the triumph of the populace and would it not shift the
balance, even
slightly, and with it bring renewed confidence and
courage?
NH
New
Zealand
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Please send any job opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG
Job Opportunities; jag@mango.zw or justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
JAG
Hotlines:
+263 (011) 610 073 If you are in trouble or need advice,
please
don't hesitate to contact us - we're here to help!
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Lines
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 October 2006
Cook/domestic wanted
I am looking for a
cook/domestic worker - someone who is honest and
trustworthy, with traceable
references.
Contact <rsjsgardini@zol.co.zw> or 011 604
084
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 October 2006
Gardener Wanted
Borrowdale area. Prefer to
share with someone in the area as no
accommodation available.
091 865 666
/ 882013 (pm) secretary@plastique.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 October 2006
Teacher Wanted
ONCE UPON A TIME NURSERY
SCHOOL is looking for a teacher for January 2007.
If you are a qualified
Primary, Infants or Nursery School trained teacher
you will find this a
rewarding position. We have a happy work atmosphere,
wonderful equipment, and
offer an excellent salary.
For more information phone Rosy on 776470 or
091-216730 or Andy on 746811
or
091-315455
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Ad
inserted 12 October 2006
S. KOREA
We are seeking 'Foreign
Teachers' to teach English in Seoul S. Korea. We
offer 12-month contracts
with good salary and conditions of employment.
Please send your CV if you can
fulfill ALL the criterion listed below.
Brief description.
Ten years
ago (1996) Dr. Jeong established a private tuition college in
Seoul, South
Korea. The college provides extra tuition in all subjects to
Korean school
students..most of whom are of primary school and early high
school age. The
majority of the staff are Korean teachers. However, ALL the
English teachers
are recruited from outside Korea. In order to be eligible
for an E-2 teaching
visa.. The Korean government stipulates that the
following two requirements
are met:
1) The teacher speaks English as a first language. i.e. 'grew up in
a home
where English was spoken.' This applies irrespective of their country
of
origin. For example we get many applications from Australians who are
of
Asian descent. Unfortunately, we are unable to employ them despite
most
applicants having outstanding qualifications.
2) The teacher has a
university degree. The degree MUST have been completed
in English. However, a
teaching degree is not required, nor is teaching
experience. although clearly
this is an advantage.
Ideally, the applicant has completed a recognized
TESOL course. However,
this requirement is not mandatory.
Send
applications of interest to mennellmike@optusnet.com.au
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 12 October 2006
Situation Vacant
Balance Sheet Bookeeper
- Either half or full day (what is important is to
get the job done!),
Borrowdale surburban, friendly (if not 'flash'!)
environment. Immediate or
ASAP start. Phone Rob on 011 604 136 or email
rebeare@africaonline.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 5 October 2006
Floor Manager Wanted
Position for a floor
manager in a vegetable wholesaling business 15 km
outside of Harare. 4 day
week and would suit an energetic gentleman
experience not
essential.
House a usual farm perks offered. Please contact 011 208447
or
011
207639.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 12 October 2006
Accountant wanted
Blackfordby College of
Agriculture is looking for a suitably qualified
accountant to fill the
position of Bursar. The job: To run the accounts
section of the college and
farm from a-z, the preparation of college and
farm budgets and cash flows and
to provide monthly management reports for
Board meetings. Knowledge of
agriculture may be an added advantage. Only
applicants with solid accounting
experience and those fluent with PASTEL and
EXCEL will be considered. The
package includes company car, medical aid,
competitive salary, with house
free water free lights and other benefits.
The successful applicant will
reside at the college about 70km from Harare
in the Mazowe / Concession
area. The job of assistant matron may be offered
to the wife of the
successful applicant. Phone for interview appointment.
Details of CV to be
sent to The Principal. P O Box EH197 Emerald Hill,
Harare, Zimbabwe. Phone;
075-2532 / 2533, Fax 075-2539, e-mail
agfordby@mweb.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 19 October 2006
Vacancy: Farm Manager, Lusaka Zambia
A
vacancy is available for a dynamic farm manager just outside
Lusaka
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The ideal candidate would be:-a single, Black- Fordby
Graduate or similarly
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For further information,
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or 04
443017.
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Ad
inserted 19 October 2006
Bookkeeper/Secretary
Our wonderful
bookkeeper/secretary is leaving for South Africa and we need
to try and
replace her. Mornings only in a small but chaotic office in
Hillside,
Bulawayo, for a wildlife and ostrich ranch. Mostly bookkeeping
(to trial
balance plus company tax, VAT returns, salaries and PAYE), trophy
export
documentation and some secretarial (emails and letters).
Meticulousness,
common sense and a good sense of humour all essential. To
start in December
(end November for handover if possible).
Please email in the first place
to rosslyn@netconnect.co.zw with
contact
details and previous
experience.
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Ad
inserted 19 October 2006
Vacancy
Vacancy exists for husband/wife
couple to assist in running rural superette.
All benefits: i.e., vehicle,
house, medical aid.
Please submit CV's to borser@comone.co.zw. Phone for reply to
011 408
986.
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Ad
inserted 19 October 2006
Consultants Wanted
Consultants wanted for
a 40 day project in Zimbabwe ? Anyone interested
should contact r.clark@agrisol.co.zw. A good knowledge
of Zimbabwe's sugar
industry and farming conditions in the low veldt would be
extremely useful.
1. Rural Development Sociologist
The person
must have a thorough understanding of Zimbabwean rural society
and social and
economic characteristics of Zimbabwe in general. Experience
with gender,
environmental, social, economic and poverty issues is
essential. The person
must have at least 5 years experience in the
formulation and evaluation of
development programmes.
2. Agronomist
Ideally the person must
have a post-graduate degree in agronomy. The person
must have at least 10
years of experience with the Zimbabwean sugar sector,
and substantial
experience in irrigated agriculture in general.
Overall, the proposed
team must have a thorough knowledge of business skills
for full understanding
of the larger players in the Zimbabwean sugar sector,
as well as development
skills to assess issues related to the smallholder
sugarcane
growers.
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Ad
inserted 26 October 2006
FINANCE MANAGER:
A plastics packaging
manufacturing company situated in Msasa is looking for
suitable applicants to
fill the position of Finance Manager.
Responsibilities:
-
- Managing and guiding the day to day activities of the
accounting
department.
- - Managing relationships with the company's
bankers
- - Sourcing of finance & investment of excess
funds
- - Forecasting, compiling and reporting
financial
performance to stakeholders as required.
- -
Managing and development of company information
system.
-
- Dealing with the tax authorities as need arises.
Qualifications
& Experience:
- - An appropriate degree in
accounting or professional
qualification (CIS/CIMA/ACCA)
-
- Experience in a manufacturing environment,
- -
Experience in the use of computerized accounting
software an added
advantage.
Competitive package including Company
Vehicle.
Applications for the above post accompanied by a detailed CV
should be
forwarded, before 10 November 2006, by candidates directly
to: The
Operations Director, via e-mail to hq@plastique.co.zw
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Ad
inserted 03/11/06
There is a project in Botswana called Fabulous Flowers
that is looking for a
production manager for a 5 hectare Rose project. The
project is located
near the capital and is effectively in the city limits.
The project has been
operational for one year and needs a good production
manager quickly. The
package is negotiable but market related with the
traditional industry
benefits and perks.
The idea is for any
interested party to send a CV to Tony Mills. Tony will
then respond and if
interested fly the person concerned down to Gaborone for
the day.
The
position is immediate and is being advertised elsewhere so speed will be
of
the essence to the interested parties.
Contact: Julian Vant
Email: serres@yoafrica.com
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Ad
inserted 03 November 2006
I would like to advertise a position for a
married couple to manage a small
hotel in Kadoma.
Jenny
Ireland
Email: ireland@zol.co.zw
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Ad
inserted 03 November 2006
OXFORD IT RECRUITMENT
Call Ronald Nyambalo
on 309855-60 (ext 14) cv@oxfordit.co.zw.
For any
recruitment assistance please contact the General Manager Sarah Vale
on
309274 sarah@oxfordit.co.zw
Project
Assistant - Implementation, training and system audit of Windows XP.
Would
ideally suit a young individual. Days are Monday-Friday and there
is
extensive travel within the country. This position is on a
two-month
contract starting 1 December 2006 and Sarah will interview
shortlisted
candidates beforehand. Date position closes, is Friday 17
November.
Finance Manager - Pastel 5/2005 and Access knowledge.
Accounting up to
audit. Suit proactive, hands on, flexible person. Very
senior position and
shortlisted candidates will require an interview by Sarah
beforehand.
Available 1 December 2006. Date position closes, is Friday 10
November.
Stores Person - Knowledge of computer hardware, stocks and
distribution.
Male environment, experience in sales environment is
beneficial. Ideally
suit someone in their 30s and a male, as the environment
is male dominated.
Date position closes, is Wednesday 8
November.
Payroll Officer - Excel/Pastel/Payplus/Softrite knowledge.
Experience in
payroll is essential and diploma required with 3 years
experience.
Available January 2007. Date position closes, is Friday 17
November.
HR Assistant - Excel/Pastel knowledge. Experience in
recruitment/selection
and training. Ability to deal with people and
knowledge of HR is an
advantage. 3 years experience is also required.
Available January 2007.
Date position closes, is Friday 17
November.
Interested candidates, please send an up-to-date cv to Ronald,
address
shown
above.
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Employment
Sought
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ad
inserted 19 October 2006
Bookkeeper / Administrator
I am a 23 year
old lady that currently works & resides in Harare. I will be
relocating
to Gweru in December and I am looking for a placement in the
above position
or similar. I am capable of performing the
following
functions:-
Accounting:
- Cashbook (manual &
computerised)
- Petty Cash payments and analysis
- Bank
Reconciliation's
- Debtors Invoicing, Statements & Debt collections
-
Creditors Analysis, Reconciliation's and payments
- Budgets and Cash
flows
- Journals and Ledgers
- Monthly Income Statements
- Draft Year
End Financial Statements & Income Tax Computations
- Salaries
and wages administration
- Capital Gains Tax Calculations and
reconciliation's
- VAT Calculations and payments
- PAYE Calculations,
payments and reconciliation's
- NSSA payments and administration
- NEC
payments and returns
- ZIMDEF payment and returns
- Medical Aid
administration
Administration:
- Company Secretarial work (statutory
returns) such as forms CR14, CR6, CR2,
Annual Returns, Company formation and
registration procedures.
- Functions of moderate Personnel
Management
Computer Literacy:
- Pastel Versions 5 - 8
- QuickBooks
(moderate knowledge)
- Belina Payroll
- Microsoft Office
For a
detailed Curriculum Vitae please contact: P. Russell - 011 646 268 or
756 841
or 756 850.
accounts@decisionstrading.com
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For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw