Zimbabwe suspends majority local-ownership rules

http://www.reuters.com

Tue Apr 13, 2010 2:32pm EDT

* Rules to sell majority stake to locals suspended

* Deadline for proposals had been Thursday

* Regulations being reviewed

HARARE, April 13 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's unity government has suspended and
will review rules forcing foreign-owned firms to sell a majority stake to
local people, a spokesman for Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said on
Tuesday.

Under the regulations, which came into effect on March 1, foreign-owned
companies, including banks and mines, had 45 days to submit proposals on how
they planned to sell 51 percent of their shares to black Zimbabweans within
five years.

The deadline for submitting proposals was Thursday April 15.

"The cabinet has today declared those regulations null and void, and they
are being suspended to allow for broad-based consultations on the best way
to proceed," spokesman James Maridadi told Reuters.

"Nothing is going to happen until the regulations have been reviewed to get
a consensus on the way forward," he said.

Police defend WOZA members, after detention by other officers

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
13 April 2010

Police officers in Bulawayo have lashed out at fellow officers, for
arresting two members of the pressure group Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA),
who were taking part in a public meeting on electricity tariffs.

The WOZA members were discussing unrealistic tariffs from Zimbabwe's
Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) on Tuesday, in a public meeting
organised by parliament's Competition and Tariff commission. Two hundred
WOZA members attended the public meeting in order to present their views on
ZESA. As the commission was getting ready to answer questions two WOZA
members, Million and Mavis Sibanda, took the opportunity to go to the
toilets. But they were grabbed by two plain clothed police officers who
searched their bags, confiscated WOZA posters and then insisted the two
accompany them to Central Police Station. They were briefly detained and
thoroughly questioned, before finally being released.

But in a move that is completely unlike the police's usual treatment of WOZA
members, the arresting officers were lambasted by their colleagues. It's
understood the officers came under fire for detaining the pair, with their
fellow officers saying "we are also suffering from ZESA cuts." Meanwhile,
other WOZA members marched out of the public meeting in anger over the
arrests, only returning to the meeting when the two were released.

On Monday, about 1000 WOZA members took to the streets of Bulawayo and
marched to ZESA's offices. Their aim was to deliver football inspired
'yellow cards' to the electricity service provider, for poor service and
unrealistically high tariffs, and warn them against a possible future
boycott. The march was monitored by police officials who, for once, didn't
not arrest any WOZA members or use violence to scatter the protesters. One
police officer was heard commending the protesters, clearly showing how
angry the country is over ZESA's appalling service and rolling blackouts.

WOZA has warned ZESA that it has a month to 'shape up' or face a nationwide
boycott. The electricity supplier has come under fire for months for power
cuts, high tariffs and unrealistic metering, that WOZA said is crippling the
country's economy.

 

Chombo Employing Tactics To Evade Land Grab Allegations

http://news.radiovop.com

13/04/2010 16:10:00

Harare, April 13, 2010 - The Minister of Local Government and Urban
Development, Ignatius Chombo, has gone ahead with counter investigations on
the Harare city councilors who exposed him for land fraud as the battle for
control of town house between Zanu (PF) and the Movement for Democratic
Change (MDC) intensifies.

A committee hand-picked by Chombo to investigate alleged "grabbing" of
houses from Zanu (PF) supporters by the MDC is being seen as a tactic by the
wealthy minister to divert attention from his involvement in a massive land
grab scandal recently exposed by a special committee.

Despite resistance from council, Chombo has imposed his authority and gone
ahead with investigating the councilors amid reports that he wants to use
the probe to suspend the council and put in place a commission.

Chombo, controversial businessman Phillip Chiyangwa, and senior council
employees - Cosmas Zvikaramba and Psychology Chiwanga have been reported to
police for fraudulently conniving to steal prime council land.

It could not be established at the time of going to press if police had
taken any action.

Chiyangwa has been fighting back through instigating police to arrest the
mayor Muchadeyi Masunda, the councilors who compiled the explosive dossier
and journalists who exposed the scandal.

Besides coming up with a committee to investigate councilors, Chombo has
also been allegedly inciting a handful of Zanu PF supporters to demonstrate
against the councilors.

However, Chombo met his first brick wall last week when Masunda turned down
his request to pay members of the investigating committee USD$5 000 each for
the job.

 "Chombo tried to pay his so called committee USD$5000 each to investigate
us but we said no and the mayor had no option except to shoot down the
minister's request. This is a complete waste of resources because Chombo's
committee is coming to just fix us for exposing the land grab scandal.

 "We are aware that Chombo has already compiled his report which he wants to
endorse through his dubious committee. We also know that one of the
committee members is a relative of Chombo. We will not co-operate with the
committee.

"In a normal situation councilors get $10 a day for carrying out
investigations but Chombo wants us to give his people $5000 for doing his
dirty jobs on us," said a councilor who refused to be named.

Contacted for comment on the allegations by Chombo that councilors are
grabbing houses from tenants, Mount Pleasant councilor Warship Dumba
dismissed the allegations as hogwash.

"We are not grabbing houses from those Zanu (PF) supporters who are being
paid to demonstrate against us. The truth of the matter is that everything
is being done above board. These tenants have been leasing the houses from
council and the agreements have expired.

"No councilor removed them. The High Court ordered them out at the expiry of
the contracts. Some even stayed after the expiry of their contracts. Council
is only following court orders in removing them," said Dumba.

Sources told Radio VOP Tuesday that the land grab scandal was due to be
discussed in cabinet.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has also stamped his authority and recently
summoned the co-ministers of Home Affairs, Giles Mutsekwa of MDC and Kembo
Mohadi of Zanu (PF)  to explain why councilors who carried out the land
audit were arrested instead of the people accused of illegally grabbing
land.
 

Missing Zimbabwe State Security Agent Found Dead

http://news.radiovop.com

13/04/2010 08:20:00

Buhera, April 13, 2010 - The state security agent who went missing after
denouncing President Robert Mugabe and saying he felt used by the government
for taking part in the torture, harrassment of innocent Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) activists, has been found dead.

Innocent Makamure had apologised publicly to villagers here for the role he
had played in the torture and killing of innocent MDC activists. He said he
had gained nothing by his actions.

Makamure had also expressed his intentions to apologise to the chief of the
area.

Makamure went missing after these statements.

His dead body was found on Monday afternoon floating in Mwerahari River,
after family members intensified searches.

Family members had last week told Radio VOP that they feared Makamure had
been killed.

Manicaland Police spokesperson inspector Philip Makomeke said they had not
yet received confirmation from police at Murambinda Growth Point that the
dead body found was that of Makamure.

"All we have is that Makamure is on our missing persons' list. I am yet to
check whether he is the one who was found dead on Monday," said Makomeke.

Makomeke said there were  high chances that out of frustration or mental
disturbances, Makamure could have committed suicide.

"If someone is highly frustrated or mentally disturbed, there are chances
that such a person can commit suicide," said Makomeke.

Family members who pleaded for anonymity, due to fear of further
victimization, said they highly suspected foul play.

"It is unfortunate that these people do not reform. They have killed
innocent because he had chosen to tell the truth. He had repented and he
wanted to live a free life but they took him and murdered him," said a
family member. "We are all shocked because of his death but after missing
him for more than a week, we suspected something terrible had happened. He
is gone and we now pray for our safety," said a the family member.
 

Tomana to draft media regulations

http://www.zimeye.org/?p=16127

By: John Chimunhu
Posted: Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Harare - Discredited Attorney-General Johannes Tomana has been handed the
task of drafting regulations that will be used by the Zimbabwe Media
Commission (ZMC) to licence newspapers, ZimEye has learnt.

The move has sparked outrage among media players who fear that Tomana, who
has been accused of being biased in favour of President Robert Mugabe, may
use his influence to block or delay registration of media houses seen as
critical of Zanu (PF).

Zimbabwe Union of Journalists Secretary-General, Foster Dongozi confirmed
the development. He said there were widespread fears that the delays in
setting up the Media Commission could be a result of dilly-dallying by
Tomana.
"A few weeks ago, the President met journalists and was wondering why the
Media Commission wasn't working. The Commission has now been told that it
has to consult the AG but the AG is the subject of discussion because Zanu
(PF) says he is the right candidate while the MDC says he should go. There
is a serious problem there because the Commission is supposed to licence new
newspapers. I don't know if this is deliberate obfuscation to frustrate
media reforms," Dongozi said.
The ZMC held its first meeting on March 18 where commissioners discussed the
budget. After the meeting, chairperson Godfrey Majonga told the media that
the actual business of licensing newspapers might take some time as the
budget had to be approved through the normal, lengthy government process
before the commission could set up a secretariat and start its work. Getting
the $47 000 budget authorized could take several months, according to
sources, who said the parent Ministry of Media Information and Publicity was
severely underfunded. The Ministry only received $2 million in the current
budget, which officials said fell far short of requirements. International
journalists meeting here last month expressed dismay at
the slow pace of media reforms in the country. International Federation of
Journalists President Jim Boumelha said: "We are very much aware of the
flourish of announcements made by the government. We are still waiting for
the ZMC to start its work. Here in Zimbabwe (the government) continues to
deny journalists their freedom."

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has said he prefers media self-regulation
as opposed to state regulation.

Zim expects KP greenlight for diamond sales

http://www.zimonline.co.za

by Own Correspondent Tuesday 13 April 2010

HARARE - Kimberley Process (KP) monitor for Zimbabwe Abbey Chikane has
presented his report on activities at Marange diamond field to the board of
the world diamond regulator, which Zimbabwean officials hope will decide in
their favour and allow Harare to sell the nearly three million carats they
have stockpiled.

A senior Zimbabwean government official speaking on condition that his name
was not published said on Monday once the KP board reads the report it will
make its own assessment and recommendations.

"Mr Chikane submitted the report to the KP board and we are now just waiting
for feedback on what the board has to say," the official said. "The report
we think was favourable to us, and we do not see any reason why we should
not be able to sell. Once we get the greenlight we should be able to sell."

The report, prepared last month after the KP sent diamond monitor Chikane to
assess operations at Marange (also known as Chiadzwa) where Mbada
Investments and Canadile Miners were last year licenced by the government to
mine diamonds, indicates that Zimbabwe has in stock 2.767m carats of Marange
diamonds awaiting regulatory approval for export.

Harare officials, who spoke to ZimOnline about three weeks ago, indicated
they were expecting Chikane back in Zimbabwe either by end of last month or
first week of April to formally grant Mbada and Canadile permission to sell
diamonds from Marange.

Chikane is yet to return to Harare.

Mbada and Canadile are two joint venture firms formed by state-owned
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) and some South African
investors to exploit the Marange deposits.

But Zimbabwe cannot trade diamonds from Marange until the KP inspects the
stones and certifies that they were obtained in line with the world diamond
watchdog's standards.

The requirement is part of measures to end human rights abuses and other
illegal activities at Marange where Zimbabwe's army is accused of committing
rights violations and diamond smuggling.

Currently, the KP board is chaired by Israel which took over from Namibia.

According to the report by Chikane, between October 2006 and February 2010,
4.401 million carats of diamonds were produced at the mine, while 1.634
million carats were sold, with the remainder held in stock.

The report indicated that production was split between the government-owned
Marange Resources, Mbada, Canadile and African Consolidated Resources (ACR),
a London-based company that is currently involved in a legal dispute
regarding the Marange claims.

Marange is one of the world's most controversial diamond fields with reports
that soldiers sent to guard the claims after the government took over the
field in October 2006 from ACR that owned the deposits committed gross human
rights abuses against illegal miners who had descended on the field.

Human rights groups have been pushing for a ban on Zimbabwean diamonds but
last November, the country escaped a KP ban with the global body giving
Harare a June 2010 deadline to make reforms to comply with its
regulations. - ZimOnline

South African President Zuma Promises Impartiality in Mediating Zimbabwe Political Crisis

http://www1.voanews.com

Mr. Zuma's remarks appeared aimed at reassuring the former opposition
Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe that he did not agreed with
recent statements by African National Congress youth leader Julius Malema
saying the ANC firmly backed ZANU-PF

Ntungamili Nkomo | Washington 12 April 2010

South African President Jacob Zuma has promised to continue his mediation
efforts in Zimbabwe with the "necessary seriousness and sensitivity" and
impartially to resolve the outstanding issues troubling the national unity
government in Harare.

In a weekend statement, President Zuma confirmed he had received a report on
the long-running talks within the unity government and pledged impartiality
as he seeks resolution to the political impasse.

Mr. Zuma's statement appeared aimed at reassuring the former opposition
Movement for Democratic Change in Zimbabwe that he did not agreed with
recent statements by African National Congress youth leader Julius Malema
saying the ANC firmly backs the ZANU-PF party of President Robert Mugabe.

"We cannot and will not side with any one of the parties to the exclusion of
others," Mr. Zuma said, repudiating Malema's declaration. "We will continue
to facilitate resolution of the impasse in Zimbabwe and to treat all parties
with respect."

Zuma aide Lindiwe Zulu told VOA that Mr. Zuma, who met with U.S. President
Barack Obama in Washington on Sunday, will further brief him on developments
in Zimbabwe, most likely on the margins of the nuclear summit which opened
there Monday.

Political commentator Brilliant Mhlanga told VOA Studio 7 reporter
Ntungamili Nkomo it was imperative for Mr. Zuma to renounce Malema's
statements so as to maintain credibility as Zimbabwe mediator.

New travel document unveiled

http://www.herald.co.zw/

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Herald Reporter

THE Registrar-General's Office will from tomorrow start issuing six-month
multiple-entry Temporary Travel Documents to replace the existing 21-day
Emergency Travel Documents.

The new TTD will cost US$38.

At a Press conference in Harare yesterday, RG Mr Tobaiwa Mudede said this
would address the challenges of counterfeit travel papers that fraudsters
were producing.

"The new document, which will start to be issued on Wednesday 14 April, 2010
is machine-readable just like a passport.

"This is meant to curb fraudulent activities by those who have been trying
to imitate our documents. It is much more secure than the old one, which was
not machine-readable.

"The new document meets required international standards and will be valid
for a period of six months. The issuance will take one day," Mr Mudede said.

He said the TTD would be used in countries that already accepted Zimbabwe's
ETDs.

Mr Mudede urged ports of entry officials to accept 21-day ETDs until they
expired.

The new TTD has a security watermark, a lining at the margin of the document
and the national identity number.

Mr Mudede said the new document also had invisible marks, which could only
be detected by a machine.

"Having experienced fraudsters who have been producing counterfeit
documents, we have decided to tighten the security features with invisible
marks which can only be detected by the machine at ports of entry.

"We know they are busy trying to produce fake documents but we believe this
time around they would not be able to imitate these ones," Mr Mudede said.

He urged Zimbabweans to apply for travel documents from designated offices
only.

In December last year, scores of Zimbabweans wishing to travel to South
Africa for Christmas shopping were stranded at Beitbridge Border Post as
immigration officers rejected ETDs.

South Africa's Home Affairs department officials said the travel documents
had been tampered with and insisted that their Zimbabwean counterparts
should first authenticate them.

This was after ETDs whose validity was 21 days, were altered and five more
months added and signed for by Zimbabwean authorities.

In September last year, Zimbabweans with ETDs issued in Gweru and Bulawayo
were barred from entering South Africa because of a flood of fake documents
produced in the two cities.

Zimbabwean officials requested the suspension while police investigated a
major theft of ETD documents from the Gweru passport office.

A number of syndicates issuing fake documents have been busted over the past
year.

Zimbabwe University Students Meet With PM Tsvangirai Over Alleged Crackdown

http://www1.voanews.com

The ZINASU faction which backs the parliamentary-led constitutional revision
process told the prime minister said that one student has been abducted, 51
have been arrested and 13 have been expelled since January

Patience Rusere | Washington 12 April 2010

One formation of the divided Zimbabwe National Students Union met on Monday
with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai to seek his action on an alleged
crackdown on students and high tuition fees.

The ZINASU faction which backs the parliamentary-led constitutional revision
process - the other faction has allied itself with the National
Constitutional Assembly which says the revision process should be led by
civil society - told Tsvangirai said that one student has been abducted, 51
have been arrested and 13 have been expelled since January, student sources
said.

Student leaders also alleged threats and harassment by university
authorities and state agents following student protests over the level of
tuition fees.

Meanwhile, student sources said security guards at the University of
Zimbabwe detained ZINASU President Joshua Chinyere and union spokesman
Wisdom Mgagara on Monday in connection with a March 29 protest over tuition
fees. The two were released in time to attend the meeting with the prime
minister.

ZINASU spokesman Mgagara told VOA Studio 7 reporter Patience Rusere that the
Prime Minister promised to look into the alleged harassment by police and
the affordability of tuition fees.

Transitional justice hampered by lack of reform

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Alex Bell
13 April 2010

Transitional justice in Zimbabwe, which has been described as one of the key
factors in rebuilding the country, is being hampered by the lack of any real
reform promised by the unity government.

This is according to a leading Zimbabwean human rights activist and lawyer
who is facilitating a series of upcoming workshops on transitional justice
in the Diaspora. Gabriel Shumba, the Director of the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum
in South Africa, will join Irene Petras (from the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human
Rights) and Lovemore Matombo (from the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions) in
London on Thursday for the first workshop, aimed at garnering public opinion
from Zimbabweans in the Diaspora on transitional justice options.

The workshops have been organised by the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, in
cooperation with the Council of Zimbabwe Christian Leaders in the UK and the
Zimbabwe Association. In 2009 the Forum conducted a number of similar
programmes throughout Zimbabwe, to find the public's desired transitional
justice model for the country. The workshop in London is the first to
include Zimbabweans in the Diaspora and is also the first of a series to be
conducted in the UK.

Shumba told SW Radio Africa's Diaspora Diaries programme on Tuesday that the
workshops are critical to get opinions from victims of human rights abuses
at the hands of the Robert Mugabe regime, who fled to places like the UK.
Shumba said that the workshops will allow people to state how they want
justice to be served on the many perpetrators who have never been punished
for their abuses. He explained how key recommendations can then be passed on
to the government, and specifically the Organ on National Healing and
Reconciliation, set up to tackle issues of transitional justice.

The Organ has already been largely dismissed as a non-entity by human rights
campaigners in Zimbabwe, with some groups even accusing it of being nothing
more than a ZANU PF 'gimmick'. Restoration of Human Rights Zimbabwe (ROHR)
and the Victims Action Committee (VAC) dismissed the Organ as giving false
hope to victims of ZANU PF's 2008 election violence and atrocities. Giving a
joint statement to the media in Harare last month, ROHR Zimbabwe Director
Tichanzii Gandanga, and  VAC's Fortune Muchuchuti, said the Organ had not
only failed but was guilty of giving false hope to the masses of Zimbabwe.

On Diaspora Diaries Shumba explained that real implementation of
transitional justice and the work of the Organ was being hampered by the
lack of political will in Zimbabwe. He explained that the same people
responsible for 'scuppering' the unity government are the same people
resistant to seeing the nation heal. Shumba added that the same structures
of abuse, such as repressive laws like the Public Order and Security Act
(POSA) were still in place in Zimbabwe, despite promises of reform by the
unity government. He said this lack of reform "make any inroads towards
transitional justice impossible."

"The lack of reform is making implementation difficult and the future of
national healing will be wholly dependent on political will."

When asked what the point was in holding workshops in the Diaspora for such
an 'impossible' task, Shumba said awareness was an achievement "critical to
move the nation forward." He explained that by getting people to ask
questions on the future they want, was advancing their basic rights, rights
that for years have been trampled on by the Mugabe regime.

"This kind of process gives people a voice and it will assist the nation in
moving forward," Shumba said.

 

Daily News expected on the street in weeks?

http://www.swradioafrica.com

By Violet Gonda
29 March 2010

Jethro Goko, the Director of the Associated Newspaper of Zimbabwe (ANZ),
publishers of the Daily News, has said they are hopeful that in the next few
weeks there won't be any excuse for not opening up the print media space
completely in Zimbabwe.

Goko told SW Radio Africa on Tuesday: "Lot's of work is currently going on
behind the scenes and we are ready to bring the print product onto the
streets in Zimbabwe. What we are waiting for is just the licence disk to be
displayed on our windscreen."

The country's only privately owned daily newspaper was forced to shut down
seven years ago. The Daily News is now hoping for an operating licence from
the new licensing authority  - the Zimbabwe Media Commission.

Goko said a new look Daily News will have heavy weights on the team and at
least 78 staff members, including journalists on the payroll.

Last month, the masthead of The Zimbabwe Times website, edited by veteran
journalist Geoff Nyarota, was replaced by that of the Daily News.  A
statement on the site said; "Finishing touches are currently being put to a
brand new and exciting The Daily News domain. It has been created in
anticipation of the much anticipated relaxation of the current media
landscape, which is a key and necessary precursor to any meaningful
democratic transition in Zimbabwe."

The government is being criticized for delaying the implementation of media
reforms as the inclusive government has been in 'operation' for over a year
and yet there is still no privately owned daily newspaper registered in
Zimbabwe and no licenses have been issued for the independent electronic
media.

The newly appointed ZMC only started operating in March 2010, after a delay
of over a year in appointing the Commission.

The ZMC replaces the Media and Information Commission (MIC), which was
appointed by the former ZANU PF led government in 2002. It was the state
controlled MIC which banned the Daily News for operating without a licence
and caused the expulsion of a number of foreign journalists from the
country, after the regime imposed draconian media laws.

But lawmakers have pointed out that the ZMC will be unable to bring any real
change to the media landscape, as they are forced to function under
restrictive laws such as AIPPA. The only way to bring real media freedom is
to repeal all the draconian laws that stop freedom of expression and a free
media.

 

Zimbabwe's quarterly gold production surges

http://news.yahoo.com

AFP

Tue Apr 13, 8:21 am ET

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe's quarterly gold production surged to more than one
and a half tonnes on the back of increased mine output, the Chamber of Mines
said on Tuesday.

The chamber said the country's quarterly production jumped to 1.667 tonnes,
from zero production during the same period last year.

"By year-end we are looking at between 6,000 to 7,000 kilograms given that
things have somewhat stabilised in the industry," Chamber of Mines chief
economist David Matyanga told AFP.

"Monthly production figures keep going up and down like a yoyo, but the
problems of power supply, working capital and manpower are still affecting
the industry.

"However when compared to the same period last year when there was no
production, this year seems to be better for the industry in terms of
production."

In January, the gold sector produced 519 kilograms, followed by 487
kilograms in February and 661 kilograms in March.

Matyanga suggested that the industry could approach the power supplier "and
pay more for the supply of electricity to ensure a reliable power supply."

Finance Minister Tendai Biti has projected that the mining industry sector
could grow by 40 percent this year.

In 2008, most of the country's mines which were placed either under care and
maintenance or closed down, due to hyperinflation and stringent export
regulations.

Prices of goods set to rise

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Staff Reporter and Radio VOP
Monday, 12 April 2010 15:41
BULAWAYO - Prices of locally manufactured goods are set to rise due to the
excessive power cuts that are affecting production, business leaders have
warned. (Pictured: Welshman Ncube)
This is coming at a time when the power utility, the Zimbabwe Electricity
Supply Authority (ZESA) announced on Friday that more power outages were
coming due to a maintenance work on the Kariba Power Station.
"The excessive power cuts are negatively impacting on capacity utilization
as companies are now forced to buy generators that are more expensive than
electricity and this in turn will push prices of products upwards," the
president of the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Obert Sibanda
said.
"Industry is already experiencing prolonged power outages and that will
increase the prices of local goods, as compared to imported goods," he said.
The extended power load-shedding programme has been attributed to a power
shortfall due to generation problems at Hwange Power Station.
Due to the power outages, some companies are reported to be producing lower
than 10 percent of their required capacity because of the power outages.
The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Professor Welshman Ncube said:
"Power outages have affected industry badly, the equipment has been damaged,
production has been low and costs of it have been extremely high.  We are
aware that it is one of the major threats to industry and the growth of our
economy."
He said his Ministry had tabled their concerns to the Ministry of Energy and
Power Development, which has assured them that in the last half of this year
the country might be having sufficient power to ensure that there are no
power cuts to industry.
"The Kariba plant will be under-going a maintenance programme and as a
result we will have a reduced output from Kariba power station and all this
is in preparation of the World Cup," ZESA spokesman Fullard Gwasira told
Radio VOP.  "The maintenance programme will be done starting on April 16 and
ending of May 21".
Gwasira said the maintenance is done in preparation for the June, Soccer
World Cup in South Africa .
ZESA is understood to be in need of  US$383 million to import power and
improve electricity generation amid reports that the utility is owed US$347
million in unpaid bills. The debt has ballooned from US$230 million reported
last year.
In 2008 ZESA entered into a US$15 million deal with ZIMASCO a local mining
firm to refurbish Hwange Power Station unit number five and six.
At the same time when Zimbabwean households and industry are experiencing
persistent power cuts of up to 20 hours daily, Zimbabwe is exporting power
to Namibia at a discounted tariff to meet requirements of a US$50 million
deal which has worsened the power crisis.
Under the deal signed in March 2007, Namibia , which provided Zimbabwe with
loan of US$50 million, is supposed to receive 180 megawatts for a minimum of
five years as part of a power purchasing agreement between Zesa and Namibia
's power utility, Nampower.
The US$50 million was meant to refurbish and expand Hwange Power Station to
levels that would have resulted in a "significant" reduction in power-cuts
throughout energy-crisis-hit Zimbabwe.

US$7m needed for Zim met services

http://www.zimonline.co.za/

by Norest Musvaba in Nairobi Tuesday 13 April 2010

ZIMBABWE requires more than US$7 million to upgrade its archaic
meteorological department to meet the demands of global climatic changes
increasingly affecting farming patterns across the world, meteorological
services chief Amos Makarau has said.

The Zimbabwe meteorological services director, who was speaking on Monday on
the sidelines of an ongoing conference in Kenya for top government officials
in charge of meteorological services in Africa, called on Harare to seek
help from the international community to revamp the weather forecasting
department that is also critical for air travel safety.

"Funding has not been adequate. Zimbabwe needs to engage the international
community once again because we have not been doing well for the past years
because of our political situation," Makarau said.

"We are looking for over US$7 million to resuscitate radar networks, to
upgrade our infrastructure and to scale up training for human resources."

Makarau said his department needs cash to buy equipment and to reopen
weather stations closed because of lack of resources, adding this was
critical to ensure correct and reliable weather information for farmers in a
country that has experienced erratic rains for the past decade that have
contributed to food shortages.

The Nairobi conference organised by the World Meteorological Organisation
and the African Union is aimed at strengthening the role of national
meteorological and hydrological services on the continent where natural
disasters such as droughts and floods have often exacerbated poverty and
hunger. - ZimOnline

Meat shortages in Zim loom ahead of SA import ban

http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za

Eyewitness News | 3 Hours Ago

Zimbabweans are bracing themselves for chronic shortages of beef and pork
following a ban on imported animal products from South Africa.

The three-month ban has been imposed to prevent the spread of Rift Valley
Fever.

Zimbabwe's poultry producers are rubbing their hands in glee. They said they
can now offload 3000 tonnes of poultry meat onto the market. But local beef
processors and retailers are not smiling. They have predicted a massive
shortage of beef products on the market and a consequent hike in prices.

Until now it was not clear just how dependent the country was on beef
imports from South Africa. But local beef production has plummeted following
10 years of de-stocking by white farmers.

The country's main meat processor, the Cold Storage Company, has only 1 500
cattle for slaughter at its countrywide ranches. This is down from 30 000.

Russian billionaire denies Mugabe links despite CBZ shares

http://www.swradioafrica.com/

By Lance Guma
13 April 2010

A Russian billionaire attempting to buy US basketball team, the New Jersey
Nets, has denied violating US targeted sanctions that forbid American
companies from doing business with some individuals and companies in
Zimbabwe. Responding to a call from New Jersey lawmaker Bill Pascrell Jr for
a government investigation into his dealings, Prokhorov's company, Onexim
Group, issued a statement calling the initial New York Post report Pascrell
based his allegation on as 'erroneous.'

Onexim said; 'The company and all its holdings have always been in strict
compliance with all United States and European rules regarding Zimbabwe and
we have no dealings whatsoever with companies or individuals on the
sanctions list.' The National Basketball Association, who are still to vote
on whether to agree to Prokhorov's bid to purchase the team, came out in his
support saying no law had been broken to their knowledge. 'The NBA is aware
of no information that Mr. Prokhorov is engaged in business dealings with
any of these individuals or entities,' they said.

Investigations by Newsreel show that Prokhorov, through his Renaissance
Capital investment bank, snapped up a significant shareholding in the
government owned Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe Holdings in 2007. The shares
were bought from South Africa's ABSA. The following year in 2008 they
purchased a further 15 percent stake in CBZ, buying shares from the Libyan
Arab Bank. Analysts at the time said Renaissance Capital was consolidating
its shareholding in CBZ through block share purchasing.
The saving grace for Prokhorov, as exiled investment banker Gilbert Muponda
explains, is that CBZ Holdings is not on the US targeted sanctions list.
This is despite its key role in the sourcing of funds that sustained the
oppressive Mugabe regime. Current Reserve Bank governor Gideon Gono ran the
bank as Chief Executive for several years, earning a reputation as Mugabe's
personal banker. Muponda told us that CBZ was now the country's biggest bank
in terms of deposits, largely owing to help and support from the central
bank chief and former boss, Gono.

Kurt Helin, writing on his NBC sports blog, has questioned lawmaker Bill
Pascrell's push for an investigation. 'Every move in Washington is about
power. In this case, Pascrell is up for election this fall, one he will
likely win, he's held this seat for 14 years already. But this futile
gesture was designed to get his name in the headlines fighting for New
Jersey against big, bad New York and the Russian guy taking their team away.
Pascrell knew this would go nowhere. However, all he had to do was write a
letter and a press release and he gets his name in the paper, shows he cares
about New Jersey. The rights of the oppressed in Zimbabwe have nothing to do
with this. It's about an American election.'

Spotlight on Human Trafficking Before World Cup in South Africa

http://www1.voanews.com/

Officials warn event will bring huge increase in human trafficking, but
recent study indicates initial forecasts may have been exaggerated

Delia Robertson | Johannesburg 13 April 2010

As South Africa prepares to host the FIFA 2010 World Cup, international
organizations and local non-governmental organizations are warning the event
will bring with it a huge increase in human trafficking.  But a recent study
indicates that while the problem is severe it may not be as extensive as has
been suggested.

"What is human trafficking?  It is modern day slavery; a violation of human
rights; a crime against humanity; it is just plain evil, and it is
happening - right here, right now in South Africa.  Not only is it already
happening - it is going to get worse."

If this public service announcement is to be believed, tens of thousands of
people will be trafficked in South Africa during the month-long 2010 World
Cup in June and July.  But Carol Allais of the University of South Africa,
UNISA, says such claims are exaggerated.

"I must also say that these huge numbers that are being bandied around, so
many people expected to be trafficking, 40,000, 120,000, are totally
alarmist and exaggerated," Allais said.

She was the team leader of a recent study on trafficking in South Africa,
although the report also touched on Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Lesotho.  Allais
says at present the number of people trafficked to, in or from South Africa
each year is currently not known, but that the real figure is more likely to
be in the hundreds than in the thousands.  But, she says, trafficking is a
very real problem in this country.

"There is enough even from the little bits of quantitative data that we
manage to get hold of , and a lot of anecdotal data from various, from a
range of stake holders; it is definitely a problem and a lot of people are
at risk," Allais said.

The study led by Allais is the first comprehensive investigation done in
South Africa - it was commissioned by the country's National Prosecuting
Authority and done under the auspices of the Human Sciences Research Council
in Pretoria.  But researchers said their ability to investigate the problem
was severely curtailed because governments in the region do not gather
statistics on trafficking, and because the team was not given names and
details of government officials dealing with it.

Up to now, only the International Organization on Migration has kept
statistics and those are confined to the cases they deal with.  The IOM's
program manager for counter-trafficking and irregular migration, Mariam
Khokhar, tells VOA that since 2003 they have dealt with 310 trafficked
people in South Africa.  Khokhar says this is just the tip of a much larger
iceberg.

"These are cases that have been detected.  There are cases that have not
been detected and those must be very many more we believe, because there is
not a focus on trafficking in persons in the region," Khokhar said.

UNISA's Allais says there is not a significant number of South Africans
being trafficked to other countries. Instead, she says, the study reveals
that South Africa has a problem with people, mostly young women, being
trafficked internally and is also a destination for people trafficked from
the African continent and from further afield, primarily Thailand.  Most are
destined for the sex industry.

Sister Colleen Wilkinson, of the Catholic Sisters of Mercy, runs a shelter
for trafficked women in Pretoria.  She says the shelter has taken in 156
mostly young women since 2004, and that 98-percent are Thais trafficked to
brothels in Pretoria.  She says it seems that nationals of both countries
are complicit in the trade.

"It looks like a combination of South African and Thai, in some sort of
partnership.  But I do not know about all the cases, just some of the cases
have been a mixture of Thai and South African," Wilkinson said.

As in other countries, international crime syndicates are often involved in
trafficking people into South Africa, often alongside other criminal
activities such as illicit drugs and money laundering.

South Africa has signed and ratified the U.N. Convention against
Transnational Organized Crime and the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and
Punish Trafficking in Person, especially Women and Children.  National
legislation against human trafficking is at present before parliament, and
is expected to be adopted before the start of the 2010 World Cup.
Awareness workshops are being conducted in schools and law enforcement
agencies.

But Allais says much more needs to be done including setting up a
trafficking information management system, skills training for government
officials, accelerated information campaigns and incorporating teaching
about the dangers of human trafficking at primary and secondary schools.

Zim government proposes special World Cup visa

http://www.timeslive.co.za/

Apr 12, 2010 11:46 PM | By Sapa

Zimbabwe's government is proposing a special Fifa World Cup visa to
facilitate travel during the soccer showpiece in June, the SABC reported.

Proposals included a special permit to allow travel between South Africa and
Zimbabwe and a complete suspension of visa requirements for visitors from
the 32 participating nations.

This as concern grows that the tourism and commercial spin-offs from South
Africa's hosting of the tournament may not be as high as initially
predicted.

Zimbabwe's Tourism Minister Walter Mzembi said: "The arrivals have been
revised down almost to about 280 000 or so, starting from an all high of 450
000. It affects us here as well".

"But I can tell you, if a major promotional campaign had been done in
Africa, we would have exceeded those 450 000 figures," Mzembi was quoted as
saying.

It might not be too late, he said.

"We need to deal with South Africa's ports of entry which will open up South
Africa to the countries up north."

Iran President's Visit To Zimbabwe Worry Human Rights Activists

http://news.radiovop.com

13/04/2010 10:14:00

Harare, April 13, 2010 - Human rights activists have protested against the
invitation of controversial Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad who will be
heading for Zimbabwe next week to open the Zimbabwe International Rade Fair.

Human rights activists and journalist have condemned the invitation extended
to the Iranian leader by President Mugabe, saying the only "sensible thing"
the two leaders would do is "exchange notes on dictatorship".

Campaigners against Ahmadinejad's visit say it is worrying for Zimbabwe to
be still interested in nurturing friendships with repressive regimes at a
time it should be closing ranks with progressive governments.

The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) condemned the decision by
Mugabe's government to invite Ahmadinejad, who is viewed worldwide as an
incorrigible dictator.

Said Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) spokesperson said, "We see the
visit by the Iranian leader as part of the exchange of notes between the
Zimbabwean government and the Iranian dictator.

"We are really worried that our government is still interested in making
friendships with repressive regime at a time it should be closing ranks with
progressive governments."

ZimRights director Okay Machisa says they would not recognize Ahmadinejad
saying his track record of rights abuses was well documented and
unacceptable. "The big question is who invited him. was there any consensus
within the inclusive government?" he asked.

Movement for Democratic Change has not issued a statement.

The Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), the largest journalist
representative body says Ahmadinejad's visit is, "from a journalism
perspective his visit is a no cause for journalists to celebrate as his
country and Zimbabwe are viewed as serious violators of press freedom".

Mugabe has over the last few years sought to strengthen ties with Asian and
Middle Eastern countries under what he calls a "Look East policy".

In February it was reported that a state of the art helicopter training
repair center was being set up in Zimbabwe by Iran. Iran and Zimbabwe have
also signed several joint venture deals ranging from agriculture to
telecommunication and broadcasting that led to the digitalization of the
state controlled Zimbabwe Broadcasting Cooperation's television studios in
Harare.

Ahmadinejad will open a trade exhibition set for the second largest city of
Bulawayo on April 23.

In inviting Ahmadinejad, Mugabe's spokesperson said, "President Ahmadinejad
will open the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair this year on April 23, said
George Charamba.

It would be the first time that a leader from both the Persian Gulf and
outside Africa has been to Zimbabwe to officially open the annual premier
trade exhibition.

Over the last decade, Zimbabwe's premier business exhibition has lost its
glamour as international exhibitors mainly from Europe have been shunning
the exhibition due to the political situation. Defence Web
 

UZ set to disenfranchise thousands

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Student Solidarity Trust
Tuesday, 13 April 2010 15:53
ZINASU Leaders Expelled
The University of Zimbabwe (UZ) Registrar Sergeant M. Chevo posted a notice
at campus on the 12th of April 2010 that is set to barricade thousands of
students from writing their end of semester examinations. The examinations
are pencilled to commence on the 19th of April 2010 which is ironically a
public holiday denigrating the essence of Independence Day. Zimbabweans
observe the Independence Day on 18 April of every year. President Mugabe has
presided over independent Zimbabwe for 30 years since 1980 and his reign has
been characterised by socio-economic and political obstacles. Health and
education sectors are recovering from a decade of neglect and underfunding.
The current move by UZ administration to bar students who are not fully paid
up from accessing the examination venues from 19 April 2010 is an assault on
the right to education and reverses the gains made under the inclusive
government towards education transition and recovery.
The communiqué posted on UZ notice boards advised all students that the
final date of registration is tomorrow (Wednesday, 14th April 2010, 1600
hours) giving students an ultimatum of 48 hours to respond by paying fees.
It strongly warned students that the Bursar and Students Records and
Registration offices will not accept any registration forms after this date.
The notice further stated that students who fail to register within the set
48 hours will not be allowed to sit for the examinations. It is alleged in
the notice that all preparations for the examinations are being based on the
number of registered students and so no special cases will be entertained.
The University stated it has no facility to assist students financially.
Students facing financial hardships were encouraged to pursue mockingly
within 48 hours the rigorous and partisan procedures of enrolling in the
disgraced cadetship scheme. It was also stated that no students whatsoever
will be able to write examinations before paying the full fees, or in the
case of the cadets, all mandatory fees. Students on cadetship scheme pay
mandatory fees of between US$73 and US103. Tuition fees are pegged at over
US$400.
It is clear that on this fateful day of commencement of end of first
semester examinations, university as well as state security personnel will
be armed to the teeth barring "unregistered" students from writing the
examinations which they have adequately prepared for. Students will just
have two options: to drop out of the university or to defer their studies
indefinitely. University authorities and law enforcement have been blamed in
the past for the heavy handedness in reacting to protesting students. The
Professor Levi Nyagura led UZ administration in July 2007 evicted 4500
students from halls of residence after issuing a 30 minutes notice.
Demonstrations have surged ever since the withdrawal of the loan system
commonly known as payouts in the university circles in February 2006.
Meanwhile ZINASU leaders Andrew Joshua Chinyere 4th year Bachelor of Laws
Student and Wisdom Magagara 3rd year Bachelor of Science Honours Degree in
Social Work have been served with suspension letters in terms of Section 8
(3) (d) of the draconian University of Zimbabwe Act. The suspensions are
indefinite. The hearing dates were not mentioned in the suspension letters.
Vice Chancellor Professor Levi Nyagura alleges that it has been brought to
his attention that the couple led a demonstration at Bindura University of
Science Education. The two join hundreds of other students who have been
suspended by Nyagura in the recent past. Judging from what has becoming of
other suspended students the fate of the couple is almost sealed;
expulsions.

NRZ to buy coaches from China

http://www.thezimbabwean.co.uk

Written by Natasha Hove
Monday, 12 April 2010 15:37

BULAWAYO - The  National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) has plans to spend
millions of United States dollars procuring 29 state of the art passenger
coaches from a Chinese company with the first delivery set for June.
According to information from NRZ sources, CSR Nanjing Puzhen Rolling Stock
Company Ltd, a subsidiary of China South Locomotive and Rolling Stock
Corporation (CSR), is supplying the coaches. The parastatal spokesperson,
Fanual Masikati, confirmed the deal but refused to reveal the details,
saying it could jeopardise the arrangement. "It's true that we are arranging
the purchase of coaches, I cannot give more details as that could jeopardise
the deal. We once gave details of an Angolan deal and our counterparts
pulled out as they were not happy," said Masikati.
Masikati was also not at liberty to reveal the amount involved. But sources
told The Zimbabwean that NRZ officials have visited the company's
headquarters in China to 'tie loose ends of the deal". According to the
order, the ailing parastatal would take delivery of six types of coaches -
special express hard-seat coach, special express cushioned-seat coach,
special express semi-cushioned berth sleeper, special express bar-coach,
luggage and power generating combination coach and commuter car. NRZ sources
say the parastatal urgently needs of both locomotive and passenger coaches.
Currently NRZ is operating at between 30% and 50% of its capacity because of
a myriad of challenges. In 2004, NRZ concluded other contracts with CNR of
China for the supply of the locomotives, train sets and mainline coaches at
a cost of US$110,4 million.

Zimbabwe Black Empowerment Leader Tries to Take Over White-Owned Firm in Harare

http://www1.voanews.com

Though ZANU-PF provincial official Mliswa said he has acquired shares in the
firm, some worried that indigenization is getting ahead of itself

Gibbs Dube | Washington 12 April 2010

Though Zimbabwean indigenization regulations were only published in March
and according to Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai will be revised, sources
said Themba Mliswa, vice president of the country's largest black
empowerment organization, has been trying to take over a white-owned
automobile accessories company in Harare.

News reports and industry sources said the Affirmative Action Group officer
claims to hold a 50 percent stake in Benbar, having purportedly bought the
shares through a third party.

Sources said Mliswa, also ZANU-PF secretary for land Mashonaland West
Province, recently harassed the company's directors, leading to his arrest.

Reached by VOA, Benbar directors, Mliswa and police all declined to comment.
Affirmative Action Group Secretary General Tafadzwa Musarara told VOA Studio
7 reporter Gibbs Dube that his organization has nothing to do with the
wrangle.

Affirmative Action Group members "have not invaded any companies in Harare
or elsewhere in Zimbabwe as we are bound by the laws of the country not to
just take over any firm of our choice," Musarara said.

He said his organization has been informed that Mliswa is not referring to
the indigenization law in his efforts to take control of Benbar.

Political commentator Roderick Fayayo said the 2007 Indigenization and
Economic Empowerment Act has too many loopholes that could be used by
unscrupulous individuals to grab white-owned companies.

"There is need to revise this piece of legislation as it is likely to be
abused by militant ZANU-PF zealots in taking over white-owned firms," Fayayo
said.

HOT SEAT: GALZ on plight of homosexuals in Zimbabwe

SW Radio Africa Transcript
Violet speaks to the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe Programmes Manager for Gender, Fadzai Muparutsa. The discussion focuses on the recent reports of violence against the gay community and their struggle for basic human rights. Fadzai also talks about how gay victims of violence are often ridiculed by police officers after reporting an assault; and how even hospital staff mock them when seeking treatment. The discussion also looks at how minority issues are not taken seriously by both the ZANU PF and MDC leaderships. BROADCAST: 09 APRIL 2010
VIOLET GONDA: An annual report by the US State Department on the human rights situation in Zimbabwe has revealed that homosexual men and women have been subjected to an ordeal known as, ‘corrective rape’. It has been documented in the report that gay men and lesbians are being raped by those who claim to be trying to convert their sexual orientation. The gay community have long been under siege in Zimbabwe and hate speech against this group is common. Robert Mugabe says homosexuality is ‘abhorrent’ and famously described homosexuals as “worse than dogs and pigs”. On the Hot Seat programme is the Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe or GALZ, Programmes Manager for Gender, Fadzai Muparutsa. She joins us from Harare to discuss the reports of the new violence against the gay community and the history of their struggle for basic human rights in Zimbabwe . Welcome on the programme Fadzai. FADZAI MUPARUTSA: Thank you very much Violet. GONDA: Now let’s start with the issue of ‘corrective rape’ – what exactly is this? MUPARUTSA: Well people have a certain belief that by, particularly men towards women and particularly women who present themselves as masculine, if they have sex with a man then they will appreciate male sex and want to be in heterosexual relationships. So the idea behind it is that you rape someone and you correct their sexual feelings towards people of the same sex. It’s said to be ‘corrective rape’ but what we have been talking about of late is that putting it in that way will mean that people will think it is something that is positive and that it is corrective but what it is in fact is something that is very negative because it is rape and putting a term like ‘corrective’ in front of it or ‘curative’ before the word rape is in some way desensitising the kind of violations, or the kind of violence that lesbians or gay men experience. GONDA: And has GALZ, has your Association actually received such reports? MUPARUTSA: Yes we have. We have received, there aren’t that many, we can’t say it is on the increase but what’s happened of late is that people are talking a lot more about it and so people will come to the office and report cases that they have experienced and particularly at the hands of either their families, because this kind of rape usually happens in private spaces, in the homes or in close knit societies that our members stay in. GONDA: Now isn’t that taboo, to actually sleep with a member of the same family? MUPARUTSA: Well it is, it’s a very, it’s a very disturbing act that happens so let’s say my family members feel that I need to be corrected – they will get somebody to force themselves onto me in the privacy of our home and that’s what happens a lot of the time. That’s what I’m saying; it’s something that happens in the private space. GONDA: You know this report has raised a lot of scepticism, now does it really happen to both men and women of homosexual tendencies – are women really raping men in Zimbabwe ? MUPARUTSA: Yes we have heard that women are raping men; we’re not sure what the motive behind that is because there are a couple of articles that have come out in the press about this. So I can’t really go into detail about that particular situation but what I can talk about is the rape that happens towards women who have sex with women, commonly known as lesbian and bi-sexual women. If we look at patriarchy for example, we’re looking at the position of women and how their roles are so embedded or strictly regulated and institutionalised, so a woman is supposed to be a mother, she’s supposed to embody guardianship and all of that parenthood, child bearing, feminised - and what you have now, because this is how we look at homosexuality from the African context, or let me talk about it from the Zimbabwean context, the stereotyped lesbian who is a masculine, so-called butch woman who dresses in a male way, presents in a male way, who walks in a male way but is a woman. And so when this rape takes place men feel that these women are moving away from what their role should be by becoming a man or wanting to become a man and that they do not want to sleep with men - which is a problem because women are created for men, right? That’s how patriarchy is sort of explained, women are created for men, so when a woman is now not sleeping with a man how best can he then get her back into his life or into the role that she's supposed to be, is by forcing her into sex. So that's the kind of thinking that’s behind ‘curative rape’ and the kind of thinking that’s behind correcting the situation that’s there. If it’s abnormal for people to be lesbian, or for men to be gay, how best can we control that because there’s the part where you can talk about prayer or you can talk about exorcism or you can talk about the traditional healing, and then there’s the part where people feel they can take it into their own hands and rape, go out and rape women to make them appreciate men. And quite frankly I don’t understand how that makes sense, because if you rape somebody, I’m not sure how you expect them to appreciate any kind of relationship with a man when the first relationship that they have encountered is a violent one. GONDA: I understand that the report that was compiled or released by the US State Department through the US Embassy in Harare went further to say that lesbian women are raped by men to make them enjoy heterosexual acts while gay men are raped by women, sometimes under supervision of villagers and relatives to remove their sexual orientation tendencies. Have you been receiving reports like that? MUPARUTSA: I’m sure that’s something that’s come out of the press and I’m sure that if we were to go into it we would probably come up with cases like that because they have been raped and they’re isolated, that’s the problem. When we talk about men getting raped, they’re very isolated. But what I think would be more precise would be that gay men who are feminised are raped by other men - gay men who present themselves in a very feminine way - so they are raped because that femininity is something that the men don’t expect a man to have because they should be masculine, strong and have the expectations of what a man should be so they rape them to try and strengthen them more, man them up and it’s almost in an insulting way, the rape is almost a form of spitting on somebody for example. GONDA: I was actually going to ask you that can it be ‘controlled’ through this way; this so-called ‘corrective rape’ or it actually makes a person even more gay, it hardens them? MUPARUTSA: No I’m not sure about making them more gay but what I can definitely think about is that if the thinking behind the rape is to cure somebody, the first thing you think about is what is rape in its nature. Rape is violent, rape is forceful and when we’re talking about converting somebody, you want to show a side that is more compassionate, that has more love in it and that’s why I was saying it doesn’t make sense for somebody to rape a woman and expect her to appreciate heterosexual relationships because that rape will only inform that person that heterosexuality means violence and means rape. So I don’t think that it’s a control measure in any way, that’s why I said it’s actually a problem to put corrective or curative before rape because there’s nothing curative about it, it is rape. GONDA: And you said it’s not known how many people have been affected or how widespread this is. Why is that though? Is it because people are still scared to speak publicly about these attacks because of the stigma? MUPARUTSA: Most definitely. It is not the most easiest thing to talk about. For example we can talk about the remarks that have been made by the Prime Minister or the remarks that have been made by President Mugabe and that means you are already creating an environment of intolerance, an environment of discrimination and so for someone to talk about the rape that they have experienced – firstly you are talking about being raped and rape in itself is something that has silenced quite a lot of women and a lot of men for that matter and then you get into the issue of heterosexuality and homosexuality where homosexuality is called abhorrent in Zimbabwe so talking about those two things, coming out about them or even reporting them is not the easiest of things to do in an environment that is not permitting. GONDA: So why haven’t you as GALZ released a report about this? MUPARUTSA: You see. what we do as an organisation is that we do document information that comes to us but what happens a lot of the time is that our information and our documentation goes through to the member organisations, the member human rights organisations that we work with, for example the Human Rights Forum and so that’s as far as our reports go. But we haven’t really gotten into how we can use the information that we get from the reports that are made by people who carry out for example advocacy strategies which are something that would be very important to do considering that these cases do take place and if we as an organisation are unable to take that information out then that means that a lot more people will be silent on what they experience. GONDA: And of course you mentioned the principals in the inclusive government, Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai, and we all know how Mugabe feels about the issue of homosexuality but this was the first time that Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai publicly condemned the practice of homosexuality. Why do you think the Prime Minister has chosen to agree with the President on this particular issue? MUPARUTSA: I unfortunately cannot speculate on the reasons why. What I know as an organisation and what we are doing as an organisation is that we are seeking clarity from the PM as to that position and we’ve written a letter to the PM’s Office and we await a response from him to just clarify his position. But last week there was a report that was sent out, a newsletter that was sent out by MDC where his spokesperson, Mr Maridadi was saying that the statements made by the PM were his personal opinion and not the position of MDC . And what I would think about in a statement like that is, you would think about a lot of things – MDC is a movement that stands for democracy and human rights, and as the leader of the MDC inasmuch we believe that everyone has their right to opinion but as a leader of any political movement, if you take a position or if you say what your position is or what you feel about a certain topic it is likely to be construed to be part of your Party’s politics as well. And it influences how people think about a certain topic and what this statement has done, we hope it hasn’t, has unified ZANU PF and MDC on how they respond to human rights issues and how minority issues aren’t being taken very seriously in Zimbabwe . GONDA: What about the fact that the President himself said that he would not allow any gay rights to find their way into the new constitution. What are your thoughts on this? MUPARUTSA: Well those are individual positions, I think when it comes to the constitution as has been said about the constitution, it is a people-driven process, and we will wait to see what the people of Zimbabwe decide. If at that stage they decide that gay rights will not be included in the constitution then that means at GALZ we have a lot more work to do. But we still feel that there are things that we need to do and we will carry on with all our advocacy strategies. GONDA: What sort of things do you think you need to do because this remains a sensitive issue, not only in Zimbabwe but in many parts of Africa ? MUPARUTSA: Well definitely there is a lot of awareness raising that needs to be done because most people believe that homosexuality is a sin and I can’t really go into that because the religious debate is one that is very difficult for us, the religious debate, there’s the cultural and traditional debate and there’s the fact that people think that homosexuality is a western import. And as far as I know and as far as I have read, there is information that dates back into pre-colonial Africa where cases of homosexuality have been reported and it was not anything that was abhorrent at that time, it was something that then became illegal after colonialists settled into Africa . So it’s difficult for us to try and understand why it is then thought of as a western import when it quite honestly isn’t. It’s a human occurrence, it’s natural although it’s thought of as being unnatural. And then there’s the debate that goes into homosexuality and paedophilia and bestiality and by allowing homosexuality it means that we can then allow murderers and whoever to be free in our State. That is something that is very different. I think people don’t understand that homosexual acts are acts that happen between two people, two consenting adults. It’s not between a minor and an older person where there are power dynamics that are at play. This is an agreement between two people who are old enough to agree, who are over the age of 18, who have consented to be in a relationship with each other, no abuse of power or authority or anything like that and that’s what people seem to think. And I guess it’s the whole uninformed or ill-informed position that people speak from. We do have a lot of work in terms of raising the awareness of people that we live in the societies that we live in. GONDA: Have you had any problems as an association working in Zimbabwe because of the whole stigma that surrounds the issue of homosexuality? MUPARUTSA: Well obviously it’s difficult working on such a basis because once you stand up and introduce yourself as someone who’s coming from Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe they will automatically, people will already start withdrawing from you. But in as far as our work around human rights in Zimbabwe has been we have had quite a positive response from our partner organisations and I think the only challenges that come into the work that we do is the statements that are made by people who are in positions of leadership. Those homophobic statements by State leaders are what I think will be a challenge to us. GONDA: Right and some of the responses that we’ve been getting from people include this submission from one of our listeners saying that people are entitled to their own opinion about this issue but the fact that homosexuals are being abused and victimised makes these people, the people who are doing this, guilty. Now what role is the police playing here if at all? MUPARUTSA: When we talk about rights for gay people I think this is one of the things that we try and talk about as often as we possibly can – the issue of law enforcement agents and why it is that gay people are asking for rights anyway and what rights is it that gay people asking for? We are not asking for anything that’s special because we are born with our rights as human beings but what happens is that, when you come out as being gay then you lose a lot of those rights by virtue of your sexual orientation.And one of the things that happens is that if you experience any kind of violence, violations or any kind of abuse, particularly relating to a sexual orientation, if you go and report that matter to the police, they either don’t take any action, they ridicule you, you are paraded in front of anyone or everyone who is at that police station. You are bribed often times or you are arrested – so what kind of justice am I getting as a gay, lesbian, bi-sexual person in Zimbabwe after I have experienced violence? And those are the things that we are talking about – the police sometimes will act, not that often. I’m told out of a hundred cases, we can maybe highlight two that have been acted upon, other than that they really don’t serve the citizen as a full category, there are selective citizens who will be assisted and other citizens won’t be assisted and gay, lesbian people are amongst those people who aren’t assisted by law enforcement agents in any kind of way. GONDA: And you talked about the sort of rights that you would want to see as a Zimbabwean but for the benefit of those people who are still, for lack of a better word, ignorant about the issues of minority rights, what are you asking for exactly in terms of rights? MUPARUTSA: OK – so if you look at any minority group that is stigmatised or discriminated against in any society, they are unable to access a lot of things, or if they do access those things they experience stigma or some kind of discrimination in how those services are delivered to them. So for example we look at, let’s say, the right to health. The right to health is something that is very big in its definition – as human beings we all have the right to the highest attainable health. The highest attainable health to me means that I can go to my clinic and say I would like to get treatment for an STI that I have and my partner who is a female would also like to get treatment for that same STI , but that doesn’t happen in Zimbabwe . I can’t go into a clinic and do that there because like I said, exactly the same situation like the law enforcement agents – you will get ridiculed and that means that I am unable now to go to a practitioner and ask for assistance. So what does that mean about my right? I cannot access it, that is one thing. If you look at the right to housing for example, if someone finds out that I’m gay and I’m lodging at their house, the chances of me getting kicked out without the due procedures being taken into consideration are very high. I can’t go and challenge those because in any kind of court or any kind of civil court, people will actually look at my sexual orientation before they look at the case that’s before them and then it gets mishandled. The right to education – my parents will kick me out, will stop paying my school fees only because I’m gay or lesbian or my sexual orientation is different from their one, of someone who is heterosexual so my education becomes a problem. I don’t have an education. I could go one, the list is long, I could highlight all of them in exactly that way and that’s why we’re saying that we want gay and lesbian rights to be considered and it’s actually not, we’re not calling for gay rights – what it is that we’re calling for at GALZ is non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. I do not want to be discriminated against by law enforcement agents, by health practitioners, by educational institutions, by the judiciary system based on my sexual orientation. GONDA: Right and of course homosexuality is not unlawful in Zimbabwe but sodomy is, so how are they policing this and indeed sodomy between heterosexuals? MUPARUTSA: Exactly – you see now how that becomes a challenge. You cannot police what happens in someone’s bedroom, in the privacy of their home or the privacy of whatever space they’re in because it’s not always the bedroom - so how can you? How can you enforce something like that? It then becomes a challenge when you have an organisation like GALZ that is actively advocating for sexual orientations to be included in the constitution and an organisation like GALZ that specifically looks at gay and lesbian issues in relation to socio, economical and political climates in situations that we live in. GONDA: Have you had members arrested under the sodomy laws? MUPARUTSA: Yes there have been a couple of arrests but again you have to prove that there have been those cases, that there has been sex per anus and how do you do that? Like what kind of test do you do to prove that someone has anal sex? You can’t even conduct something like that because, if you look at WHO, the World Health Organisation’s protocols around health and maybe inhuman and inhuman treatment, that’s inhuman treatment so it’s very difficult for someone to then do an anal exam on you without your consent only for them to prove that you have had sex per anus. So it’s quite difficult to go into something like that, it’s legislation that is there but it’s not the easiest of legislation to enforce. GONDA: What personal experiences can you share in terms of how you’ve had to deal with who you are in a country and in a society that views homosexuality as abhorrent? MUPARUTSA: Well, that’s a difficult one, you know having to go through personal challenges is what we experience on a daily basis. Our coming out as gay people is not something that happens on one day where you will tell somebody that you are gay - it’s almost on a daily basis where you are saying well this is my situation, this is my sexual orientation, I am gay, lesbian or bi-sexual. And once you say that, the chance of losing family and friends is very high and I guess that’s the experience that everyone has to go through once they have said what their sexual orientation is and so that has been my experience as well. I understand how people feel about homosexuality and I’ll say I understand because it’s difficult to think about something that you’re not used to, something that is out of the norm for you but I think as a nation and as a people, a race of humans, we need to talk about issues of tolerance, issues of dignity and issues of human rights because if you violate my rights, this is me and this is me today, tomorrow someone else will violate your rights and it’s a circle that continues to manifest itself in our societies where we take from a group of people without realising that we’re taking from ourselves and from each other. And if you continue taking the way that we are taking, taking away people’s liberties, people’s freedoms and people’s rights, we will wake up tomorrow and find all of us with nothing and I think it’s something that we need to think about. It’s not that we want people to accept who and what we are but to try and think about tolerance and what tolerance means and what dignity means and what human value means because people throw around things like morality and values and things like that without really starting to think about what it really, really, really means. And particularly people who talk about it from an African context. I am from Africa , I know an African context and our African context speaks about loving each other as a nation of people, respecting each other and yet we throw around homosexuality as being immoral, like people who are gay not deserving of rights. I don’t understand where that kind of talk comes from but it’s the kind of language that we seem to have acquired over the years, the language of hate and we need to find a way of dealing with that kind of hate that we have because it will manifest itself in our societies. GONDA: And before we go Fadzai, if we go back to the issue of ‘corrective rape’, is this a new thing, have you heard anything about this happening in other countries, especially in Africa ? MUPARUTSA: Oh yes, South Africa being like one of the worst countries. There was a report, a documentary that was done by Third Degree and it was released on the satellite channel here in Zimbabwe, I think about a month or two months ago and it was very touching, very humbling, very frightening to see the attitudes that are there within our societies regarding ‘corrective rape’ and how people think that it’s something that is normal and should be done. So yes, there are cases of ‘corrective rape’ that have happened in other countries outside of Zimbabwe . I’m sure in every country there are cases of ‘corrective rape’ but like Zimbabwe , very few are not documented properly. GONDA: Right, and a final word Fadzai. MUPARUTSA: Well I know a lot of people use religion as their argument for why homosexuality should not be there and it’s quite difficult to talk about religion and homosexuality in that way and just isolate it like that because we are all created in the image of the Maker, we are all created in God’s image. And who are we as individuals, as human beings to judge who is created in God’s image and who isn’t? It’s not for us, it’s not our place to do that. You will find in some cases people who don’t understand the Muslim culture because Zimbabwe is predominately Christian so are we going to go out and say we don’t want Muslims in Zimbabwe because we are a Christian state, now everyone should conform to Christianity? That’s exactly what it is that we are calling for and for goodness sake – to use the Bible – the Bible was used during the slave trade – the Bible was used during apartheid – the Bible was used during the Nazi time – the Bible was used during the Crusades and really that was all slaughter of people. So what is it we are talking about? From what I know the Bible talks about love. We are all created by one Maker, in the image of that Maker and who are you to say that I am not created in my Maker’s image? Have you now taken over God’s position? GONDA: OK, thank you very much Fadzai Muparutsa for talking to us on the programme Hot Seat. MUPARUTSA: You are most welcome Violet, thank you. Feedback can be sent to violet@swradioafrica.com

FULL TEXT: KP monitor's Marange report

http://www.zimonline.co.za

Monday 12 April 2010

Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, Fact Finding Mission

By Abbey Chikane, KP Monitor for Marange, Zimbabwe

21 March 2010

Introduction

The author prepared this report to confirm the understanding of the mandate
of the KP Monitor for Zimbabwe. The report is written with a view to
ensuring that the KP Monitor's approach to the implementation of the Joint
work plan is consistent with Kimberley Process, Working Group on Monitoring
expectations. The terms of reference and joint work plan incorporate in this
report provide further details of the KP Monitor's respective
responsibilities and; the fact-finding visit to Zimbabwe facilitated an
on-the-spot assessment of the situation. Further, the fact-finding-visit has
enabled him to determine his approach to the assignment and confirmed his
operational requirements.

The fact-finding-mission occurred from 1-3 March, 2010.

Background

Appointment of the KP Monitor

Abbey Chikane, founder chairman of the Kimberley Process was nominated KP
Monitor for Marange, Zimbabwe by the Kimberley Process Working Group on
Monitoring, in consultation with the current chairman of the Kimberley
Process. Following communication between Mr. Chardon, chairman of the
Working Group on Monitoring, and the Honourable Obert Mpofu, Minister of
Mines and Mining Development, Chikane was accepted by the government of
Zimbabwe.

Understanding the Mandate

The Seventh Annual Plenary of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme met
from 2 - 5 November, 2009 in Swakopmund, Namibia. At this meeting, the
Plenary adopted an Administrative Decision on a joint work plan aimed at
bringing Zimbabwe's diamond trade into full compliance with the minimum
requirements of the Kimberley Process. This follows acknowledgement by
Zimbabwean government representatives that there have been certain
challenges in complying with the minimum standards of the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme. The government noted its commitment to urgently
addressing issues identified in the reports of the Working Group on
Monitoring (WGM), Working Group on Statistics and the report of the
Kimberley Process Review Mission to Zimbabwe that took place from 30 June to
4 July 2009.

The joint work plan was developed by Zimbabwe and the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme to implement recommendations of the Review Mission
(2009). The joint work plan is expected to be supported by technical
assistance from Participants and Observers in the Kimberley Process. Plenary
also urged Kimberley Process Participants and Observers to promote regional
cooperation and outreach in support of this plan. The implementation and
progress of the plan will be reviewed by the Intersessional and Plenary of
the Kimberley Process in 2010.

To oversee and support the implementation of the joint work plan, Plenary
resolved that a Kimberley Process Monitor for Zimbabwe (KP Monitor) be
appointed. As stated in the Joint work plan, the role of a KP Monitor is to
examine and supervise shipments of rough diamonds from the Marange area. The
Joint work plan provides for a supervision of export mechanism under which
exports of Marange diamonds are subject to Kimberley Process verification
and confirmation that those rough diamonds were handled in full compliance
with the minimum standards of the Kimberley Process. The Administrative
Decision also provides for a review mission to assess progress in the
implementation the joint work plan.

Although the terms of reference and joint work plan eloquently explained the
task, the KP Monitor would like to restate his understanding of the
assignment. The main objective of the KP Monitor is to support the
implementation of the Swakopmund Plenary Administrative Decision and Joint
work plan and work with the Zimbabwean authorities towards full compliance
with the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

The main activities of the KP Monitor involve monitoring the implementation
of the Joint work plan and reporting on a regular basis, with the frequency
of such reporting still to be mutually agreed, to the chairman of the
Working Group on Monitoring with copies to the Kimberley Process chair and
the

Minister of Mines and Mining Development of Zimbabwe. The Kimberley Process
and the government of Zimbabwe have agreed that the KP Monitor will have
full and unhindered access to all relevant diamond production and processing
sites as well as to all stakeholders from the point of mining to the point
of export, including representatives of government, industry and civil
society.

On request, the KP Monitor will prepare an Interim Progress report for the
Kimberley Process Intersessional meeting, to be held in June 2010 and/or for
the preparation of the Kimberley Process Review Mission which will be
conducted in terms of the Joint work plan, as well as a Final report for the
Plenary which is scheduled to convene in November 2010. The calendar for
submitting regular progress reports will be provided to the KP Monitor for
consideration by the Chair of the working group on monitoring.

In addition, prior to each export, the KP Monitor will examine, at the
request of the Zimbabwean Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, diamonds
shipment from any producing areas in the Marange diamond fields to confirm
whether diamonds selected for shipment meet Kimberley Process minimum
requirements and confirm their certification for export.

The KP Monitor will conduct a thorough examination of individual shipments
and their chain of custody to confirm their compliance with Kimberley
Process requirements, according to the following procedure:

- When the KP Monitor assesses that an export shipment has been produced and
prepared in accordance with Kimberley Process Certification Scheme minimum
requirements, the KP Monitor is required to confirm this on the relevant
Kimberley Process Certificate with his signature and stamp, and will
digitally photograph the certificate and shipment. A specimen of the KP
Monitor signature and stamp will be provided to the Kimberley Process Chair
for prior distribution to Kimberley Process Participants.

- When the KP Monitor assesses that an export shipment has not been produced
and prepared in accordance with Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
minimum requirements, the KP Monitor will provide to the Ministry of Mines
and Mining Development specific written indications as to the reason(s),
including any possible means of remediation. Any such proposed export will
be held until the necessary remedial action is completed, after which the KP
Monitor will reexamine the export and, if fully Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme compliant, certify the shipment and sign the Kimberley
Process Certificate.

After each examination, the KP Monitor is required to prepare a specific KP
'export examination report', providing summary conclusions on exports that
have been reviewed against specific Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
requirements. Such KP 'export examination reports' are to be submitted
within one week of the certification examination to the chair of the Working
Group on Monitoring, with a copy to the Ministry of Mines and Mining
Development of Zimbabwe. Pictures of certificates and shipments must be
attached to the 'KP export examination reports'. Finally, the KP Monitor
will perform his tasks under the aegis and supervision of the Kimberley
Process Working Group on Monitoring, and will refer any related issues to
this working group. The KP Monitor may be invited to take part in the
meetings or teleconferences of the working group, at the discretion of the
chair of the working group.

KP Monitor Meetings in Zimbabwe

Courtesy visit to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development

On 1 March 2010, the KP Monitor arrived in Harare on a three-day visit to
begin the fact-finding mission. He met Mr. Thankful Musukutwa, Permanent
Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. At this meeting the
Permanent Secretary proposed a three day programme, including logistics and
resources allocated for the success of the visit. The meeting was followed
by a courtesy visit to the office of the Honourable Obert Mpofu, Minister of
Mines and Mining Development. The Minister assured the KP Monitor that he
would have full access to all relevant government representatives, relevant
diamond production and processing sites as well as to all relevant
stakeholders from mine to the point of export. He reiterated his government's
desire and commitment to comply fully with the minimum requirements of the
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.

Meeting with KP Joint work plan stakeholders

The KP Monitor then met with officials of numerous state-owned entities and
departments. These included representatives of the Ministry of Mines and
Mining Development (MMMD), Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe
(MMCZ), Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), the Ministry of
Finance represented by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), Minerals
Unit, and Zimbabwe Republic Police. In addition, industry representatives of
several private companies were present, including Marange Resources, Mbada
Diamonds, Canadile Miners and Global Diamond Valuators, Namibia.

At this meeting, the Permanent Secretary of Mines and Mining Development
introduced the KP Monitor and requested all present to introduce themselves.
He then requested the KP Monitor to present himself to elaborate on the
purpose of his visit. The KP Monitor explained that this was a
fact-finding-mission to Zimbabwe to make preliminary assessments on
operations at the Marange diamond field and to determine his requirements
for technical support in fulfilling his mandate.

Visit to Mbada Diamonds sorting facility

The KP Monitor visited the Mbada Diamonds sorting and valuation facility
housed in a hangar at Harare Airport (referred to as the hangar). The KP
Monitor was received by Dr. Mhlanga, chairman of Mbada Diamonds, chief
executive officer, Mr. Rhuhwaya, and Mr. Dave Kassel, chairman of Reclam, a
company associated with Mbada Diamonds. The Monitor was also received by a
contingent of government department representatives most of whom are
responsible for the monitoring and implementation of the Kimberley Process
Joint work plan.

At Mbada Diamonds, the line management team demonstrated the process of the
movement of diamonds from Marange diamond fields to the Harare sorting and
valuation facility. The team also explained security and control systems at
the facility, chain of custody, as well as policies and procedures for
handling diamonds in and around the 'hangar'. Mbada Diamonds operational
policies and procedures were designed and implemented by Global Diamond
Valuators of Namibia, a consulting firm retained by Mbada Diamonds and
Canadile Miners. Most importantly, management explained and demonstrated
company production pipeline procedures, audit processes, administrative and
document handling procedures.

Findings:

(i) Policies, processes and procedures applied at Mbada Diamonds are world
class on paper and the company needs to build the necessary capacity to
implement them. The company also needs to inculcate a culture of full
compliance with Kimberley Process minimum requirements.

(ii) At the 'hangar' there is an area of the sorting and valuation facility
without cameras. This creates 'blind-spots' and risks breaking the chain of
warrantees. It also creates an opportunity for rough diamonds to be removed
from the security and monitoring control system. The KP Monitor believes
this situation compromises the audit process;

(iii) There is inadequate security around the helicopter landing pad. While
the heli pad is in a secured area, it is also close to a standard fence that
could be ripped apart;

(iv) Representatives of state security agencies present at the 'hangar' do
not seem to be adequately trained or experienced enough to ensure that the
manner in which rough diamonds are handled is fully compliant with Kimberley
Process Certification Scheme minimum

requirements;

(v) There is no visible paper trail to track the movement of rough diamonds
from the safe to cubicles. Management of Mbada Diamonds would like to
believe that the current paper trail is adequate; however the KP Monitor
believes the system can and should be improved.

(vi) The sorting and valuation site requires a senior well-trained and
experienced Diamond Auditor. At present the company has entrusted this
responsibility to a person who does not qualify for the job. However,
management promised they will employ a qualified person to take full
responsibility for implementation of audit policies, processes and
procedures.

Meeting with Global Diamond Valuators

At the end of the Mbada Diamonds visit the KP Monitor requested a
presentation by Global Diamond Valuators Namibia to explain its role and the
nature of contractual relationships between the firm and its clients.
Representatives explained they are retained by Mbada Diamonds and Canadile
Miners as technical advisors to establish policies, processes and procedure
to meet Kimberley Process minimum requirements, particularly the industry
chain of warrantees. In addition, the KP Monitor requested soft and hard
copies of manuals, policies and procedures recommended to Mbada Diamonds and
Canadile Miners. These were provided and are in the custody of the KP
Monitor.

Findings;

(i) Methodologies and tools used by Global Diamond Valuators are consistent
with international best practice, however, there is a possibility that Mbada
Diamonds and Canadile Miners management may receive all the required
knowledge and information but fail to implement systems due to lack of
capacity.

(ii) The duration of the contractual involvement of Global Diamond Valuator
is not certain. This poses a concern on the implementation and
sustainability of the systems.

Meeting with the diplomatic community

The KP Monitor was invited by the Head of Delegation of the European Union
to Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Ambassador Xavier Marchal who hosted a dinner
at his residence for the Heads of the Missions accredited to Zimbabwe from
countries or entities that are Participants in the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme. Ambassador Marchal advised the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs of the Republic of Zimbabwe through a note verbale that he had
invited Heads of the Missions accredited to Zimbabwe to the dinner. About 20
representatives of participating states and regional economic integration
organisations attended.

In his speech, the KP Monitor explained that he was on a
fact-finding-mission to assess operations at Marange diamond fields and to
determine his staff requirements. In response, members of the diplomatic
community raised a number of issues, including press statements by both
Honourable President Robert Mugabe and Minister Mpofu that the government of
Zimbabwe still had an option to trade diamonds outside the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme. However, members emphatically shared their commitment
and support for the implementation of the Joint work plan and that revenue
generated from the sale of rough diamonds should be used to rebuild the
Zimbabwean economy and improve the livelihood of its people, particularly
children.

Findings;

Most member countries represented at the dinner fully supported the
implementation of the Joint work plan with some expressing concerns on the
political uncertainty in Zimbabwe.

Visit to Chiadzwa, Marange

On 2 March 2010, the KP Monitor visited the Chiadzwa, Marange diamond fields
for first hand information on mining operations in that area before touring
Forbes, a border post between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. The visit to Forbes
followed claims that diamonds from Chiadzwa were being smuggled through the
borders between the two countries. Chiadzwa, Marange is a group of
diamondiferous, largely alluvial gravel properties in the province of
Manicaland, Zimbabwe. Mining takes place on surfacial alluvial and alluvial
blocks, with open pits hardly reaching three metres depth.

The ground is broken with excavators, loaded into dump trucks using a
backhoe excavator and hauled to the ore bin or stockpile at the plant.

Geologists explain that the ore consists of sands, gravels and pebbles with
minor portions of boulders of conglomerates. All material from the mining
block is processed as discrete batch and thus results can be compared with
the sampling forecast for the block to check the efficiency of the recovery
process. It is estimated that an area of 66 648 hectares (ha) held under 4
special grants that belong to ZMDC. The special grants are identified as
follows:

SPECIAL GRANT NO. AREA COVERED (ha) % OF REA

SG 4718 600 0.90

SG 4719 400 0.60

SG 4720 2100 3.15

SG 4765 63 548 95.35

TOTAL 66 648 100.00

Based on the geological exploration carried out by ZMDC, 11 889 hectares or
18% of the total concession is prospective for diamonds. The remaining 54
759 hectares show low prospects, and further exploration is underway in this
area. The prospective concession area has been demarcated and issued to two
investors with some demarcated but not issued yet.

SPECIAL GRANT NO. AREA COVERED (ha) STATUS

SG 4718 600 Demarcated, not issued

SG 4719 400 Demarcated, not issued

SG 4720 1 100 Issued to Mbada Diamonds

SG 4720 1 000 Issued to Canadile Miners

SG 4765 8 789 Demarcated, not issued

TOTAL 11 889

Aside from the visit to Forbes border post, the KP Monitor's objective was
to (a) identify the total area under the control of ZMDC in Chiadzwa,
Marange, (b) subdivision of resources into manageable areas and (c) assess
mining operation at both Mbada and Canadile mining sites.

Visit to Canadile Miners sorting site

The KP Monitor visited the Canadile Miners sorting and valuation site in
Mutare, Manicaland province.

At the site, the delegation was received by line management and shareholders
of the company. Overall, the sorting and valuation site appeared non
compliant with the Kimberley Process minimum requirements, largely because
their security and monitoring control systems were in-adequate, and diamond
audit systems were equally not up to standard. Understandably, the offices
were only recently occupied and some if not most of their staff had been
recently employed. When the KP Monitor randomly selected an employee, who
happens to be an employee of the MMCZ, for questioning, it became apparent
that he had no idea of activities at the sorting and valuation site, despite
his role as the representative of a state owned entity.

Findings;

(i) Canadile Miners sorting and evaluation site does not meet a voluntary
system of industry self-regulation aimed at facilitating the full
traceability of rough diamond transactions by government authorities;

(ii) Policies, processes and procedures applied at Canadile Miners are world
class in theory and therefore need the company to build the necessary
capacity to implement them. The company also needs to inculcate a culture of
full compliance with Kimberley Process minimum requirements;

(iii) At the sorting and valuation site there is an area without cameras.
This creates 'blind-spots' and risks breaking the chain of warrantees. It
also creates an opportunity for rough diamonds to be removed from the
security and monitoring control system. The KP Monitor believes this
compromises the audit process;

(iv) There is inadequate security around the premises;

(v) Representatives of state security agencies on site are not adequately
trained or experienced enough to ensure that the manner in which rough
diamonds are handled is fully compliant with Kimberley Process Certification
Scheme minimum requirements;

(vi) There is no visible paper trail to track the movement of rough diamonds
from the safe to cubicles. Management of Canadile Miners believes the
current paper trail is adequate; the KP Monitor believes the system can be
improved;

(vii) The sorting and valuation site requires a senior well trained and
experienced Diamond Auditor;

(viii) Back-up of footage from the electronic security system is inadequate;

(ix) Roles and responsibilities of shareholders, management and staff are
blurred and confusing. The KP Monitor was unable to identify the public
office or accounting officer, even though the Managing Director was present
at the meeting;

(x) The KP Monitor deducted, without conclusive evidence, that Canadile
Miners may be encountering financial difficulties. This conclusion, if
correct, contradicts the assertion that the company had committed US$100
million to develop its operation in Marange.

Visit to Mbada Diamonds mining site

The KP Monitor visited the Mbada Diamonds mining site where a relatively
new, but highly mechanised, mining operation was established. The KP Monitor
was received by the same team that met him at the sorting facility; Dr.
Mhlanga, Mr. Rhuhwaya, and Mr. Dave Kassel. The KP Monitor was also received
by representatives of government. At the mine Mbada Diamonds demonstrated
the process of the

movement of diamonds from the mine site to screening, weighbridge, surge
bins, sort boxes, all the way to the lock boxes. The company also
demonstrated health and safety procedures, operational procedure and process
flows. An elaborate security and monitoring control system was demonstrated.
All machines and equipment found at Mbada Diamonds mine site are relatively
new; this includes all mining machinery and equipment. The KP Monitor
concluded that Mbada Diamonds, especially when compared to Canadile Miners,
appears to be funded heavily by a large and established financial
institution.

Findings:

(i) Mbada Diamonds mine is highly geared;

(ii) The company has been mining in the Marange area since late 2009 and
has, stock-piled diamonds;

(iii) Comparing like with like, Mbada Diamonds mine is equipped on par with
medium to large mining operations in Botswana and Namibia. Management
believes the company has built a 'hands-free' mining operation;

(iv) During the visit, security arrangements in and around the mine were
elaborate and highly visible (see section on security situation below);

(v) Operational and geological staff demonstrated knowledge of their mining
operation;

(xi) Representatives of state security agencies present at the mine are not
adequately trained or experienced enough to ensure that the manner in which
rough diamonds are handled meets a voluntary system of industry
self-regulation aimed at facilitating the full traceability of rough diamond
transactions by government authorities;

(vi) The Mbada team (shareholders and management) is intimately involved in
running the business.

Visit to Canadile Miners mine site

The KP Monitor visited the Canadile Miners mining site where a mechanised
mining operation was established. The KP Monitor was received by management
team under a tree where he was briefed about the programme and activities of
the day. Apart from government and parastatal officials, present at the mine
were directors and management of the company. These included, Mr. Rob van
der Merwe, Marco Chioppi, Adrian Taylor, chief executive office, Z Ncube,
Deputy chief executive officer and Gwiba, office Manager. This is the same
team that the KP Monitor had met at the sorting offices.

At the mine Canadile demonstrated the value chain and the process of the
movement of diamonds from mine site to the sorting and valuation office in
Mutare. Canadile machines and equipment at the mine site are 'work in
progress. The splitting of diamonds and non-diamonds is done in a container.
Whilst the KP Monitor was at the mine site, there was construction underway.
The Canadile staff appeared to be working hard to meet Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme minimum standards before the next visit by the KP
Monitor. The Canadile Miners management team has also undertaken to engage
the services of Global Diamond Valuators to expedite implementation of
minimum requirements before the next visit of the KP Monitors and that of
Kimberley Process Review Mission.

Findings:

(vii) Canadile Miners may be experiencing financial challenges;

(viii) The company has been mining in the Marange area since late 2009 and
has stock-piled diamonds;

(ix) Comparing like with like, Canadile Miners mine is currently the size of
a small-scale miner with machinery and equipment that can be moved from one
site to another without much difficulty. ;

(x) During the KP Monitor's visit security arrangements in and around the
mine were sufficient to prevent intrusion;

(xi) The operational and geological staff demonstrated knowledge of their
mining operation;

(xii) Representatives of state security agencies present at the mine are not
adequately trained or experienced enough to ensure that the manner in which
rough diamonds are handled meets a voluntary system of industry
self-regulation aimed at facilitating the full traceability of rough diamond
transactions by government authorities;

(xii) The Canadile miners managing director did not demonstrate active
involvement in running the business. Although he was present, he never
participated in company briefings.

Security at the plant

MBADA

Screened concentrate weighed with truck on a weigh bridge

Weight of concentrate from head feed is captured Weight-o-meters used to
weigh concentrate

Process at DMS double-locked by security and mine management

Process in recovery up to vault is also double locked

Glove boxes have cameras inside to monitor the sorting operation

Sorting operations are hands free

Exporting boxes use self-locking mechanism

Exporting boxes locked with two locks

Access to all diamond areas are controlled by centralised access control
system

Exit from mining area is via an X-ray machine

CANADILE

Count number of scoops from tipper into head feed

Weight concentrate from surge bin recorded again Security personnel on
horses doing rounds

DMS plant is hands free

Conveyor belts screened off with wire mesh

Recovery up to vault is double locked

Glove boxes have cameras inside to monitor the sorting operation

Sorting operations are hands free

Exporting boxes use self-locking mechanism

Export boxes locked with three locks

Access to all diamond areas controlled by centralised access control system

Exit from mining area is via a thorough physical search

Security at the mine

MBADA

Entrances and security exits manned 24 hours

Static security space at 100m intervals

Motorbike units conduct rounds every hour

Dog unit right around the fence area

Control towers Watch towers at corners of the perimeter

CANADILE

Entrances and security exits manned 24 hours

Static security at 100m intervals

Security personnel doing rounds on horses

Night vision cameras along the fence and mining are- linked to central
control tower

Visit to Forbes border post

En route to Harare, the KP Monitor toured the Forbes Border Post. At the
border the delegation was able to briefly meet the head of Zimbabwe Revenue
Agency who explained that she was not authorised to speak on behalf of her
organisation.

Findings:

(i) The government of Zimbabwe has designated Harare International Airport
as the country's official point of export for diamonds and that no border
gate or other exit point was equipped and/or authorised to facilitate the
export of rough diamonds;

(ii) Rough diamonds exported from a border gate or any other domestic
airport is deemed illegal;

(3) On the other hand, the KP Monitor was unable to obtain regulations or
legislation that supports this desired situation. It appears that if a
diamond trader met Kimberley Process minimum requirements and obtained the
Kimberley Process Certificate, he/she could apply for permission to use a
border of his/her choice.

Workshops with Stakeholders in Harare

On 3 March 2010 the KP Monitor arranged one-hour long workshops with
individual key stakeholders at the offices of the Ministry of Mines and
Mining Development. The purpose was to outline individual implementation
plans to prepare templates. The workshop also provided further clarification
for the implementation of the Joint work plan.

Meeting with the Reserve Bank

In a separate meeting with officials of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
(Reserve Bank), two representatives of the bank, Messrs. Manase and Chiremba
explained that as part of the court order, the Reserve Bank was requested to
provide custody for the diamonds in question during the dispute period. The
bank received all the diamonds referred to in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the High
court order in judgment no. HC 6411/07 for safekeeping pending determination
of the appeal noted against the judgment. In fulfilling this request, the
Reserve Bank established a monitoring committee comprising representatives
of the following institutions:

1. Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe

2. Minerals and Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe

3. Ministry of Mines and Mining Development

4. Office of the President

5. Zimbabwe Republic Police

6. Deputy Sheriff

7. African Consolidated Resources (legal representative)

The Reserve Bank further appointed Mr. Jamal Joseph Ahmed, a diamond
valuator from Premier Diamonds, a company registered in Belgium with offices
in Antwerp. Premier Diamonds was assigned to confirm the weight and value of
the diamonds. members of the monitoring committee were invited to witness
the valuation and sealing of the diamonds. The diamonds were placed in a
trunk and one key was kept by the deputy sheriff and another by African
Consolidated Resources legal representatives. The deputy sheriff also issued
a receipt presented to African Consolidated Resources. The Ministry of Mines
and Mining Development has informed the KP Monitor that its team is
currently seeking legal interpretation of the court order and the
implications.

Meeting with cabinet task force on Marange production

The KP Monitor met with the Zimbabwean cabinet task force on Marange
production. The Task Force was established by government, to monitor
developments in Marange, among other issues. The committee comprises
Honourable Mpofu, Chairman of the Committee and Minister of Mines and Mining
Development, Honourable Biti, Minister of Finance, Honourable Ncube,
Minister of Industry and Commerce, Honourable Mnangangwa, Minister of
Defence, and Honourable Mangoma, Minister of Economic Development and
Investment Promotions.

At this meeting, the KP Monitor briefed the Task force on his activities in
Zimbabwe as part of his factfinding mission. He assured them that Zimbabwe
has the capability and potential to meet Kimberley Process minimum
requirements.

Second meeting with the Minister of Mines and Mining Development

The KP Monitor met the minister at the end of his fact-finding mission. At
this meeting, the KP Monitor informed the Minister that his fact-finding
mission was successful and that he was able to visit every site possible and
met all relevant stakeholders in the time frame provided. The KP Monitor
also informed the minister that he would be preparing a report on his
findings and that a copy would be sent to the minister.

Media Briefing

At the end of the visit, the KP Monitor met members of the media at the
Ministry of Mines and Mining Development. He informed the media that his
mission was accomplished and that he would be reporting to Mr. Stephane
Chardon, chairman of the Working Group on Monitoring who, in turn, would
report to the chairman of the Kimberley Process and the Minister of Mines
and Mining Development, Honourable Obert Mpofu. The KP Monitor ended his
fact-finding mission and returned to South Africa.

Agencies and companies actively involved in mining Marange diamonds

Mining in Zimbabwe is administered and managed by the Ministry of Mines and
Mining Development. Among other issues, the ministry is responsible for
granting mining rights by issuing certificates of registering mining claims,
special grants, mining leases exclusive prospecting orders etc. The ministry
discharges some of its functions through state owned entities such as the
Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC), a company created by act of
parliament.

Another wholly-owned state entity is the Minerals Marketing Corporation of
Zimbabwe (MMCZ). Its mandate is to sell and coordinate the export of
minerals, for which it receives a commission of (0.875%). It also purchases
rough diamonds from the local market and sell them to diamond manufacturers
and dealers. MMCZ is Zimbabwe's Kimberley Process Certification Scheme
exporting authority. The MMCZ authority is required to keep diamond
production statistics and other related production and export information.

The ZMDC is mandated to invest in the mining industry of Zimbabwe on behalf
of the state. ZMDC operates 26 separate mining companies in Zimbabwe. Some
of its operations include four special grants in the mining area of
Chiadzwa, which are held directly by ZMDC. Together, the company owns
approximately 125 000 hectares of diamondiferous area.

Initially, ZMDC attempted to produce and sell rough diamonds without
partnering with commercial entities. This attempt, which produced 1 366 872
carats over less than three years, was later reconsidered and it was
concluded that joint ventures were the preferred way to grow its technical
and financial capabilities. As at October 2008, the company was allowed to
sell rough diamonds in the open market. An estimated 876 000 carats valued
at US$8,3 million were sold to the open market and a balance of 490 000
carats were kept in stock. Of the US$8,3 million, US$837 000 was paid to the
national fiscus.

Formation of Joint Ventures

Following the Kimberley Process Review Mission, 2009, a report outlining
levels of non-compliance, including the security situation around the
Chiadzwa and Marange diamond fields, the Ministry of Mines and Mining
Development and ZMDC resolved to revise their mining business model. A
decision was taken to consider partnering with commercial mining companies.
According to representatives of the Zimbabwean government, unsolicited
expressions of interest from the mining fraternity were received from
various local and international operators and a file was opened for
applications.

When the government revised its business model, the need arose to select
potential partners. The simplified version of the selection process can be
summarised as follows; prospective investors were selected by the Ministry
of Mines and Mining Development, which was preceded by establishing "a
special purpose vehicle" that represented ZMDC commercial interests. This
company was later named Marange Resources Private Limited (Marange
Resources), a wholly owned subsidiary of ZMDC.

Marange Resources although wholly owned by ZMDC is a private company
registered under Zimbabwe's Companies Act Chapter 24:03. The company was
originally registered as Block Wood Mining and later the name was changed to
Marange Resources.

In July 2009, two companies, namely Core Mining, registered in South Africa
and Grandwell Holdings, registered in Mauritius were considered for joints
ventures with Marange Resources. ZMDC would hold its interests in the joint
venture through Marange Resources. According to a report based on ZMDC oral
evidence to the parliamentary committee on mines and energy, on 8 February
2010, Core Mining Resources is a diamond mining company operating in
Kimberley, South Africa and Grandwell Holdings is a company involved in the
reclamation business with strong a financial and administrative capacity to
put in place a fully fledged mining operation.

Due diligence was conducted on both companies and subsequently the ZMDC
signed a suspensive Memorandum of Understanding with Core Mining and
Grandwell respectively. The report states that the Memorandum of
Understanding with both companies was superseded by the shareholders
agreements signed on 13 and 14 August 2009. The joint venture for Grandwell
was signed on 13 and Core Mining on 14 August 2009.

Issuing special grants

ZMDC then released special grants named 4720 measuring 2100 hectares to Core
Mining and Grandwell Holdings. The special grants were divided in two almost
equal parts. The companies pledged US$100 million investment in the form of
equipment and machinery that would be used for building physical,
processing, water, road and security infrastructure. The agreement also
undertakes to relocate communities within and around the mining fields. An
inter ministerial committee was established to oversee the relocation
programme. This committee included the ministries of local government,
public works, mines and environment.

These joint ventures have resulted in the formation and incorporation of two
distinct companies in which ZMDC (through Marange Resources) has 50% shares.
Grandwell and Marange Resources hold their 50/50 shares in a joint venture
company called Condurango, trading as Mbada Diamonds. Condurango has entered
into a management agreement with joint venture partners, with the
understanding that Condurango will be responsible for the day-to-day running
of the mining operation.

For Core Mining Resources, a new company called Canadile Miners Private
Limited was formed. Unlike Condurango, Canadile Miners partners have agreed
to jointly manage their operations. Both joint ventures have board of
directors. Condurango has ten seats, while ZMDC is allocated five directors
and Grandwell five directors. The chairmanship of the board rotates after
two years. The same arrangement applies to Canadile Miners.

Relocation of affected villagers

A total of 4,207 households have been identified for resettlement to pave
the way for diamond mining operations. Total costs of resettlement have been
calculated by the Ministry of Public Works and Housing at $11,791,644 (Table
1). The investors currently have committed to share the cost equally. New
investors in the area will share the cost on pro-rata. The government has
already identified ARDA Transau farm for resettlement of affected
households. The first phase of the resettlement exercise will see 1,800
households being moved to ARDA Transau farm where each household will get
one hectare for a homestead and half a hectare for crop farming.

The investors have so far built two sample houses at ARDA Transau and sunk
10 boreholes. The existing school and clinic have been renovated. The
investors will install irrigation infrastructure for the settlers.

Small scale miners

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development is drafting policy and
procedures on handling small scale mining. Among other issues, the ministry
is investigating the roles of each government department and other relevant
key institutions. It is also looking at the definition of small scale miner,
particularly size. To date, no small miner has been licensed to mine. The
ministry indicated that a framework document will be completed by June 2010.
However, mining operations by small miners will begin at a much later stage.

Country internal controls

Mining titles are issued by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
(MMMD) after evaluation of the application and due diligence on the
investor. The MMMD carries out periodic mine audits and inspections. The
Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Minerals Unit also monitors the movement of
diamonds from the mining stage up to the export stage. MMMD and the Minerals
Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) are responsible for authorising
exports of diamonds after satisfying themselves that the diamonds comply
with Kimberley Process Certification Scheme requirements. No diamonds can be
exported without the KP certificate.

At the port of exit ZIMRA insists on Kimberley Process certificates being
produced before diamonds can be exported. The diamonds must be sealed and
accompanied by a commercial invoice with the seal number and number of
carats being exported. There is a statutory instrument in place which makes
it mandatory for all diamond producers to comply with minimum Kimberley
Process requirements.

Marange production and sales statistics

For the period October 2006 to 28 February 2010, a production and sales
account of the Marange diamond field is obtainable from the activities of a
number of players as summarised in the table below.

Marange Diamond Field Production Summary, October 2006 to 28 February 2010

Source

Product

volume

(carats) Sales volume (carats) Stock (carats)

Marange

Resources 1,363,566.55 1,083,840.36 279,726.19

Mbada 2,005,298.44 0 2,005,298.44

Canadile 346,551.92 0 346,551.92

MMCZ mop-up 531,222.01 525,167.76 6,054.25

Police/MMMD 25,932.88 25,932.88 472.87

ACR 129,031.87 0 129,031.87

TOTAL 4,401,603.67 1,634,941.00 2,767,135.54

Source:MMMD (2010)

Marange Resources annual production volume, 2007 - 2009

Production Period Diamond recovery (carats)

2007 494,181.95

2008 460,017.20

2009 409,367.40

Total Production 1,363,566.55

Source: MMMD (2010)

Marange Resources Sales Summary, 2008 -2010

Sales Carats

Tender 1 01-Oct-08 101,550.00

Tender 2 01-Mar-09 87,307.09

3,706.63

328,305.01

Tender 3 16-Jun-09 64,305.44

2,445.32

104,260.86

2,005.31

61,028.61

Tender 4 20-Aug-09 17,930.11

30,263.06

73,221.52

Tender 5 27-Jan-10 2,753.73

3,678.18

10,387.95

17,445.83

81,056.81

63,297.66

28,891.24

Total sales 1,083,840.36

Closing stock at 28

February 2010 279,726.19

Source: (2010)

Marange Resources only started sales in October 2008. The slow issuance of
CD1 (currency declaration) forms by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe slowed the
export process causing the accumulation of product/stock pile. A paper trail
is available for all transactions entered by Marange Resources. The Ministry
of Mines and Mining Development, through the comptroller and auditor general
is engaging a forensic auditor to reconcile production and sales figures for
Marange diamonds as stipulated in the Joint work plan, Strategic Issue 8.
The exercise will include reconciliation of all diamonds bought by MMCZ and
those from police seizures.

National Production Statistics, 2009

Marange

Resources Mbada Canadile Murrow River Ranch TOTAL

409,367.40 302,115.08 57,537.00 121,863.19 72,617.23 963,499.90

In 2009, Mbada and Canadile only started production in December 2009.

Cooperation and Transparency

In 2009, cabinet set up an inter ministerial task force to oversee Kimberley
Process compliance issues on Marange diamonds, to include investment in the
Marange diamond field and relocation of affected households. The three
political parties to the Global Political Agreement (GPA) are represented in
the inter-ministerial task force whose members include:

Hon O.M. Mpofu (MP) - Minister of Mines and Mining Development, (chair) Hon
T. Biti (MP) - Ministry of Finance

Hon E.D. Mnangagwa (MP) - Ministry of Defence

Hon Professor W. Ncube (MP) - Ministry of Industry and Commerce

Hon E. Mangoma (MP) - Ministry of Economic Development and Investment
Promotion.

In addition, there is the parliamentary portfolio committee on mines and
energy which monitors compliance with best practices. It also monitors the
implementation of relevant legislation and corporate governance by all
players in the diamond industry. A steering committee chaired by the
Ministry of Mines and Mining Development, monitors implementation of the
Joint work plan agreed to with the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme.
Other members of the committee include MMCZ, ZMDC, ZIMRA and ZRP - Minerals
Unit. There is also a committee on border control made up of the ZRP -
Border Control and Minerals Unit, ZIMRA and immigration officials who work
with their counterparts in Mozambique.

A provincial committee chaired by the Ministry of Local Government has been
set up to deal with the relocation process for affected households.

The Committee is made up of officials from:

· Ministry of Local Government

· Ministry of Lands

· Ministry of Public Construction

· Department of Irrigation

· Department of Physical Planning

· District Development Fund

· Environmental Management Agency

· Mutare Rural District Council

· Ministry of Agriculture

· Ministry of Mines and Mining Development

· Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation

The committee reports to the provincial governor for Manicaland.

Security situation in Marange

Demilitarisation of Marange diamond field appears to be ongoing, in
accordance with the Kimberley Process Administrative Decision and Joint work
plan. As resource areas are demarcated and allocated to joint venture
companies, investors take full responsibility of their areas and are
compelled to secure their areas and operate on hands free auditable systems.
The KP Monitor was informed that there is now complete demilitarisation of
areas under Mbada and Canadile's operations. Both Mbada and Canadile have
secured their areas of operation through physical security barriers (fences
etc) and electronic means.

Industry voluntary self-regulation

The global diamond industry has undertaken to implement a voluntary system
of self-regulation by ensuring an effective internal control system of
diamonds based on the international certification scheme for rough diamonds.
This system includes a chain of warrantees underpinned through verification
by independent auditors of individual companies and supported by penalties
set by industry, which helps facilitate the full traceability of rough
diamond transactions by government authorities. The KP Monitor attempted to
establish levels of compliance by mining companies at Marange diamonds
fields. The results were as follows:

Security situation at Sorting and Valuation facilities

MBADA CANADILE

· Screened concentrate weighed with truck on a weigh bridge

· Count number of scoops from the tipper into head feed

· Weight of concentrate from head feed is captured

· Weight-o-meters used to weigh concentrate

· Weight concentrate from surge bin recorded again

· Security personnel on horses doing rounds

· Process at DMS double-locked by security and mine management

· DMS plant is hand free

· Process in recovery up to vault is also double locked

· Conveyor belts screened off with wire mesh

· Recovery up to vault is double locked

· Glove boxes have cameras inside to monitor the sorting operation

· Glove boxes have cameras inside to monitor the sorting operation

· Sorting operations are hands free

· Sorting operations are hands free

· Exporting boxes use self-locking mechanism

· Exporting boxes use self-locking mechanism

· Export boxes secured with 3 locks

· Exporting boxes are secured with 2 locks

· Access to all diamond areas controlled by centralised access control
system

· Access to all diamond areas controlled by centralised access control
system

· Exit from the mining area is via X-ray machine

· Exit from the mining area is via thorough physical search

Security at the mine

MBADA CANADILE

· Entrances and security exits manned 24 hours

· Entrances and security exits manned 24 hours

· Static security at 100m intervals · Static security at 100m intervals

· Motorbike units conducts rounds every hour

· Security personnel doing rounds on horses

· Dog unit right around the fence area

· Control towers

· Watch towers at corners of the perimeter

· Night-vision cameras along fence and mining area- linked to central
control tower

Landing air strip and security control tower

The KP Monitor visited the well-publicised air strip that is being built in
the area. The mine management team informed the KP Monitor that the airstrip
will be used to transport rough diamonds from the mine to the sorting and
valuation facility in Harare. The KP Monitor was also taken to the security
control tower. The tower is being built on the highest point in the Marange
area.

Matter between Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and African
Consolidated Resources

The KP Monitor was informed by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
that African Consolidated Resources Plc, a public company listed on the
London Stock Exchange, has over the past several years, declared a dispute
on mining claims in the Marange diamond fields with the ministry and its
associated institutions. The dispute between the parties culminated into a
High Court ruling in September 2009 with a court order stating the following
(as paraphrased):

· The African Consolidated Resources claims issued to Dashaloo Investments,
Possession Investments, Heavy Staff Investments and Olebile Investments,
which are within the area previously covered by Exclusive Prospecting order
1523 held by Kimberlit Searches are valid and have remained valid since the
date they were originally pegged, and the right granted to a company that is
associated with African Consolidated Resources, shall not apply in respect
of the African Consolidated Resources claims as indicated on Annexure 'B'
(of the application). In that regard it is hereby ordered that Zimbabwe
Mining Development Corporation cease its prospecting and diamond mining
activities in the said area.

· The Court Order further instructs that 129 400 carats of diamonds seized
from African Consolidated Resources offices in Harare January 2007 be
returned to African Consolidated Resources, and the Police be directed to
cease interfering with the African Consolidated Resources prospecting and
mining activities. And that the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
and/or its associate institutions pay African Consolidated Resources lost on
a legal practitioner and client scale, the one paying the other to be
absolved.

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development advised that this matter is sub
judice and therefore cannot be discussed in detail until a legal opinion is
obtained from its advisors.

The matter between the ministry of Mines and Mining Development and African
Consolidated Resources is of serious concern. Indications are that the
African Consolidates Resources may file an urgent application to stop
shipment of rough diamonds that were mined from Marange diamond fields. This
action may require Kimberley Process participants and observers to apply
their minds on the matter.

The KP Monitor is of the opinion that the Kimberley Process is mandated by
its participants and observers to ensure that Zimbabwe complies fully with
minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme. And that
the matter between the ministry of Mines and Mining Development and African
Consolidated Resources is a subject of Zimbabwe's national laws and court
decisions. An attempt to handle the matter outside the courts could easily
draw Kimberley Process participants and observers into a political and
diplomatic disagreement.

The KP Monitor recommends that Kimberley Process should focus on the
implementation of the joint work plan, as envisaged, to ensure that Zimbabwe
is in full compliance with Kimberley Process minimum requirements. In the
event of an urgent application by African Consolidated Resources, Kimberley
Process actions should be guided by a court decision on the matter.

The Way Forward

The following challenges and recommendations are not listed in any
particular order, but focus on issues that may have a negative impact on the
implementation of the joint work plan, directly or indirectly. In listing
these challenges and recommendations, an attempt is made to list only those
that address issues covered in the joint work plan, and relevant to
Kimberley Process minimum requirements.

Challenges Recommendations

· Government agencies have recently deployed civil servants to monitor and
report on the diamond production exports and imports, however, most of these
individuals are not adequately trained or inducted into this new
responsibility

· Ongoing onsite training and coaching be provided to civil servants. Among
other issues, the focus should be on system leakage and audit processes and
procedures. Others may be trained as diamond sorters and valuators.

· Too many government agencies are involved in monitoring and handling rough
diamonds. This poses the danger of diamonds being swapped or stolen in the
process.

· Only the MMCZ, ZIMRA and ZRP should handle rough diamonds. Even with these
three agencies, movement of rough diamonds should be subjected to a
monitoring and security mechanism that can detect the loss or of diamonds.

· ZMDC has issued some special grants and is issuing more such grants.

· ZMDC should accelerate the process of issuing special grants in the
Chiadzwa area since illegal miners may seek to occupy unfenced areas.

· ZRP is permitted by legislation to hold confiscated rough diamonds as
exhibit. The legislation allows ZRP to transport rough diamonds to court as
required.

· Legislation be amended to reduce the risk of diamond swap or loss. In the
event that legislation need not be amended, government may consider the
safe-keeping of rough diamonds at MMCZ (on confiscation and during court
proceedings) and only release them when necessary.

· Zimbabwe Reserve Bank currently holds rough diamonds for safekeeping
pending the court order and Appeal of the court order by the government of
Zimbabwe.

· Zimbabwean Reserve Bank be encouraged to keep rough diamonds only under
extraordinary circumstances, otherwise be discouraged from handling rough
diamonds.

· Mbada Diamonds and Canadile need to increase the chances of providing
accurate rough diamond statistics from production to sorting and valuation.

· These companies be encouraged to install Torex and counting machines at
the mines.

· Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners do not have adequate diamond audit
systems.

· These companies need to employ, a full time qualified diamond audit to
increase their chances of complying fully with industry self-regulating
mechanism as agreed by the global diamond industry and Kimberley Process
participants.

· Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners have not been able to demonstrate that
their sorting and valuation centres have no blind-spots.

· These companies need to put cameras all around their sorting and valuation
facilities.

· Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners claim their sorting and valuation
facilities are fully secured and insured.

· Both companies are requested to submit insurance report from a current
insurer of the sorting and valuation facility stating that the facilities
are fully insured at a value equivalent to the value of its production

· Mbada Diamonds and Canadile Miners claim their electronic surveillance
systems are fully fraud-proof and they guarantee an off-site back-up.

· Both companies are requested to submit an assurance letter certifying that
the electronic security system installed at their sorting and valuation
facilities cover all areas in the facilities and that on request from the
Kimberley Process, they can provide footage of at least three years of
coverage, assuming that their operations continue for such a period.

Other Challenges and Recommendations

In addition, the following additional related challenges and recommendations
should be taken into consideration.

Challenges Recommendations

· Marange diamonds field is a resource-rich region on the one hand but a
politically and economically charged piece of land on the other. The
political and economic leadership in and outside government faces the
challenge of ensuring that revenue generated from the sale of rough diamonds
is used to reconstruct and develop the economy. The challenge is for all
parties

involved to communicate clearly the strategic direction the country would
like to take in exploiting diamond resources in the interest of all people
of Zimbabwe.

The KP Monitor recommends that the Cabinet Task Force on Marange production
must lead an economic strategy aimed at developing and growing the diamond
mining industry in Zimbabwe to create a significant source of revenue for
the state. The strategy will have to be communicated clearly at all levels
of government and industry to solicit the buy in of all key players in the
industry.

The communication of clear messages to communities and other relevant
stakeholders in and around Marange needs to be led by the Cabinet Task Force
and/or its representative bodies.

· Communities in Chiadzwa, Marange are not connected to the mining
activities in the area. They have seen a fence being erected around the
diamond fields, an air strip being constructed, and trucks and bulldozers
working. And they have been informed that they will be relocated. The
national, provincial and local government representatives and their
implementing authorities need to develop an inclusive and well-coordinated
relocation strategy aimed at building consensus on the way in which
relocation should be implemented.

Such relocation of the community may require a well thought out and well
orchestrated plan with involves the participation of all stakeholders,
particularly the local communities and their representatives. It might also
help to remember that the decision to relocate was taken at the height of
the diamond rush and that the circumstances have since changed following the
end of diamond rush.

A national and regional communication strategy and plan is required to
educate and inform the community and all relevant stakeholders on the
rationale, goals and objectives of the relocation.

There must be room for new ideas on the nature of the relocation since this
decision was taken during or around the diamond rush period. New ideas may
include; classification of communities that need to be relocated and
categories of communities such as (a) those members of the community who
would like to secure jobs at the mine (b) those who may want to be paid cash
and start a new life elsewhere; and (c) those who are ready to relocate to a
designated area.

· The government and its associate institutions face a financial crisis, as
a result certain fundamentals are not in place to develop and grow diamond
production in Marange. It might be relevant to consider development
institutions in Africa and the world at large that are mandated to provide
developmental assistance of all types.

The government needs to appoint a team that will research development
institutions such as the African Development Bank, Development Bank of
Southern Africa, Industrial Development Corporation and the European
Community, etc. This takes into account that there are sanctions imposed on
government and government officials.

· The selection of joint venture partners to invest and mine diamonds in the
Marange diamond fields has received much criticism from several quarters.
Numerous documents suggest prospective investors normally apply for grants
and these applications accumulate over time. At a later stage relevant
government institutions process these applications and select some.

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development may want to consider a more
transparent, credible and predictable system that will enable the ministry
to select applicants for consideration. Such a system will ensure
credibility and accountability in a more transparent and predictable manner.

· The certification and shipment of Zimbabwe's rough diamonds is certainly
going to create a revenue base for the government. The communities where
diamonds are mined are most likely to expect return on the diamond
resources.

The Ministry of Mines and Mining Development may want to consider releasing
statistics on the royalties and company taxes paid to government as well as
dividends declared by the MMCZ annually to demonstrate how the diamond
industry is contributing to the national fiscus. The ministry may also want
to demonstrate how mining in the area is contributing to the development of
infrastructure, job creation, wealth, health and educational development.

· The development of small scale mining is a daunting task for government
due to its complexity and magnitude. The programme that the Ministry of
Mines and Mining Development and other stakeholders have embarked on is
commendable.

The ministry of Mines and Mining Development may want to conduct a benchmark
study on small-scale mining in countries that have similar economic and
mining circumstances. These include Ghana, Sierra Leon and Angola.

· The implementation of the joint work plan Government needs to expedite the
process of requires technical and financial support from participants.
Apparently, that the government has written letters to countries such as
South Africa to solicit technical support engaging these countries to
support speedy implementation of the joint work plan. South Africa and
European Community may be ready to assist government with immediate effect.
The government should direct specific requests for assistance to those
countries that have offered technical assistance, in order to ensure that
areas of greatest need are addressed as a matter of priority.

· Experience has shown that illicit trade in Zimbabwe is most likely to
spill over to its neighbouring countries. There is need for regional
cooperation as recommended by the Working Group on Monitoring and as
foreseen in the joint work plan. Such co-operation may include internal
monitoring controls, security, technology, and coaching and or training. The
DRC as the Vice Chair of the Kimberley Process may wish to consider
championing efforts to promote strengthened regional co-operation, in
consultation with the government of Zimbabwe, in order to ensure that such
regional co-operation is designed to address specific challenges being faced
by Zimbabwe in meeting the minimum requirements of the Kimberley Process
Certification Scheme.

Support for the KP Monitor

· Following the fact-finding-mission, the KP Monitor was able to establish
the magnitude of the tasks ahead and has concluded that to fulfill his
mandate in a professional and diligent manner he needs secretarial and
technical expertise. It would be unrealistic to expect him to fulfill this
task without secretarial and technical support.

Recommendations on the Secretarial and Technical support

· The secretarial support that is required includes the facilitation of
constant communication with all key stakeholders; planning and coordination
of KP Monitor visits to Zimbabwe; compilation of supporting documentation in
preparation for writing periodic reports; monitoring media coverage of the
Marange diamond fields and general administration of the activities of the
KP Monitor. The envisaged secretarial support will ensure that the
collection and, verification of data, as well as certification of
information provided by the Zimbabwean government and industry is accurate.
It will also ensure that periodic reports written by the KP Monitor are
prepared professionally. Additional information may reach the KP Monitor
through sources such as KP Participants, Observers and the Zimbabwean
government.

· The following recommendations are made to expedite the task of the KP
Monitor. The individuals who are recommended are highly competent and are
known professionally to the KP Monitor and with whom the KP Monitor feels
comfortable working. The fact that they are based in the region helps to
keep costs down and makes the co-ordination of regular visits to Zimbabwe by
the KP Monitor easy to co-ordinate, especially in the area of technical
support on site in Marange.

Secretarial

· The KP Monitor recommends Ms. Thuli Magubane, an experienced and
professional project coordinator, be engaged to provide the envisaged. For
the past seven years, she has served the corporate world as an administrator
and coordinator. Her strengths are in establishing programme management
offices (PMOs) designed to administer and coordinate large projects. She has
implemented PMOs in the financial and property industries in South Africa.
Thuli has attended various training courses in programme management office,
project management methodologies and project coordination. For more
information, please consult the resume, which accompanies this report.

Technical

· The KP Monitor recommends Ms. Jennifer Posthumus, an experienced diamond
expert, be engaged to provide the envisaged. With over 20 years of
experience in the diamond industry, Jennifer has sorted and valued large
quantities of rough diamonds into various assortments for optimum yield. In
the past six years, she acquired experience in negotiations with buyers and
sellers in the open market. Jennifer attended various training programmes in
South Africa, Antwerp, London and Israel. She has worked for the De Beers,
group of Companies, including Diamdel, South Africa. Currently, she works
for Degas' Love a rough diamond trading company. Her professional integrity
and ethical standards are beyond reproach. For more information, please
consult the resume which accompanies this report.

Next visit to Zimbabwe

· The KP Monitor is available to visit Zimbabwe from 6 -8 April 2010,
subject to confirmation with chair of the working group on monitoring and
the government of Zimbabwe. The purpose of the visit is to conduct a
thorough examination of individual shipments from any producing area in
Marange and their chain of custody to confirm whether rough diamonds
selected for shipment were produced and prepared in accordance with
Kimberley Process Certification Scheme minimum requirements.

· If compliant, the KP Monitor is required to confirm the certification on
the relevant Kimberley Process Certificate with his signature and stamp, and
will digitally photograph the certificate and shipment. If not compliant,
the KP Monitor will provide to the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development
of Zimbabwe written indications as to the reasons, including any possible
means of remediation. During this period, the shipment will be held until
remedial action is completed, after which the KP Monitor will reexamine the
export and, if fully compliant, certify it and sign the certificate, as
provided in the joint work plan.

· The KP Monitor would like to be accompanied by a diamond expert and a
project coordinator when he visits Zimbabwe.

Conclusion

· The Kimberley Process Certification Scheme remains the only international
system that has successfully responded to conflict resource issues
worldwide. The scheme has successfully and drastically reduced resource
issues on the continent and has contributed to the political and economic
stability of fragile states such as Zimbabwe. The scheme is known for
imposing extensive requirements on its members to enable them to certify
shipments of rough diamonds as 'conflict free' and prevent conflict diamonds
from entering the legitimate global trade.

· Under the terms of Kimberley Process Certification Scheme, participating
states must meet minimum requirements and must put in place national
legislation and institutions; export, import and internal controls; and also
commit to transparency and exchange of statistical data. Participants can
only legally trade with other participants who have also met minimum
requirements of the scheme, and international shipments of rough diamonds
must be accompanied by a Kimberley Process Certificate guaranteeing they are
conflict free.

· The implementation of the joint work plan is critical for meeting these
minimum requirements. - ZimOnline

Confidential Report by the special investigations Committee IMPLICATING CHOMBO and PHILIP CHIYANGWA (Urban Land Grabbing)

See http://www.zimbabwemetro.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/special-report-hararelandissue.pdf