IOL
February 09 2007 at 08:11PM
Zimbabwean police have arrested and
detained two company executives on
charges of breaching a state-imposed
price ceiling, police said on Friday.
National police spokesperson
Wayne Bvudzijena confirmed the arrest of
Michael Manga, chief executive
officer of leading milling firm Blue Ribbon
Foods and Ian Kind, managing
director of National Foods.
"They are in police custody and they
face charges of unilaterally
increasing the prices of goods whose prices are
controlled," Bvudzijena
said.
They were accused of increasing
the price of baking flour without
approval from the ministry of industry and
international trade, which sets
prices for specified goods and assesses
requests for price increases.
The arrests came two
days after government warned it would jail shop
owners who overprice
controlled commodities.
"Charging more than the price set by the
price stabilisation committee
for controlled and monitored goods will
attract a fine or a prison
sentence," the ministry said.
President Robert Mugabe's government first introduced price controls
for
selected goods five years ago to snuff out a burgeoning black market
where
scarce goods were sold for up to three times the state-imposed
price.
The government occassionaly deploys police to raid
businesses and
arrest price control violators who are usually released after
paying a fine.
Zimbabwe's economy has been on a downturn in the
last five years
characterised by runaway inflation which stood at over 1 200
percent in
December and perennial shortages of basic commodities such as
cooking oil,
fuel and the staple cornmeal.
VOA
By Blessing Zulu
Washington
09 February
2007
Two businessmen arrested this week by Zimbabwean
officials mounting a
crackdown on alleged profiteering were liberated on
Friday amidst
indications that there are deep divisions within the
government on how to
bring prices under control.
Managing Directors
Mike Manga and Ian Kind of Blue Ribbon Industries and
National Foods,
respectively, were arrested on Thursday and spent the night
in cells at the
Rhodesville police station in the capital.
Police said the managers had
asked Minister of Industry Obert Mpofu to allow
them to raise the price of
baking flour. Mpofu and Reserve Bank Governor
Gideon Gono have urged the
police to arrest business people considered to be
overcharging and even to
shut down business which hardliners accuse of
"sabotaging" the
economy.
Mpofu told the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce leadership
Wednesday
that there can be no going back in the clampdown on businesses he
claims are
inflating prices. ZNCC President Marah Hativagone confirmed the
meeting took
place and she said the government needed to exercise restraint
in the
economic crisis.
The arrests of executives has caused
consternation at high levels, as
certain ministers and ruling party
officials have financial interests in
some of the targeted
firms.
Lawyer Innocent Chagonda, representing Manga and Kind, told
reporter
Blessing Zulu of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that his clients were
freed on
orders from high up.
Sources in the police unit tasked with
enforcing price controls say they are
obstructed in their work by top
officials who own stakes in businesses under
surveillance.
Mail and Guardian
Riaan Wolmarans and Sapa-dpa | Johannesburg, South
Africa
09 February 2007 10:25
A
journalist working for South African free-to-air television
station e.tv and
at least one assistant were arrested in eastern Zimbabwe
this week while
trying to report on illegal dealings in the diamond-rich
Marange district,
the station told the Mail & Guardian Online on Friday.
Peter Moyo, a Zimbabwean national working as a producer for
e.tv's
investigative 3rd Degree programme, was arrested on Tuesday, said Sam
Rogers, the show's executive producer.
Also detained was
cameraman William Gumbo, who was hired from
the Zimbabwean Broadcasting
Corporation to work with Moyo. Zimbabwe's
state-controlled Herald newspaper
reported that another Zimbabwean, named
only as Trymore, was also arrested,
but Rogers could not confirm this.
Moyo was out on bail and
on his way back to South Africa on
Friday, said Rogers, who added she did
not know when the men would appear in
court again in
Zimbabwe.
According to the Herald's report, the three were
arrested by
police in Mutare and were found in possession of tapes that
showed they had
been filming in the Marange and Bikita districts. Police in
the area have
been trying to clamp down on illegal diamond mining and
dealing.
The three will face charges of working without
accreditation,
said the Herald. All journalists who work in Zimbabwe require
permission
from the state-appointed Media and Information Commission
(MIC).
However, Rogers said the Zimbabwean districts are a
"real hot
spot" for illegal diamond dealings, often involving foreigners,
and Moyo may
have been mistaken by police for one of these
foreigners.
Police seized the reporters' cameras, videotapes
and what was
described as a "spy video camera disguised as an ordinary
satchel", said the
Herald. Rogers confirmed that the equipment belonged to
e.tv and that the
station's lawyers were working on having it returned to
South Africa.
Dozens of journalists, including several
foreign reporters, have
been arrested under Zimbabwe's strict press laws
since they came into effect
in 2002. Working without accreditation can
result in prison sentences of up
to two years
Journalist arrested in Marange diamond area
By Tererai Karimakwenda
09
February 2007
A Zimbabwean journalist who works in South Africa for the
independent e-TV
confirmed Friday that he was arrested earlier this week in
the diamond
mining area of Marange and charged with working without
accreditation.
Producer Peter Moyo said contrary to reports in the state
media he was not
filming illegal diamond dealings in the area to discredit
Zimbabwe, but was
actually on holiday.
Moyo also denied claims in the
reports that he had hired William Gumbo, a
cameraman who works for the
state's ZBC television, and a Zimbabwean named
Trymore. He said Gumbo is a
long-time friend from school and Trymore is his
cousin. Both had joined him
on holiday and were also arrested. The three
appeared in court Tuesday and
were released on bail.
The state controlled Herald newspaper reported
that Moyo had spy cameras
with him and footage of illegal diamond dealing
activity in Marange. The
journalist explained that he declared the mini
cameras at the border and was
given permission to enter the country with
them. He said he was capturing
memories from his holiday, but it was
impossible to avoid filming people who
are dealing in diamonds. Moyo
described how he even saw teenage boys dealing
in the precious stones after
midnight not far from a roadblock. He said: "We
are all Zimbabweans living
in a free Zimbabwe and anyone on holiday should
be able to use a camera to
capture their holidays."
We also received reports that the ZBC bureau
chief for Mutare Andrew
Neshamba was arrested at a private lodge and accused
of working with "an
e-TV crew" on a documentary about the looting of
diamonds by top government
officials. Our sources said Neshamba received a
letter from ZBC boss Henry
Muradzikwa saying he has been suspended, pending
finalisation of his case.
Top government officials have long been
implicated in the illegal diamond
deals in Manicaland and the issue is being
investigated by a parliamentary
committee headed by MP Joel Gabbuza. Gabbuza
told us last month his
committee would probe the illegal activity and deal
with any government
officials involved. But a report in The Herald Friday
said witnesses
testifying to the committee have refused to name the top
officials.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
From The Daily Mirror, 9 February
Takunda
Maodza
Small scale miners have begun naming top government officials
and
politicians they claimed were involved in illegal gold dealings. This
comes
hard on the heels of a call by the former Minister of State
Enterprises,
Anti-Corruption and Anti-Monopolies Munyaradzi Paul Mangwana to
expose
offenders and threats by police deputy commissioner Godwin Matanga to
name
the culprits. Margaret Sangarwe, the permanent secretary in the
Ministry of
Environment and Tourism, was yesterday implicated during a
parliamentary
portfolio committee hearing as one of the high ranking
government officials
who was involved in the underground activities. She was
pointed out by miner
Febby Jabulani, the chairperson of the ruling party
Zanu PF's Rifle Range
Ward 2, Mashonaland West, during the meeting initially
chaired by Zanu PF
Kadoma West legislator Zacharia Ziyambi before MDC Binga
lawmaker Gabuza
Joel Gabuza took over. Sangarwe was present when she was
implicated. She had
gone to appear before the parliamentary portfolio
committee on mines and
environment to give evidence on environmental
degradation caused by illegal
panning.
But to her surprise,
Jabulani pointed at her during the hearing and said:
"That woman (referring
to Sangarwe who was seated in front of her) came with
a truck load of
illegal panners and threatened me. The illegal panners
indicated they were
working well with her (Sangarwe)." In her evidence
before the committee,
Jabulani said Sangarwe owns a farm in the
Chegutu-Mhondoro area where
panning is taking place. Committee member
Thembinkosi Sibindi immediately
interjected on a point of order saying: "We
should not personalise issues.
The small scale miners should talk about
their problems." Gabuza then
granted the objection and ordered Jabulani to
air hindrances to the miners'
operations after which she demanded that they
be allowed to return to their
gold claims and resume work. The government
had shut down operations of all
small scale miners in the country to make
them to comply with environmental
laws. This, the government did under an
operation codenamed Chikorokoza
Chapera/Isitsheketsha sesiphelile.
Sangarwe did not bother to respond
to Jabulani's accusation, but instead
went ahead with her business of the
day. Responding to a question on the
resumption of operations by small scale
miners, she said: "We have not been
officially requested for any grace
period. The grace period is granted by
Cabinet. I can't say for now they are
going to be given a grace period.
These people were aware that they were
supposed to have registered." But
soon after adjournment, this reporter saw
Sangarwe walking up to Jabulani
and followed. Sangarwe complained that her
name should not have been
mentioned and if there was any problem, it could
have been resolved between
the two. In an interview with journalists
afterwards, Jabulani claimed
Sangarwe had expressed her disappointment over
what had transpired during
the hearing. "She said I should have approached
her to resolve our
differences instead of mentioning her name before the
committee," Jabulani
said. Earlier, Senator Tsitsi Muzenda and the former
Minister of Mines
Edward Chindori-Chininga urged the small scale miners to
expose politicians
involved in illegal gold dealings to rid the country of
corruption.
Chindori-Chininga, the legislator for Guruve South said: "We are
dealing
with symptoms instead of the actual problems. Who are the
beneficiaries? The
police should deal with the beneficiaries. Who is
benefiting? Let us deal
with those. Let us ask ourselves as MPs whether we
are doing the right
thing."
Muzenda added her voice saying: "Last
week, we were opening an RBZ mine in
Zvishavane and I heard that the police
and some miners were sharing the
proceeds. It is time to talk, we should
really find out who is benefiting."
She said corruption has reached alarming
levels. Pauline Bandura, a Chegutu
small scale miner, accused the police
conducting operation Chikorokoza
Chapera of engaging in corrupt activities.
She claimed that a lot of gold
was stolen from closed mines and channeled to
the black market. "The
government should sit down with us and investigate
what is happening at the
mills," Bandura said. "The police are selling gold
in compounds. They come
to compounds looking for buyers." However,
Chindori-Chininga said the police
were only doing their job and urged
committee members not to loose focus by
laying the blame on them. "Let's
identify those that are assisting the
illegal gold panners," he insisted.
Bikita West legislator retired colonel
Claudious Makova echoed the same
sentiments, saying the police were only
being blamed because "they are
easier to accuse than the big fish." "Let's
go deep down," Makova
requested.
Gabuza then asked for the names of politicians involved,
but the miners said
they would provide a list of the names in writing for
fear of their lives.
Wonder Chanetsa, a small-scale miner said: "They are
big people who are
buying gold from illegal panners. They cannot be named,
they might kill you
if you mention them." It was then that Kariba lawmaker
Jonathan
Shumbayawonda Chandengenda agreed that they provide the names in
writing.
Earlier on Sangarwe had shown the committee a video showing the
activities
of illegal gold panners and the impact on the environment. The
video left
legislators shocked, as they watched illegal panners destroying
sewerage
systems, ZESA electricity transformers, digging a football pitch,
classrooms
and tarred roads. Sangarwe said Cabinet okayed operation
Chikorokoza Chapera
after seeing the video. She vowed that her ministry
would work flat out to
end illegal gold panning activities across the
country.
Mail and Guardian
Harare, Zimbabwe
09 February 2007
02:04
Small-scale gold miners in Zimbabwe are scared to name
politicians they say are masterminding illegal mining operations because
they fear they will be killed, the official Herald newspaper reported on
Friday.
"You just cannot afford taking the risk of
mentioning these
untouchable individuals because you will be killed as soon
as you expose
them," Wonder Chanetsa, from the Zimbabwean Gold Miners'
Association, told a
parliamentary committee this week.
Crisis-hit Zimbabwe has significant deposits of gold, diamonds
and precious
minerals, but is losing desperately needed foreign currency as
dealers and
miners siphon gems and metals out of the country.
Last week a
senior police officer, Godwin Matanga, confirmed
some ministers and MPs were
implicated in shady deals, but "that is as far
as I can say", the Herald
reported Matanga as saying on February 2.
Illegal gold mining
is reported to be rife near the southern
towns of Kadoma and Kwekwe, but
levels of fear are so high that nobody will
name the prominent people
involved.
"Even if we were to tell you the people involved,
you will not
act because you will also be afraid of them," Evelyn Mushava,
president of
the Zimbabwe Women Miners' Association told the
committee.
About 28 000 illegal small-scale miners and
dealers have been
arrested since the authorities launched a clampdown named
Operation
Chikorokoza Chapera (No Illegal Panning) in November, but no
politicians
have so far been netted.
At least 113 of
those arrested have been convicted and sentenced
to mandatory two-year jail
terms with labour, according to police. --
Sapa-dpa
Mail and Guardian
Johannesburg, South Africa
09 February
2007 03:46
More than 5 000 illegal immigrants have been
arrested in a bid
by police to curb crime along the South African/Zimbabwean
border line,
Limpopo police said on Friday.
"A total of 5
438 illegal foreigners were arrested at the
borderline in January," said
Superintendent Ronel Otto.
A further 94 people were arrested
and fined for aiding and
transporting illegal immigrants.
In addition to the arrests, 43 958 cartons of cigarettes and two
firearms
were confiscated.
Otto said the cigarettes were probably
destined to be sold to
shops and street vendors.
"It is
through hard work and loyalty such as these police
members have displayed
that we will conquer crime in this province," said
police provincial
Commissioner Calvin Sengani. -- Sapa
By Violet Gonda
9 February 2007
Local and
long distance bus fares have gone up again, barely three weeks
after the
last increase. Our correspondent Simon Muchemwa who travelled from
Harare to
Mutare on Friday, said the bus fares went up with no warning from
Z$15 000
to Z$20 000 and from Harare to Bulawayo from Z$30 000 TO Z$40 000.
He
said the local fares in Harare went up from Z$1 500 to Z$2 000 making it
more difficult for workers. Most are already failing to afford bus fares to
travel to work.
The inflationary environment in Zimbabwe has resulted
in prices of
essentials like fuel and basic commodities increasing on a
regular basis
with no solution in sight. Transport operators say they are
left with no
choice but to hike fares due to the high cost of fuel and spare
parts.
Muchemwa said many people have been taking trains as they are
cheaper but
the high demand has resulted in unscrupulous people hording
tickets and
re-selling them at inflated prices. In Mutare a train ticket to
Harare is
supposed to cost Z$5 300 (off peak) and Z$7 500 (peak) but is
double the
amount on the 'black market.'
Analysts say the
ever-increasing cost of living is taking its toll. Most
people complain
their income doesn't cover the cost of transport to work.
This is one of the
main factors for the tension that is mounting around the
country. Transport
costs combined with power blackouts, water cuts and the
breakdown of
essential services, have resulted in a wave of strikes across
the country's
work force.
SW Radio Africa Zimbabwe news
The Zimbabwean
09-02-07
NEARLY 40% of
public transport bus drivers whose driving skills have
been re-tested by the
government in line with regulations introduced last
year have failed the
exercise a government official said.
Addressing journalists when
announcing chief executive officers for Air
Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe National Road
Authority and the Zimbabwe Traffic
Safety Council the Minister of Transport
and Communications Chris Mushowe
said
government introduced the retesting
of public transport drivers' skills
following a spate of road accidents,
which claimed the lives of many
people last year and were attributed to human
error.
"We are testing about 600 per week and out of those about 40%,
are
failing.
"And that vindicates our suspicion that most of the
drives that are
given to public transport are not the ideal, experienced and
suitable
drivers,"
said Mushohwe.
Drivers who would have failed the
exercise have their licences
withdrawn, as government fears such drivers
could put the lives of people at
risk.
Minister Mushowe said the exercise
was compulsory and all public
transport drivers were obliged to undergo
re-examination of their competence
to
drive.
The minister said
under the old system the people abused regulations by
handing over permits,
after satisfying the ZSC and the Vehicle
Inspection Department as suitable
and competent drivers, to other people
without
experience to drive safely
on the country's roads.
Such anomalies, Mushohwe said, would only come to
light after one
driver got involved in accidents.
Mushohwe announced
Ronmaldo Jokonya as the new substantive managing
director of ZTSC.Prior to
his appointment Jokonya was the acting
executive director of ZTSC, since
2004.
He also announced the appointment of Francis Taurayi Hwekwete as
the
new substantive chief executive of ZINARA he had also been acting.
Peter
Chikumba was appointed chief executive of Air Zimbabwe taking over
from
Captain Oscar Madombwe who had been acting since November
2005.
Zim Online
Saturday 10 February 2007
By
Regerai Marwezu
MASVINGO - The ruling ZANU PF party has ordered companies
in the southern
Masvingo town to donate funds towards President Robert
Mugabe's birthday
celebrations later this month.
A letter signed by
ZANU PF party's chairman for Masvingo, Samuel
Mumbengegwi, described
companies that fail to donate "something" towards
Mugabe's birthday as
"enemies of the state."
Mugabe will turn 83 on 21 February.
"We
are appealing to you as companies to contribute something towards the
hosting of the celebrations which will be held in Gweru this
year.
"As you know the president pronounced the policy of reconciliation
at
independence and we hope the white community will also donate towards
this
worthy cause.
"Those companies that fail to contribute are
obviously enemies of the state
whose closure is imminent," read part of the
letter which was seen by
ZimOnline.
A number of companies in Masvingo
say they had received the threatening
letter with for example, some
black-owned milling companies saying they were
told to donate towards
Mugabe's birthday or face closure.
Mumbengegwi confirmed writing the
letters to the companies but denied
threatening to close down those that
defied directives to donate funds.
"It's just a matter of wording. I am
appealing to companies to donate and
those that do not have anything will
not be closed. The wording was done in
such a way that we try to get as much
as possible even from enemies of the
state," said Mumbengegwi.
ZANU
PF says it needs to raise about Z$300 million towards birthday
celebrations
with at least the bulk of the funds coming from the corporate
sector.
Several companies and individuals mostly teachers in rural
areas have in the
past complained of harassment by ZANU PF supporters after
failing to donate
funds towards the party's programmes. - ZimOnline
VOA
By Jonga Kandemiiri and Carole Gombakomba
Washington
09 February 2007
The Consumer Council of
Zimbabwe said Friday that a family of six now needs
some Z$460,000 a month
to buy food and other basic commodities - an 87% rise
over the December
level of Z$246,000 and several times the average salary.
The Consumer
Council said education costs posted the biggest jump at 262%.
Sugar, bread,
roller meal, clothing and transport also posted large gains.
Producers are
still asking the government to let them raise prices on almost
everything,
reflecting the entrenched hyperinflation which was last measured
at an
annual 1,205%.
The council's manager for Matabeleland, Comfort Muchekeza,
told reporter
Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that the surge
in January
was mainly driven by speculation that the central bank would
devalue the
currency.
Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono surprised
speculators and economists alike
on January 31 when he said he would not
ratify black market prices by
devaluing further. However, leaving the
official rate at Z$250 to the U.S.
dollar has not stopped the parallel
market from depreciating the currency
further to rates over
Z$5,000.
Elsewhere, commuter omnibus operators continued to raise fares
despite
arrests and insistent government warnings that such rate increases
are
illegal. Commuters say they are facing significant weekly or even daily
fare
increases.
Mutare residents said a one-way trip from the city to
Sakubva, Hillside or
Marymount which used to cost Z$1,000 (US$4 at the
official rate, 20 U.S.
cents at the parallel market rate) now costs
Z$1,500. A trip from the
suburbs of Chinhoyi into town has doubled in
recent days to Z$1,000, leading
man residents to walk to work.
In
Harare, bus fares change daily, but a typical one-way trip cost between
Z$1,000 and Z$2,500 depending on the distance and the operator, among other
factors.
Chief Economist Prosper Chitambara of the Labor and Economic
Development
Research Institute in Harare told reporter Carole Gombakomba of
VOA's Studio
7 for Zimbabwe that further fare increases are probably in
store as
transport operators themselves face rising costs which they must
pass on to
consumers.