| The ZIMBABWE Situation | Our
thoughts and prayers are with Zimbabwe - may peace, truth and justice prevail. |
- Instead
Murerwa said the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe would announce a
new monetary
policy in mid-December detailing, among others, proposals on
foreign exchange
management, interest rates and the management of money
supply to help slow
down inflation.
- Murerwa said the government would introduce
value-added tax from
January 1, 2004, and estimated the country's budget
deficit would remain
unchanged at around 7.5 percent of GDP.
-
Murerwa announced several but mostly small tax concessions for
workers and
pensioners. But he maintained the corporate tax rate at 30
percent.
20th November 2003.
MOVEMENT FOR DEMOCRATIC
CHANGE
2004 BUDGET STATEMENT –
Soccer but no succour for the
people of Zimbabwe
The Budget Statement just presented is once again an
indictment of Zanu-PF
rule. It shows beyond doubt that this government has
failed. It is a
populist budget, underpinned by dishonesty and hypocrisy.
It is dishonest
in that it fails to address the three fundamental macro
issues of the
exchange rate, inflation and negative interest rates. It is
hypercritic in
its attempts to disguise its crude populism. More
importantly, it is a
vehicle for the continued reproduction legally and
extra-legally of Zanu-PF.
Of immediate procedural concern is the fact
that the Blue Book, which
contains the actual revenue and expenditure
estimates, was not made
available by the Minister. This is unconstitutional,
and technically means
that the “Budget” has not been presented. Zanu-PF thus
does not even have
the capacity to present the budget, much less implement
it.
The severity of the crisis is such that there was some hope of new
ideas,
but sadly the Budget Statement provides no evidence of any sort of
change on
the government side. On the pivotal macro-economic management
issues in the
current crisis, the Budget Statement failed to make clear any
position.
Decisions on these crucial areas are held over to the RBZ
Governor’s
Monetary Policy Statement which is promised by
mid-December.
If the Minister took seriously for a moment his statements
about not being
able to continue doing business as usual, the need to act
expeditiously and
to build confidence in the government’s policy stance, he
would surely have
grasped the nettle of articulating policies to fight what
he said was the
country’s number one enemy – inflation. When the RBZ
Governor pronounces
on monetary policy and inflation, there can be very
little hope of any
policy change. The very first action in the week after
the new governor’s
appointment was to pump huge amounts of liquidity into the
market, a certain
formula for increasing the rate of
inflation.
Another major issue the Minister correctly identifies is the
need to expand
export revenues. The statement rightly notes the loss of
competitiveness of
the mining industry due to a fixed exchange rate in the
face of rampant
inflation. The solution is to devalue the currency, but
instead of this the
Statement talks of ‘recapitalisation’ of export
industries. This means
worsening the fiscal deficit without changing one
iota the lack of incentive
to export.
Incredibly, the Statement also
makes clear that “quasi-fiscal” expenditures,
which in 2003 amounted to an
astronomical amount of over 3.5% of GDP, are to
be prohibited. This means
that the payments to gold and tobacco producers
to compensate them for the
inadequate exchange rate, will be discontinued.
These payments had fallen to
well below the levels required for viability
and it was widely expected that
there would either be an across-the-board
devaluation in the budget or else
an increase in the special allowances for
export sectors. As they are to fall
away, the total demise of 2 of Zimbabwe’
s prime export industries – gold and
tobacco – is now certain.
In the face of this implication of his
Statement, how can the Minister be
taken seriously on any claims about
economic recovery?
The Minister also ducks the crucial issue of interest
rates in the Budget
Statement. The tired description he gives of measures to
achieve a supply
side response make clear that the economically irrational
notion of
suppressed interest rates is going to continue. The nation has been
told
about supply side response for 3 years and during that time GDP has
actually
contracted by -30%. And despite whatever supply side measures are
touted,
the Budget Statement itself is anticipating a further decline of
-8.5% in
GDP in 2004.
Keeping interest rates below inflation, and
pretending that the ‘leaks’ such
an adverse incentive structure creates can
be controlled, is one of the
major causes of the present crisis. When there
is a gap between interest
rates and inflation, economists talk of ‘negative
real interest rates’. As
any first year economics student would know, the
problem with negative real
interest rates is that they destroy the basis for
savings, investment and
growth in the economy and create the conditions for
speculation and
accelerating currency depreciation and inflation.
Just
as Zanu-PF has no respect for the Rule of Law, it has no respect either
for
the laws of economics. These may not be written down in statute books,
but
economic laws nonetheless apply in the real world. “Cheating” by trying
to
manipulate one economic lever has inevitable consequences elsewhere in
the
economy.
In this case, the cheating allows the well connected to enrich
themselves,
while ordinary people’s lives are devastated by hyperinflation,
loss of
jobs, shortages of food and the collapse of the health and
education
services.
Turning to the budget itself, it hardly merits
detailed analysis for the
simple reason that it is based on totally
unrealistic assumptions about GDP
and inflation. If Zanu-PF manages to cling
onto power, there will be one or
probably two or more Supplementary Budgets
in order to raise expenditures to
somewhere near keeping pace with ever
accelerating inflation.
As usual, the inflation assumptions underlying
the budget are not made
explicit: lack of transparency is after all one of
the hallmarks of the
Zanu-PF government. However, working back from figures
that are provided in
the statement, it would appear that the assumption is
that inflation will
average around 570% in 2004.
The Ministry’s
inflation estimates, however, are totally at variance with
the policies of
rigorous control on foreign currency, negative real interest
rates and a
continued significant budget deficit. The domestic funding of a
very
significant budget deficit provides the underlying inflationary
pressures in
the economy.
The problem for the budget formulators is the government’s
denial that it is
its own policies that are responsible for the acceleration
of inflation. To
admit as much would require much higher inflation to be
assumed as a basis
for the budget.
Evidently it is considered less
embarrassing by Zanu-PF to have patently
absurd numbers for the national
budget than to admit that inflation is going
to move to above a thousand
percent in 2004. Our estimate is that if Zanu-PF
continues in power and
maintains the policies described in the budget,
inflation in 2004 will rise
above 1,000% before midyear, and will probably
average at least 1,200% for
the year as a whole.
Needless to say, the impact of inflation at these
levels will be
devastating, not least on the expenditure categories in the
budget. To take
some examples from the announced budget for 2004: Health
was allocated in
2003 (after the supplementary) $122 billion, and has been
allocated $701
billion in 2004. That’s a nominal increase of 475%, but a
fall in real
terms of -56%. Even though Zanu-PF is apparently content to see
the health
service totally collapse (even going to the extent of arresting
medical
personnel to accelerate the process), it seems likely that there will
be a
return to Parliament for a supplementary budget in 2004.
It is
notable that the repressive sectors – Defence and Home Affairs – while
also
due for expenditure reductions in real terms, these are much smaller
than the
decimation being inflicted on the health sector. The expenditure
on
repressive wages alone is 20% more than the entire budget of the
health
sector.
Similar analyses could be made of every other sector
and expenditure
category. The amounts allocated are simply inconsistent with
the terrifying
inflationary prospects implied by the announced macro-economic
policies and
budget deficit. A case in point is civil service wages: these
have been
increased significantly in nominal terms, civil servants will
experience a
reduction of real purchasing power of their wages of more than
40%. If they
find this unacceptable and protest, on present form they will
also be
arrested.
Also of major concern on the expenditure side is the
fact that 15% of the
budget (a staggering $1,3 trillion) has been entrusted
to the Minister of
Finance as an unallocated reserve. This is dangerous and
unconstitutional.
It means that the government can spend such a large amount
of money without
Parliamentary scrutiny. We have pointed out before that the
unallocated
reserve represents a special Zanu-PF slush fund and should thus
be
delegitimised.
On the revenue side, the Budget Statement makes some
acknowledgement of the
unfairness of workers with salaries well below the
poverty datum line being
taxed at the top marginal rate of 45%. The income
tax threshold has been
raised to $2.4 million, but in view of the prospect of
inflation rising to
over 1,000% before mid 2004, this gesture is also hollow
as it will soon be
overtaken by events, and poor people will once again have
to pay income tax.
Once the MDC is in power, we will link the tax
threshold to an independently
monitored, regularly updated poverty datum
line.
It is no surprise that the 2004 Budget Statement is completely
lacking in
any coherent economic ideas. Nonetheless, given the severity of
the
economic crisis that the country faces, there was always the hope before
it
was presented that the government might try to reverse its past
policy
stance.
But no. Even if Zanu-PF had legitimately won the last
two elections, which
it did not, they have forfeited the legitimacy to govern
by choosing and
implementing such destructive economic policies.
It is
only when there is a total change of regime that the economic
reconstruction
and recovery which Zimbabweans are crying out for, can
commence. The MDC’s
economic blueprint, RESTART, will tackle the deep
economic crisis through a
comprehensive five year programme of fully
co-ordinated fiscal, monetary,
exchange rate, sectoral and trade policies.
The objectives of RESTART are to
reconstruct the social fabric and economic
infrastructure, stabilise the
macro-economy, recover levels of savings,
investment and growth and begin to
transform the economy and society to
eliminate social exclusion and achieve
equitable, inclusive national
development.
The sooner MDC assumes
power, the sooner RESTART can begin addressing the
crisis and bringing hope
to the people of Zimbabwe.
Tendai Biti
Secretary for Economic
Affairs
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES: Updated November 19, 2003
Please send any job
opportunities for publication in this newsletter to:
JAG Job Opportunities
<justice@telco.co.zw>
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NATIONAL
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 18 November 2003)
LA DOLCE VITA, Italian restaurant located in
Avondale Shopping Centre, is
looking for a RESTAURANT MANAGER.
The
ideal candidate should be a dynamic person with entrepreneurial
spirit,
highly motivated and a self-starter.
A very competitive package
will be offered.
Please reply to ladolce@mweb.co.zw or afrisun@icon.co.zw
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 10 November 2003)
GENERAL MANAGER
The Harare SPCA needs
an active general manager who has a good knowledge of
animal care procedures
and is a good administrator, organizer and planner.
Applicants must be
able to deal with potential corporate donors at all
levels. The ability to
motivate staff is essential. The opportunity
exists for a creative person to
formulate a new image for the society. The
post is reasonably paid but the
successful applicant should also view the
post as a vocation. Please email
your CV to easthill-rw@laws.co.zw
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 10 November 2003)
VACANCY.
We are looking for a switched
on Technician who can repair Multimeters &
timing Lights and similar
instrumentation!
Our e-mail address is constell@mweb.co.zw
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 05 November 2003)
PA to CEO of property development company.
Centre of town. A
self-starter, age not important, but someone who "knows
their way around".
Includes minutes and statutory work. Competitive
package. To start as
soon as possible. Short CV in the first instance
to
cff@zimstocksales.co.zw or
telephone Ann on 756855-9 (keep trying!)
or
752742-4.
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 05 November 2003)
Reliable drivers with traceable references,
clean class
and 4 licences and at least 5 years experience required for a
FMCG
distribution company. Send detailed CV's to Box AY 132,
Amby.
Warehouse assistants required for distribution company.
Traceable
references. Send CV's to Box AY 132, Amby
Many
thanks
Jennifer Van Wyk (nee Kriedemann)
Financial and Administration
Manager
Hotelserve Distribution
P O Box AY 132, Amby, Msasa, Harare
Tel
480073-5, Fax 480076 Cell 011
607218
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Bookkeeper / Accounts Administrator
Required:
A small but growing manufacturing / retailing / investment
group of
companies, seeks the services of a Bookkeeper/ Accounts
Administrator.
The person should have very good knowledge of practical
business
bookkeeping, up to Trial Balance. A reasonable knowledge of Balance
Sheets
is required. The person should be a self-starter, motivated, and
outgoing.
The chosen candidate will have all the direction needed for him/her
to
perform their tasks. The following description with regard to the
position
is needed:
1) Cashbooks, Debtors, Creditors, Bank
Reconciliation's, Wages,
2) Must be computer literate with regard to
Microsoft Office, i.e. MS Excel
and Windows and MS Word.
3) Must be
computer literate with regard to Our Accounting Software,
such as QuickBooks
Accounting, Sage, or Pastel
4) Must be able to handle Monthly Returns,
such as, Sales Tax (Shortly
VAT), PAYE, NEC, NSSA, Manpower and Standards
Development Levy.
5) Basic understanding on implementation and the
administration of company
flow charts (paper work trail) and the correct
manner in storing and filing
company records.
6) Basic knowledge on
compiling accounting records for External Auditors.
Interested
candidates, please e-mail a copy of your CV to vb@hms.co.zw or
phone 091 253
991
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
We are looking to recruit an assistant
restaurant manager for our St.
Elmo's location in Harare. The successful
candidate should be highly
motivated, and preferably have good food service
experience. A competitive
package will be offered.
The St. Elmo's
franchisee in Zimbabwe/ Zambia is expanding and this job
will almost
certainly lead to promotion.
The successful candidate will be sent to
Cape Town for Training with the
Franchiser.
Please respond
to:
ted@houses.africaonline.co.zw
and copy all responses to:
elmos@pc2000.co.zw
(Bus:
263-4-702412
(Home: 263-4-861930
ÈCell: 263-91-210-203
ÊFax:
263-4-790584
ted@houses.africaonline.co.zw
*
Snail Mail: Private Bag 604E, Harare, Zimbabwe
*Physical (i.e. courier)
Address: No 2 Denmark Road, Milton Park,
Harare,
Zimbabwe
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
We are a steel products manufacturing company
looking for a temporary
supervisor to oversee the manufacture and erection of
sheds inside and
outside the country. Position immediately available. Please
contact us at:
mtemwa@zol.co.zw, or
phone 011409229 or
744207.
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 15 October 2003)
I am looking for an experienced driver.
Ideally, the successful applicant
will be able to double as a gardener and
live on the property.
Alternatively, is there anyone in the Highlands
area who has a driver whom
they would be prepared to share?
Replies to
gailc@zol.co.zw or phone
498266/091-354079
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 13 October 2003)
We are looking to recruit a candidate from
Zimbabwe to be our Zimbabwe
Liaison Officer - based in Harare,
Zimbabwe
Salary between £490 - £600 Sterling per month (depending on skills
and
experience), full time, Contract - from November 2003 until March
2005
Reporting to the Southern Africa Programme Manager (SAPM), the
Zimbabwe
Liaison Officer (ZLO) will work to ensure the effectiveness and
efficiency
of CIIR / ICD's programme in Zimbabwe. The postholder will be
supporting
CIIR / ICD's skillshare and advocacy work in the country. She/he
will also
be expected to help the SAPM to maintain a broader perspective of
the
Southern Africa Region. The ZLO will provide supervision and support
to
CIIR / ICDs Development Workers (DWs) and maintain and build
key
partnerships with local partner organisations in response to CIIR /
ICD's
HIV & AIDS and disability strategies for Zimbabwe.
The
postholder should have degree or appropriate qualification in social
sciences
or related field and three to five years of relevant work
experience,
preferably within a non-governmental organisation, preferably
with senior
responsibility.
You should have excellent administration skills and sound
book keeping and
financial management experience. Competent IT skills,
excellent
self-organising, and prioritising skills, as well as experience
of
providing support to and of monitoring personnel is essential. Due to
the
nature of the post experience of being able to work effectively within
the
current social/economic and political environment in Zimbabwe is
essential.
Good interpersonal and communication skills to liaise
effectively with
people at various levels and good oral and written
communication skills in
English and in Shona and/or Ndebele are important. It
is essential to have
a proven ability to think and act strategically in
response to HIV & AIDS
as a development issue and a good grasp of gender
analysis and dynamics in
southern Africa. Last but not least you must have a
valid full driving
licence and willingness to travel extensively by car
within Zimbabwe.
Closing date 31 October 2003
Interviews Early
November
For further information and an application form visit
http://www.ciir.org/ciir.asp?section=jobs
or email icd@iway.na
alternatively fax ++264
61 232317.
CIIR / ICD are committed to equal opportunities
Charity No.
294
329
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 02 October 2003)
RESCUE Sheltered Workshop for 43 mentally and
physically disabled invite
application for the following posts:
1.
Administrator/Director
2. Workshop Manager
3. Bookkeeper
The
disabled persons have been trained to carry out various semi-skilled
work in
the manufacture of wheelchairs in a well-equipped and spacious
workshop in
Harare.
Applications with CV to be sent to Chairman Executive Committee,
P O Box
A381, Avondale, Harare.
Tel: (w) 304575, cell 011 405
046
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 01 October 2003)
We are looking for someone to work on our till
in the Art Mart, please
contact Lindy Rowlands at 485514 for more
details.
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 19 September 2003)
VACANCY FOR CLASS 2 DRIVER
Applicant, who
should be 30 years of age or over, would ideally have:
Minimum 5 years
experience
Good references
Competitive salary offered.
Contact: Ms
Bassett
KDB HOLDINGS (PVT) LIMITED, Harare
Telephone:
758921
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 19 September 2003)
Retired farmer/handyman required overseeing a
clothing and fabric factory
in Msasa. No special qualifications needed.
Work hours are from 7am - 5
pm on Mon-Thurs and 7am - 1pm on Friday. Please
contact 011 217 841 for
further
details.
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HARARE
- Avondale area
(ad inserted 19 September 2003)
We are looking for
someone to work a 2-3-morning week. Must be computer
literate and have
knowledge of Data input, Excel and Graphs.
Please contact 04 794478 for
further
details.
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HARARE
(ad
inserted 16 September 2003)
We have a vacancy for a
receptionist.
Applicant must be MS Word/ Excel/ e-mail literate and of a
cheerful manner.
Salary on application.
Phone Carol Livingston 305613/4
Harare
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BULAWAYO
(ad
inserted 11 November 2003)
A small and congenial club is looking for a
couple who would take over day
to day management.
Modest salary, free
house and lights and water. Opportunity for profit on
catering. Lovely
surroundings.
Please contact JAG office for further
details
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BULAWAYO
(ad
inserted 10 October 2003)
We are looking for someone who has:
1.
Loads of common sense
2. Patience
3. Sense of humour and an ability to
communicate at all levels
4. Self-motivation
5. Prepared to work hands on
(mostly feet on!)
6. Perseverance
7. A touch of stubbornness would be an
advantage
8. ENERGY (that should perhaps have been listed first!)
That
is the basic mindset.
Then:
Experience in sewing most important.
Designing and pattern making an
advantage but not essential.
The working
environment is in an export orientated clothing factory - we
are
unquestionably competitive in the world market and have
uncompromising
quality standards to support this.
The work is hard,
the job is rewarding. If you are interested, please
contact me on email: judepete@mweb.co.zw
Judith
Clark
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GWERU
(ad
inserted 11 November 2003)
Vacancy exists for a highly motivated, capable
person or couple to manage a
safari camp near Gweru. Must be able to take
full control of all aspects
of a large camp and staff. Previous experience
in the tourist, hospitality
and wildlife industry and a farming background
would be an advantage.
Position available immediately. Reply to aconolly@ecoweb.co.zw or write to
The
Manager, PO Box 1218,
Gweru.
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GWERU
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Vacancies exist at a safari camp near Gweru for
Hotel School trained staff
with at least 2 years experience in the Hotel and
Catering industry.
Positions offered include Food & Beverage manager,
reception staff, chefs,
cooks, housekeepers, laundry staff, general cleaners
and ground staff.
Send CV with application to The Manager, Box 1218,
Gweru.
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GWERU
(ad
inserted 18 September 2003)
SITUATION VACANT / EMPLOYMENT
A very
exciting and challenging opportunity for a financial controller /
accountant
in the tourism industry
IDEALLY: We require: A couple who can both become
involved in the business
and who do not still have children at
school.
Either the husband or wife should have extensive accounting
experience and
be able to manage the accounting staff.
The company is
also involved in Christian mission and overseas student
tours throughout
Africa, conducting hunting safaris and has an export
orientated weavery
business.
The company offices, homesteads, extensive workshops and very
busy Safari
lodge/camp are based on a game park 10 kms out of
Gweru.
Enthusiastic and committed couples interested in joining us should
please
forward details to or phone me directly on 091-205956
The
position is available immediately and really is an exiting one.
We
offer:
· Company vehicle
· Company house on the game park
· Competitive
salary
· Lots of perks
ANDREW CONOLLY
ANTELOPE PARK / AFRICAN ENCOUNTER
SAFARIS
P O Box 1218, Gweru, Zimbabwe
Phone/Fax: +(263 54) 52172,
50919
E-Mail: antelope@mweb.co.zw
Web-site:
antelopepark.co.zw
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HEADLANDS
(ad
inserted 30 October 2003)
Position suitable for retired man or couple to
help with cattle operation.
Large house and garden.
Negotiable job
description and remuneration.
Phone 04 - 882978
Email: fertylin@zambezi.net
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KARIBA
(ad
inserted 20 October 2003)
Do you love the bush, enjoy gardening, and have
the personality to make
guests feel welcome? Are you mechanically minded?
Interested in catering?
We are looking for a mature fit couple to run our
resort at Kariba. If you
feel this is for you, please email us on conquest@mweb.co.zw.
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KARIBA
- TIGER BAY
(ad inserted 16 September 2003)
Lake Fresh Fisheries in
Kariba has a vacancy for the position of General
Manager with the core
business being Kapenta Fishing. Ideal for successful
farmer - minimum age 30
years. The company offers a very attractive Salary,
free vehicle for company
use, plus free house, lights and water, with 21
working days leave p/a.
Genuine applications only please
Phone 011 608 782 or 308960, or email conquest@mweb.co.zw
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MASVINGO
(ad
inserted 16 September 2003)
Wanted:
A farm manager / assistant for
a horticultural project situated 25 km from
Masvingo.
Please contact Mr.
P. Buchan on Buflower@zol.co.zw
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MVURWI
(ad
inserted 10 November 2003)
Position available for a section manager on
Forrester Estate, 70 hectares
tobacco (35irr + 35dry), 250 hectares of row
crops, competitive package
with bonus, med exec, house, etc. To start as soon
as possible. Please
contact duncan@forrester.co.zw for further
details.
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MUTARE
(ad
inserted 03 November 2003)
Management position available on an expanding
horticultural project a half
hour outside Mutare.
Please contact: dalyn@mutare.icon.co.zw
telephone -
020 4 2207 / 011 210 668 / 020
64065.
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NKAI
(MATABELELAND NORTH)
(ad inserted 08 October 2003)
We have a job offer
as a manager of a large Timber Milling operation in
Nkai. We are looking
for:
1. A decision maker with good managerial skills, able to control
and
discipline a large work force. Integrity and honesty are
vital.
2. Because Nkai is in the middle of the bush and far away from
any towns,
it is important that the applicants are personalities that are
not
interested in social life or likely to turn to alcohol. A more
introverted
type of person would be more suitable. Preferably without
children at
school.
3. Duties will involve the running of a very
large hardwood sawmill, hire
and fire of labourers, maintenance of all
machinery and vehicles and
dealing with customers. Work will often take up
weekends. Any mechanical
knowledge will be greatly advantageous.
4.
Accommodation at the moment consists of a Bungalow. However when the
right
person is found for the position we intend building.
5. Salary although
not fully decided at this point will be very high. We
will work out a scheme
based on percentage of profits as well as a basic.
Salary although paid in
Zim Dollars will be based on the Rand.
Regards
Glen
Wiseman
Cell phone: 011 208
329
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ODZI
(ad
inserted 15 November 2003)
MANAGEMENT POSITION AVAILABLE
Hypericum
project situated in the Odzi area, currently 8 ha with further
expansion in
progress.
Applicant would be required to manage all production and
development
aspects of the project. Experience in agriculture essential,
experience in
horticulture a definite advantage.
Highly competitive
package on offer.
If interested please respond to:
dalyn@mutare.icon.co.zw Tel: 020 4
2207
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ODZI
(ad
inserted 10 November 2003)
FRESH EXPORT VEGETABLE PACKHOUSE PRODUCTION
MANAGER.
Key attributes are: -
3 - 5 years experience in fresh
vegetable packing.
Able to manage a large labor force.
Be in
possession of "O" or "A" certificates with at least five passes.
A clean
class 4 Drivers license.
Be in a position to work flexible hours at
times.
Be able to deal with Suppliers/Customers on a one on one
basis.
Have a sound knowledge of the requirements of the export market
and
customer requirements.
All C.V`S to be sent to email kondozi@zol.co.zw
Address to
The
Packhouse Manager
P.O.Box
102,
Odzi
Zimbabwe
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RAFFINGORA
(ad
inserted 20 October 2003)
Wanted:
Someone to assist on farm; any
retired farmer or displaced couple looking
for somewhere to live or something
to do.
Contact Doreen for more information on e-mail: sylviadu@ecoweb.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
WEST
NICHOLSON
(ad inserted 04 November 2003)
There is a vacancy for man
and wife team running a service station in West
Nicholson, modest salary with
substantial perks.
Please contact JAG office for contact
details.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTERNATIONAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANGOLA
(ad
inserted 05 November 2003)
1) Eucalyptus Plantation - Lubango Southern
Angola
2) Hardwood Plantation - Tomboco Northern Angola
Adventurous people
with forestry knowledge required for these projects.
Reply cabiffen@mweb.co.zw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIGERIA
(ad
inserted 10 November 2003)
PARTNERS NEEDED
RECENTLY, NIGERIAN
GOVT. IS INVITING WHITE FARMERS TO NIGERIA FOR BUSINESS.
WE ARE USING
THIS MEDIUM TO ANY GOOD ZIMBABWEANS TO JOIN HAND WITH US TO
DEVELOP OUR
POULTRY FARM WITH EQUIPMENT AND CASH.
WE HAVE OVER 12 -15ACRES OF LAND
WITH OPPORTUNITY TO BUT MORE AND ABOUT
2,000 CHICKS.
FOR MORE
INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:-
SYLVESTER EWEJE, TEL:(H) 020 - 86502783 (W)
020 - 86769200 email
Admin@zawt.org
WE ARE BASED IN ENGLAND
AS A BRITISH CITIZEN BUT WITH NIGERIAN
ROOT.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
NIGERIA
(ad
inserted 16 October 2003)
I work for a US based Consulting firm -
GoodWorks
International LLC, engaged in amongst other things, promoting
investment in
Africa.
Some of our clients in Nigeria, in this respect,
Northern State Governors
have asked that we enquire into the possibility of
attracting farmers
seeking to divest or diversify their knowledge, expertise
or investments
from Zimbabwe and the Southern African region into the
northern part of
Nigeria.
The northern part of Nigeria is seeking to
boost its economic activity and
develop its communities by promoting the only
viable assets it has - its
agriculturally viable land and traditional farming
communities. Riding on
the back of an "agricultural boost" would be the
development of tourism in
the area, largely renowned for a rich culture,
colorful festivals, an
erstwhile beautiful game reserve and numerous other
historically valuable
sites which have suffered neglect.
The northern
part of Nigeria has a traditionally farming community, notable
for the
production of maize, sorghum, cowpeas, groundnuts, rice, sugar cane
etc.,
cattle rearing and poultry farming.
The idea would be to have these
farmers, enter into joint
venture/working/concession/management agreements
for farms or land either
owned and/or controlled by the state
governments.
Similarly, I am also seeking game park operators who might
be interested in
considering a similar working arrangement for a game reserve
located in
Bauchi state (Yankari game reserve).
I would appreciate
your putting me in touch with members of the farming
community interested in
exploring this opportunity further and I would be
happy to provide additional
information and arrange working
visits/conference calls.
If you have
any questions, please let me know.
I look forward to hearing from you as
soon as possible.
Regards.
Aisha Rimi
GWI Consulting
1900 K
Street, Suite 1050
Washington DC, 20006
www.gwiconsulting.com
Tel: 202
736 2152
Fax: 202 736
2213
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
SOUTH
AFRICA
(ad inserted 07 October 2003)
There is a vacancy for a
vegetable production manager in SA. The project is
involved in the production
of baby vegetables and peas (Mange Tout) for the
local market (Woolworths)
and the European markets.
The applicant must be able to work in SA. The
project is based in the
Southern Cape region of George.
Good
experience in all aspects of farming are essential - I am looking for
a
particularly dedicated person.
Please contact me - CHRIS CHARTER
info@1910fruitbox.co.za
+27 82
880-1351
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UGANDA
(ad
inserted 09 October 2003)
Ugandan Forest Resource Management and
Conservation Programme
PLANTATION SPECIALIST: TERMS OF
REFERENCE
Qualifications:
Degree or Diploma in Forestry or Forest
Engineering
Essential Experience:
· Minimum 8 years practical
experience of establishing, management and
harvesting of large-scale,
commercial, tropical or sub-tropical timber
plantations - particularly pines
and eucalypts.
· Proven experience of modern weed control techniques -
including the safe
use of herbicides.
· A thorough understanding of modern
tree nursery techniques.
· Demonstrable experience of working with chain
saws.
· Experience with skidding logs using a 4WD tractor and double-drum
winch.
· Organising and supervising private Contractors to carry out
work.
· Drawing up and implementing fire protection plans for
forests.
Desirable Experience:
· Knowledge of Health and Safety issues
in forestry operations.
· Experience in training in various aspects of
plantation silviculture and
harvesting.
· Forest Certification
experience.
· Knowledge of marketing roundwood.
· Competence in computer
use - especially MS Office applications.
Duration:
A 12-month contract
initially but with a likelihood of extension
Location:
The successful
applicant will be based in Kampala. The work will involve
frequent travel
around Uganda which will necessitate frequent overnight
stays up-country.
Kampala is a thriving, cosmopolitan city with excellent
facilities for
shopping, schooling and general R&R.
Start Date:
ASAP from 1st
October 2003.
Support:
The post-holder will have the use of a good 4WD
vehicle to carry out his or
her duties and a driver will be assigned to the
vehicle.
Salary and Conditions:
To be discussed with Agrisystems Ltd.
(UK).
Background:
The activities of the FRMCP places considerable
emphasis on the development
of new plantations and the sustainable management
of the remaining mature
plantations.
Despite the excellent growth
conditions available for tree plantations in
Uganda, the forest plantation
sector still remains under developed and a
serious shortfall of timber is
predicted in the near future.
The FRMCP has already started establishing
some demonstration plantations
in Forest Reserves in strategic places around
the country and has also
recently launched a Sawlog Production Grant Scheme
to act as an incentive
to the private sector to plant commercial timber
crops.
The lack of practical skills (following years of poor management
and
general unrest in the country) is severely affecting the FRMCP's
plantation
development plans hence the need to recruit a suitable person who
can pass
skills to the Programme's management team, private sector &
other
stakeholders to meet its plantation development targets.
Other
Info:
The post-holder will join the Agrisystems Technical Advisory (TA) team
-
reporting directly to the FRMCP's Chief Technical Advisor.
Please
contact: david@agrisystems.co.ke
for further
information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UGANDA
(ad
inserted 08 September 2003)
I have been in Uganda for the last six weeks.
Whilst there, I met a Ugandan
who is a lawyer by profession, who owns three
pieces of land and who is
looking for someone to run farming operations for
him. He has 800 acres
between Entebbe and Kampala, where he is doing maize
and cattle and two
other properties of 10 square miles and two square miles
respectively, both
with potential for irrigation if necessary.
Should
you know of anyone who might be interested, I would ask that they
send
responses to the Ugandan email address for more information:
marcr@spacenet.co.ug
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 05 November 2003)
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Technical Supervisor
/ Administrator / Site Clerk
MINING / FARMING BACKGROUND
The company
is constructing a major mining plant, with associated
facilities, and is
seeking someone with experience in resolving a host of
practical issues
commonly arising in projects of this size. This will
include refurbishment
and construction of houses, purchasing other
buildings, resolving matters
with community and government authorities and
helping with supervision of
personnel and labour matters. Appropriate
qualifications and experience are
important, but identical experience is
not essential.
We are looking
for a well-organized person who can help sort out these
varied issues for the
Construction Manager. Someone with a mining or
farming management
background, experience in Southern Africa and with
practical ability are our
main requirements. Ability to improvise,
flexibility and commercial nous are
essential. The position is a
short-term assignment and the successful
applicant would live on site with
regular returns to home. A long-term
position may become available in
which case accommodation will be provided
for someone to take up a support
and administration role.
Applications
along with CV should be sent, for the attention of the MINE
SECRETARY, with
subject stated as TECHNICAL SUPERVISOR, to -
brevalan@connectit.co.za
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 01 October 2003)
HORTICULTURE MANAGER REQUIRED IN ZAMBIA ON THE
COPPERBELT
VEGETABLES AND FRUIT
Vegetable and fruit grower supplying large
supermarket chain from
developing irrigated Copperbelt Farm requires a
suitably qualified hands-on
Assistant. Married or single. Wife could assist
in office. Some
experience with seeding growing an advantage.
Excellent
free housing and services paid, and vehicle provided.
Salary
negotiable.
Please reply email simmonds@zamnet.zm
Fax: Zambia +260 2
210468
Tel: Zambia +260 96
990096
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZAMBIA
(ad
inserted 09 September 2003)
Mechanical Engineer required for a large
engineering firm in Lusaka. All
enquiries contact Diego Casilli in Lusaka on
dcasilli@amanita.com.zm
or
+2601286452.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
UNITED
KINGDOM (Gloucestershire)
(ad inserted 13 November 2003)
I have been
asked if I knew of any couple who were looking for a position
that included a
'fully found' house in exchange for about three days of
gardening, some
cooking, and some driving in a very decent part of
Gloucestershire. The whole
arrangement is negotiable and on flexitime to
enable the applicants to take
on other jobs as well. The position is with
an elderly couple who are
extremely well disposed to the plight of the
farmers and others from Zim. If
you know anyone could you put them in touch
with me in the first instance so
that I can explain it a bit further?
Please contact JAG office for further
information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
For
the latest listings of accommodation available for farmers, contact
justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
(updated 19 November 2003)
JAG OPEN LETTER FORUM
Email: justice@telco.co.zw; justiceforagriculture@zol.co.zw
Internet:
www.justiceforagriculture.com
Please
send any material for publication in the Open Letter Forum to
justice@telco.co.zw with "For Open Letter
Forum" in the subject
line.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
1: Re Open Letters Forum No. 188 dated 18 November 2003
Dear Amused and
Convicted
I notice you are not so convicted that you are prepared to put
your name to
your letter.
I am not prepared to get into a religious
debate with you or anyone else,
so I am sorry you have been waiting "in
anticipation" in vain.
In answer to your question "- if you die tomorrow
..... will you be able to
say I lived a good life, I ran the good race???!!",
I can honestly answer
YES. Can you?
Debbie
Graham
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
2: Re Open Letters Forum No. 188 dated 18 November 2003
Dear
Debbie
I concur with your thoughts entirely - don't be bashed or
abashed!
Regards
Vanessa
Bristow
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
3: Re Open Letters Forum No. 188 dated 18 November 2003
Dear Debbie
Graham
The letter from "Amused and convicted" must have enlightened your
vision
beyond your wildest dreams. How misguided you must have been and
thank
goodness "Amused and convicted" showed you the way. Personally, I
thought
"Amused and convicted's" letter was a load of old
hogwash.
Have a nice
day
Chris
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Letter
4: Re Open Letters Forum No. 189 dated 19 November 2003
Dear Jim
Sinclair
I was responding to a particular contribution of Ben Norton's to
this
forum. As far as I am concerned there are no 'facts' to be checked -
his
words say it all; his sarcasm and criticism directed towards Simon
Spooner,
JAG, CFU, and everyone else is there for all to read. I have no
doubt that
Ben is a remarkable person, etc, etc......however I am afraid he
came
across as a winger in that particular letter.
Anyway, the last
time I looked, each person is entitled to their own views,
and this is mine.
Take it, or leave it.
Yours, etc
Chairman,
A-W.S.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
All
letters published on the open Letter Forum are the views and opinions
of the
submitters, and do not represent the official viewpoint of Justice
for
Agriculture.
IOL
Zimbabwe releases 52 detainees
November 21 2003 at
04:42AM
Harare - A magistrate freed 52 people, including 14
labour leaders, two days
after their arrest during nationwide demonstrations
against President Robert
Mugabe's autocratic rule and the country's economic
hardships.
Nearly 90 people were arrested on Tuesday, including 52 people
arrested in
the capital - among them the four top leaders of the Zimbabwe
Congress of
Trade Unions. The 52 detainees made their first appearance on
Thursday
before Magistrate Sukai Tongogara.
Tongogara released them on
the condition that they return on Friday to face
charges of violating the
nation's strict security laws by organising an
illegal political
demonstration, said their attorney, Alec Muchadehama. The
offence is
punishable by up to six months in jail.
Union officials said the group's
release was delayed by confusion among
police and state attorneys about what
charges to bring against them. Some
members of the group were told Wednesday
they would be charged with the
lesser offence of obstructing traffic in
downtown Harare.
In the throes of economic and political
crisis
Labour leaders called for a nationwide strike to protest Tuesday's
arrests,
but it failed to take hold on Thursday.
Mlamleli Sibanda, a
federation spokesman, said there was insufficient time
to mobilise
workers.
Zimbabwe is in the throes of economic and political crisis with
official
inflation running at 526 percent, one of the highest levels in the
world.
Finance Minister Herbert Murerwa gave an even bleaker forecast
Thursday as
he announced the annual budget, warning inflation could rise to a
high of
700 percent in the first quarter of next year before starting to
dissipate.
Murerwa said government services like health and education
declined sharply
this year; industry was running at below 50 percent
capacity, and most of
the country's infrastructure was crumbling. The country
also faces a record
13.2 percent decline in the gross domestic
product.
Opponents blame Mugabe's authoritarian rule, including the
often-violent
seizure of thousands of white-owned commercial farms for
redistribution to
impoverished blacks.
Murerwa said the government
aims to introduce a series of fiscal measures,
including government
belt-tightening.
"The challenges are surmountable," Murerwa said. "It is
.. imperative we
avoid aborting painful measures" toward recovery. -
Sapa-AP
africaonline
Germany criticises Zimbabwean government
Staff
Reporter
BERLIN, 21 November 2003
Mugabe regime slammed for rights abuses,
trade union arrests.
BERLIN: Claudia Roth, the German government's human
rights envoy, has
criticised the Zimbabwean government as undemocratic. More
than 100
officials and supporters of the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Union
were
arrested on Tuesday.
The move came during protests against the
harsh economic conditions and
alleged rights abuses by the government. The
Union says it is going ahead
with a two-day nation-wide stay away today to
demand the release of union
leaders. -Sapa
UN News Centre
Zimbabwe: UN rights chief concerned by reports more than
100 demonstrators
arrested
20 November – The top United Nations human
rights official today voiced his
concern over reports that more than 100
trade unionists and civil leaders in
Zimbabwe have been arrested this week
during a protest demonstration in the
capital Harare.
In a statement
issued in Geneva, the Acting High Commissioner for Human
Rights, Bertrand
Ramcharan, appealed to the Zimbabwean authorities "to take
all necessary
measures to guarantee the rights of the detained persons and
to secure their
right to freedom of opinion and expression in accordance
with the fundamental
principles as set forth in the Universal Declaration of
Human Rights and
reiterated in the international human rights norms
and
instruments."
Last month, three UN rights experts also expressed
concern regarding the
arrest of more than 40 trade unionists during a
national protest
demonstration.
Civil Freedoms Under Attack As Inflation Rockets
UN Integrated
Regional Information Networks
November 20, 2003
Posted to the web
November 20, 2003
Johannesburg
Transparency International (TI) has
condemned the arrest of hundreds of
human rights activists in Zimbabwe this
week, saying the latest clampdown by
the authorities was a blow to civil
liberties.
TI expressed concern over the arrest of its Zimbabwe
representative, John
Makumbe, who was detained with some 50 activists on
Tuesday as they
assembled in preparation for a march to protest alleged
rights abuses and
massive price hikes.
"The arrests represent a
dangerous attack on civil freedoms, and an
escalation of the hostile
treatment of civil society representatives by the
authorities in Zimbabwe.
Without the freedom of speech and of peaceful
assembly, corruption and the
abuse of power will continue to hold back the
development and prosperity of
the people of Zimbabwe," TI said in statement
on Thursday.
The
activists were still being held in custody on Thursday and were expected
to
appear in court on Friday.
Makumbe, a well-known political scientist and
human rights activist, was
detained earlier this year when armed police
prevented a meeting of civil
society groups at a church in the capital,
Harare, on 13 February.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe's economy is expected to
continue to shrink in 2004,
according to Finance Minister Herbert
Murerwa.
Presenting the 2004 budget on Thursday, Murerwa said the
economic crisis
would deepen next year, with inflation expected to soar to
700 percent,
Agence France Presse reported.
Murerwa reportedly
admitted that Zimbabwe had undergone "severe economic
hardships" in 2003, and
projected that the economy would contract by another
13.2 percent in the six
weeks before the end of the year.
Inflation in Zimbabwe now stands at 526
percent, according to figures issued
on Tuesday by the state's Central
Statistical Office.
"The predictions are alarming, to say the least. And
although the minister
promised that he would devise ways to attract
investment, there was no
mention of concrete plans to tackle dwindling
production levels. What
remains to be seen are deliberate policies geared
towards empowering the
productive sector to the task of generating revenues.
Relying on income tax
or corporate tax is not going to finance the huge
deficit," economist Dennis
Nikisi told IRIN.
China to Finalise Zimbabwe Iron and Steel Company Debt Rescheduling
Deal
The Herald (Harare)
November 20, 2003
Posted to
the web November 20, 2003
Harare
EXPORT and Import Bank of China
officials are expected in Zimbabwe next
month to officially finalise the
rescheduling of the US$42 million loan
advanced to the Zimbabwe Iron and
Steel Company.
Zimbabwe's ambassador to China, Cde Chris Mutsvangwa, who
is in the country
said the officials were also expected to explore avenues of
investment in
the tourism industry.
"Zisco made a very nice move. They
have now become conscious of their
business obligations. The money was paid
in advance and this visit by the
Chinese is just a ceremony," said Cde
Mutsvangwa.
He said this at a breakfast meeting organised by Migdale
Holdings Limited in
Harare yesterday.
The meeting was attended by the
Minister of Industry and International
Trade, Cde Samuel Mumbengegwi, the
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of
Finance and Economic Development, Cde
Nicholas Ncube and several
businesspeople.
Cde Mutsvangwa expressed
hope that the investment by the Chinese would
enable Zisco to refurbish Blast
Furnace number 4 which for a long time has
been redundant because of lack of
finance.
He said the refurbishment of the furnace would enable the
parastatal to
increase its production and earnings and enable it to expand
its investment
to neighbouring countries.
He urged local
businesspeople to forge working relationships with the
Chinese given the
country's emerging economic influence on the world
economy.
Cde
Mutsvangwa said the local tourism sector could also benefit by going
into
partnerships with Chinese operators.
He said China has one of the fastest
growing middle class and more than US$4
billion of foreign currency reserves,
which Zimbabwe could tape by
attracting tourists from that
country.
"Zimbabwe is among one of the few countries approved by China to
be a prime
tourist destination for their people to go on holiday. Added to
this is the
fact that the Chinese government recently increased to US$5 000
the amount
of money that one is allowed to carry when going out, I think
Zimbabwe's
tourism sector should fully utilise this development," he
said.
The Minister of Industry and Economic Development, Cde Samuel
Mumbengegwi
said Zimbabweans needed to shake off the colonial mentality of
thinking that
anything from the West is the best.
He said
businesspeople needed to be re-oriented and focus on countries in
the East
where some Asian countries are emerging as big players on the
world
market.
"Most of our businesspeople think that international
community is the West,
they don't realise that the international community
includes China. We
really need to believe in ourselves, we need to refocus on
the Asian market.
Early next month the Chinese are coming to visit Zisco,
re-invest and set-up
factories. Local businesspeople need to utilise their
presence," he said.
Migdale Holdings Limited chief executive Mr Saviour
Kasukuwere said local
businesspeople should have an open mind when doing
business with the outside
world.
He said there was more to gain in
engaging the Chinese than the traditional
markets in Europe especially
Britain, which is trying to adjust to a new
level of relationship divorced
from being that of a subjugator.
China had cut credit lines to Zimbabwe
after the country defaulted in
servicing the loan meant to resuscitate
Ziscosteel.
However, the recent agreement between Zimbabwe and China to
reschedule the
loan opened the window for more credit lines to be made
available to
Zimbabwe by the Chinese government and financial institutions
from that
country.
The volume of trade between China and Africa has so
far reached US$12,4
billion, four times more than the growth experienced in
1992.
Financial Times
Inflation at 700% and halved output
predicted
By Tony Hawkins in Harare
Published: November 21
2003 4:00 | Last Updated: November 21 2003 4:00
The extent of
Zimbabwe's economic collapse became even more apparent
yesterday, with
government budget forecasts showing that the country's
output will have
almost halved in real terms by the end of next year from
its peak five years
ago.
Herbert Murerwa, finance minister, said gross domestic
product would
fall 13.2 per cent in 2003, nearly double his prediction a year
ago of a 7.2
per cent reduction, and forecast a further 8.5 per cent decline
in 2004.
This would take to 48 per cent the cumulative fall in
output since the
crisis started in 1998, precipitated by the government's
plans for taking
over commercial farmland.
Mr Murerwa also
conceded that inflation would reach 600 per cent by
next month, compared with
his prediction of 96 per cent a year ago. He
expected inflation to move above
700 per cent in the first quarter of 2004
before slowing.
Yesterday's annual budget presentation coincided with the first day of
a
planned general strike, which met little response. The strike was called
to
demand the release of labour and civil leaders arrested on Tuesday
in
protests against President Robert Mugabe's authoritarian regime.
State-owned
media failed to report the strike plan, however.
Mr
Murerwa presented a largely standstill budget, extending temporary
tax relief
to the lowest paid and promising tighter fiscal and monetary
policies to
tackle inflation next year.
As expected, he raised the threshold
for income tax from Z$180,000 a
year ($220 at the current official exchange
rate) to Z$2.4m ($2,900). The
top 45 per cent tax rate which used to cut in
at incomes of Z$1.5m will now
take effect from Z$4.5m.
In the
shortest budget address since independence in 1980, Mr Murerwa
gave sparse
information about the state of the economy. He made no mention
of the
performance of the main sectors, nor of the balance of payments,
although he
did promise to launch an industrial development strategy,
without giving
details.
Government spending in 2004 was set to rise six-fold to
Z$8,740bn and
revenues to increase by a similar margin to Z$6,900bn. But
because monetary
gross domestic product was also expected to rise six-fold to
Z$24,600bn, the
budget deficit of Z$1,850bn was projected to stay at its 2003
level of 7.5
per cent of GDP.
Most of the tax adjustments were
essentially minor, reflecting
inflation indexation rather than any policy
shift. But value-added tax,
which has been promised for years, is to be
introduced on January 1, at 15
per cent - the same rate as existing general
sales tax.
Mr Murerwa also imposed a 5.5 per cent duty on diesel
and petrol to
meet the debt-servicing costs of the state-owned National Oil
Company.
The main surprise of the speech was the absence of any
reference to
exchange rate policy. Mr Murerwa had been expected to devalue
the so-called
export support rate to boost exports.
However, he
promised a monetary policy statement by Gideon Gono, the
recently appointed
central bank governor, which businessmen hoped would
include effective
devaluation of the Zimbabwe dollar.
Visa barrier
Friday November 21, 2003
The Guardian
Following
the arrest of 70 trade union leaders in Zimbabwe this week
(Zimbabwe unions
call for strike, November 20), we were pleased that the
minister for Africa,
Chris Mullin, has expressed his concern over the
Zimbabwean leadership's
disregard for human rights. Yet since November last
year, the Home Office has
required Zimbabweans to apply for a visa to gain
entry to the UK. For those
fleeing the human rights abuses to which Mr
Mullin refers, this visa
requirement presents an often insurmountable
barrier to safety. Given the
gravity of the situation in Zimbabwe, we urge
the government to lift this
visa restriction that denies sanctuary to people
it knows are at
risk.
Maeve Sherlock
Chief executive, Refugee Council
Cape Times
Environmental journalists need to look at both the brown
and the green
issues
November 21, 2003
By Tony
Weaver
This is an edited version of my remarks at the opening of
the
environmental journalism conference now on in Cape Town.
This conference comes at a crucial time in the environmental history
of our
continent, Africa.
In Zimbabwe, two decades of patient community
involvement in the
preservation of wildlife through the Campfire movement has
been undone in
less than 12 months. The slaughter of wildlife is
unprecedented, a slaughter
not witnessed since the height of the bush war in
the 1970s.
The degradation of habitats there is also unprecedented,
as a people
hungry for land, and denied access to it for decades, strip the
once
beautiful woodlands in search of fuel, food and building
materials.
In Nigeria and to a far lesser extent, Angola, the
northern nations'
need and greed for oil is resulting in a mad scramble for
the oil fields
that has destroyed vast tracts of precious coastal estuarine
land. In the
Cameroon, the Congo, the Central African Republic and much of
the rest of
West Africa, our tropical hardwood forests are being stripped to
satisfy the
north's lust for fine furniture and rugged building
materials.
Our diamonds are being pillaged, our bauxite, titanium
and other base
minerals strip mined with no thought for the environment - all
to satisfy
the appetites of the north, often to line the pockets of corrupt
political
and military leaders.
Our continent is littered with
examples of disastrous foreign aid
projects that have satisfied the vanity of
the career lords of poverty and
masters of disaster, the aid agencies. Many
of these aid projects, well
intentioned though they may have been, have been
carried out with little
regard for the environment, and even less regard for
the local people.
Here in South Africa, it seems that the
engineers, property
developers, miners and industrialists have an unlimited
capacity to build
roads, dams, factories, mines, golf courses and power
stations with scant
regard for sound environmental principles.
But there are, of course, many rays of hope: the setting up of
transfrontier
conservation areas, the mini-revolutions in the environment
happening in
countries like Kenya, peace coming to Angola and the slow
recovery of the
people and the environment of that country, progressive
environmental
policies being implemented here in South Africa.
Small steps,
but giant steps at the same time. It is the job of
environmental journalists
to interrogate every one of these steps. We need
to look beyond the fuzzy and
the furry and the cuddly and the pretty, and to
look at the processes behind
every major development happening in Africa.
Environmental
journalists are not wildlife journalists, although many
environmental
journalists also report on wildlife. We need to go much
further. We need to
focus as much on the brown issues as on the green
issues, issues of waste
production and disposal, of water management and
provision, issues of poverty
and disease - these are all environmental
issues. In fact, it is safe to say
that today almost every issue that is
confronting us is, in one way or
another, ultimately an environmental issue.
Our job is to always
look beyond the obvious, to follow the money and
see why decisions are being
taken and who benefits. To give credit where
credit is due, but also to be
fearless in exposing the ulterior motives of
those who profess to be noble in
their intentions, but who have diamonds on
the soles of their
shoes.
A final word: Nepad, the New Partnership for Africa's
Development, is
the latest buzz-word. Nepad aims, among other things, to
utilise the natural
capital of Africa in a way that fights poverty and leads
to sustainable
development.
But many of the Nepad projects in
the pipeline are trans-border
projects, involving two and more
nations.
Environmental oversight gets very tricky in these cases,
and whenever
we come across a Nepad project, we need to interrogate it, look
carefully at
the environmental impact assessment processes and, as always,
follow the
money.
mmegi, Botswana
Patients stranded as foreign doctors steal
medicine
CHANDAPIWA BAPUTAKI
11/21/2003 2:52:58 AM (GMT
+2)
GOVERNMENT chief of pharmacist Emmanuel Molosiwa said that
foreign
doctors stealing medicine to sell in their countries might be a
bigger
problem than they expected.
“We cannot rule out the
possibility that medication is being stolen by
foreign doctors and nurses,
even local ones,” he said. He was responding to
questions after it was
alleged that medication was being stolen at clinics
and hospitals and sold at
cheaper prices elsewhere.
He even confirmed a case where one doctor
was reprimanded at the
Ramokgwebana Border Gate with heaps of stolen
medication two months back. He
explained that the accused doctor used to
order medication from the pharmacy
for patients in the wards at Thamaga
Hospital but would then take some and
sell in his country.
“He
came to steal the medication and sold it in Zimbabwe every two
weeks. The
nurses at the hospital knew what was going on and started
whispering,”
explained Molosiwa.
He further said that the stealing of medication
by nurses was an
ongoing thing as can be seen by the issue of wintergreen,
which is now being
supplied in very small amounts.
“The medical
stores discovered that the nurses were stealing
wintergreen and selling it to
people who wanted to strengthen their hair and
enhance the growth. Now
patients who are in-need of wintergreen are
suffering because it is not easy
to get it from hospitals and clinics,”
noted Molosiwa.
He added
that if people were caught stealing medicine their contracts
would be
terminated.
“It is not something we take lightly. We will give it
serious
attention.
“We cannot stand back while patients suffer
and there are people
defrauding government resources.”
According
to Molosiwa, records are closely monitored and medication
has been
computerised.
International Herald Tribune
Don't force Africa to bargain with its
uranium
Shehu Sani IHT Friday, November 21,
2003
The pressure of poverty
KADUNA, Nigeria Uranium
and other natural resources in Africa are simply
here for the asking. The
parlous state of our economies, the poverty of our
people and the desperation
of many governments in Africa make survival the
first commandment of
life.
.
Niger, Chad, Mali and Burkina Faso, at the southern edge of the
Sahara, are
among the world's poorest nations. Hunger, disease and chronic
illiteracy
are a way of life in this part of the world, where a dollar a day
would be a
privilege.
.
These nations are laden with foreign debts in
the billions of dollars, while
their peoples battle with perennial drought.
But these countries are endowed
with large deposits of uranium. And since
they cannot export cars, like
Japan, or computer chips, like the United
States, or electronics, like South
Korea, or missile technology, like North
Korea, uranium becomes simply a
market commodity.
.
Saddam Hussein may
not have sought to buy uranium from Niger, but if he had
wanted to, he could
have obtained it from any one of several nations. Life
is so unbearably harsh
for the people here that exporting any commodity that
would provide hard cash
- for health care, education, decent roads and
shelter - would be difficult
to resist.
.
If the Bush administration and other Western governments want
to prevent
Iran or North Korea from getting their hands on Africa's uranium,
then they
should make a serious commitment to help these poor
nations.
.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the United States
committed billions
of dollars to help Russia secure its nuclear weapons to
prevent them from
falling into the hands of hostile states or individuals. If
the West judged
it strategically important to help Russia in this way, why
not help African
countries out of poverty to prevent them from resorting to
selling their
uranium?
.
There are lessons in the experience of Angola
and Sierra Leone, whose
diamonds, illegally mined and exported, have helped
finance civil conflicts
that have consumed thousands of lives. And rich
mineral deposits helped draw
Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe into the war in the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo.
.
Telling African nations not to
export uranium to "rogue states" is like
telling a gun owner that he can't
sell his weapon even if he is starving to
death. The likelihood of the
continent's minerals falling into the hands of
enemies of America or the West
is directly proportional to the desolate
state of things here, made worse by
corruption in government and the
uncontrolled activities of illegal miners
and armed rebels who control
mineral-rich areas.
.
In Nigeria,
government corruption makes it possible for thousands of dollars
to be stolen
and illegally exported out of the country every day. As for
illegal mining,
foreign businessmen are still making fortunes in most
countries of West
Africa. They encourage local villages to dig for a
specified mineral
resource, pay them a pittance for it and take it to other
parts of the world,
where they can sell it for a handsome amount.
.
Northern Niger, like the
countryside in Sierra Leone, Liberia or eastern
Congo, is lawless. Armed
guerrillas can mine and export as much uranium as
they need to bolster their
stocks of guns and food.
.
Borders in West Africa are highly porous.
Thanks to corrupt officials,
everything from arms to drugs and stolen
vehicles can be shipped across
these borders for the price of a small bribe.
A truckload of uranium from
Niger could be neatly cleared at the Nigerian
border for $500 and at a port
like Lagos or Cotonou for $1,000. And off it
goes to Afghanistan or North
Korea.
.
Helping Africa to help itself
would also be good for the security of the
United States and the rest of the
world. The United States should not wait
until Africa feels that it has no
choice but to use its mineral resources
for saber-rattling and
bargaining.
.
The writer is president of the Kaduna-based Civil Rights
Congress
The Herald
2004 budget unveiled
BUDGET stories by Victoria
Ruzvidzo, Masimba Karik
DISPOSABLE incomes for most workers have been
significantly improved
following increases in the individual income tax
threshold and a widening of
tax bands, as Government pursues strategies to
ease the effects of the
hyper-inflationary environment on the
majority.
In his budget statement presented to Parliament yesterday, the
Minister of
Finance and Economic Development, Dr Herbert Murerwa, announced
that the
individual income threshold would be increased from the current $180
000 to
$2,4 million per annum with effect from January 1,
2004.
Effectively, workers earning $200 000 or less per month will be
released
from the tax net.
Income tax bands have also been widened to
end at $4,5 million above which
income will be taxed at 45
percent.
This has seen the Government releasing $1,2 trillion to
taxpayers.
Furthermore, the tax-free bonus portion has been increased
from $20 000 to
$100 000 with effect from November 1, 2003.
These
measures are expected to bring relief to most people who have had
their
disposable incomes eroded by rising inflation, at a time when prices
of basic
goods and services have reached unprecedented levels.
Inflation for
October reached 525,8 percent and is expected to rise to 700
percent by
January next year.
The monetary policy, scheduled for announcement by the
Governor of the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, Dr Gideon Gono, next month, is
expected to contain
measures that will gradually reduce the rate of
inflation.
The elderly, blind and disabled people have also been accorded
some relief
through an upward revision of their tax credits from $20 000 to
$120 000
with effect from January 1, 2004.
Measures have also been
introduced to prop up pension contributions, with
the allowable tax free
pension contribution going up from $90 000 to $720
000 per year from January
next year.
Retrenchees are also some of the major beneficiaries of next
year’s budget
following the increase of the tax-free severance package from
$300 000 or a
third of $1,5 million whichever is greater, to $1,5 million or
one third of
the severance package.
Thousands of retrenchees are
expected to benefit immensely from this.
Many often embark on
income-generating projects to sustain their families
when they leave formal
employment.
"Severance packages are a source of income that can be used
to start up
small to medium-scale enterprises.
"It is, therefore,
important that taxpayers remain with a large portion of
disposable income
after tax," said Dr Murerwa.
The past few years have seen companies
streamline their operations to
survive the current macro-economic challenges,
leaving thousands of workers
jobless.
The Government has allocated
$3,18 trillion for wages and salaries for civil
servants to alleviate the
brain drain that has affected the provision of
critical services such as
health.
Professionals and skilled workers are emigrating to other
countries where
they are paid better salaries in foreign currency.
The
allocated funds translate into a wage bill of about $265 billion
per
month.
This should come as an early Christmas present for civil
servants, many of
whom have embarked on industrial action to express their
dissatisfaction
with the levels of remuneration.
However, there was
not much to smile about for the corporate world.
Corporate tax remained
fixed at 30 percent.
Exporters were anticipating the announcement of more
incentives and an
upward revision of the export support rate.
However,
they will now have to look up to the monetary policy for solace.
For the
past few months, the exporters who on their part, have failed to
live up to
their earlier promises to generate more foreign exchange this
year, have been
clamouring for an upward revision of the export support rate
to ensure their
viability.
Dr Murerwa stressed that efforts were being directed towards
the
stabilisation of the macro-economic environment.
Zimbabwe’s rate
of inflation is way above the region’s average of 15,3
percent for 2003, a
figure expected to decline to 8,1 percent next year.
However, the
Government will implement fiscal and monetary stabilisation
measures which
will be complemented by structural measures to invoke an
immediate positive
supply-response from the productive sectors.
Critical stabilisation
measures to be implemented include the matching of
recurrent expenditures to
current revenues.
Borrowings will only be allowed for capital
expenditures and infrastructural
development while unbudgeted expenditures
will only be restricted to
national emergencies.
Quasi-fiscal
operations such as support for parastatals will also be reduced
to tame
inflationary pressures.
"The Reserve Bank is now authorised to dishonour
all such payment requests
and obligations outside the budget framework," said
Dr Murerwa.
The central bank will also target money supply growth to
levels consistent
with the desired inflation path.
Dr Murerwa also
noted that the economy would this year shrink by 13,2
percent but was
optimistic the figure would decline once the various fiscal
and monetary
policies for a turnaround were implemented.
Agriculture, the economy’s
backbone, would play a major role in this regard.
The Ministry of Lands,
Agriculture and Rural Resettlement was allocated
$439,8 billion of which $25
billion would be set aside for agricultural
inputs for communal
farmers.
Other farmers would benefit from funds allocated to the
Agriculture Bank of
Zimbabwe.
Dr Murerwa urged the private sector to
complement the Government’s efforts
to ensure agriculture realised its
potential.
Tax and non-tax incentives would be availed to private players
supporting
the agrarian reform.
The recommendations of the
Presidential Land Review Committee would be
implemented to speed up the land
reform programme and improve productivity
in agriculture.
To curb
de-industrialisation, the Government would soon launch an
industrialisation
development strategy.
Production capacity in the manufacturing sector has
deteriorated to below 50
percent.
The Distressed Companies Fund would
also be reviewed while a graduated
incentive structure would be implemented
to increase value addition through
product beneficiation.
Strategic
partnerships and alliances with key international players in
industry would
be encouraged to promote global competitiveness.
In the mining sector,
the Government would recapitalise the Mining Industry
Loan Fund in support of
small miners, while efforts would also be directed
to inject more funds in
critical mines such as Wankie Colliery.
Dr Murerwa appealed for
discipline in both the public and private sectors to
ensure that agreed
policies were effectively implemented.
"It is vital that measures to
revive domestic production and exporting are
expeditiously
implemented.
"Confidence building, policy consistency and political
commitment in policy
implementation, re-engagement of partners within the TNF
(Tripartite
Negotiation Forum) are also critical in fighting inflation and
stabilising
the economy," said Dr Murerwa.
The Herald
Date set for Zanu-PF conference
Chief Reporter
THE
Zanu-PF annual National People's Conference scheduled for Masvingo early
next
month will be a pointer to the direction the party will take in the
coming
year.
The conference, to be held from December 4 to 7, is expected to
review the
party's performance throughout the year.
The conference
comes at a time the ruling party has lost some of its
committed cadres such
as Vice President Muzenda, Cdes Swithun Mombeshora,
Charles Dauramanzi,
Robert Marere, Mama Mafuyana and Stephen Nkomo.
There is no doubt the
absence of Dr Mzee, as Vice President Muzenda was
commonly known, will cast a
somewhat dark shadow over the conference.
Although Dr Muzenda will be
greatly missed, his patriotism and commitment to
the total liberation of
Zimbabwe should inspire members to remain steadfast
in safeguarding the
country's sovereignty and independence.
Zanu-PF secretary for information
and publicity Cde Nathan Shamuyarira said
it was obvious the absence of Dr
Muzenda would be felt at the conference.
He said his wisdom and guidance
would have been handy, especially coming at
a time when the country was faced
with a myriad of economic, social and
political problems.
Cde
Shamuyarira said the state of the economy and the restructuring of the
party
were some of the issues likely to dominate the conference.
"The main
thing is the restructuring of the party. We have been working flat
out to
build new structures, and this weekend, we are going to complete
the
restructuring of the provinces," he said.
Cde Shamuyarira said the
restructuring exercise was being carried out to
come up with an elected
leadership in preparation for the 2005 parliamentary
election.
He
commended the entrance of young and vibrant cadres from the corporate
world
into the district and provincial structures of the party.
The election of
the young executives was an indication of the confidence
they have with
Zanu-PF's leadership.
"We welcome them into the party and we hope they
will bring executive type
decision-making in the organs of the party and
improve the decision making
process of the party," Cde Shamuyarira
said.
He said the entrance of the young business people indicated their
acceptance
of the fact that the economic hardships that the country was
facing are not
of the making of Zanu-PF.
Cde Shamuyarira said the
willingness of the business people to be in the
leadership of the party was
proof of their zeal to undertake the
reconstruction and recovery of the
economy.
A number of young cadres assumed the reins of leadership in
districts and
provinces of the party in recent elections that took place
throughout the
country.
TeleAccess boss Cde Daniel Shumba was elected
to head the Zanu-PF provincial
executive in Masvingo while another
businessman, Cde Philip Chiyangwa,
retained his chairmanship in Mashonaland
West Province. In Manicaland, Cde
Mike Madiro — also a young businessman —
was re-elected chairman.
Apart from the restructuring exercise, the land
reform programme would also
be discussed at the conference. The discussion on
the land issue is likely
to centre on the report compiled by the Presidential
Land Review Committee
led by Dr Charles Utete.
The party is expected
to take a critical analysis of the report and
seriously consider strategies
of implementing its recommendations.
Zimbabwe has this year witnessed a
systematic Western media barrage bent on
creating gory scenarios in the
country.
The conference is expected to discuss the onslaught by both the
local and
the international media on the Zanu-PF Government.
Other
issues to be discussed at the conference are likely to arise from a
report by
the Central Committee that would be presented by the President and
First
Secretary of the party, President Mugabe.
Cde Mugabe would also make his
own presentation, which will cover a wide
range of issues, including
Zimbabwe's external relations.
Although the year has not been rosy for
most Zimbabweans, delegates are
likely to be in a celebratory mood given the
successful completion of the
land reforms and the prospects of a good
season.
SOKWANELE
Enough
is Enough
PROMOTING
NON-VIOLENT PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE DEMOCRACY
We have a
fundamental right to freedom of
expression!
The Mugabe regime has decided to bury the
Zimbabwes first President in his rural home.
The denial of ex President Rev Canaan as a hero is seen by some as a rejection of the part he played
in the history of this countrys battle for freedom.
The decision was
obviously made in reference to Mugabes previous statement that homosexuals are
''worse than dogs and pigs.''
This provides a revealing insight into the criteria used by Zanu PF to
determine hero status, for there are many buried in Heroes Acre who died with
the blood of innocent victims on their hands.
Hence, murder is obviously an acceptable
modus operandi in the illegal regime, homosexuality a far greater crime and the
grounds to deny hero status.
President Obassanjo is yet again provided with evidence that Zimbabwe does not deserve an invitation to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Nigeria next month.
Ends