via Parly summons diamond firms – DailyNews Live by Mugove Tafirenyika 7 MARCH 2014
Parliament has invited five companies mining diamonds in Marange to give oral evidence on how far they have gone in honouring their pledge to fund the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust (MZCSOT).
Marange Resources, Mbada Diamonds, Anjin Investments (Pvt) Ltd, Jinan Mining Limited and Diamond Mining Corporation will appear before the parliamentary portfolio committee on Youth Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment today.
They all pledged to contribute $10 million each to the MZCSOT.
Two weeks ago, MZCSOT chairperson chief Gilbert Marange informed the committee that of the five companies, only Mbada Diamonds and Marange Resources had paid only $20 000 each to the trust.
Chaired by youthful Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wadyajena, the committee will hear from the companies the challenges they are encountering in fulfilling their pledges.
It also wants the companies to articulate what activities they are involved in as part of their social responsibility obligations.
In separate letters to the five companies dated February 13, clerk of Parliament Austin Zvoma invited the diamond firms to present themselves today.
“As part of the committee’s ongoing oversight mandate on the Community Share Ownership Trust, the committee invites you to a meeting on Friday (today) in the Senate Chamber,” the letters read.
COMMENTS
The committee interestingly mentions youth empowerment as a goal. Great but we hope it includes all colours and creed in this agenda as Indeginisation is another agenda. Zanu you are bloody confused for sure.
All minerals mined in Zimbabwe are a national natural resource, that the whole of the Zimbabwean population should benefit from. This is certainly the case in Botswana, Ghana, South Africa, Zambia and Kenya. It is the duty and sovereign responsibility of parliamentarians and government to ensure that the proceeds from all natural resources are enjoyed by all Zimbabweans. Preservation of our national wild life and heritage is also key to our African legacy. Parliamentry directives should enacted and strictly pursued to ensure our Presidential elephant, rhino and antelope herds are preserved for our future generations to enjoy.