Indigenisation: Minister warns Govt officials…Speak the truth or shut up, says Zhuwao

via Indigenisation: Minister warns Govt officials…Speak the truth or shut up, says Zhuwao | The Herald September 30, 2015

A CABINET minister has issued a strong warning against senior Government officials who make misinformed pronouncements on the country’s indigenisation and empowerment law, saying such individuals will be publicly admonished in future.

Newly-appointed Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Patrick Zhuwao said Government officials were supposed to fully comprehend the Indigenisation and Empowerment Act before rushing to make public announcements.

Addressing officials from his ministry drawn from all the seven administrative districts in Masvingo during a familiarisation tour recently, Minister Zhuwao said some senior Government officials were ignorant of the provisions of the law.

He said the seeming inconsistency in Government over the law stemmed from senior officials with the propensity to make public announcements yet they were ignorant of the provisions of the Act.

“I want to make it very clear that before any senior official makes a pronouncement on indigenisation, that person must be very clear on what they want to say because if you pronounce yourself wrongly we will immediately admonish you publicly,’’ said Minister Zhuwao.

“Everyone should make sure that by the end of October this year whatever they will be saying about indigenisation is fully informed by what the law says because I for one will not hesitate to publicly correct such a person. We no longer want any more mispronouncements on the indigenisation law.’’

Minister Zhuwao said Government officials and others who did not understand the indigenisation law were supposed to approach his ministry or the National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board for guidance.

“We do not expect to hear about senior Government officials who make pronouncements about indigenisation to investors when they are ignorant about the provisions of the policy,” he said. “We will not tolerate such people and they will be openly challenged.

“We do not want that inconsistency or alleged inconsistency about indigenisation to continue. Everyone should make sure he or she understands the indigenisation policy before making public pronouncements.’’

Turning to the National Youth Fund, Minister Zhuwao said Government wanted to revive the fund to assist young people, but wanted a water-tight system to be put in place to ensure the loans were repaid.

He said provincial youths councils and district youth councils would be set up before October 16 as a precursor to the revival of the Youth Fund.

The district youth councils will be responsible for identifying and supervising beneficiaries of loans from the National Youth Fund and make sure the loans are repaid.

Minister Zhuwao said he will soon make announcements on the Community Share Ownership Schemes.

He paid tribute to members of the National Youth Service for playing a key role in the rehabilitation of nearly 3 000 families who were displaced from southern Masvingo following flooding in the Tokwe-Mukosi dam basin.

Members of the National Youth Service helped in the setting up of temporary shelter, makeshift toilets and other amenities for the flood victims at Chingwizi temporary camp.

Masvingo provincial youth officer Mr Kudakwashe Machako told Minister Zhuwao that the province was concerned by the poor response by companies in the province that only contributed $300 000 to the Masvingo Community Share Ownership Trust out of the promised $1,5 million.