via ZDI faces closure Sunday, 03 November 2013 by Simba Jemwa SundayMail
The managing director of firearms and ammunition maker Zimbabwe Defence Industries (ZDI), Colonel Tshinga Dube (Retired), has revealed that the company faces closure if the prevailing economic conditions do not improve. Speaking to The Sunday Mail last Thursday, Rtd Col Dube said the company was facing operational challenges brought about by the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West at the behest of former colonial power Britain.
He said ZDI had been operating very profitably until 2008 when the country experienced an economic meltdown. He revealed that the company had since cut down its staff complement from about 400 during peak production to 100.
ZDI had not been spared by the problems that have caused the closure of many industrial firms. Rtd Col Dube said apart from suffering from the effects of sanctions, the company was also feeling the pinch of the prevailing liquidity challenges and high import duties levied on raw materials.
“Like every other manufacturer in Zimbabwe, we have been seriously affected by the sanctions placed on the country and the global liquidity crises. As a result of these problems, we have been forced to cut down on labour costs by laying off about 300 employees from the 400 we had when we were in full production. We now have about 100 employees only.
“We are faced with a myriad of problems ranging from under-capitalisation to high import duty on raw materials and all of these problems have led to viability issues at ZDI that might lead to our closure. There is a high likelihood that we may stay open as a strategic industry and not a commercial entity.”
The ZDI chief said the influx of products from Eastern Europe and Asia was having an adverse effect on the company’s productivity.
He said ZDI’s major customers, particularly from Sadc and countries such as the United States of America and Sri Lanka, were now acquiring their defence requirements from other suppliers because they are cheaper than ZDI products.
“Under-capitalisation and the import duties have made our products more expensive compared to those from Eastern Europe and Asia and this has made us lose our traditional customers to these suppliers.
“We had customers in the US who were buying hunting ammunition from us, but since the imposition of sanctions we lost this business. Our customers from Sadc are now looking to Eastern Europe and Asia for their needs because our products have become too expensive.
“We are struggling to compete with these companies because they have lower production costs due to cheaper labour and readily available cheap raw materials. As long as foreigners are allowed to reign supreme on local markets, our industry will keep suffering because we do not currently have the capacity to lower our production costs and this means we cannot compete with imports that are flooding our markets. The only way we can lower our production costs is if we recapitalise and improve our production methods and if we have cheaper raw materials.”
Rtd Col Dube called on labour unions to carefully tackle salary issues bearing in mind the economic climate.
He also called on banks to revisit their interest rates regime as lending costs were prohibitive.
COMMENTS
This dube is also involved in the diamond mines crimes. For sure he is also one earmarked for the snakepit at our new chikurubi. Thanks to all you fed up whistleblowers. The cobras black mambas salivating this portly meal
What commercial purpose do you serve except making teargas n battonstick to terrorise our people….why dont you go to hell
ZDI faces closure….GOOD! GO ROT!
@Ravenger-Avenger – yes, thank you, nice idea that snake pit. It will be quite a busy place when we get it going.
Ok, let me say this nice and loud…. THERE ARE NO SANCTIONS ON ZIMBABWE. ONLY ON THE THIEVING CHEFS. And how is preventing you thieving swines from flying to London / Paris / New York for personal shopping preventing the country from importing or exporting. You obviously have less than half a brain, musta been all that “fighting in the trenches” actually sitting on your fat arse in a European country, during the bush war. So, you cant manufacture teargas and batons to suppress the people…. oh well, another supply run from China should sort it out. Go to hell.
This company must close. It is of no benefit to zimbabwe.
‘Zimbabwe Defense Industries’, what a joke, the real name is ‘Mugabage Propup Industries’, with John Bredenkamp’s Breco Industries as a foor stool for his cancerous, gout ridden, stinking feet.
I pray that ZDI die the death they deserve, along with their patron, Mugarbage.