NewsHawks 26 August 2022

Price

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WHAT’S INSIDE Friday 26 August 2022 ZNiEmWbSabwe, STPalOenRtTonly takes
South Africa you so far,
INnEvWictSus to friction laid bare self-belief makes
sink US$100m as tensions rise you dangerous
into oil and gas
exploration Story on Page 9 Story on Page 52

Story on Page 8

Court bid
launched
to block
cZoanngurePsFs

ALSO INSIDE Sale of state-owned assets raise eyebrows

Page 2 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

MOSES MATENGA Court bid launched to

IN a fresh audacious bid to tackle President block Zanu PF congress
Emmerson Mnangagwa’s controversial rise
to power through a 2017 coup, Zanu PF Zanu PF card-carrying member Sybeth Musengezi
card-carrying member Sybeth Musengezi, also
a local businessman, has filed an urgent High mittee. Mnangagwa and Musengezi’s lawyers have late 1990s and later Marlborough High School
Court application seeking a prohibitory order “Therefore, persons in illegal standing in the been locked in a vicious battle over the issue. in Harare after 2000. He later studied for a
to interdict the ruling party’s elective congress Bachelor of Accounting Sciences (BCompt)
at the end of October. 1st respondent’s organisation intend to per- In his answering affidavit, in High Court with the University of South Africa, Bachelor
petuate further illegalities by convening the Case Number HC 5687/21, for instance, of Economics with the University of Zimba-
Zanu PF is set to hold its once-in-five-years all-important national people’s congress, such Musengezi comes out guns blazing against bwe and Master’s in Economics (Bindura Uni-
congress at Robert Mugabe Square in Harare that the harm to law-abiding members of the Zanu PF, Mnangagwa, Mpofu and Chinamasa. versity of Science Education).
from 26-29 October. party such as myself is the end result that will
be illegal. The fifth respondent in that case is former Apart from politics, Musengezi has business
Congress is the party’s highest decision-mak- vice-president Phelekezela Mphoko and the interests in mining, and civil and structural en-
ing body. The last proper congress was held in “It is imperative that law-abiding members sixth is ex-Zanu PF secretary for administra- gineering.
2014. The 2019 one was postponed. of the organisation aforesaid, such as myself, tion Ignatius Chombo.
are protected from the harm wrought forth by He faces a storm of controversy amid differ-
After installing Mnangagwa through a spe- lawless conduct in the governance of the 1st Zanu PF and Mnangagwa are represent- ent claims why he has taken Zanu PF to court
cial central committee meeting on 19 Novem- respondent, my party.” ed by Edwin Manikai of Dube, Manikai and over how it restored, appointed and installed
ber 2017, which Musengezi is challenging in Hwacha, while Musengezi’s counsel is Bul- Mnangagwa to power.
court, Zanu PF held an extraordinary congress Musengezi says he had to approach the court awayo-based Ncube Attorneys, whose cor-
on 15 December that year to rubberstamp the because he has no other remedy. respondent law firm in Harare is Mbidzo, One of the claims Musengezi faces is that he
special central committee decision to install Muchadehama and Makoni. is the proverbial pole turtle put up there by the
Mnangagwa that way after the coup. “I have no other remedy than to approach Zanu PF faction loyal to Vice-President Con-
this court for an interdict of the nature I seek In the devastating answering affidavit, stantino Chiwenga — who is locked in a power
As a result, Mnangagwa then avoided the herein, for no other inferior court or tribunal Musengezi seeks to crush all the issues raised struggle with Mnangagwa over the unresolved
2019 congress, meaning all other Zanu PF of- may act on an urgent basis with the same effi- by Manikai for Zanu PF and Mnangagwa, as party leadership question after the ouster of
ficials last elected in 2014 are in office illegally. cacious result as this honourable court, in the well as others. Musengezi is a Zanu PF Youth the late former president Robert Mugabe — or
The 2017 special congress could not have been present circumstances,” he says. League member born on 17 November 1984. G40 kingpins like Saviour Kasukuwere, who
used to elect other office-bearers as it was con- lives in self-imposed exile in South Africa.
stitutionally convened only to deal with one “The balance of convenience favours legal- His party branch is Muzinda. He comes
agenda item — Mnangagwa’s installation. Yet ities as opposed to illegalities. Illegalities that from Chiunye in Mount Darwin in Masho- However, Musengezi says he is acting alone
by avoiding the 2019 congress, Mnangagwa’s presently bedevil my party, a party in govern- naland Central province. He went to primary on his own behalf, in the party interest and
own mandate is questionable. ment, are not only of my personal concern, but school in his home area. He then attended Mu- rule of law considerations.
are of national concern.” tondwe High School in Mount Darwin in the
Besides, after the toppling of the late former
president Robert Mugabe through a coup in
2017, Mnangagwa did not follow proper con-
stitutional procedures to formally and lawfully
take power. Musengezi is also raising this issue
in his original application.

In his new application filed on 26 Au-
gust, citing Zanu PF as the first respondent,
Mnangagwa (second), ruling party secretary
for administration Obert Mpofu (third), se-
nior official party Patrick Chinamasa (fourth),
Zimbabwe Newspapers (fifth) and The Herald
editor Hatred Zenenga (sixth), Musengezi is
trying to block the upcoming congress.

“This is an application for an interdict that
seeks a prohibitory order, prohibiting the
1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents (Zanu PF,
Mnangagwa, Mpofu and Chinamasa respec-
tively) from convening and presiding over
the 1st respondent (ruling party)’s elective
congress also known as the National People’s
Congress pending the determination of an ap-
plication for a declaratur filed by the applicant
(Musengezi) under cover of case number HC
5687/21,” Musengezi says.

Musengezi last year filed a case against Zanu
PF, saying it had installed Mnangagwa at its
helm in 2017 unconstitutionally and unlaw-
fully, making him a creature of illegalities.

The Zanu PF youth member, who has en-
dured police harassment over the matter, says
he has a strong case against Mnangagwa and
the party. The High Court Case Number. HC
5687/21 is still pending.

In the case, rooted in a complaint about a
series of illegalities attendant to the conven-
ing, deliberations and resolutions of Zanu PF’s
special central committee meeting held in Ha-
rare on 19 November 2017, Musengezi seeks
declaratory orders, which if granted will annul
the process by which Mnangagwa, Mpofu and
Chinamasa were elected.

Musengezi says Mpofu had no authority
in terms of the party constitution to convene
Zanu PF’s special central committee meeting
in 2017. He also says Mpofu had no power to
preside over the meeting and that those elected
in that illegal gathering were unlawfully in-
stalled into their positions.

Further, Musengezi says resolutions from
proceedings of the unlawful meeting were null
and avoid ab initio.

In his new application, Musengezi says
congress should only be convened by lawful-
ly elected officials, not those installed illegally
during the controversial 2017 special central
committee meeting.

“The 1st respondent’s elective congress must
be conducted by persons who have been law-
fully elected to the positions that capacitate
and authorise them to act,” he says.

“The incumbent officials who intend to call,
or convene and superintend over the intended
national people’s congress are all a product of
the illegalities of the 19 November 2017 spe-
cial session of the 1st respondent central com-

NewsHawks News Page 3

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

US$5 million Govt suppliers scream over
trickles out frozen billions in payments

BERNARD MPOFU

CRITICAL suppliers of goods and services, istries, “Going forward, you are required to seek Ministry of Finance secretary George Guvamatanga.
as well as contractors of the Zimbabwean gov- Departments and Agencies are submitting Treasury approval on contract prices in order systems and computers, fuel, furniture, food,
ernment are screaming as Treasury maintains a to ensure effective control in the utilisation travel, cleaning services, utilities, construction
freeze on payments in a bid to contain rampant pay runs for the disbursement of cash goods of public resources as guided by the PFM Act of roads and dams, alteration, demolition,
parallel market and arbitrage activities destabi- and services procured using the parallel market [Public Finance Management]. installations, or repair work done under con-
lising the exchange rate and fuelling inflation exchange rates,” wrote Guvamatanga in a letter tract and paid mostly in full through taxpayers’
— only allowing small sums to trickle out with dated 4 August. “In addition, all payment runs submitted to funds.
just US$5 million released this week. Treasury should have been reviewed and signed
“As you are aware, such pricing framework off by the Accounting Officer ensuring value Sometimes these are financed by loans, do-
Treasury sources told The NewsHawks that by suppliers of goods and services have not only for money in procurement and confirming that nor funds and grants, but due to Zimbabwe’s
the Finance ministry, which is under growing been causing inflationary pressures but also fu- the pricing framework is in line with govern- international isolation and lack of external
pressure to pay its obligations, had to release eling parallel market activities. This has caused ment policy.” funding because of failure to repay debts and
US$5 million to its suppliers this week, mainly instability in the foreign exchange market char- arrears, as well as financial restrictions (targeted
those in the security sector who are treated as acterised by unnecessary movements on the rate Sources say the government spends about sanctions), foreign funding is limited.
priority. resulting in exorbitant prices being charged.” ZW$50 billion a month (about US$110 mil-
lion at the official exchange rate) on suppliers. Due to failure to repay arrears, the country
Public procurement is central to government Forward pricing by the contractors and the This money mostly finds its way into the paral- cannot borrow externally. As a result, it fi-
service delivery. It involves large sums of mon- buying of foreign currency from the parallel lel market, fuelling exchange rate volatility and nances its capital expenditure projects through
ey. market, according to Guvamatanga, has result- inflation. However, the rate has been coming short-term outlays, thus creating liquidity, fuel-
ed in budget overruns which are piling pressure down of late due to a cocktail of tight mon- ling money supply and inflation.
Sources say the government’s monthly oper- on Treasury to fund expenditure which is not etary policy measures and crackdown on the
ating budget is ZW$100 billion. It is split al- aligned with revenue inflows. market. Most of the government’s procurement After procurement, and providing goods and
most equally between civil servants’ wage bill of goods, works and services is financed from services, the suppliers are paid in local Zimba-
on one hand and recurrent, as well as capital “In this regard, Treasury is suspending all short-term public funds. bwean dollar currency, which they often rush
expenditures on the other. payments to MDAs whilst awaiting your sub- to offload on the parallel market to buy hard
mission of reports of findings of due diligence These services include buying motor vehi- currency — United States dollars — as a store
“Treasury is essentially still maintaining a on all running and future contracts with special cles, information communication technology of value and a more preferred medium of ex-
freeze on payments,” a senior Treasury official focus on pricing,” the letter further reads. change in the market.
said.

“The strategy is to limit, throttle and freeze
payments to contain suppliers and contractors
from going into the black market to change
their huge sums of local currency into United
States dollars, while fuelling exchange rate vol-
atility and inflation. This is part of the broad
campaign which involves a series of self-rein-
forcing monetary policy measures and the gold
coins initiative, among other things, to mop up
liquidity.”

However, suppliers are complaining that
the government is now crippling and destroy-
ing their businesses by withholding payments,
while making life difficult through new moves
like asking how contractors are going to use
their money after payments.

“The suspension of payments is destroying
our businesses. How do we settle our obliga-
tions if we are not paid? For us to pay our own
suppliers or clients, we need to be paid first,”
one contractor said.

“To make matters worse, government, when-
ever they pay us, they are now asking us to ex-
plain how we are going to use our own money
afterwards. Where in the world have you ever
heard that? The whole rationale is flawed. The
issue is if the local currency is bad money, which
it is, everyone wants to get rid of it quickly as
soon as they get it in this environment of ex-
change rate volatility and high inflation. They
know bad money chases away good money.

“So why blame suppliers and contractors
for black market activities and arbitrage as if
they are root causes of the problem when they
are just a symptom? We all know what the real
problem is: It’s the politics stupid! Fix the pol-
itics first and the economy will consequently
recover. The rest is just economic detail really.”

Treasury earlier this month suspended pay-
ments to the government’s contractors and
service providers until a due diligence exercise
has been carried out in what is clear admission
on the forces behind parallel market foreign
exchange trades which have ratcheted up infla-
tionary pressure in the economy.

As reported by The NewsHawks recently, gov-
ernment procurement and service providers —
who include public works contractors and sup-
pliers of goods and services — are destabilising
the foreign exchange market by offloading part
of their staggering monthly payments, fuelling
inflation.

According to a recent letter written by Fi-
nance secretary George Guvamatanga ad-
dressed to senior government officials, includ-
ing Martin Rushwaya, deputy chief secretary
to the President and Cabinet, Jonathan Wut-
awunashe, secretary to the Public Service Com-
mission, among others, Treasury has suspended
funding for payment runs submitted as at 31
July as it reviews existing procurement con-
tracts.

“Treasury has noted with concern that Min-

Page 4 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

RUVIMBO MUCHENJE Mnangagwa’s ex-convict ally
implicated in Cottco scandal
GUTAI Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo of Maropafadzo
Energy (Pvt) Ltd , an ex-convict close to President street retailer John Lewis, a brand of high-end de- buy from the retailer. first notice was put in the Government Gazette of
Emmerson Mnangagwa and his family whose partment shops in the UK, between June 2013 By doing so, Mutuke, as she was known then, Zimbabwe of her intention to change her name.
company is implicated in the US$5 million Cot- and March 2014, collecting them in person be-
ton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) fraud scan- fore returning them to different outlets across the fraudulently gained £2 153 – an amount she was “Notice is hereby given that, by notarial deed
dal, has been minting millions of United States south of England. ordered by the court to pay back in compensa- of change of name executed before me, Nobert
dollars from government tenders through her tion. Muhlolo, a legal practitioner and notary public,
proximity to power. She travelled as far afield as Swindon to make at Harare, on the 14th day of September, 2020,
legal returns before using the internet order form A few years after the scandal, Maropafadzo re- Gutai Lisa-Marie Mutuke appeared and changed
The 37-year old, who spent 22 years in the to get reimbursed by different stores for very sim- turned to Zimbabwe and changed her name to her name to Gutai Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo, so
United Kingdom before returning home when ilar items she had in her ownership but did not protect her identity and hide her fraud conviction. that, henceforth, she shall be known on all occa-
Mnangagwa took over power through a coup in sions by the name Gutai Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo.
2017, has been exposed as a result of the Cottco As part of that process, in September 2020, the Dated at Harare on this 14th day of September,
fraud and money laundering case. 2020.— Nobert Muhlolo, c/o Muhlolo Legal
Practice, Second Floor, Pasangano Building, 20,
She has been living the life – with her group King George Road, Avondale, Harare. 424713f,”
of friends who call themselves “Rich cousins” – the gazette says.
at her Beverly Hills-like mansion in the lavish
Gletwyn Park suburb in Harare along Enterprise Maropafadzo then officially changed her name
Road, southwest of Glen Lorne. in January 2021, according to the gazette.

The “Rich cousins” is a controversial group of “Notice is hereby given that, on the 29th day
Zimbabwean businesswomen and socialites who of January, 2021, before me, Beloved Dhlakama,
include Michelle Kawome, Gina Duri, Danya a legal practitioner and notary public, at Harare,
Kabwebwe, Nobunkosi Ndlovu, Martha Mudz- appeared Gutai Lisa-Marie Mutuke (born on 7th
vova, Belinda Murowa, Thandie Makuyana, Mar- April, 1985) and changed her name to Gutai Li-
velous Gumise and Maropafadzo. sa-Marie Maropafadzo, so that, henceforth, for all
purposes and on all occasions she shall be known
Maropafadzo, who used to be known as Gutai by the said name Gutai Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo.
Lisa-Marie Mutuke until 2020, is entangled in Dated at Harare on this 25th day of January,
the fraud and money laundering case involving 2021.—Beloved Dhlakama, c/o Dhlakama B. At-
Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Justice Mayor Wady- torneys, legal practitioners, 22, Broadlands Road,
ajena and Cottco bosses Maxmore Njanji, Pius Emerald Hill, Harare. 470350f.”
Makunike and Fortunate Molai, as well as Pier-
mont Moncroix director Chiedza Danha through In between, she was known as Lisa Matuke,
her company. an employee of the First Lady’s Angel of Hope
Foundation. She has been part of the foundation’s
Her company, Maropafadzo Energy (Pvt) Ltd, fund-raising activities.
which is only two years old, is accused of receiving
US$2.2 million from funds allocated for the pro- In 2019, she went to Mhondoro with the foun-
curement of cotton bale ties for Cottco. dation for a Christmas party treat for orphans in
the area, and gave a speech on behalf of the organ-
The charge sheet for Wadyajena, whose luxu- isation and First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa.
ry cars and haulage trucks were impounded, and
others, including Maropafadzo’s company, says: Who’s Gutai Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo

“On the 8th of March 2022 and 14 March GUTAI Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo is a 37-year-old Zim- ident of the Indigenous Petroleum Association of Zim- United Kingdom in 2015 after swindling shops of more
2022, two further payments were processed babwean woman, born in April 1985. She owns Ma- babwe. The group made a US$35 200 cash donation than £2 000. She was ordered to pay back the money
and instead of being paid to Pierpont Mon- ropafadzo Energy (Pvt) Ltd and is close to both Presi- and provided masks to President Emmerson Mnangag- and was given a suspended sentence. She came back to
croix as per purchase Order No 124889 dent Emmerson Mnangagwa and his wife Auxillia. She wa during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. She is an Zimbabwe in 2017.
were laundered by the accused persons when is also said to be former finance minister Herbert Mur- active member of the Zanu PF-affiliated Young Women
USD450 000,00 was transferred from Cottco’s erwa's step-daughter. for Economic Development (Young Women 4ED). Mutuke applied for change of name in September
CABS account No. 1125257148 to Maropafadzo 2020 and was granted permission to do so in January
Energy CBZ account Number 02925639340021 Maropafadzo deals in bulk fuel supply and is a ten- She is also actively involved with the First Lady’s 2021. She changed her name from Gutai Lisa-Marie
to Maropafadzo Energy Ecobank Account No derprenuer. Records show that in 2020 she was the pres- charity foundation. She was convicted of fraud in the Mutuke to Gutai Lisa-Marie Maropafadzo.
5783600043224 respectively. A total of USD2
200 000,00 has been paid against the Purchase Maropafadzo and her Indigenous Petrolleum Association of Zimbabwe associates Crosby Mashiri, Shiloh Swart, Bowasi Mapiro and Njabulo Mangena
order of USD4 578 078-50. donated US$35 200 in cash and fuel coupons, as well as masks to Mnangagwa at State House in Harare in 2020.

“Payments made to Maropafadzo Energy (Pvt)
Ltd being part of the order of bale ties were further
transferred into various accounts of individuals
accounts and corporates which have nothing to
do with the purpose for which the money which
the funds were transferred for at Cottco. No bale
ties have been delivered by Pierpont Moncroix
Mauritius.”

Apart from hobnobbing with the Mnangagwas
and “Rich cousins”, Maropafadzo is a member of
the Young Women for Economic Development –
the President’s cronies - and has said she worked
extra hard to set up her business.

Meanwhile, it now turns out she was benefit-
ting from proximity to power and murky business
deals.

‘‘My business is not small, it is a big business.
I own a company called Maropafadzo. We have
over five service stations and move fuel in bulk.
I have government tenders and I have not bribed
anyone. I didn’t have to go into a relationship with
anyone. I don’t have a political background, but I
believed in President Mnangagwa,” Maropafadzo
said at a Young Women for Economic Develop-
ment event in Harare last year.

“I stayed in the United Kingdom for 22 years
where I lived and worked. I had become very
poor. When I came to Zimbabwe that was when
the New Dispensation was coming into power.
I remember the President’s words when he said
‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’. I am one of
those who managed to establish a business.”

Maropafadzo is not new to scandals.
It has now emerged that was once convicted of
fraud in the UK, which explains why she changed
her name in 2020.
In 2015, Maropafadzo was found guilty of
fraud involving over £2 000 and was sentenced to
120 days in prison, suspended for two years. She
was ordered to abide by a four-month curfew to
run from 8pm until 7am daily, and was ordered
to pay £85 in costs and an £80 victim surcharge.
Gutai Mutuke, as she was known in Britain
then, bought a number of items from online high

NewsHawks News Page 5

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

UN General
Assembly:
Mutami will
be waiting for
Mnangagwa

PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnan- rape matter in the global limelight, minister Sibusiso Moyo and senior ed 736 million women — almost Susan Mutami.
gagwa will fly into a storm if he which will be more damaging and Zanu PF official Kenneth Musanhi. one in three — have been subjected experienced violence compared to
attends the 77th United Nations embarrassing for Mnangagwa. to physical and/or sexual intimate women who have not, as well as
General Assembly in New York, Since then Mutami has been vi- partner violence, non-partner sexu- many other health problems that
United States, next month as Susan While he has remained mum on cious against Mnangagwa, especial- al violence, or both at least once in can last even after the violence has
Mutami, the Australian-based local the subject, Mnangagwa will almost ly on social media. their life (30% of women aged 15 ended.
woman who accuses him of raping certainly be questioned by journal- and older). 
her when she was a minor, has been ists on the case should he attend On one tweet, she writes: Most violence against women is
invited to speak on the sidelines of the summit, while Mutami’s rape “Dear World, this is the man This figure does not include sexu- perpetrated by current or former
the summit. allegation against him is likely to who raped me when I was a minor. al harassment. husbands or intimate partners.
be picked up by the international Bloody rapist, paedophile @edm-
The gathering will be attended by media. nangagwa. The girl child is not safe The rates of depression, anxiety More than 640 million women
heads of state and government from in Zimbabwe because of this man @ disorders, unplanned pregnancies, aged 15 and older have been sub-
around the world. Mutami last month took to Twit- UN_Women.” sexually transmitted infections and jected to intimate partner violence
ter Spaces to chronicle how Mnan- According to the UN, an estimat- HIV are higher in women who have (26% of women aged 15 and older).
The summit will be held in New gagwa allegedly sexually abused her
York from 13-27 September. It is several times while she was a pupil — STAFF WRITER.
one of the biggest global stages for at Loreto High School in Silobela,
world leaders to deal with current Midlands, in 2004.
issues affecting countries and hu-
manity. The abuse occurred after her fa-
ther, who was a Zanu PF official,
Mutami, who has reported died in a car accident.
Mnangagwa to Australian police in
Brisbane where she lives and by ex- She alleged that Mnangagwa of-
tension to the International Crimi- fered to pay her fees and accom-
nal Police Organisation, common- modate her at his farm in Kwekwe,
ly known as Interpol, says she has but the gesture came with sexual
been invited to speak on Women abuse. She said he broke her virgin-
and Child Abuse at the UN. ity, while also claiming he had also
abused several other young girls.
“I just wanted to let you know
that I’ve been invited to speak at the Mutami said former State Securi-
@UN this year in New York, Cate- ty minister Owen “Mudha” Ncube,
gory Women and Child Abuse and who at the time was doing errands
also @Chiefsvosve1 pro-democracy for Mnangagwa, including picking
workshop, Un protests and also to and dropping her, also abused her
be one of the keynote speakers,” several times each time his boss was
Mutami posted on Twitter on 22 done with her.
August.
However, she said she had con-
By speaking on the international sensual sexual relationships with
stage, Mutami will further place the several prominent people, includ-
ing the late former Foreign Affairs

Page 6 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Sale of state-owned assets suspicious

MOSES MATENGA Several state-owned companies are up for grabs, including Petrotrade. framework designed by the government through
the Privatisation Agency of Zimbabwe being ig-
GOVERNMENT is under fire for stripping the He said the government was running astray by Mutual Life was divested from Nssa and another nored and diverted?”
country’s assets and selling off key state-owned privatising key companies and demanded guaran- big bank was also divested from the state, gold
enterprises for privatisation without parliamentary tees that it should never happen again without the mines have been divested from the state, Bindura “The point I am making is that, as a question of
approval in opaque transactions that could see the knowledge and input of Parliament. Nickel (BNC) has been divested from the state. law, Parliament should provide approval of the ac-
country losing billions of United States dollars. Why are privatisations occurring nocturnally or quisition and disposal that is not happening. Can
“. . . there has been a spate of privatisations. nicodemously, in the shadow of darkness outside the good minister give us assurances that he will
Several state-owned entities are up for grabs, in- There has been a spate of disposals of key strate- Parliament?” come to Parliament to seek parliamentary approv-
cluding key ones like Petrotrade, Genesis Energy gic assets owned by the government of Zimbabwe. al for the disposal of assets?” Biti said.
and Fidelity Printers and Refiners, among several Why is that process being done outside Parliament Biti poked holes into the deals, saying: “Who
other companies the government says are under- . . . ?” are the purchasers? Are we getting good val- “Assets are part of the Consolidated Revenue
performing. ue? Has there been due diligence and why is the Fund (CRF) — any public assets are part of the
“For instance ZB Bank has been privatised, First CRF. We [Parliament] control the CRF and that
This also comes as the government is forging is why he is persuading us to pass the supplemen-
ahead with the disputed and controversial deal tary budget. We control public assets. We need
that will see one of the country’s biggest fuel sup- the undertaking from him that he will not priva-
pliers, the state-owned Petrotrade, being sold to a tise Zimbabwean assets without the approval of
Kuwaiti firm, the Independent Petroleum Group Parliament.”
(IPG), for less than US$20 million, in a deal insid-
ers say reeks of corruption. Harare North MP Rusty Markham said Ncube
should explain the arrangements for the PPPs, par-
Harare East member of Parliament Tendai Biti ticularly the recent one over Fidelity Printers and
quizzed Finance minister Mthuli Ncube on the Refiners.
opaque nature of the privatisation deals, demand-
ing answers as to why Parliament was not consult- The MP questioned the capacity of the compa-
ed in all cases. nies involved and whether they openly tendered
for the deals. He also asked over their shareholder
Biti, a former Finance minister, also questioned capacities, among other requirements.
why the government wants to privatise Fidelity
Printers and Refiners, adding that it was illogical Ncube said the privatisation of Fidelity Printers
for a gold-producing country to want to privatise and Refiners, whose envisaged sale he previouly
such a key entity. announced, has been suspended indefinitely.

In 2021, the government structured a deal that “I want for the record to state that there is no
would see 10 companies take control of Zimba- PPP that we have entered into. What we had an-
bwe’s gold refinery, Fidelity Printers and Refiners, nounced was something that we thought was a
for US$49 million. Ncube announced the deal good idea, which was to partially privatise Fidelity
back then. Gold Refineries, has been suspended indefinitely.”

“I am concerned with the very idea of wanting “We will look into it in future once we have
to privatise Fidelity Gold Refinery,” Biti said. “It overhauled the company sufficiently so that we
eludes my wisdom why you would want to dispose get good value for money from whoever comes in
of that gold refinery given the strategic nature of to invest in the company. So at the moment, all
gold in our country.” PPPs in terms of investments have been suspended
indefinitely.”

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NewsHawks News Page 7

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zambezi Valley may contain oil treasure

NYASHA CHINGONO Invictus Energy reached an agreement with Zimbabwe to increase the exploration area sevenfold in Muzarabani and Mbire districts.

THE sharp curves down a steep slope into the “When we saw trucks moving past this place The discovery of oil and gas in the coun- are pinned on this rig.
Mbire valley is a path that leads to what could everyday, it stirred hope that something could try could be a boost for President Emmerson “Everyone is looking to this project, maybe
be Zimbabwe’s newfound wealth. be brewing,” Kanyora said. Mnangagwa’s government. Zimbabwe stands
to receive as much as 60% of the project’s out- something will come up. It is our only hope,”
A few kilometres before the bus carefully Many families have abandoned cotton farm- put under a production agreement still being Chief Muzabani said.
glided onto the narrow slope, vendors by the ing as it is no longer lucrative. finalised, said Joe Mtizwa, deputy chairperson
roadside yelled to attract excitable commuters of Invictus Energy. One hopes that Muzarabani-Mbire will not
who craved to have a piece of the village good- “The community is happy because there is fall victim to Zimbabwe’s notorious resource
ies — groundnuts and wild fruits. potential for jobs. This area is mainly known “If we are successful, this project will be curse, which has seen communities fail to en-
for cotton, but it is no longer paying that transformational, a game-changer for Zimba- joy the benefits of their local resources.
“A dollar for a packet of groundnuts,” a much. People are no longer farming the crop. bwe,” Mutizwa said.
woman shouts and the touring journalists So people are happy because they will get jobs,” Just like Kanyora who sits by the roadside
could hardly believe the bargain right before the local traditional leader, Chief Muzarabani, But for thousands here, mere talk will not daily anticipating elusive customers, the whole
their eyes. who was born Onias Hwata, said. suffice; it is a matter of survival and all hopes community impatiently awaits a project that
could change lives for the better.
If any of the women make at least US$10,
they would have made more than they ordi-
narily earn in two days.

“It is visitors like you who make our sitting
in the sun worthwhile,” a middle-aged woman
said as she poured groundnuts into a plastic
bag.

“Tomorrow, we have mukando (stokvel).
I did not know where I was going to get the
money,” she added.

Amid a hunger crisis in this arid region,
their only hope is income from hawking wild
fruits to visitors, mainly those enroute to the
Invictus Energy rig about 40 kilometres down
the road.

As the sweltering heat beats mercilessly on
the vast swathes of land on the border of Mbi-
re and Muzarabani, herdsmen drive cattle onto
richer grazing lands in the sunparched grass-
lands.

About five years ago, no one here had the
slightest clue that Muzarabani and Mbire
could be sitting on vast gas or oil deposits.

Situated just 60km from Mozambique,
where conflict has erupted in northern Cabo
Delgado region due to extremist insurgents
fighting for control of gas fields, Muzara-
bani-Mbire is on the cusp of a major break-
through that could transform lives.

Perennially, its inhabitants have survived on
cotton farming while others chose to rear cat-
tle.

Unbeknown to many was that Mobil Ener-
gy had since the early 1990s begun studying
the area for potential gas and oil deposits.

Although Mobil did not eventually prospect
for the presence of these commodities in Mbi-
re-Muzarabani, its work, as now seen through
vast seismic data available to Invictus, it paved
way to a project that could contribute to the
country’s energy requirements.

For a community whose highest ambition
was to farm cotton and tobacco, a more lucra-
tive business could be on the horizon.

As the bus screeches to a halt at a security
checkpoint, it becomes apparent that work has
already begun far afield.

Mukuyu 1 is the first prospecting well set
for drilling this month-end or early September.

Mukuyu contains the largest undrilled
structure in onshore Africa, Invictus says on its
website. The company reached an agreement
with Zimbabwe’s government in March to in-
crease the exploration area sevenfold to 1.77
million acres (716,300 hectares).

“All things being equal, we will start (at the)
end of this month or first week of September,”
Paul Chimbodza, managing director of the
Australian company’s local subsidiary Geo As-
sociates, said.

Inside, the fortress, enclosed in an electric
fence, is a lofty gas drilling rig already set in
place to prospect for the resource here.

It will take another eight weeks to ascertain
if gas is actually a possibility, company officials
said.

The authorities and local leadership, believes
this would help revive the fortunes of the poor
regions of Muzarabani and Mbire.

With employment prospects on the horizon,
maybe the women who vend their wares by the
roadside will find jobs or, at the very least, have
their husbands providing labour here.

“The whole community is looking forward
to this project. We hope this will help us and
change our lives,” Maud Kanyora (39) said as
she packed wild fruits into a plastic bag.

Page 8 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

NYASHA CHINGONO Invictus to sink US$100m
into oil and gas exploration
AUSTRALIAN Stock Exchange-listed com-
pany Invictus Energy is prepared to invest Invictus deputy chairperson Joe Mutizwa
US$100 million as it moves to explore pros-
pects of oil and gas deposits in the Muzaraba- said the company remained hopeful the first ther resource or cash. ery we will allow you to recoup and what is left
ni-Mbire area of the Cabora Bassa Basin, an well would bring positive results. In terms of the Mines and Minerals Act, on the table, you share with the government of
official has said. Zimbabwe. That is what the production shar-
“If we are successful here, this programme anyone extracting a mineral pays a royalty to ing agreement is saying.
Invictus will sink its first exploratory well, will be a game changer for this country. Let us government. The royalty differs with what you
Mukuyu 1, a 3.5 kilometre hole, in early Sep- keep our fingers crossed. Let us remain hopeful are mining. “I cannot give you the numbers, but I can
tember, with officials saying exploration will and positive that in fact we will be successful,” share with you that in a mature jurisdiction like
take eight weeks, after which a shallower well, Mutizwa said. “The oil and gas sector works with what we Angola, 70% goes to the government after the
Baobab, is set for drilling at a cost of US$10 call a production sharing agreement. The host operator has recovered their costs; what is left
million. Invictus recently entered into a production country where there is oil and gas is saying on the table, let us split with the government
sharing agreement with the Zimbabwean gov- these resources belong to the host country. You of Zimbabwe.”
The company admitted during a media tour ernment, which allows the company to recoup will do that at your own cost. In exploration
last week that the costs of such an undertaking costs before sharing profits with the host gov- there are two results, either the result is positive “We are in the business of exploration, it is
are set to escalate as the project takes shape. ernment. or you count your losses,” Chimbodza said. inherent in our

So far US$16 million has been sunk into This will allow the company to recover, while “They say we allow you to explore, with your business that you can find oil or not,” Chim-
primary exploration that includes hiring the the government may choose to benefit from ei- own money, if you have a commercial discov- bodza admitted.
drilling rig and logistics. Another US$16 mil-
lion will be gobbled up by drilling Mukuyu 1,
according to Paul Chimbodza, the managing
director of the Australian company's local sub-
sidiary, Geo Associates.

He said by the time Invictus ascertains the
availability of resource on site, which includes
the drilling of addition wells, the project would
have cost US$100 million.

“To date, in the last four years we have
spent US$16 million, which brings us to a
stage where we will drill. The cost of drilling
Mukuyu 1 is another US$16 million. Our sec-
ond upcoming well, called Baobab, is a shal-
lower well. We will drill that to about 1.5km at
a cost of US$10 million. These are exploration
wells; these are not production wells. We use
these to ascertain the availability of product in
the ground,” Chimbodza said.

“Once those wells give us a positive result,
we will move in to what we call basin apprais-
al where we will be doing more ancillary wells
to upgrade the resource numbers and quantify
and also get the quality of the resource. By the
time you are done with your appraisal, your
cost is roughly about US$100 million,” he
added.

Exalo rig starts, mobilised from Tanzania,
arrived on site in July and have already been
mounted in preparation for drilling.

“The logistical undertaking of this operation
is huge. We have had to bring in a total of 115
thirty-tonne trucks to bring equipment on site.
There are still bits and pieces of equipment be-
ing flown in and, as if fate would have it, we are
doing this in a period where the logistics indus-
try is still recovering from the effects of Covid.
We are seeing a bit of delays but nothing is a
red flag for us,” Chimbodza said.

Funded mainly through internal capital, this
would prove a big gamble if Invictus fails to
find the desired resource.

“We are funded through our shareholders
and we go to the market through our partners
Invictus Energy, that is one route. If the board
chooses to share risk, the board may decide to
find another partner. As it is, we are doing all
this in-house,” he added.

Chimbodza admitted that while the com-
pany remains hopeful of a successful drilling
come September, it remains a risky venture as
there is no certainty with regards the availabil-
ity of gas and oil.

Invictus has been prospecting for oil and gas
deposits for the past four years in the Cabora
Bassa and Zambezi basins.

The company has been studying vast seismic
data obtained by Mobil in the early 1990s, but
is now shouldering the financial burden of the
undertaking.

“Everyone has been asking us whether we
have oil or gas. However, the way the industry
works is that by the time you get to drilling
stage you’ve got a fair idea of the potential.
There are other exploration places where you
do the work that we have done and the results
are saying don’t waste your money, go and look
elsewhere. But in our case the results are saying
let us go to the next stage of verifying the scan.
Mukuyu 1 is our first well that we will drill for
3.5km,” Chimbodza said.

“Exalo says they will be able to do that with-
in a period of about weeks. So hold on to your
questions of whether we have oil or gas; we
have been waiting a long time. Eight weeks are
not a long time to wait. The results will come,
we are a public listed entity, any information
— positive or negative — will be released.”

Invictus deputy chairperson Joe Mutizwa

NewsHawks News Page 9

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zim, SA friction laid bare as tensions rise

BRENNA MATENDERE Head of Health in Limpopo province Dr Phophi Ramathuba

SIMMERING tensions between Zimbabwe and In a statement, the South African department then country’s leader Thabo Mbeki helped Zanu made mistakes in its response, violating the na-
South Africa this week exploded after an out- of health also sanitised Ramathuba’s outburst. PF to dribble past the plan through the stitch- tional constitution.
burst by a top provincial health official in the ing together of a Government of National Unity
neighbouring country who took swipe at Presi- “The National Department of Health has (GNU). It noted that in deploying the army to assist
dent Emmerson Mnangagwa over his leadership been inundated with media queries to weigh in the police, grave shortcuts were made as proper
and governance failures. on the current debate prompted by the com- During the land reform exercise that saw Zim- procedures were not followed.
ments made by Limpopo MEC for Health in babwe being isolated by the international com-
Dr Phophi Ramathuba, the head of health in a video clip recorded in Bela Bela hospital,” munity, South Africa stood shoulder-to-shoul- The commission made several recommen-
Limpopo province, who was on a tour of Bela reads the statement, adding: “Although, the de- der with the Harare regime in what came to be dations, including that the rogue soldiers who
Bela Hospital in the region, came across a Zim- partment doesn’t have full context of the video known as “quiet diplomacy”. killed civilians and that the state security oper-
babwean woman admitted to the health centre. conversation between the MEC and the patient, atives who committed human rights abuses be
which make it difficult to make conclusion. We When Mnangagwa rose to power in 2017 prosecuted.
The Zimbabwean had been involved in an acknowledge that the public healthcare system is through a military coup, his administration also
accident in Harare and crossed the border for a struggling in some areas to meet the healthcare had a stable relationship with South Africa. The Harare administration, four years on, has
medical operation. needs of the citizens and reduce the backlogs due largely ignored the recommendations and this
to unpredictably high number of undocument- Mnangagwa had actually been hosted in constitutes part of the reasons why there is now
Upon learning that she was a Shona-speak- ed migrants from neighbouring countries seek- South Africa for weeks after fleeing Zimbabwe escalation of tension between Harare and Preto-
ing patient, Ramathuba immediately seethed ing healthcare service in the country, other than following his dismissal as vice-president by the ria as the governing ANC now takes a dim view
with anger and accused her of being one of the the asylum-seekers and refugees.” late Mugabe. of Mnangagwa’s administration.
Zimbabweans who are burdening South Africa’s
public hospitals due to Mnangagwa’s governance “This issue is one of the subjects that are dis- During his short stay in South Africa while Another diplomatic blunder fuelling the
failures. cussed during bilateral and multilateral meetings he arranged the coup with army generals back bikateral tension is Zimbabwe's appointment
at SADC level in order to find a long lasting home to topple the late Mugabe, Mnangagwa of a non-PF Zapu ambassador to South Africa
“You speak Shona, so how do you find your- solution.” actually met with the Sadc country’s authorities — David Hamadziripi — who has no close ties
self in Bela Bela Mpumalanga when you are and won over their hearts as they felt he would with ANC leaders.
supposed to be with Mnangagwa? You know he “Limpopo Province is one of the affected bring in a new trajectory to Zimbabwe.
does not give me money to operate you guys. I provinces, and despite these challenges, the Mugabe during his time appointed ambassa-
am operating you with my limited budget. You healthcare workers must ensure that they main- Mnangagwa then met South Africa’s leader dors to South Africa with a PF-Zapu history so
are killing my health system. When you guys are tain high moral obligation and standards in their Cyril Ramaphosa on 24 January 2018 in Davos, that they could gel with ANC leaders and me-
sick, I am hearing that you just say, 'let's cross work in line with the Hippocratic Oath, togeth- Switzerland and at the time their relations were diate on tricky diplomatic issues on that basis.
the Limpopo River, there's a MEC there who's er with the National Health Act and the Refugee warm and fraternal.
running a charity department. It's not. I am go- Act of South Africa.” These included the late Simon Khaya Moyo
ing to tell you something that is truthful and The beginning of the frosty relations between and present Director-General of the Central In-
painful.” “This does not mean that all services are free, the two nations started after the 1 August 2018 telligence Organisation (CIO) spy agency Isaac
because only primary healthcare services are pro- atrocities when the army shot and killed six un- Moyo.
“In Limpopo, we have 5.7 million people, vided free of charge, but higher levels of care are armed citizens and wounded 35 others.
91% do not have medical aid, they are depen- subject to a fee.” The tension between Zimbabwe and South
dent on the state. Instead of using the budget In the aftermath, there were reports of rape Africa worsened in 2020 when a delegation dis-
for what it's meant for, I’m operating for what South Africa’s minister of Health Dr Joe of women by state security agents, among other patched to Harare by Ramaphosa to talk things
Mnangagwa is supposed to do. That is why Phaahla, who was said to out of the country, and gross human rights abuses. over was rubbished by Zanu PF leaders who in-
when my people of Limpopo want health ser- the acting minister Angie Motshekga did not sisted that there was no crisis in Zimbabwe.
vices, they can’t get. That is angering the com- comment on the video. Mnangagwa appointed a commission of en-
munity. You are not even registered anywhere. quiry chaired by former South African president The delegation, led by Ace Magashule, left
It's unfair,” she said. The now frosty relations between Zimbabwe Kgalema Motlanthe. without meeting opposition political parties and
and South Africa have a historical background civil society organisations — as they had been
During the Robert Mugabe era, South Afri- preceded by strong ties during the Mugabe era. The commission’s key results areas were to in- instructed to do by Ramaphosa.
can leaders would not dare challenge him direct- vestigate the events leading to the violence, the
ly or, worse still, denigrate him publicly in name. In 2010, Wikileaks cables revealed that the conduct of the police, the involvement of the Zanu PF's top leadership dismissed as false
They regarded him a statesman. United States had haboured a foreign policy to army, and to find out if the force used was pro- reports that there was an economic and politi-
push for Mugabe’s ouster through persuasion of portional. cal crisis in Zimbabwe at a time when there was
However, the Ramathuba diatribe shows the South Africa to implement the agenda, but the a background of gross human rights abuses like
extent to which the neighbouring country has Part of its findings highlighted that while the kidnappings and torture of opposition activists
lost respect for Mnangagwa and his Zanu PF. violence during the protests, including the de- coupled with rising inflation.
struction of property, was uncalled for, the state
The video of her outburst went viral on so-
cial media, attracting anger from some Zimba-
bweans who felt she had been insensitive to the
plight of the patient.

Interestingly, the Harare regime has been si-
lent over the matter.

In follow-up interviews with South African
media houses, Ramathuba however defended
herself.

Speaking to TimesLives, she said: “If she came
here for an emergency or she was pregnant you
would be justified in criticising me, but this pa-
tient got an accident in Harare. She told me a
family friend told her to come to Limpopo, she
would get help.”

In another interview with the South African
Broadcasting Services (SABC), Ramathuba said
she did not regret her remarks to the Zimbabwe-
an woman.

“I did stand by its content because I need to
share that understanding that they are not do-
ing anything to our surgical backlog, people are
abusing the system. When they hear that the
MEC is coming to this district with special care,
they leave their country, enter SA illegally, and
come to our hospitals. The South African whom
we did this budget for is unable to get operated
because they’re still flooding even our initiatives.
This is an initiative outside our daily work,” she
said.

While expectations were high that Ramathu-
ba would be condemned by South Africa’s gov-
ernment arms for what some commentators de-
scribed as Afrophobia, they instead sided with
her, further exposing the escalation of tension
between Pretoria and Harare.

That country’s Department of International
Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesper-
son Clayson Monyela said Ramathuba’s outburst
was not yet “a diplomatic incident”.

“If Zimbabwe was to raise the incident
through diplomatic channels, only then would
Dirco become involved. So far, it’s not a diplo-
matic incident. It has not been elevated,” he said.

Page 10 News NewsHawks

Zim-SA relations: Issue 95, 26 August 2022
Cabinet launches
propaganda war Information minister Monica Mutsvangwa

MOSES MATENGA truth. The forum blames President Emmerson
Mnangagwa for the exodus of citizens who are
THE Zimbabwean government has largely been desperately seeking free medical treatment in
quite over boiling anger in South Africa on the other countries.
influx of foreigners who are desperately seeking
jobs and free medical treatment, but are en- This week, the Zimbabwean cabinet discussed
during xenophobic attacks from locals accusing relations between the two countries, saying
them of fuelling crime and grabbing their jobs. it received a report on the mid-term review of
the third session of the Zimbabwe-South Afri-
Cabinet this week issued muted responses, but ca Bi-National Commission held earlier this
has not robustly engaged the South African gov- month.
ernment, with diplomats saying Harare’s hands
are tied, owing to the burden of failing to deliver. Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Shava pre-
sented the report to cabinet, with Information
It is widely accepted that many Zimbabweans minister Monica Mutsvangwa telling journalists
are seeking opportunities outside the country the government is not happy with the depiction
because of the collapsed economy due to bad of Zimbabweans in South Africa as the chief per-
governance, corruption and human rights viola- petrators of crime.
tions, among other causes.
“Cabinet noted with concern the continued
“There is acceptance in the region that Zim- malicious reports in the social media depicting
babwe is now a failed state, hence the migration Zimbabweans as the chief perpetrators of crime
crisis. The Zimbabwean government has failed to in South Africa and highlighted the need to con-
deliver on its promises, hence the ordinary citi- sistently supply correct information in the for-
zens are suffering,” a diplomat said. mal media,” Mutsvangwa said.

Over the years, the government has remained Highlighting its displeasure with the South
quiet, with observers also saying it is also part- African authorities, cabinet said it is pushing
ly because President Emmerson Mnangagwa's for Zimbabweans to be treated with dignity. In
administration is afraid of the influence of the an apparent jibe at the South African authori-
Zimbabweans based in the diaspora, including in ties, the Zimbabwean cabinet claimed there is a
South Africa, more so ahead of the 2023 general need to address skewed trade relations that have
elections. favoured South Africa for a long time.

“To be honest, the government would rather “Cabinet would like to assure the nation that
have them stay in South Africa rather than have government remains committed to ensuring that
them here, with elections around the corner,” the its citizens are given the requisite protection and
diplomat said. accorded the necessary dignity.”

There is fear within the ruling party that the “Cabinet also acknowledged the need to im-
millions of citizens who were forced out of the prove on the balance of trade between the two
country by poverty and political persecution countries, which has historically been in South
would vote for the opposition, given a chance. Africa’s favour.”

Zimbabweans based in South Africa are now Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader
faced with a difficult situation as they are ridi- Nelson Chamisa yesterday waded into the Zim-
culed daily, while others are attacked physically babwe-South Africa imbroglio, pleading with
by angry mobs. One of the latest attacks against the neighbouring country to be patient with the
a Zimbabwean national is revealed in a video economic refugees.
that has gone viral, showing the head of Health
in South Africa's Limpopo province, Dr Phophi “We note your frustrations and econom-
Ramathuba, saying Zimbabweans are stretching ic constraints. I kindly ask for your support to
the public healthcare budget and are not the re- Zimbabweans in these trying times. Help us as
sponsibility of the South African government. we do our best to fix Zimbabwe for a prosperous
future. In less than 400 days our fights will be a
The video has led to emotional and serious dis- thing of the past,” he said.
cussions around the nature of Zimbabwe-South
Africa relations, with observers saying her senti- South African officials have been very candid
ments were the same with those within the rul- over the Zimbabwean situation, with Pandor’s
ing African National Congress (ANC) who feel candidness on the crisis recently irking Mnan-
Zimbabwe has been their burden for long. gagwa’s allies in the Political Actors’ Dialogue
(Polad), who last week described her as ignorant
The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum is backing Ra- of the situation on the ground, challenging her
mathuba, saying her frank remarks are not xe- to come and witness first-hand what is happen-
nophobic at all as she was only speaking the ing in the country.

Zimbabweans in South Africa are ridiculed daily, while others are attacked physically by angry mobs. Foreign Affairs minister Frederick Shava

NewsHawks News Page 11

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

IN a viral video, Limpopo province Health Mixed reactions to SA health
MEC Phophi Ramathuba told a migrant pa- official’s comments on patient
tient that illegal Zimbabweans were putting
a strain on the provincial healthcare system Former Zimbabwean deputy prime minister Arthur Mutambara
when informed the patient she was addressing
was Shona speaking. Witwatersrand's School of Governance, found The DA wrote in a tweet that Ramathuba except for being rude. An illegal immigrant
that according to the 2020/21 annual report, was "irresponsible" and that her comments can't be a beneficiary of state-owned resources.
"You know that [President Emmerson] U.S.$534 million in cerebral palsy claims con- risk the incitement of violence and hatred. The Deportation should be the first action, not ser-
Mnangagwa doesn't give me money to operate stituted the U.S.$712 million claims leveled at EFF, meanwhile, slammed Ramathuba's "cru- vice provision." — @Ori_RSA
you guys . . . You're killing my health system," the department. "That is quite large, and it is elty" and "posturing" in a tweet of their own.
Ramathuba told the Zimbabwean woman. liability to watch, and it might be, although "So Dr Ramathuba is being attacked for
unconfirmed, suggestive of negligent practic- Reactions on Twitter saw multiple reactions, putting South Africans first? . . . So foreigners
In a statement, the Health Department es within the province. It does correlate with with some tweets reading: must get treatment first before South Africans?
wrote: "We acknowledge that the public maternal mortality ratios as cerebral palsy hap- Illegal foreigners? . . . Am I missing something
healthcare system is struggling in some areas pens in delivery," Van den Heever said. "Those who feel that Dr Phophi Ramathu- here?.. So we pay tax and the illegal foreigners
to meet the healthcare needs of the citizens ba is xenophobic they are free to go and stay get treatment first?" — @T5HIVHASE
and reduce the backlogs due to unpredictably Twitter reacts to Ramathuba in Zimbabwe, Nigeria or Mozambique." — @
high number of undocumented migrants from Opposition parties the Democratic Alliance MoK081425 "Truth is Ramathuba is just saying what a
neighbouring countries seeking healthcare (DA) and the Economic Freedom Fighters majority of our neighbours in South Africa,
service in the country, other than the asy- (EFF) both called for Ramathuba's removal "MEC of health in Limpopo Phophi Ra- Namibia and Botswana are saying, they are
lum-seekers and refugees." from office. mathuba must be fired immediately for attack- tired of us. The solution is fixing Zimbabwe so
ing sick patients at hospital the ANC hates Af- that our citizens are not treated as lepers next
Ramathuba's comments sparked contro- rican people" — @NethonondaBles8 door" — @Mathuthu. — NEWS24.
versy, with Zanu-PF in South Africa lambast-
ing her. Further, former Zimbabwean deputy "Dr Phophi Ramathuba did nothing wrong
prime minister, Arthur Mutambara made sev-
eral points in response to Ramathuba's com-
ments.

"We have a general obligation in Zimbabwe
to take care of our people. We have a general
obligation in Malawi to take care of our peo-
ple. In other words, national countries, na-
tional economies, national healthcare systems
must work so that there's no influx of people
to South Africa looking for jobs, looking for
healthcare. We have a general obligation as
national leaders to fix our countries and our
national healthcare systems," Mutambara said.

Mutambara went on to directly challenge
Ramathuba's stance by slamming her failure
to not put the Southern African Development
Community's (SADC) needs before those
of South Africa, saying: "The remarks of the
MEC of Limpopo are disgraceful because she
doesn't understand that we are all Africans,
that SADC — the regional arrangement — is
more important than South Africa. She doesn't
understand that these borders - Botswana,
Zimababwe — are not our borders. So for her
to be speaking eloquently about victimising a
patient is disgraceful because we must be put-
ting the region before the country, the African
before the South African, the African before
the Zimbabwean, so we need more solidarity.
We need more consciousness among our lead-
ers and the MEC from Limpopo demonstrated
the lack of understanding of pan-Africanism
and a lack of understanding of regional soli-
darity."

Demands for action in South Africa
The National Education, Health and Allied
Workers' Union (Nehawu) and public service
trade union Hospersa called on Ramathuba to
apologise for her statements with Nehawu also
recommending an overhaul of the provincial
health department, News24 reports.
Nehawu provincial secretary Moses Mau-
bane said: "We can't attach the challenges to
the people of Zimbabwe. Let's rather say the
system needs to be overhauled. We need to
change the system. They [Zimbabweans] do
have the right to be taken care of when sick."
The Progressive Health Forum called for
Ramathuba's dismissal over the comments,
eNCA reports. The Forum's Professor Alex
van den Heever said Ramathuba had to face
consequences due to her position as a senior
government official.
"There so many things that are wrong, one is
the Hippocratic oath, but she was not in that
situation as a doctor and she wasn't there in a
position as a doctor and also in a position to be
able to see patients or to even speak to them or
to challenge their conduct in any way. She in
many respects was a private person when she
was standing there before that patient and if I
went into a hospital and started speaking to a
patient like that, you know I should be arrested
on the spot. It's completely inappropriate," he
said.
According to News24, mismanagement of
Limpopo's healthcare system and a lack of
internal controls are to blame for its limited
resources. Data from between 2016 and 2021
show an increase of billions relating to medi-
co-legal claims against the health department,
most notably those relating to cerebral palsy
at birth. Professor Alex van den Heever, chair
of social security systems administration and
management studies at the University of the

Page 12 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

NATHAN GUMA Zim workers suffer in SA

ZIMBABWEANS, together with other foreign Calls for the deportation of foreigners in South Africa have grown louder since the emergence of Operation Dudula.
nationals, are continuing to bear the brunt of
vigilante attacks by South African citizens, who Coming back home tained its stance, announcing that it will not ex- suffering for Zimbabweans, many of whom have
are accusing them of taking their jobs and com- Almost 200 000 Zimbabweans are still in lim- tend the Zimbabwe Exemption Permits, which been earning a living in South Africa, where they
mitting crime. bo as the South African government has main- lapse on 31 December. This is likely to spell more are now unwanted.

An estimated three-million Zimbabweans are Truck drivers in South Africa work in fear of being hijacked and attacked by people who are part of the vigilante groups.
resident in South Africa after fleeing political and
economic turmoil back home.

Operation Dudula
Whilst calls for the deportation of foreigners
are not new, they have grown louder since the
emergence of Operation Dudula, a controversial
anti-immigrant movement presumably meant to
put South Africans first.
The group has been on a crusade to pluck out
undocumented citizens from the townships, ac-
cusing them of committing crimes.
Several foreigners have fallen prey to Opera-
tion Dudula which saw Elvis Nyathi, a Zimba-
bwean citizen, being burnt to death in April.

Miners
Among victims of attacks have been artisanal
miners, known as zama-zamas, residing in South
Africa’s mineral-rich towns.
“This is information that is not a secret. There
are those who come from Lesotho . . . Zimba-
bwe . . . and there are those who come from Mo-
zambique. There are three countries. To say this
means we as South Africa also have to work with
those Sadc countries,” said Gauteng premier Da-
vid Makhura, commenting on the undocument-
ed migrant miners.
In a video circulating online, South African
vigilante groups can be seen rounding up and
viciously beating naked migrant mineworkers,
including Zimbabweans, with sticks and oth-
er weapons. Currently, there are approximately
half a million active mineworkers in South Afri-
ca, with about 40% coming from neighbouring
countries.

Traders
The extent of the suffering has also been vis-
ible in trade with vigilante groups destroying
migrant-owned tuckshops, also known as spaza
shops.
Several street vendors, many of them foreign-
ers who would have failed to get formal employ-
ment, have been targeted by the operation, fur-
ther plunging them into poverty.
The attack on business has also been affect-
ing local businesspeople in Zimbabwe who have
been relying on South Africa for trade.
Local traders who spoke to The NewsHawks
say they have since halted going to the southern
African nation, with many opting for “runners”
— messengers who deliver merchandise from
countries like South Africa, among others.

Truck drivers
Truck drivers have also been targeted, with
many working in fear of being hijacked and at-
tacked by people who are part of the vigilante
groups. In some cases, drivers have been abduct-
ed by alleged Operation Dudula members who
accuse them of getting their jobs.
In addition, some drivers say rogue police have
been using the Special Exemption Permits, which
are expiring in December, to extort foreigners.
Some trucks have been burnt and drivers as-
saulted by protesting South African drivers.

Religious groups
The attacks have also been extending to reli-
gious groups, particularly those known to be con-
stituted by immigrants. Religious organisations
in South Africa like the Dutch Reformed Church
have condemned the attacks on migrants which
are affecting members of their organisations.
Locally, the Zimbabwe Church Ministers'
Association (ZCMA) says inter-state measures
should be adopted to rescue the deteriorating sit-
uation in which migrants are being maimed by
local activists.
“We have South Africans working in Zimba-
bwe, but we treat them as our brothers. People
should just have respect for fellow Africans,” says
Bishop Christopher Choto, ZCMA president.
“Every country has undocumented people, but
these people also have human rights. We are
condemning the issue of targeting a fellow black
African.”
“As the ZCMA, we condemn what has been
happening.”

NewsHawks News Page 13

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

SA xenophobic attacks on Zimbabweans

Page 14 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

FAILURE by Parliament to play an oversight role MPs must play oversight role
on the proposed National Security Council will on security council — Report
render the new body ineffective in bringing the
country’s security services under civilian control, The Parliament of Zimbabwe
a new report says.
The current constitution makes provision in section 209 for a new National Security Council.
After the formation of the shaky coalition
government constituting Zanu PF and the two Clause 7 of the Bill will give the council pow- tain safeguards to protect the fundamental rights to what the directives may contain: that sensitive
MDC formations, the National Security Coun- ers to issue general or specific directives to any of individuals — but not, apparently, companies, documents must be kept securely, for example.
cil Bill was promulgated in 2009 following crit- security service or person in connection with which also have fundamental rights.” There also should be some further limits: should
icisms over the conduct of the country’s security matters of national security. Security services and the Council, for example, have power to direct
apparatus in civilian affairs. persons to whom directives are given will have to “Even with the safeguard that fundamental a company to manufacture weapons for the De-
comply with them, though they will be entitled rights must be respected, it is a bit disturbing fence Forces? Surely not. Should there not also be
The Act expired when the tenure of the Gov- to receive “all the State support necessary” to en- that the Council will be able to issue directives to provision for a review of directives by a court?”
ernment of National Unity ended in 2013, but able them to comply. Directives will have to con- private persons,” Veritas argues.
the current constitution which was overwhelm- — STAFF WRITER.
ingly supported during a referendum held during “There should be some indication in the Bill as
the same year makes provision in section 209
for a new National Security Council consisting
of the President as chair, his deputies, minister
responsible for security, security personnel and
other persons as determined by the Act.

On June 6, a Bill was published in the Gov-
ernment Gazette to give effect to section 209 per-
taining to the formation of the security council.
The Bill was presented in the National Assembly
on July 18 and is now awaiting its second read-
ing.

According to the Bill’s memorandum, the pur-
pose of the Bill is to fill in the gaps left by the
Constitution — by specifying additional mem-
bers and functions — and generally to bring the
National Security Council into operation.

According to Veritas, a legal and parliamentary
watchdog, the memorandum does not mention
the main purpose of the original Zimbabwe Na-
tional Security Council Act, namely to bring the
security services under civilian control.

“Why has it taken so long — nearly nine years
— to bring the Bill before Parliament? And what
has been done about the national security during
the those nine years?” Veritas querries in its anal-
ysis of the Bill.

“The council cannot have been operating be-
cause in the absence of legislation its only mem-
bers have been those specified in section 209 of
the constitution, namely the President and his
Vice-Presidents.

“It skirts over the question of how decisions
will be reached at Council meetings. Will the
military and security officers be able to outvote
the civilians, or will the President and his Minis-
ters have the final say?

“The Bill gives Parliament no role whatever
in the nation’s security or the Council’s affairs.
Even though our Constitution does not contains
a provision equivalent to section 198(d) of the
South African constitution, which states that na-
tional security is subject to the authority of Par-
liament, our Constitution does say in section 119
that Parliament has power to ensure that all insti-
tutions and agencies of government at every level
act constitutionally and in the national interest,
and for that purpose: “all institutions and agen-
cies of the State and government at every level are
accountable to Parliament.”

The 2009 Act, Veritas observes, required deci-
sions to be by consensus, but clause 5 of the Bill
is silent about whether there must be consensus
or whether decisions will be by majority vote —
and, in the event of the latter, whether the Pres-
ident and ministers can be outvoted by military
personnel.

Clause 7 of the Bill will give the council pow-
ers to issue general or specific directives to any
security service or person in connection with
matters of national security. Security services and
persons to whom directives are given will have to
comply with them, though they will be entitled
to receive “all the State support necessary” to en-
able them to comply. Directives will have to con-
tain safeguards to protect the fundamental rights
of individuals — but not, apparently, companies,
which also have fundamental rights.

Comment: The President will appoint the ad-
ditional ministers to the council “in consultation
with” the ministers of intelligence, defence, po-
lice, prisons and finance, and some court cases
suggest this means the President will have to
get the consent of those ministers before making
appointments to the Council. Rather oddly, no
such consultation will be needed to remove the
additional ministers from the council, so they
will hold office at the pleasure of the President.

The 2009 Act required decisions to be by
consensus, but clause 5 of the Bill is silent about
whether there must be consensus or whether de-
cisions will be by majority vote — and, in the
event of the latter, whether the President and
ministers can be outvoted by military personnel.

NewsHawks News Page 15

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Mnangagwa wades into church battles

MOSES MATENGA Zanu PF politicians for his prophesy on the President Emmerson Mnangagwa (right) at the Johane Masowe Vadzidzi VaJeso apostolic church.
country’s leadership that they claim have come The late Aaron Mhukuta, aka Mudzidzi Wimbo
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa on to pass and, even after his death, the ruling par-
Thursday walked into a church storm at the Jo- ty officials are said to frequent the church in
hane Masowe Vadzidzi VaJeso apostolic church, the hope of prophecies from those who remain.
amid disgruntlements the current leader, who
took over from the late Aaron Mhukuta, aka Wimbo is also said to have made a prophesy
Mudzidzi Wimbo, is abusing the Zanu PF on Mnangagwa’s takeover from Mugabe, which
leader’s name and blocking those he suspects explains why he was closely protected by a fac-
are posing a threat to his power. tion, including those in the military.

The church has been at the centre of Zanu The death of Mudzidzi Wimbo saw Ishmael
PF factional fights, with party bigwigs flocking Magodi becoming his successor and failing to
to its shrine since the days of the late former unite one of the dominant apostolic sects in
president Robert Mugabe amid reports that Zimbabwe.
Wimbo had prophesied about his leadership
and who would take over from him. “The shrine known as Goora shrine has been
turned into a no-go-area for church members
Mnangagwa has become a regular visitor at believed to be against the Magodi-led faction,”
the shrine now led by Ishmael Magodi, but an insider said.
divisions have yet again rocked the church,
with Mnangagwa’s name being dropped in the Magodi, insiders said, is quick to use the
fights. name of the President and the First Lady when
he is confronted by those who accuse him of
Individuals who spoke to The NewsHawks on abusing his authority.
Thursday said there were serious fights within
the church and some of the leaders wanted They also claim that in 2020, one of the
Mnangagwa to deal with them as his name was church leaders, Zex Pamacheche, was barred
said to be abused. from the church over the fights.

“The church leader uses the Office of the The late army General Douglas Nyikayaram-
President and Cabinet and drops the name of ba was also blocked from the church after he,
the President and the First Lady to intimidate together with others, questioned some of the
others and has blocked those he feels are fight- actions.
ing him,” an insider said.
This came as Wimbo’s children were barred
Wimbo died in 2018 and his death has seen from having access to their father at the height
fights escalate. of the fights until his death.

The late Wimbo found favour with mainly The church insiders say Magodi now boasts
of a huge security team at the shrine that he
gets from the President for his protection.

Page 16 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Family of slain CCC Kwekwe

THE family of the Kwekwe-based slain Citi- supporter flees into hiding
zens’ Coalition for Change supporter Mbone-
ni Ncube has gone into hiding after the mur- Murdered CCC activist Mboneni Ncube
der suspects who are now all on bail launched
a bloody attack on the key witness in the case. who national ID number is 22-200204F 38, cern that Kennedy Simbi — who is believed to tor Emmanuel Mahoko and national spokes-
a police officer who acted as an informant in have delivered the killer blow on their relative, person Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi
The assault of the man who witnessed the the case. got free bail at the courts. were not available for comment as they were
27 February murder of 35-year-old Ncube at unreachable on their mobile phones.
Mbizo 4 shopping centre while Chamisa was The family of Mboneni also expressed con- Both Midlands police spokesperson Inspec-
addressing a rally happened last weekend.
Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya
The name of the chief witness is Brighton
Nyirenda.

According to a Kwekwe police Law and Or-
der memorandum 38/22 dated 28 February
2022, the 16 suspects were arrested at Jessie
Lodge in Mbizo. The lodge is run by former
State Security minister Owen “Mudha” Ncu-
be.

In its own memorandum, police identified
accused 8 Edmore Shoshera (30) as a Zanu PF
card holder as well as other party cadres who
include Perscy Mukwaturi Talent Imbayago,
Misheck Mutetwa, Takunda Chivenyengwa,
Isaac Tapfumaneyi, James Jere, Musa Matin-
gwende, Shepard Mbewu, Progress Munyuki,
Amon Kwachata, Edmore Shoshera, Albert
Maketo Tembo, Fraud Munyuki, Blessing
Tomu, Sydeny Samanyai and Valentine Man-
dizvidza.

In the latest development, The NewsHawks
gathered that on Sunday night this week, the
suspects trailed Nyirenda from Old Mbizo
shopping centre and cornered him as he ap-
proached the gate to his house whereupon
they indiscriminately assaulted him with logs
all over his body.

Nyirenda confirmed the incident to The
NewsHawks and said the suspects accused him
of pitching up in court on 18 August for their
routine remand in the murder case after hav-
ing warned him several times to drop from be-
ing a witness.

Fearing for their lives, family members of
Mboneni who live in Kwekwe have gone into
hiding.

Judith Ncube, Mboneni’s sister, said their
safety is now at stake.

“It is not even fair. The suspects assaulted
the witness (Brighton) and almost killed him
so we have gone into hiding to save our own
lives,” she said.

Mbizo MP Settlement Chikwinya also con-
firmed assault of the witness in the case, but
said he did not have much details as he was
out of Kwekwe.

“I heard about the assault of the witness, but
I am out of Kwekwe to get more details,” he
said.

Nyirenda said among the suspects who as-
saulted him was Albert Maketo Tembo and an-
other one he only identified as Masparo.

“While they were beating me with logs, the
suspects were saying why do you want to testi-
fy in the case and from where did you get the
guts to go to court on 18 August,” said Nyiren-
da, adding: “I suffered severe injuries and went
to Mbizo Police Station to report the case, that
is where I got a letter to seek medical report
and get treated, but I have not done so because
I do not have the money required by Kwekwe
General Hospital. The murder suspects are yet
to be arrested for my assault case,” he said.

Council for Peace and Justice Trust, a civil
society organisation based in Kwekwe, is now
trying to help the family of the murdered CCC
supporter as well as the chief witness.

The organisation’s director, Reverend Jackie
Ngulube, said the Ncube family’s situation was
particularly worrying.

“It is a very touching issue and they feel very
insecure and vulnerable at the moment. The
witnessing guy is in bandages as we speak. He
has been attacked twice so far for being a wit-
ness in the matter,” he said.

As previously reported by The NewsHawks,
there are concerns that there is a deliberate
ploy to intimidate witnesses in the murder case
so that the accused persons are acquitted.

There are also reports that the state machin-
ery is determined to help the accused persons
who have strong links with Zanu PF.

Other revelations also indicated that the po-
lice officers who were handling the case from
Mbizo

Police Station have since been transferred
from Kwekwe.

These include Happymore Chamba (40),

NewsHawks News Page 17

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

How inventive youngster lit up the future

MARY MUNDEYA celled at it. Aluwaine
With the assistance of his class- Manyonga
GROWING up, Aluwaine Manyonga
(24) always dreamt of a day when an mates, Manyonga began collecting
invention would be attributed to his electric waste in form of light emitting
name, but little did he know that his diode (LED) lights and used plastic
dream would come true sooner than bottles which they cleaned and began
he had anticipated. making solar lights and rechargeable
lights.
His is a tale of an inquisitive young
boy who grew up on a mission to He proceeded to make a centralised
change the lives of rural students who solar-powered charger which is able
come from communities without ac- to charge at least eight Chigubhu lan-
cess to electricity. His first creation, a terns.
do-it-yourself (DIY) lighting system
dubbed the Chigubhu Lantern, has “My ultimate goal with the Chigub-
won him awards. hu Lantern is ensuring a light for every
student in Africa’s rural areas who does
“I grew up a very naughty and cu- not have electricity. I intend to teach
rious child. More often than not, I students on how to make the recharge-
found myself experimenting with dif- able light on their own since electric
ferent things.” and plastic waste is found everywhere.”

Manyonga, who recently won the “The idea is a social cause that I do
Falling Walls Lab Zimbabwe pitch not want to profit from, therefore I
competition, walked away with a will not patent it,” Manyonga said.
US$1 000 grant and a ticket to the
week-long global finale slated for 7 Through the various monetary priz-
November in Berlin, Germany. es he has won from the competitions
he has entered so far with his inven-
The Falling Walls Lab is a global tion, Manyonga has produced the first
pitch competition running across 61 batch of perfected Chigubhu Lanterns
countries bringing together a diverse that are currently being tried at Man-
multidisciplinary pool of students and yoshwa Primary School in rural Chi-
early professionals seeking a market hota.
for their ideas. The programme aims
to connect local youth entrepreneurs “With the resources I managed to
with equity investments, mentorship put together with the various mone-
and advisory support. tary prizes I have gotten from all the
competitions I have entered, I have
In 2018 when Zimbabwe was expe- managed to begin trials of the perfect-
riencing massive power cuts, Manyon- ed rechargeable light bulbs at Many-
ga found himself between a rock and oshwa Primary School in Chihota and
a hard place as he had to study for his I’m hoping to produce 250 lanterns by
electric engineering third-year exam- the end of the year which we will dis-
inations. tribute in all the country’s 10 provinc-
es and begin training students on how
Determined to pass, he designed to make them (lights) for themselves
his first Chigubhu Lantern featuring from there.”
a discharged light bulb and a plastic
bottle, which managed to sustain him “It is my hope to have corporates
through the power cuts ordeal. and NGOs on board so that we are
able to train as many students as we
Not long after that, he went on to can within a short period of time,
perfect the idea as part of his electrical so that my dream of students having
engineering undergraduate research quality and reliable lighting in Africa is
programme and had more than ex- realised,” Manyonga said.

A child showcases Chigubhu Lanterns. Chigubhu Lantern featuring a discharged light bulb and a plastic bottle.

Page 18 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

AFTER serving as the European Union am- ‘There’s plenty room to improve
bassador to Zimbabwe since October 2018 — on economic, political reforms’
a year after the 2017 military coup and a few
months after the 2018 polls — Timo Olkkonen
(TO) is leaving for a new diplomatic posting
soon. The NewsHawks’ (NH) news editor Owen
Gagare and reporter Mary Mundeya caught up
with him to discuss his time in Zimbabwe. He
arrived in Zimbabwe at a time of great optimism
that the country was charting a new path in
the post-Robert Mugabe era. However, despite
progress on some fronts, President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s administration could have done
more to fight corruption which is bleeding the
economy. Olkkonen also decries the slow pace
of key economic and political reforms and says
the country’s leadership should accept that bad
policies of the past and present administrations
are responsible for the economic hardships
rather than blaming EU measures which he
says are inconsequential. Below are excerpts of
the interview:

NH: Thank you, ambassador, for granting us noticed many times or not. The economic part- as we don't agree with this with this line at all, EU ambassador to Zimbabwe Timo Olkkonen
this interview. You have been in Zimbabwe since nership agreement or free trade agreement grant- of course, and even the nature of the instrument at it.
October 2018. How has your stay been? And what ing duty- and quota-free access to the European itself, which for us is a human rights instrument,
are the lasting memories? What impressions do Union market, and which is now being under and so the European legal instrument, not an ex- The level of productivity of the Zimbabwean
you have of the country from various perspectives? negotiation to be expanded to other areas such as tra-territorial punishing tool. So, although there economy, if you look at the agricultural side, for
services. There is the people exchanges, the schol- are steps taken forward, issues remain. example, and how it compares in the region, you
TO: Well, yeah, it's been a good four years. I've arships, the Erasmus Mundus programme that is can't assign that to the European Union mea-
really enjoyed my time here, so has my family. going to give more scholarships, the cultural ex- NH: You talked about the arms embargo and sures. So there are also misinterpretations, some
You asked me about lasting memories. There are changes. So, there are a lot of things happening. measures on the Zimbabwe Defence Industries things that are affecting Zimbabwe. For exam-
so many of them. I've had incredible experiences (ZDI). The Zimbabwean government insists that ple, the non-access to concessional loans, credits
here, personally and professionally. I think Zim- NH: So broadly speaking, how has the diplo- EU measures and the US measures are responsi- from abroad, is not related to the EU restrictive
babwe is an extremely beautiful country. And I've matic re-engagement process between Harare and ble for the economic hardships, or at least play the measures; they are a consequence of Zimbabwe's
seen some of the natural beauty it has to offer and Brussels progressed so far? biggest role. What do you have to say about that? default on its loans. The common understanding
I have shared that with my family. Everybody's It comes up all the time. They say your measures of the world is that if you don't repay your loans,
talking about Victoria Falls, but there is Chilojo TO: Well, like I said, the political dialogue was are causing harm to ordinary people. then who will give you more money? So, this issue
Cliffs, there is Mana Pools, there is a cultural her- something that was very important. And clearly has not been resolved. And that's still the bottle-
itage: Great Zimbabwe, Khami Ruins, the cave the time was ripe to start such a process, and start TO: Well, like you said, that's a question that neck.
paintings. The country is full of cave paintings, having these formal engagements. We had four is often posed. I haven't been shown the evidence
you know, you bump into them in many places; of those engagements. So, I think that's a prime how the EU restrictive measures actually harm NH: From your assessment — and you have
the varied landscape, the rivers, the mountains, function of a diplomat, to talk and discuss and dia- the country and especially how they would harm been here for quite some time — how big a prob-
Eastern Highlands, the Lowveld. It's a country of logue. So, I think that's important in its own right. normal Zimbabweans, regular Zimbabweans. Es- lem is the failure to deal with corruption in Zim-
astonishing beauty and diversity. And, of course, We haven't been able to resolve everything, you pecially in its current form, because it's so limited. babwe?
just the Zimbabwean people who are extremely know. There is never a place where you would see It's an arms embargo, and it's the ZDI. But even
friendly and welcoming and hospitable. So, it's 100% eye-to-eye, you would have differences of before they were always limited in their scope, TO: I think it's a serious issue. It's one of the
been a great personal experience, professionally, opinion. But, of course, we have had a chequered they were addressed on individuals. And they were things that are plaguing Zimbabwe, like I men-
of course, sometimes frustrating, but always in- past with Zimbabwe in our relations. It's positive not sanctioning Zimbabwe directly, but they were tioned, as there's clear evidence to that in the Au-
teresting. I think Zimbabweans, as a people, are that the government has taken this approach of basically instructions to European actors of what ditor-General's reports. I think the government it-
fascinating and extremely resourceful and can engagement and re-engagement. We hope that it not to do: don't export arms to Zimbabwe, do not self is also saying that this is an issue that needs to
also manage very difficult situations, like making means an open door policy, in terms of political approve visa applications from these people that be tackled. We were supporting the anti-corrup-
the plan, which is almost the national motto. Of context, but also in economic terms as well. So, were targeted. So, then explaining that these mea- tion campaign, here in Zimbabwe, together with
course, there are days during work which were not of course, the thing that is always addressed is the sures would be the cause of the economic prob- the government . . . And you have heard from the
that great, and then some days which were very issue of, “sanctions are restrictive measures, that lems of Zimbabwe, when at the same time you chair of the of Zacc [Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption
rewarding. So, it has been a very interesting ride, we still have the arms embargo, and the measures have substantial mismanagement and corruption Commission] herself, about the magnitude we
and I'm sad to see it coming to a close. on the Zimbabwe Defence Industries”, which are as you know — exposed, for example, in the Au- are talking about. If I remember correctly, it was
oftentimes blown out of proportion and charac- ditor-General's reports. Clearly, these things are at a billion dollars a year. And then you have similar
NH: From a diplomatic perspective, and when terised as being a cause of many problems. Where- completely different proportions, when you look assessments about illegal flows out of the country,
weighing up the successes and failures of the mis- from smuggling; all of these illicit activities, clear-
sion, what would you say were the EU's major ly, are a big, big hindrance for the country to move
points of convergence and the major points of di-
vergence with the Zimbabwean authorities?

TO: I tried to have a more comprehensive ap-
proach when we come to the relations, that ob-
viously government is the key point of contact,
and where you have to start with and finish with
and everything, but then you want to engage with
the wider spectrum of society. You would not be
a good diplomat if you wouldn't do that; to talk
with the private sector, civil society, you know,
these people-to-people contacts. But if you're
talking really about these institution-to-institu-
tion, government-to-government relations, there's
no hiding away from the divergence, the differ-
ences of opinion and differences of view that we
have on issues such as human rights, the human
rights situation, the question of the civic space, the
freedom of the civic space and into political rights
and their respect and how to tackle past grievanc-
es, the reform agenda, where we have, you know,
different interpretations as well to an extent the
question of restrictive measures. So clearly there
are points where we have differences of view, but
then we have also convergences, you know. When
I came here to the country, there was this feel-
ing that okay, we have to start talking, we have
to start dialoguing. And then we established this
formal political dialogue based on the model that
the European Union has in other countries based
on the Cotonou Agreement. So, that has been a
very important step to start dialoguing in a more
structured way of trying to foster mutual under-
standing, and then also you able to pinpoint, okay,
where are the differences and what can be done
about those? Of course, it’s the political agenda
that always steals the limelight, but there are many
things that happen that don't get that much atten-
tion; our development cooperation, which is very
substantial in the country, which sometimes gets

NewsHawks News Page 19

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

forward. And media such as The NewsHawks from The EU is paying close attention to electoral reforms in Zimbabwe.
time-to-time expose mismanagement, so you see
that we haven't seen the end of it, unfortunately. that create safety, transparency, security and pre- the basis of exactly that cooperation, which still argument half a year ago. So, then the question
dictability are key. Exactly how to do that, you we've heard about this criticism about the voters' is, what is our right, why do we comment on this
NH: You came to Zimbabwe at a time when know, it would be quite arrogant of me to say. roll and its incarnations now lately, but then, yet kind of issue? But for us, it's not a state-centred
there was great optimism, both at home and There should be Zimbabwean solutions to Zim- again, it was an important step forward into Zim- approach; civil society is an important actor, in
abroad, following the 2017 military coup, and the babwean problems. babwe and its electoral landscape, an important any country, at least in any democratic country.
2018 elections. What is your assessment of Presi- improvement. So, clearly, there have been steps And for us it's an important development partner,
dent Mnangagwa’s administration since 2018? NH: The European Union in its final election taken forward. But indeed, I think the evaluation a partner for advocacy in its own right, watchdog
observer mission report to Zimbabwe’s 2018 polls of the of the project is still not there. for governments, be they in Europe or in Africa.
TO: I think in 2018 indeed, when I came to said that if electoral reforms remain unaddressed,
the country, there was a lot of optimism. And I the 2023 general elections may not be inclu- NH: There are reports that the UNDP, using NH: Enforced disappearances have been a ma-
think there were some important policy docu- sive, transparent or peaceful. In your view, have funds from the EU and other partners, acquired jor human rights concern over the years. In your
ments that were issued, such as the transitional enough reforms taken place to ensure credible servers and other electrical equipment ahead of view, are the authorities seriously tackling this is-
stabilisation strategy, and then the National De- polls next year? the 2018 polls, but both the EU and UNDP were sue in Zimbabwe?
velopment Strategy. I think there were very sound shut out after delivering. Can you confirm fund-
policies there. Similarly, in His Excellency the TO: For me, it's easy to answer that from a ing the servers and tell us what happened there- TO: This is a discussion that we have had,
President’s speeches, when you look at the inau- point of view that I can bank on real experts on after? we have raised our concerns during the political
guration speech, there are these very important this issue. Like we had in 2018, the EU electoral dialogue about the cases and we've heard the ex-
elements that will be very, very positive for the observation mission here that made these recom- TO: Well, that happened while I was not yet planations that these are either not real cases or
country. And there are steps that have been taken mendations, 23 of them — and like said it's not here, so that was before my time. But my under- that they are ordinary criminal cases that are not
in terms of reforms on secondary legislation, in instructions, it's recommendations because we standing was that there are some discussions about political cases. Okay, I wouldn't be able to go into
many respects, in terms of child protection, media do recognise that Zimbabwe is an independent various servers, one for the results and one for the the merit of each individual case. It's also not my
laws, gender issues, we've seen progress. But at the country and can take the make its own decisions. voters' roll. I can tell you that we were funding, job. But it is to be recognised that Zimbabwe has
same time, there are these political issues that I Now, the electoral follow-up mission that we had, via the UNDP, the one on the voters' roll, where- a history with these kind of cases. And Zimbabwe
mentioned, the human rights issues. We had, re- that came in May this year to follow up on those as the results management then was an additional has not ratified the International Human Rights
cently, the [EU] electoral observation mission fol- recommendations, then came to the conclusion separate issue. So, I really, really don't know what Instrument on Enforced Disappearances. So, I
low-up mission here, that came with remarks, but that there has been progress in two of the recom- to say. But I think there's sometimes in these dis- think that is a reason why we are paying atten-
not many of those recommendations have been mendations, but not in the rest. This is quite a cussions a bit of a confusion about what the EU tion to these issues as part of the wider human
put in place. Now, of course, these are not instruc- critical observation. But there was also then the actually funded through the UNDP. And there rights agenda. So, it is a topic that we hope we
tions, they are recommendations, but still it's an recognition that, yes, many of these recommen- was then this discussion about the results manage- don't need to discuss in the future, but if so, we
agenda that we follow what is happening with dations are contingent on a new, or an amended ment and the server that was handling those. But, are ready to do that.
electoral reform, the Motlanthe Commission Electoral Act, that could, you know, look at this. indeed, a server was financed, but it was more for
follow-up on their recommendations, and many So, there's still time, I think, to put reforms in the voters' roll. NH: The Zimbabwean government owes the
things that still remain that are not yet there. And place, which could make a difference as the coun- European Investment Bank (EIB) more than
then on the economic sphere, for example, the try moves towards 2023. I've been talking about NH: You've advised the Zimbabwean govern- US$300 million and the failure to clear this
IMF [International Monetary Fund] staff-mon- the electoral observation mission from the EU, ment not to rush through the Private Voluntary long-standing debt has made it difficult for the
itored programme that was then discontinued. but there were other international ones, and then Organisations (PVO) Bill before conducting wid- country to access fresh funding. How is this issue
There have been lengthy discussions about, for also domestic ones, I think there's a big conver- er consultations with stakeholders. What are your being resolved?
example, bankable leases for agricultural produc- gence in the observations. And I think Zimbabwe comments over the Bill?
tion. So many of these reforms are still not yet still has the possibility and the opportunity of ad- TO: Well, this is linked to the overall debt sit-
there. So, the pace of reforms, of course we would dressing those. And I think, all of us — individ- TO: Our misgivings are based to a larger extent uation. Indeed, the external debt that Zimbabwe
have hoped, in the interest of Zimbabweans, that uals, institutions, and countries — should learn on the criticism from the Zimbabwean civil soci- owes to foreign countries and institutions is very
they would have been in many respects faster. from the past, so why not take advantage of learn- ety community and we've seen some quite critical significant. And the European Investment Bank is
ing from the previous experience? analytical takes on it, challenging its constitution- one of those creditors to whom Zimbabwe owes
NH: How has the Mnangagwa administration ality, how it's affecting freedom of assembly, that money and has defaulted on its debt. The Euro-
fared in your view, in terms of breaking from the NH: The EU and other partners through its language is too generic in the way that it leaves pean Investment Bank is defined as a multilateral
past policies of former president Robert Mugabe? the United Nations Development Programme too much room for interpretation. And it gives bank, in the same way as the African Development
(UNDP) has been funding the Zimbabwe Elec- quite a lot of power to the Executive and the ave- Bank, and the World Bank. And for the EIB, it is
TO: Well, of course I don't have the experience toral Commission (Zec) capacity building proj- nues of recourse are not clear so there are some ex- very important that they are treated on an equal
of how Zimbabwe was before or during those ect which has a long-term vision of developing amples that I've understood from the critique on basis. So basically, any approach of how to address
times, so the only things that I know is from liter- institutional, organisational and electoral capacity the PVO Bill. So, this in itself will raise questions this debt issue should be a comprehensive one that
ature. But you do see many of those same things, of the commission. We understand that the first that why is there a need to rush, and we heard that takes into account all these multilateral financing
in terms of, for example, how to tackle corruption phase ended in April. In your view, has this pro- then there was this second amended version of institutions. And that's why we were very interest-
that used to be there, that still is there. There are gramme been a success and will you fund a sec- the Bill, that, in our understanding has not been ed in the staff-monitored programme of the IMF.
processes going on, for example, under the aus- ond phase? consulted with the public voluntary organisations Of course, we've heard from the government that
pices of the National Peace and Reconciliation that are the ones that have to then comply with they have interest in discussing and looking at
Commission on how to tackle some of the issues TO: We are very keen on supporting the the Bill. And I think it would be good practice to this issue, and I think the doors are open to do
of the past. But I think there is still the recogni- electoral agenda in Zimbabwe. Of course Zec is do that. Of course we recognise that, again, Zim- that. But so far, we haven't seen a comprehensive
tion that what brought the problems in Zimba- a key actor in that electoral agenda. I can't give babwe as an independent country that has its own approach that would address the wider agenda.
bwe was not because of what the previous admin- any details, because it's still unfinished business. legislature which is at liberty to design the laws That said, the European Investment Bank is back
istration would have done in terms of economic But clearly, governance is one of the priority areas that it wishes. But, you know, the question is that in town, they have opened the credit facilities,
and political mismanagement, that that was not where we are going to be cooperating with Zim- with all these criticisms around that, wouldn't through private banks, three private banks, to the
the reason, but, you know, it's sometimes blamed babwe in the future. Then in terms of democratic it be better to take the time [to address the con- tune of around 40 million euro, which is giving
on sanctions. I think that's not something that we processes, elections are a key part of that. And so, cerns]? There's one thing that was in the earlier hard currency loans to Zimbabwean private sector
would agree with. We do see that the previous ad- yes, we are looking at support for electoral pro- stages of the Bill that was used to address the operators. And that's something that we could do
ministration created many of those problems that cesses. On the project itself, I think the jury is still Financial Action Task Force recommendations. because, even with the situation — which means
are plaguing Zimbabwe today. And maybe a more out. But there are still some notable achievements And we know that since the Financial Action Task not with public institutions but with the private
explicit recognition of that would be helpful. from that project. One was the introduction of Force has actually delisted Zimbabwe, so that ar- ones — it shows our commitment and interest in
the biometric voters' roll for 2018. That's on gument is not there. And it was a very prominent working with Zimbabwe.
NH: As a historian by training and as a diplo-
mat by profession, what do you think can be done
to solve Zimbabwe’s multi-faceted economic and
political problems?

TO: Well, I think every context is different,
so when I'm reading histories of European coun-
tries and other countries, there's never a mod-
el that you could copy, or replicate that works
somewhere else and then you could use this for
Zimbabwe. But certainly, there are some lessons
that could be learned, you know, from other ex-
periences in countries that have gone through the
transition, like the former Eastern bloc, within the
EU, that are now thriving economies. The eco-
nomic trajectory has been very good in many of
those countries. And I think what has happened
in those countries and some other countries is re-
ally to tackle bold reforms in a sense that if you
reform, it will hurt somebody's interests. It's diffi-
cult to do reforms without making real structural
changes. And because of the complexity of the
Zimbabwean history, there are many constraints
on how to tackle some of these big reforms. I
think there will be some clear bottlenecks. The
security of tenure, for example, is a key issue, in
my opinion, together with transparency. Another
thing that's linked to transparency is a level play-
ing field for economic operators. I would love to
see more European companies in the country. But
what you hear from the companies is that it's like
they don't know how to operate, because the rules
are not clear. And the predictability is not there.
So, I think creating these kinds of environments

Page 20 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Journalists were also caught in the violence, with four media professionals sustaining injuries alongside dozens of CCC activists.

MOSES MATENGA Zanu PF in panic mode: Chamisa

CITIZENS’ Coalition for Change (CCC) lead- CCC
er Nelson Chamisa says the ruling Zanu PF is leader
in panic mode and resorting to terror as shown Nelson
by the involvement of cabinet ministers in the Chamisa
violent attacks which rocked Gokwe-Kabuyuni
and left several people injured this week. ists, Chamisa likened Mnangagwa’s behaviour On shrill calls by Zanu PF and its political said: “Why are you so generous to want your
to that of Rhodesian prime minister Ian Smith surrogates for CCC to opponent to have structures? Why demand our
Journalists were also caught in the violence, during the colonial era. form clearly defined “structures”, Chamisa structures? We will beat you structureless.”
with four media professionals sustaining injuries
alongside dozens of CCC activists.

Chamisa told a Press conference on Friday
that what he witnessed in Gokwe and Mashona-
land East was disturbing as Zanu PF was mobil-
ising terror campaigns and declaring no-go areas
for the opposition.

“What l saw in Gokwe is disturbing,” Chami-
sa said. “lt is not peculiar to Gokwe, I saw this in
Mashonaland East, in Uzumba, in Mutoko, in
Hwedza and many other places.”

“Just today (Friday), I was told they were
beating drums, dancing and declaring that this
is a no-go area for Chamisa.”

“There is unprecedented violence, terror and
people not allowed to freely associate,” he said.

Chamisa said Local Government minister
July Moyo and his Midlands counterpart Larry
Mavima were part of those who coordinated the
terror.

The two ministers could not immediately
comment on Chamisa’s allegations.

“l was shocked July Moyo, Larry Mavima
and others were around and actually organising
some of the things that happened there while
also imposing themselves on the police.”

Chamisa said the intimidation of opposition
supporters was worsening, but urged them not
to expose themselves to merchants of violence.

He advised opposition members to resort
to “the mango strategy” by wearing Zanu PF
T-shirts when their lives are at stake, but proceed
to vote CCC on polling day.

“Let us go the mango strategy; be yellow
inside, green outside. All you have to know is
where to vote.”

“They want to push us to resort to violence
and justify terror, justify declaring a state of
emergency. Like what Tsvangirai said, I will not
walk to State House on top of dead bodies.”

He said Mnangagwa was acting like his big-
gest campaign manager by mentioning him at
his every public address.

On the arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention
without trial and denial of bail to CCC activ-

NewsHawks News Page 21

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

MOSES MATENGA Terror, invasion fears evoked

A ZANU PF shadow member of Parliament is . . . as Zanu PF shadow MP invades open spaces
wreaking havoc in Harare, where he is accused of
invasions that have seen him taking money from Zanu PF shadow MP Crispen Magaya
stall owners and forcing himself onto land be-
longing to the city council, mainly in Glen Norah
suburb.

The actions have evoked fears of fresh invasions
ahead of the 2023 general election reminiscence
of the days of the Chipangano terror gang that
grabbed open spaces and council-run markets
while channeling the money to Zanu PF coffers.

Residents who spoke to The NewsHawks con-
firmed the invasions and pointed out the spaces
taken over by Crispen Magaya, who lost to the
Citizens’ Coalition for Change’s Wellington Chi-
kombo in the 26 March by-elections. The areas
include a space designated as a wetland, on which
he is building his house.

Several other structures have been constructed
there without proper reticulation and roads, pos-
ing a health hazard.

Magaya is accused of setting up illegal market
stalls at a bus terminus at a nearby shopping cen-
tre, where he is forcing vendors to pay US$5 per
table.

“He calls himself MP for Glen Norah and that
he is unstoppable. There was an invasion that he
led near Rutsanana Clinic, but they were removed
by council,” one of the residents said while show-
ing the debris from houses built on illegal space
dished out by the Zanu PF shadow MP.

Magaya is also said to be targeting other stands
in an area called Paradise, again in Glen Norah.

The vendors also said Magaya was eyeing sev-
eral open spaces in the area, while riding on the
Zanu PF ticket.

Magaya on Thursday said he was only protect-
ing the land from CCC officials who wanted to
use it to fund their campaign ahead of the 2023
elections.

“I actually came out speaking against invasions
(by CCC) this week. I represent Zanu PF inter-
ests here in Glen Norah and can’t let land being
taken by the CCC and using it for the campaigns
(ahead of the 2023 elections),” he said.

“I fight for Zanu PF rights as I am their MP
here in Glen Norah. We cannot allow CCC to
take land working with those from council and
use it for their campaign,” he said.

He accused some council officials of working
with the opposition, but would not explain why
he had invaded a bus terminus.

Magaya claims he is protecting Zanu PF interests in Glen Norah.

Page 22 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

POLITICAL violence by Zanu PF activists on 2023 general elections may
main opposition Citizens’ Coalition for Change be drenched in bloodbath
(CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa, his party support-
ers and journalists this week signalled a potential CCC leader Nelson Chamisa’s convoy of vehicles came under attack from suspected Zanu PF militants in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe.
bloodbath ahead of crucial general elections next
year. President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa to publicly peace, unity and love. porters. Lastly, we urge the Zimbabwe Electoral
denounce violence within his party and live up to “It would be hypocritical of him to publicly Commission to operationalise the Multi-Party
Zimbabwe has a long history of political vio- his own words, when — while addressing a Zanu Liaison Committee, so that political parties not
lence, especially during elections, dating back to PF Politburo meeting on Tuesday — he said denounce violence, while secretly condoning it, adhering to the code of conduct on elections are
its independence from Britain in 1980. Most of Zanu PF supporters should preach the gospel of and in light of these recurring incidents, it is only held accountable.” —— STAFF WRITER.
the polls since then have been drenched in blood prudent for Mnangagwa to call out his party sup-
amid violence, brutality and killings.

Just this week, on Tuesday, Chamisa’s convoy of
vehicles came under attack from suspected Zanu
PF militants in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe in
Mashonaland East province, an area perceived as
the ruling party’s stronghold, resulting in several
injuries.

A day later, Chamisa’s convoy met the same
fate when he tried to visit Wedza, also in Masho-
naland East, to meet his party supporters.

On Thursday, suspected Zanu PF supporters in
Gokwe, Midlands province, ambushed Chamisa’s
convoy, and physically attacked journalists and
some CCC supporters.

Crisis in Zimbabwe Coalition said it was
“alarmed at the increase in the levels of political
intolerance, which is characterised by violence,
targeting journalists and members of the oppo-
sition CCC”.

The journalists attacked included Tongai
Mwenje, Pellagia Mpurwa, Chelsea Mashay-
amombe and Toneo Rutsito who reportedly lost
a tooth in the violence.

“So far, no arrests have been made, and the po-
lice is yet to issue any statements regarding these
acts of violence, which we expect to be nipped
through swift and impartial action by the police
to arraign the perpetrators,” Crisis in Zimbabwe
Coalition spokesperson Obert Masaraure said.

“Police should — without fear or favour —
investigate, arrest and prosecute perpetrators of
political violence, many of whom are known, this
not only enhances public confidence of the law
enforcement agents, but also deters would-be per-
petrators, and creates a peaceful and free environ-
ment as Zimbabwe heads for the 2023 elections,”
he said.

“The coalition further implores the police not
to coalesce with the ruling party in denying the
opposition and civil society actors the space to
conduct their business in line with the constitu-
tionally guaranteed freedoms of association, as-
sembly and expression.

“The role of the police in preventing violence
and prosecuting perpetrators of violence is clearly
encapsulated in section 219 of the constitution,
which gives the police service the mandate of
preventing crime, protecting lives and property,
maintaining law and order, upholding the con-
stitution and enforcing the law without fear or
favour. It is therefore with no doubt that having
such recurring incidents of violence is an indict-
ment on the police.”

The group further said: “We further call on

CCC urges ZEC to operationalise the Multi-Party Liaison Committee.

NewsHawks News Page 23

Issue 95, 26 August 2022 Govt is sidelining us:
Shangaan community

MORRIS BISHI Chief Tshovani said. Chilonga community leader Livison Chikutu
Chiredzi district development coordinator
TRADITIONAL leaders in Chiredzi district
say the government is sideling locals, mainly Lovemore Chisema, who is also the head of
the Shangaan community, in land distribution the district lands committee, said he was not
programmes after only 24 people from the dis- in a position to provide a list of locals who
trict were allocated sugarcane plots since the were given sugarcane plots because his panel
introduction of fast-track agrarian reforms in has not allocated land since his was transferred
the sugar industry in the early aughts. to the district.

Nearly 1 000 people have benefitted as out- He said most of the allocations are done at
grower farmers under the programme. provincial and national levels.

The Shangaan people are mostly in areas “I cannot tell you about locals who were giv-
with hot conditions which are known for rich en sugarcane plots since l am yet to approve
soils. any list of sugarcane plot beneficiaries. Most of
the lists were done at provincial and national
The hot conditions, coupled with insects levels and our committee is starting to work
like mosquitos and tsetse flies, forced other now. They can blame us, but we never allo-
ethnic groups to move out of the lowveld, leav- cated sugarcane plots for a long time since my
ing the Shangaan tribe dominant there. arrival in the district and we are dealing with
areas which does not involve sugarcane farm-
In Chiredzi, the Shangaan community has ing,” said Chisema.
endured many relocations dating back to the
colonial area to pave way for the creation of Livison Chikutu, a community leader from
Chiredzi town, Hippo Valley, Triangle and Chilonga area, told The NewsHawks that the
Mkwasine sugar plantations as well as Gonare- government should involve traditional lead-
zhou National Park. The Shangaan people ers in processes of choosing land beneficiaries
however say most of those who benefitted after other than politicians who are sidelining the
the relocations are people from other provinc- Shangaan people as a way of dividing them to
es. benefit political mileage. He said people from
Chiredzi are not getting land in other districts
Local traditional leader Chief Tshovani, who whose people are owning land in Chiredzi
was born Felix Mundau, told The NewsHawks now.
that successive governments have been sidelin-
ing locals in land redistribution programmes A traditional leader from Chief Sengwe area
which are of economic benefit. He said despite in Chiredzi South said out of 1 000 outgrow-
being owners of the district by virtue of being er sugarcane farmers in Chiredzi, only 24, in-
the ethnic group which lived in the area for cluding Shangaan, Shona and Ndebele people
years, only a few of them are owners of sug- born in Chiredzi, are part of that list.
arcane plots, with many beneficiaries coming
from outside the district. He said out of all farms allocated to peo-
ple, including cattle ranches in Chiredzi and
“If we raise this issue, we are labelled trib- Mwenezi, none of them is from the Shangaan
alists, but truly speaking they are not giving community. He urged the government to rec-
us land which is of economic benefit. To- tify the anomaly if it is not tribalistic.
gether with our legislators, we visited former
president Robert Mugabe and raised this issue “You can calculate out of 1 000 sugarcane
ahead of the launch of Kilimanjaro sugarcane farmers the Shangaan people were less than 20
project, but as l speak the list of beneficiaries because the 24 included both the Shonas and
we saw indicated that the beneficiaries are Ndebeles born in Chiredzi. Of all the cattle
from other provinces. We took the decision to and animal ranches in Mwenezi district, not
visit Mugabe after realising that most of our even a single farm was allocated to the Shan-
people intending to benefit from land in other gaan-speaking people. The Shangaan people
provinces are being referred back to Chiredzi removed the whites, but they were not given
to apply for land, but when they come here offer letters for that land. As we speak, they
they are being snubbed. This is our ancestral want to remove those Shangaan people from
area and what is happening is not fair at all,” their communal areas to pave way for a white
investor in Chilonga.”

Page 24 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

BRENNA MATENDERE Human rights — Zim blows
own trumpet at UN summit
THE Zimbabwean government heaped praise
on itself recently at the International Conven- Justice minister
tion on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Ziyambi Ziyambi
Discrimination (ICERD) in Geneva in a report
tabled to explain the country’s human rights sit- citizens to form, join and participate in the constitutional provisions on political rights, the and to stand in elections as a candidate and a
uation despite a plethora of abuses recorded by activities of a political party or organisation of Electoral Act provides for political rights includ- voter,” another section of Ziyambi’s report to the
opposition parties and civil society leaders. their choice regardless of race. To give effect to ing the right to participate in elections, to vote UN reads.

The report was the first since 26 October Zimbabwe has documented cases
1998 when the last one was tabled before the of state-sponsored violence.
UN special committee.

The UN is currently convening the three-
week-long 107th Session of the Committee
on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination
(CERD) in Geneva, Switerland, where the sit-
uation in Zimbabwe and other nations will be
reviewed before the world body issues its assess-
ment reports.

The meeting began on 8 August and ends on
30 August.

In its report put together by Justice minister
Ziyambi Ziyambi, the government of Zimba-
bwe said it had fulfilled all of its obligations on
respecting human rights and creating an under-
standing among races.

“In Zimbabwe there is no differential racial
treatment based on citizenship or immigration.
In terms of section 35 (2) of the constitution, all
citizens regardless of race are equally entitled to
the rights, privileges and benefits of citizenship.”

“With regards to special measures to secure
the adequate advancement of groups or individ-
uals protected by the Convention, section 56 (6)
of the constitution obliges the state to take rea-
sonable, legislative and other measures to pro-
mote the achievement of equality and to protect
or advance people or classes of people who have
been disadvantaged by unfair discrimination in-
cluding race in cases of genuine need,” reads part
of Ziyambi’s report.

While Zimbabwe has documented cases of
state-sponsored violence, torture of activists and
a series of abduction of dissenters, the govern-
ment boasted at the UN that it had no such dis-
turbances.

The government also lauded the moribund
National Peace and Reconciliation Commission
as playing a pivotal role to calm conflicts at a
time when the body has virtually gone under
wraps.

“Zimbabwe established the National Peace
and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC)
through section 251 of the constitution to pro-
mote post-conflict justice; healing; reconcili-
ation; dialogue among political parties; com-
munities, groups and organisations in order to
prevent conflicts and disputes of any nature,
including those found on racial differences.”

“Commissioners of the NPRC were ap-
pointed in 2016 and the commission has a
fully-fledged secretariat. The NPRC constitut-
ed Peace Committees in all the districts of the
country in order to undertake programmes that
promote peace and cohesion among Zimbabwe-
ans of all races,” reads another section of the gov-
ernment’s report.

While in Zimbabwe the Political Actors Di-
alogue (Polad) is largely seen as a grouping of
little-known parties and President Emmerson
Mnangagwa’s sympathisers, Ziyambi told the
UN special committee that the body was solving
all political disputes in Zimbabwe.

“A National Dialogue of Political Parties was
launched with the view to pursuing deliberate
policies and attitudes intended to deepen a sense
of cohesion, togetherness to engender a common
vision that knows no race, colour, creed and all
other forms of discrimination,” wrote Ziyambi.

The main opposition Citizens’ Coalition for
Change (CCC) has snubbed Polad, while some
of the members who initially joined it after the
contentious 2018 elections have since quit, say-
ing it is useless.

Ziyambi also cited various pieces of legisla-
tion that he said were part of evidence that Zim-
babwe is a democratic country which upholds
the rights of citizens. Ironically, the same gov-
ernment flagrantly violates them.

“The Maintenance of Public Order Act and
the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act
give effect to constitutional provisions relating
personal security. Political rights are guaranteed
in terms of section 67 of the constitution, which
confers to every Zimbabwean regardless of race,
the right to free, fair and regular elections for
any elective public office.”

“Section 67 (2) further confers rights to all

NewsHawks News Page 25

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Farmers refuse to budge as they shun GMB

THE continued reluctance by farmers to deliv- Unhappy local farmers continue holding onto their maize harvest in protest over low prices offered by the government through the GMB (below).
er maize to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB)
will pile inflationary pressures on an economy Africa. However, output is expected to below Temba Mliswa told Parliament that farmers were which probably is worth US$120 per tonne.
already battling tremors of Russia’s invasion of last season’s production in Malawi, Namibia and holding on to their maize because of the unde- We have seen local farmers holding on to their
Ukraine, a new report has shown. Zambia, with a net overall decline in the region sirable pricing. maize. Why are we not prepared to give our
of 19 million tonnes. farmers money, yet we are prepared to pay the
Official figures show that Zimbabwe has the “Importation you are paying US$280, your foreign farmers?” Mliswa asked. — STAFF WRITER.
highest inflation levels in the region and the Last week, Norton independent legislator local farmer you are paying US$90 plus RTGS
southern African nation is facing food shortages
in both rural and urban centres.

While prices are soaring, unhappy local farm-
ers continue holding onto their maize harvest
in protest over low prices offered by the govern-
ment through the GMB, amid concerns that side
marketing remains rife despite new government
measures restricting the movement of grain.

It is understood the government is paying
farmers US$90 at the interbank exchange rate
and ZW$100 000 (US$153) as the actual maize
price per tonne. But with low yields per hectare
due to rudimentary agricultural prices and high
costs of inputs among other factors, most farm-
ers are struggling to reach break-even point.

Brokerage firm Morgan & Co in its latest
market intelligence research note says the war of
attrition between farmers and the government
could push up the price of the staple.

“Zimbabwe’s food security challenges have
been worsened by farmers' reluctance to deliver
grain to the Grain Marketing Board over paltry
purchases amid a surge in real dollar cost of fer-
tilisers,” the report reads .

“Given the thinly stretched government cof-
fers, we opine that the unrelentless increases in
grain prices will particularly be pronounced in
Zimbabwe as there will be limited resources to
cushion the blow.

“That said, we think that the inflationary
pressures from elevated commodity prices will
ripple into Zimbabwe’s inflation throughout
2022 regardless of the standing monetary and
fiscal measures.”

According to the United States Department
of Agriculture’s Foreign Agriculture Service,
maize output for the forthcoming summer
cropping season is expected to exceed last year's
output in Botswana, Mozambique and South

Page 26 News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

ANC adopts populist politics ahead of polls

The ANC is desperate to gain more ground after a party’s shabby performance in the 2021 municipal polls.

BRENNA MATENDERE 15 seats in the metro. While the ANC retained In Buffalo City, the ANC again lost a seat, Professor Steven Friedman from the Univer-
its majority in Mangaung, it dropped from the dropping from 61 to 60, while the DA gained sity of Johannesburg’s Political Studies depart-
SOUTH Africa’s governing African National 51 seats it got in 2016 to 50. four seats, growing from 20 to 24. ment, in a journal paper released in April last
Congress (ANC) is moving to left wing pol- year titled “South Africa remains a nation of
itics in a populist bid to garner votes in the In the same metro, a new party, Patriotic The ANC again suffer4dd a major blow insiders and outsiders, 27 years after democra-
2024 elections, which explains the party’s new- Alliance (PA), gained seats while the left wing in eThekwini metro where it lost its majority cy,” speaks of how the ANC at one time was
ly adopted stance against foreign immigrants, Economic Freedom Fighters gained ground in stranglehold on seats. rooted in leftist politics, which shows it is not
especially Zimbabweans, The NewsHawks can the ANC stronghold, bagging three more seats new for the party.
reveal. than it had in 2016. While the ANC was desperate to control
Tshwane metro, its political ambitions were “The left-wing tradition in South Africa goes
The ANC is desperate to gain more ground In Buffalo City, the ANC again lost a seat, thwarted by novices ActionSA which got back over a century — it was injected into the
after a party’s shabby performance in the 2021 dropping from 61 to 60, while the DA gained 8.64% of seats. ANC with 35% of seats could mainstream of anti-apartheid politics by the al-
municipal polls, in which it lost its majority in four seats, growing from 20 to 24. not claim majority and the tally was down from liance between the ANC and the Communist
four metropolitan municipalities: Tshwane, Jo- its 41% showing in 2016. Party.”
hannesburg, Nelson Mandela Bay and City of The EFF also made some gains, growing
Ekurhuleni (East Rand). from eight to 13 seats. Foreigners, especially Zimbabweans, are “But, while it is common for political activ-
taunted as cheap labour in South Africa, which ists to use left language, all politics is still, as
Of the eight metros, the ANC now only In Buffalo City, the ANC again lost a seat, riles local indigenous citizens and for long there it was before 1994, insider politics. Then the
controls Mangaung and Buffalo City with out- dropping from 61 to 60, while the DA gained have been clashes. insiders were whites — now they are the mi-
right majorities, while five of the country’s met- four seats, growing from 20 to 24. nority who receive an income from the formal
ros are hung. Diplomatic sources told The NewsHawks that economy each week or month,” he said.
The EFF also recorded some gains, growing the reason why Pretoria did not take drastic ac-
In the 2021 elections, emerging parties from eight to 13 seats. tion on Operation Dududula, which targeted Prof Friedman also highlights that leftist
with hardline stances against foreign nationals foreigners and recent hard stances on Zimba- politics by ANC is now motivated by the fact
whom they accuse of grabbing the jobs of pov- The ANC has 91 seats with 33.60%, a de- bweans such as refusal to renew work permits that the majority are the poor blacks.
erty-stricken locals made inroads into most of cline of 121 seats in 2016. The DA has 71 with for 180 000 of them staying in that country
the ANC’s strongholds. 26.14% of the votes. The party has lost 33 seats point to a shift by ANC to left wing politics. “In the country’s insider politics, the major-
from 2016 when it held 104 at 38.41%. ity who try to survive outside the formal econ-
Having amassed 49% of the votes in 2016, “The tip of the iceberg was the recent out- omy are talked about, but are never heard. The
the ANC has now dropped to 38.19%. Most of The biggest winner in Johannesburg was burst by the Limpopo head of Health MEC ‘radical economic transformation forces’ are
its support appears to have been eroded by new ActionSA, with the party secureing 44 seats in Phophi Ramathuba who took on Mnangagwa people trying to gain a bigger share of what the
kids on the block while still a new comer in South African poli- for burdening South Africa with Zimbabwe’s few enjoy, not to share it with the many,” he
tics. struggling citizens. It also shows that ANC is said.
ActionSA, who managed to get a respectable moving to the left,” said the diplomatic source.
The ANC managed 91 seats with 33.60%
which was a decline from the 2016 showing
where it had 121.

NewsHawks International Investigative Stories Page 27

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

InInvteesrtniagtaiotinvaelStories

IN April 2018, a group of officers As Russia condemned inventory of transported property.
from Russia’s Presidential Security the west, Putin’s daughter In support of this thesis is the fact
Service landed at Munich Interna- and army of bodyguards
tional Airport. that Skripchak stopped booking ho-
still travel to Europe tels in Munich and other foreign cit-
They remained in Munich for a ies. Between October 2020 and Janu-
month, staying at four different ho- Katrina Tikhonova, daughter of Russian President Vladimir Putin. ary 2022, Tikhonova’s security guard
tels, including the four-star Hotel an only booked hotel rooms seven times
Der Oper near the Munich National Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine married, but the couple’s daughter Tikhonova was chauffeured around — all in Russia and Russian-occupied
Theater. The group was reinforced by and subsequent sanctions. But they has the patronymic “Igorevna,” de- Bavaria in heavy limousines. Crimea. The Skripchak emails have
additional arrivals from Moscow un- show that the president’s daughter rived from Zelensky’s first name.) no data on who paid for Tikhonova’s
til they numbered 12. In mid-May, spent considerable time in Europe Tikhonova also traveled to other trips, though it’s likely that her body-
having completed their mission, the even as top Russian officials thun- Zelensky left his post only in April European countries. At the end of guards were paid out of the Russian
last of the officers flew back to Russia. dered against the decadence of the of this year, citing “private family rea- May 2016, Skripchak, the presiden- state budget.
West. In 2020, one of the country’s sons” for his departure. tial security officer whose emails were
Russian President Vladimir Putin most influential security officials, leaked, booked a two-night stay for But some of the other costs may
was nowhere near Germany at the Security Council Secretary Nikolai To visit him, Tikhonova and her her at the Hotel Continental Relax have been borne by others. The Gulf-
time. So what could explain this mass Patrushev, decried the “individu- entourage flew to Munich almost & Spa in the Swedish port city of stream G650 jet she used originally
influx of Russian security officials? alism, selfishness, cult of pleasure, every month, sometimes with only a Halmstad. The day before she arrived belonged to Gennady Timchenko,
[and] unbridled consumption” in the few days between trips, over a period in Sweden, seven Russian security Putin’s longtime friend and one of
As it turns out, the presidential West. More recently, Putin himself of several years. She made little appar- officers checked into a hotel about 5 Russia’s main oil exporters.
security service was in Munich to denounced Russian who “are located ent effort to disguise her trips, flying kilometers away. The next day, three
protect someone else: One of Putin’s [in the West] mentally” as national under her publicly known name and more bodyguards arrived along with As reported by the Russian news-
daughters. traitors. using a Schengen visa issued by Italy. her. paper Vedomosti, Timchenko’s com-
pany had bought this aircraft “specif-
Just as the men arrived, a luxury At the time Putin made those re- According to Der Spiegel’s sourc- In March 2017, Tikhonova spent ically for the pleasure of the Russian
Gulfstream G650 business jet also marks in March 2022, a Russian man es, it wasn’t until 2019 that German two nights in London. Skripchak president.” According to the report,
landed in the city. On the same day named Igor Zelensky was still work- security services learned of her visits. booked six hotel rooms, three for six the company’s jets even carried Pu-
they departed, a month later, the ing as head of the Bavarian State Bal- security guards and three in his own tin’s pet labrador.
same jet flew back to Moscow. On let — which performs in the Nation- “We would actually have liked to name, presumably for Tikhonova and
board was the infant child of Katerina al Theater, just steps from the hotel have known about this [sooner],” a whoever was traveling with her. In 2018, the plane was acquired
Tikhonova, the name used by Putin’s used by Tikhonova’s guards. He was high-ranking official from Berlin told by the Russian Direct Investment
daughter — and presumably Tikhon- the reason for Tikhonova’s travels to Der Spiegel. Meanwhile, the trips to Mu- Fund (RDIF), a state-owned compa-
ova herself. Munich: As IStories and Der Spiegel nich continued. But by early 2020, ny headed by Kirill Dmitriev, a man
revealed earlier this year, Zelensky, Once an upcoming Tikhonova vis- Tikohnova apparently decided to with longstanding connections to the
Details of her travels, and the who is not related to the Ukrainian it was finally flagged, several of the move in with her partner on a more Putin family.
travels of the officers who accompa- president, is in a relationship with the passports used by her guards aroused permanent basis. In October 2019,
nied her, are known thanks to emails Russian president’s daughter. (It is suspicion: One had applied for a Skripchak received an email with the But though he was a guest at the
leaked from the inbox of Alexei Skrip- unknown whether they are officially tourist visa despite traveling on offi- subject line “Moving to Germany.” In wedding of Tikhonova and her for-
chak, one of the bodyguards assigned cial business; another had two pass- it, a logistics company representative mer husband, Kirill Shamalov, his
to Tikhonova. ports with different dates of birth. explained how to properly fill out an relationship with the Putins was not
But little more was learned by the just personal.
This email archive contains hotel security services, beyond the fact that
reservations for Tikhonova and her For instance, iStories reported
guards, passport copies, and other earlier that he shared confidential
documents. Along with flight passen- documents with Shamalov about his
ger data obtained by reporters, this investment fund’s future deals with
information shows that more than 90 public companies — insider informa-
bookings for hundreds of hotel rooms tion that is illegal to disclose, but can
for trips to Germany and other for- be worth a fortune.
eign destinations were made between
2016 and 2020. Aside from Munich, The RDIF plane was not the only
she traveled to Sweden, Milan, Lon- business jet flown by Tikhonova. She
don, and even Dubai. also appears to have used a Bombar-
dier aircraft with the tail number
This joint investigation by OC- M-FINE. This business jet is owned
CRP’s Russian partner, IStories, by an offshore company that belongs
in collaboration with the German to Aleksey Repik, a well-known Rus-
magazine Der Spiegel, shows how sian businessman and the founder of
Vladimir Putin’s daughter — whose the R-Pharm pharmaceutical compa-
identity he does not even publicly ny.
acknowledge — has appeared to use
state resources as her own. In 2021, this company was re-
portedly one of the largest recipients
Among these was the plane she of state drug contracts in Russia and
used, which belonged to a state com- also produced the Russian Sputnik
pany from 2018. And though the V coronavirus vaccine. Though it
documents don’t indicate how the was previously investigated by the
trips were paid for, at least the sala- country’s anti-monopoly agency for
ries of the security officers — usually anti-competitive practices, including
between seven and ten men at a time collusion with the Ministry of Health,
— were paid out of the state budget. neither the company nor Repik have
This is despite the fact that, accord- faced any serious consequences.
ing to Russian law, members of the
president’s family should be protected The leaked Skripchak emails have
by his bodyguards only when they are no information about whether any-
living or traveling with him. one paid for the use of this jet. A rep-
resentative of R-Pharm wrote that the
Kush Amin, a legal specialist at jet had been sold long ago and denied
Transparency International, de- that it had been used by Tikhonova
scribed Tikhonova’s use of govern- or any members of her family. When
ment resources as “corrupt behavior.” notified that reporters had a passen-
ger list for the plane that included
“It would be completely uneth- Tikhonova’s young child, the compa-
ical, in terms of the funds that are ny sent no further reply.
used, for the payment of the official’s
daughter … [and] for the bodyguards Neither Tikhonova nor anyone
to be staying with her,” he said. “That else mentioned in this story respond-
would obviously require a disburse- ed to requests for comment.
ment of public funds.”
— Organised Crime and Corrup-
These travels took place before tion Reporting Project.

Page 28 Editorial & Opinion NewsHawks

CARTOON Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zim debt must
be fully audited

THE Zimbabwean government’s breathtaking incompetence has Ramathuba's unethical, yet
been laid bare, once again. On 13 October 2006, the government instructive political outburst
contracted a US$200 million loan for farm mechanisation equip-
ment. The loan was collateralised with mining rights to 26 million Hawk Eye
ounces of platinum, worth US$23 billion at today’s price.
Dumisani
As if securing a US$200 million loan by giving away platinum Muleya
rights worth US$23 billion was not catastrophic enough, the gov-
ernment went on to parcel out the equipment to Zanu PF elites in
a ruinous looting frenzy. The pampered bigwigs did not pay back
the money. Instead, the authorities offloaded the loan repayment
burden onto the shoulders of long-suffering taxpayers.

Through such incompetent, corrupt and opaque deals, the
Zanu PF government is stealing not only from current citizens but
also from future generations.

Finance minister Mthuli Ncube says Zimbabwe has contracted
loans totalling US$2.7 billion from China since Independence in
1980. Of this amount, Ncube says, US$1.768 billion is owing.
But Harare East legislator and former Finance minister Tendai
Biti says Ncube’s calculation is wrong: when you subtract from
US$2.7 billion the US$152 million which Harare has repaid, you
get US$2.5 billion, which should be Zimbabwe’s correct official
debt to China. It is vital to emphasise that these are official figures.
Considering the government’s track record on matters of trans-
parency and accountability, it would be naive to believe that the
authorities have made a full disclosure.

For decades, there has been plenty of evidence showing that the
Zanu PF government's debt management methods are scandalous.

Take a look at the Farm Mechanisation Scheme. That pro-
gramme was a crime scene.

Picture this: the government contracts a US$200 million loan
from China on disastrously unsustainable terms. After that, the
authorities begin parcelling out tractors, combine harvestors and
other equipment to Zanu PF bigwigs. When the elites refuse to
pay back, the government offloads the loan repayment obligation
onto the shoulders of taxpayers through outrageous “debt assump-
tion” trickery, euphemisn for unmitigated looting.

The joke is on the taxpayers who must pick up the tab. Not only
that, future generations will pay through the nose.

This is negligence bordering on outright criminality. The polit-
ically connected beneficiaries of the Farm Mechanisation Scheme
are well known. Why are they not paying for the equipment? Why
should a law-abiding citizen — already burdened by Zanu PF's
corruption-induced poverty — pay dearly for the actions of heart-
less looters?

The Finance minister’s disclosure of Zimbabwe’s debt to China
in the National Assembly this week is the first time the govern-
ment has revealed, in considerable detail, what the country owes
the Asian economic powerhouse.

The mortgaging of future natural resource revenues is irrespon-
sible behaviour by political leaders who ought to know better.
This is very risky, in the context of an authoritarian kleptocracy in
which the elites are borrowing for consumption and rent-seeking
purposes — instead of borrowing for economic production.

The government has no legal authority to continue contracting
loans collateralised with mineral revenues without parliamentary
approval. Such reckless conduct is a manifestation of systemic cor-
ruption. This is how states are captured.

Government policies and actions must serve the interests of
citizens and not rapacious political overlords who are driven by
self-serving ambitions.

Zimbabwe’s debt distress is unsustainable, making it increasing-
ly difficult for the government to deliver on essential social ser-
vices, notably health, education, pension and welfare safety nets.

As matters stand, there is reason to believe that the official debt
is grossly understated. Official debt data must be consolidated.

The country’s debt crisis is a product of high-level corruption,
bad governance and a flagrant disregard for Parliament’s constitu-
tional oversight role. The time for an independent debt audit is
long overdue. Who has pocketed those hefty loans?

Reaffirming the fundamental impor- The NewsHawks is published on different EDITORIAL STAFF: Marketing Officer: Voluntary Media
tance of freedom of expression and me- content platforms by the NewsHawks Digital Managing Editor: Dumisani Muleya Charmaine Phiri Council of Zimbabwe
dia freedom as the cornerstone of de- Media which is owned by Centre for Public Cell: +263 735666122
mocracy and as a means of upholding Interest Journalism Assistant Editor: Brezh Malaba [email protected] The NewsHawks newspaper subscribes to the
human rights and liberties in the con- No. 100 Nelson Mandela Avenue [email protected] Code of Conduct that promotes truthful, accurate,
stitution; our mission is to hold power Beverly Court, 6th floor News Editor: Owen Gagare
in its various forms and manifestations Harare, Zimbabwe Subscriptions & Distribution: fair and balanced news reporting. If we do not
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corruption to ensure good governance Beatrice Mtetwa, Raphael Khumalo, Reporters: at No.: 34, Colenbrander Rd, Milton Park, Harare.
and accountability in the public inter- Professor Wallace Chuma, Teldah Mawarire, Nyasha Chingono, Enoch Muchinjo, Moses Matenga,
est. Doug Coltart Jonathan Mbiriyamveka Telephone: 024-2778096 or 024-2778006,
Email: [email protected] 24Hr Complaints Line: 0772 125 659

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Website: www.vmcz.co.zw, Facebook: vmcz Zimbabwe

NewsHawks New Perspectives Page 29

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

WITH no end in sight to pan- Address climate crisis to budget preparation stage and
demics, Zimbabwe   needs to avoid future pandemics make them a part of budget cir-
brace itself for the looming culars and guidelines, sectoral
health crisis compounded by the Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga who also doubles as the health miniter. and annual development plans
impacts of climate crisis. and allocations. Finally, budget
budgeting processes. It must ac- for climate change, including adaptation and mitigation in review, budget approval and ac-
Since the onset of Covid-19 in cept that climate change is no mitigation and adaptation. macro-economic analysis, mac- countability stages must ensure
2020, innovations in science and more a niche issue that could be ro-fiscal forecasts and in devising that all financial elements of cli-
support from the international addressed in isolation but needs The government must also budget strategy. mate crisis are addressed in the
community facilitated govern- to be incorporated in all the work on integrating climate processes. In order to ensure
ments in creating vaccines to strategic and policy documents change at provincial   or dis- Moreover, provincial and dis- smooth and effective integration
tackle its hazardous health im- that govern the economy such trict levels. However, this of the climate emergency into
pact. However, to mitigate its as budgetary framework and should be aligned with Econometrics budgeting, the government has
effects and to prevent outbreaks budget documents. The process the budget planning and HawksView to align reform measures with
of contagious diseases, interna- of integration requires a deep approval component of the budget cycle and clearly de-
tional governments have to work insight to the impact of climate the public finance man- Tinashe Kaduwo fine roles of all the important
towards addressing the environ- change on the county’s finances. agement cycle. Provin- stakeholders including relevant
mental crisis. cial or district authorities trict authorities must take up government departments.
Such sectoral medium-term must take all the necessary the responsibility to highlight
Since 2020 we are all living the strategic plans will   ensure that steps to include climate climate-related issues during the The devastating impacts of
consequences of our broken re- climate-related projects and ini- change components in the climate change require a well-co-
lationship with nature. Covid-19 tiatives, with cost estimates, are pre-budget document stage and ordinated response from the gov-
and other zoonotic diseases have set out in a succinct manner. take into account the aspects ernment. A clear plan of action
emerged owing to the over-ex- This includes clear policy targets of climate change and costs of needs to be formulated to mobil-
ploitation of natural resources. ise adequate finances to mitigate
Intensive industrial agriculture, and adapt to climate breakdown.
changes in the way land is being Climate finance in a developing
used, and unsustainable trade, country like Zimbabwe could be
production and consumption, drawn from public, private and
have contributed towards deadly other alternative sources of fi-
diseases through frequent con- nance such as the global Green
tact between wildlife, pathogens Climate Fund.
and humans.
However, the challenge for
Climate change is real and any developing country is to
its impact is long lasting. It is find a way to access the climate
one of the greatest development fund, as getting money out of it
challenges Zimbabwe is current- is quite a cumbersome task. If
ly grappling with. The country the government fully realises the
over the years has witnessed ex- importance of wisely allocating
treme weather events, heatwaves, and spending budget on climate
floods, droughts and other such related activities, we would be
events that impeded econom- able to combat major disasters
ic growth. The Global Climate and contagious diseases that
Risk Index has placed it among stem from it. Besides, it must be
the 10 countries most affected by ensured that climate funds are
climate change. It loses 0.52% of decided and spent by the local
GDP per unit on an annual basis
due to climate crisis-induced ca- people, the process
tastrophes. should be inclusive
and participatory and
Owing to limited resources, needs to bring on
lack of adequate fiscal space and board women in each
competing urgent priorities in and every step of the
fiscal policy responses such as way.
Covid-19, Zimbabwe needs to
work on increasing the flow of *About the writ-
climate finance into the econ- er: Tinashe Kaduwo
omy. The government must ac- is a researcher and economist.
knowledge   the importance of Contact: kaduwot@gmail.
integrating climate change into WhatsApp +263773376128
the mainstream planning and

Companies & Markets NewsHawks

Issue 76, 15 April 2022
BusinessPage26
MATTERSNewsHawks

MARKETS CURRENCIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE COMMODITIES LAST CHANGE %CHANGE

USD/JPY 109.29 +0.38 +0.35 *OIL 63.47 -1.54 -2.37

GBP/USD 1.38 -0.014 -0.997 *GOLD 1,769.5 +1.2 +0.068

USD/CAD 1.229 +0.001 +0.07 *SILVER 25.94 -0.145 -0.56

USD/CHF 0.913 +0.005 +0.53 *PLATINUM 1,201.6 +4 +0.33

AUD/USD 0.771 -0.006 -0.76 *COPPER 4.458 -0.029 -0.65

Regulated tariffs ravage Econet

BERNARD MPOFU

DELAYS in approving tariffs against the back- the region and this poses a threat to industry observed, a call would cost US4.2 cents in Zim- 8.5% decline while outbound calls surged to
drop of rising inflation and a weakening do- viability. babwe compared to an average of US8.8 cents tariffs.
mestic currency almost brought the country’s charged in the region. Local operator charged
multi-million-dollar telecommunications in- "The telecommunications industry has been US0.9 cents per short message service (sms) “This may be attributable to uncompetitive
dustry to its knees as overheads and pressure struggling to meet the capacity and coverage de- while the regional average stood at US2.7. tariffs, where it is now cheaper for residents to
to meet international obligations outpaced the mands of its consumers. On 6 July 2022, the call outside the country, than for foreign resi-
pricing regime, the country’s largest mobile regulator approved a headline tariff increase for According to Potraz, Zimbabwe’s mobile net- dents to make calls into the country. This results
phone operator says. the sector of 61%. The last approval of tariffs work operators raked in less foreign currency in a decline in foreign currency earnings from
was granted in September 2021.” during the first three months of the year after international voice traffic after settlement, reads
Official figures show that the year-on-year in- inbound calls into the country registered an a Potraz report.
flation rate for July 2022 increased to 256.9% Before the latest tariff adjustments, Econet
from 191.6% in June 2022 gaining 65.3 per-
centage points.

The month-on-month inflation rate in July
2022 was 25.6%, shedding 5.1 percentage
points on the June 2022 rate of 30.7%. After
months of persistent increases in month-on-
month inflation, in July 2022 the month-on-
month inflation declined to 25.6%, shedding
5.1 percentage points on the June 2022 rate of
30.7%. Despite rising inflation, Zimbabwe’s
telcos regulator was not quick to adjust the tar-
iffs to cushion hard-pressed consumers from the
floundering.

According to Econet Wireless' annual report
for 2022, it took nearly a year for the Postal and
Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of
Zimbabwe (Potraz) to review the tariffs.

The telecommunications sector was granted
a staggered tariff adjustment by the regulator
of 61% in July 2022, and a further 61% with
effect from 1 September 2022, and a further
61% with effect from 1 November 2022. The
tariff adjustments will cover voice, SMS, data
and internet services and are determined in the
local currency. 

“The last tariff review for the sector, during
the reporting period, was carried out in Septem-
ber 2021 using the telecommunications pricing
index (TPI),” James Myers Econet chairperson
says.

“The inflation that was experienced since
that time has not been factored into our pricing
framework as at February 2022, meaning that
our tariffs are now unviable for the business to
continuously invest to meet the increasing de-
mand for its services.

"Regional comparatives are based on average
operator tariffs in the Sadc region. Local tariffs
were converted to US$ from ZWL using an in-
terbank rate of ZW$380 to the US dollar. The
low tariffs of the industry are much lower than

Shareholders agree Zeco shift to real estate

BERNARD MPOFU the moribund state of the country’s rail infrastruc- Chiyangwa, was incorporated in Zimbabwe by the ited was listed on the ZSE in 2008, demand for
ture threatens the company’s viability. registrar of companies in terms of the Companies rolling stock products in Zimbabwe was primari-
ZECO Holdings shareholders have given a nod to Act on 19 November 2007 in order to consolidate ly driven by the National Railways of Zimbabwe
the company’s plan to transform the manufactur- “Shareholders are advised that at the company’s the ownership of Delward and Crittall-Hope. (NRZ) and the mining sector.
ing entity into a real estate firm following years of extraordinary general meeting held on 17 August,
waning fortunes. all resolutions set out in the notice and proposed at Delward is the core business of Zeco Holdings To achieve the new strategic focus, the company,
the meeting were passed by the requisite majority Limited and was involved in the manufacture and according to the circular, successfully disposed of
The perennially under-performing Zimbabwe of shareholders, representing 368 072 508 votes rehabilitation of rolling stock as its core business. its rolling stock assets for US$4.5 million and pur-
Stock Exchange (ZSE)-listed manufacturing con- equal to 79.44% of the total issued shares, which Crittall-Hope is involved in the fabrication of chased a residential piece of land measuring 3,6395
cern recently held a virtual extraordinary general were present in person or prox,” the company said products required in the construction industry square metres with all the developments thereon,
meeting to ratify a change in its business model af- in a statement. such as door and window frames, roller shutter situate in the district of Salisbury, called Quinnin-
ter disposing of rolling stock for US$4.5 million as doors and fittings. At the time Zeco Holdings Lim- ton Township for the price of US$2 150 000.
The firm, which is linked to businessman Phillip

NewsHawks Companies & Markets Page 31

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Fitch forecasts 2% growth, not 4.6%

BERNARD MPOFU

FITCH Solutions, a United Kingdom-based re- with expenditure being financed by monetisation the highest level since February 2021, with the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
search firm, sees Zimbabwe’s economy register- and domestic borrowing.” rise in inflationary pressures being driven both building
ing a modest 2% growth this year compared to a by high global commodity prices and continued “We expect real GDP growth to accelerate
government forecast of 4.6% due to high interest The revised budget projects spending on depreciation of the Zimbabwe dollar,” the report slightly, to 2.4%, in 2023.  Government con-
rates and external factors. public-sector salaries at ZW$832.8bn (up from reads. sumption will increase further, notably in H123
ZW$492.8bn previously), according to Fitch [first half of 2023], when the election is most
Experts say lower-than-expected agricultural Solutions will give some support to spending by Official figures show that food and fuel pric- likely to take place,” Fitch says.
output and a depressed manufacturing sector the country’s estimated 116 000 civil servants. es remain particularly elevated — the local-cur- “Once the vote has been held we expect the au-
will weigh down on economic growth prospects rency price of a litre of petrol is almost 350.0% thorities to make greater efforts at fiscal consoli-
as the southern African nation continues to feel “However, overall private consumption growth higher than at the beginning of the year, while dation, leading to a moderation in money-supply
external shocks from the Russia's invasion of will be constrained by elevated inflation and the in July the Grain Marketing Board announced a growth and thus inflation by the end of the year
Ukraine. increasing cost of credit.  Consumer price infla- 30% increase in the price of wheat. (we forecast a year-end rate of a still high 55.0%,
tion rose to 256.9% year-on-year in July 2022, but down from 195.0% at end-2022).”
Finance minister Mthuli Ncube recently re-
vised Zimbabwe’s economic growth projections
to 4.6% from 5.5% despite maintaining a bullish
outlook in the mining sector, the country’s key
economic driver, accounting for more than half
of export receipts.

In its latest research note, Fitch says the eco-
nomic growth will quicken in the coming year,
driven by government consumption ahead of the
general elections.

“At Fitch Solutions we forecast real GDP
growth of 2.0% in Zimbabwe in 2022, down
from an estimated 4.6% in 2021, and a pre-pan-
demic 10-year average of 5.9%,” the research
firm says. 

“Global supply-chain disruptions following
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in Q122 [first quar-
ter of 2022] have exacerbated inflationary pres-
sures in Zimbabwe, which were already elevated
as a result of foreign-exchange shortages, acting
as a headwind to private consumption. Howev-
er, government spending will rise sharply in the
run-up to elections in 2023 (date yet to be de-
termined), providing some support for growth.

“Indeed, we expect government consumption
to be the main driver of growth in 2022, rising
by 5.0% and adding 1.6 percentage points to
growth. The mid-term budget review announced
in July by Finance Minister Mthuli Ncube more
than doubled the expenditure targets outlined
in the initial 2022 budget, from ZW$968.3bn
(US$1.9bn at the current official mid-market
exchange rate) to ZW$1.9tn. While Zimbabwe
remains locked out of capital markets and the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) has stated its
commitment to constraining money supply so
as to reduce inflation, the government will ramp
up spending in the run-up to the 2023 elections,

Tyre maker feels the heat from cheap imports

BERNARD MPOFU crased by 18% compared to the same period sales, retreading volumes increased by 6% Prior to 22 February 2019, the Zimbabwean
last year, as power outages affected branch when compared to the same period last year economy was characterised by a multi-tiered
ZIMBABWE Stock Exchange-listed man- operations during the period under review.” and sales volumes for premium tyres grew by pricing model. Under the model, a sin-
ufacturing concern National Tyre Services Despite recording a decline in new tyre 36% during the period under review. gle product had different prices depending
(NTS) says limited access to foreign ex- on the mode of payment, whether United
change from the official market has resulted States dollar, Real Time Gross Settlement
in a sharp drop in sales of new tyres as the (RTGS), mobile money or bond notes.
economy battles an influx of imports. The multi-tiered pricing model was evi-
The company, which traditionally manu- dence of the emergence of a new currency,
factured tyres locally, is now importing due the Zimbabwe dollar (ZWL), which was be-
to an influx of cheaper products from mer- ing used alongside these modes of payment.
cantilist states like China, highlighting the The new currency, the ZWL, was then for-
country’s high operating overheads. mally acknowledged through the issue of
While some are lobbying for protectionist Statutory Instrument 33 of 2019 (SI 33)
measures to save local industry from col- “Presidential Powers (Temporary Measures)
lapse, critics however argue that some local Amendment of Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe
firms are now beyond salvation due to their Act and Real Time Gross Settlement Elec-
outdated business models and use of anti- tronic Dollars (RTGS) Regulations, 2019.
quated machinery which is not cost effec- The statutory instrument prescribed parity
tive. between the US dollar and the new local
“Overall new tyre sales volumes for the first currency (the ZWL) up to the effective date
quarter declined by 26% compared to Q1 of 22 February 2019.
2021/22 [first quarter 2021/22], due to for- The new functional currency (ZWL) was
eign inadequacies affecting importation of effective from 22 February 2019, instead
tyres from China and India, the company of the fourth quarter of 2018 as evidenced
said in a said in a trading update for the pe- by the separation of the bank accounts into
riod ending June 31. foreign currency accounts and non-foreign
“Services volumes for Q1 2022/23 dee- currency accounts.

Page 32 Companies & Markets NewsHawks

A FEW weeks ago, we witnessed Issue 95, 26 August 2022
what one can call the ultimate cor-
porate nightmare. Public relations is a crucial
component of rebranding
The Cotton Company of Zim-
babwe (Cottco) joins the rebrand- to its customers. It is a way to change ships in the public sphere. It is im- you have a good public relations Cottco offices in Harare.
ing band-wagon and, the very week the company’s image and make it portant to get the public involved in plan. For example, you can start by vital to keep the public updated on
they decide to launch, two of their more attractive to potential custom- your rebranding process. We can do creating a Press kit and a media list. what is going on at every step of the
senior managers appear in court on ers. Rebranding is necessary in many this through public relations cam- You should also start a blog on your way, even when the chips are down,
corruption charges. Cottco ended up industries, such as fashion, food, and paigns, social media platforms, and website and make sure that you have as in the Cottco case.
hogging the headlines for the wrong technology, because they undergo other forms of communication. PR a social media presence where your
reasons. changes more rapidly. It is also a way is used to build brand awareness company platforms posts regular up- To date, the company has re-
to change the company’s image and and increase brand value and also to dates on the process. Having your mained mum on the corruption case
Those of us in the public relations make it more attractive to potential build a better relationship with your audiences to follow the rebranding and this does not inspire confidence
profession cringed, as the chair- customers. It is a way to change the customers. process up to the big reveal is an ex- among its stakeholders and publics.
person made a promise his compa- company’s image and make it more A rebranding strategy requires cellent way of building brand loyalty. It only works to relegate the rebrand-
ny would from now on, “do things attractive to potential customers. a lot of preparation and involves A good communication and crisis ing to a mere whitewash exercise.
differently.” This spurred some of Benefits of rebranding planning on all
us into a debate on why companies Public relations is crucial for a re- public relations Rebranding requires a tremendous
choose to rebrand and whether they branding process. This is because activities in ad- investment of financial resources. If
really understand the risks involved, public relations can help spread the vance. It should Corporate the company invests in changing its
and perhaps that they would have word about the change and provide be involved at Communications culture and way of doing things, a
chosen that route merely to put lip- a more coherent story for the public. all stages of the change management process also
stick on a pig. Public relations can also help provide process, includ- becomes essential. We should also
an opportunity for your company to ing strategic weave it into an excellent market-
We all wondered whether their tell its story, which can help keep consultations ing strategy to sell the rebranding
public relations people were involved your company on the public’s radar. that involve Lenox Lizwi Mhlanga to stakeholders and ultimately gain
and that, if indeed they were, they This is important as it can help peo- scanning the acceptance.
would have surely red flagged the ple who are not familiar with your environment
timing of the launch. I have un- company to understand what it is in order to identity risks or pitfalls strategy is also essential. The former *About the writer: Lenox Mhlan-
packed the rebranding process from you are trying to accomplish and that may emerge. This is important will allow enable the company to ga is a specialist communication
a public relations perspective so as why. so that you can have a good under- reach out to the public and create an consultant with over 20 years’ ex-
for executives to avoid likely pitfalls standing of what the public is think- awareness of your rebranding while perience in the field. He specialises
such as those faced by Cottco. By definition, public relations is ing about your rebranding. the former specifies the steps to be in strategic corporate communi-
creating and maintaining relation- You should also make sure that taken should all this backfire. It is cations and media relations. He
A rebranding process can seem can be contacted on email: lenox-
like a daunting task whose goal is [email protected] and mobile:
to change how the public sees one’s +263 772 400 656.
brand and products. This can be
challenging because your brand
name makes your products stand
out from the rest. It is the name that
people know your company by.

The company wants to create a
new image, a new meaning that re-
flects the company’s new direction.
To create a successful rebranding
process, there are a few steps you
must take. A successful rebranding
process is one that includes both
strategy and public relations.

If you have a solid public rela-
tions strategy in place, you will reap
the benefits of a rebranding process,
such as improved brand awareness,
increased customer loyalty, and
more.
Why have public relations in re-
branding?
Public relations is a huge aspect of
the business world that many people
rarely consider. A recent study shows
that public relations is just as im-
portant as marketing.

A survey conducted by the Uni-
versity of Southern California says
that public relations is an enormous
factor in having a successful brand.
In fact, 70% of people who use pub-
lic relations to promote their brand
have a higher level of trust in their
company. If you are in a rebranding
process, it is important to know how
public relations is crucial for this
process.

Public relations is effective be-
cause it helps promote the business.
It is a process that involves commu-
nicating and assisting the public in
understanding your company’s vi-
sion, mission, and activities so they
can support your company in the
best way possible. A successful pub-
lic relations campaign can increase
the likelihood of achieving a busi-
ness goal and lead to a rebranding
process.
What is a rebranding process?
A rebranding is a strategy that a com-
pany uses to change the appearance
and/or image of a product or service
in order to compete more effectively
in the market. This is a major under-
taking and often includes a change
in the company’s logo and/or tagline.
In addition, a rebranding can also
include a complete change in the
product or service and new packag-
ing and marketing campaigns.

The strategy that involves chang-
ing the way a company presents itself

NewsHawks Stock Taking Page 33

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zimbabwe Stock Exchange Pricelist

`

26 August, 2022

Market Cap ($mn) 1,772,624.34 -1.96% Top 5 Gainers 10.55% Top 5 Losers -9.67% Value Leaders ($) 101,453,800 Top 5 Gainers YTD 500.00%
All Share Index 14,071.03 -2.05% GB Holdings 3.85% Delta -5.76% Delta 60,082,590 Zeco 295.42%
Top 10 Index 8,305.36 -4.67% SeedCo 2.33% FCB -4.91% Innscor 55,243,020 CFI 183.33%
Value Traded ($) 21.89% FMP 2.15% ZBFH -2.81% Econet 28,203,760 GetBucks 159.84%
Interbank rate (USD/ZWL) 264,862,468.25 0.75% African Sun 0.63% NMB -1.61% OK Zimbabw e 10,047,860 Afdis 146.53%
532.0148 OK Zimbabw e Edgars FCB African Sun
Market Cap (US$mn) -1.96%
YTD Movement (%) 3,331.9079 -72.67%

Bloomberg Opening LTP Closing Price Previous Volume traded Value traded Shares In Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change

Ticker (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) Change (%) Price (RTGSc) (shares) (RTGS$) Issue (mn's) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
32,490.00 32,480.00 32,480.00 -0.03% 32,490.00 3,800.00 1,234,240.00 119.49 38,811.82 72.95 159.84% -46.93%
Afdis AFDIS: ZH 1,550.00 1,550.00 1,583.38 2.15% 1,550.00 7,100.00 22,539.69 42.37 146.53% -49.64%
-0.06% 210.13 25,100.00 112,420.00 1,423.52 3,417.53 6.42 -43.58% -88.48%
African Sun ASUN: ZH 210.13 210.00 210.00 - 1,700.00 52,710.50 1,627.40 7,428.62 13.96 62.68% -66.77%
1,700.00 - 1,700.00 -0.29% 6,377.16 - 35,109.08 65.99 111.60% -56.78%
Ariston ARISTON: ZH 6,377.16 6,358.61 - 1,200.00 25,200.00 - 436.98 36,477.18 68.56 -65.71% -93.00%
1,200.00 6,300.00 1,200.00 - 2,600.00 1,602,370.00 552.15 34.42 0.06 14.71% -76.57%
Art ARTD: ZH 2,600.00 - 2,600.00 -0.21% 239,000.00 - 3,039.76 49,210.94 92.50 -25.49% -84.78%
239,000.00 - 238,500.00 - - - - 0.00 0.00 - -
Axia AXIA: ZH SUSPENDED - 20,000.00 800.00 - 1.32 1,747.02 3.28 17.65% -75.97%
20,000.00 238,500.00 - - 14,363.29 - 1,908,000.00 20.63 75,071.38 141.11 91.08% -60.97%
Bridgerfort MMDZ: ZH 14,363.29 - 20,000.00 - 37,000.00 1,000.00 - 42.94 39,235.12 73.75 295.42% -19.23%
37,000.00 14,363.29 -9.67% 24,799.02 - 200,000.00 8.74 292,147.34 549.13 37.83% -71.85%
Bridgerfort Class B 24,799.02 20,000.00 37,000.00 - 2,450.00 - - 522.66 8,771.02 16.49 -30.00% -85.70%
2,450.00 - 22,400.92 -0.74% 3,910.85 452,900.00 - 106.04 100,566.21 189.03 -4.51% -80.50%
BAT BAT: ZH 3,910.85 - 2,450.00 -0.74% 11,461.28 1,500.00 101,453,800.00 1304.18 294,710.26 553.95 33.84% -72.66%
11,461.28 3,882.00 -1.61% 775.00 29,300.00 36,750.00 358.00 4,607.39 8.66 75.29% -64.20%
Border BRDR: ZH 21,080.00 11,376.24 - 5,875.00 485,600.00 1,137,425.00 2590.58 39,477.06 74.20 73.54% -64.55%
775.00 2,450.00 - 2,200.00 600.00 55,243,020.00 2590.58 2,396.31 4.50 39.37% -71.53%
Cafca CAFCA: ZH 5,875.00 3,700.00 762.50 -5.76% 743.56 200.00 4,575.00 604.25 15,134.69 28.45 102.88% -58.56%
2,200.00 11,400.00 5,875.00 -0.83% 1,900.00 400.00 11,750.00 671.95 13,003.74 24.44 -5.79% -80.76%
CBZ CBZ: ZH 2,200.00 2.33% 693.00 1,433,900.00 8,800.00 108.92 8,780.64 16.50 -9.08% -81.43%
743.56 700.00 10.55% 140.21 1,900.00 10,047,860.00 2159.81 831.71 1.56 -32.46% -86.21%
CFI CFI: ZH 1,900.00 5,875.00 700.74 - 1,700.00 1,200.00 35,800.00 690.14 19,773.01 37.17 183.33% -42.13%
2,200.00 1,884.21 - 24,300.00 100.00 8,510.00 1,238.16 46,904.00 88.16 -13.21% -82.27%
Delta DLTA: ZH 693.00 0.32% 27,027.20 - 155.00 536.59 154,511.06 290.43 66.96% -65.90%
140.21 730.00 709.17 - 12,000.00 - - 1,163.12 9,600.00 18.04 50.00% -69.36%
Dairibord DZL: ZH 1,700.00 1,900.00 155.00 - 500.00 221,600.00 - 193.02 9,295.37 17.47 54.10% -68.53%
24,300.00 1,700.00 - 4,350.00 - 60,082,590.00 569.88 10,511.94 19.76 -20.91% -83.85%
Ecocash EHZL:ZH 27,027.20 705.00 24,300.00 - 10,000.00 1,100.00 - 80.00 25,264.61 47.49 -20.06% -83.67%
12,000.00 155.00 27,113.08 - 1,050.00 - 5,500.00 1,859.07 7,934.31 14.91 -5.89% -80.78%
Econet*** ECO: ZH 500.00 12,000.00 - 134,500.00 1,000.00 - 241.65 91,998.15 172.92 -2.15% -80.01%
4,350.00 - 500.00 -2.81% 1,699.26 - 100,000.00 252.65 6,674.61 12.55 105.07% -58.11%
Edgars EDGR: ZH 10,000.00 - 4,350.00 - 1,300.00 - - 755.65 3,300.34 6.20 106.35% -57.85%
1,050.00 27,115.00 10,000.00 0.63% 3,150.76 1,400.00 - 68.40 40,772.05 76.64 15.53% -76.40%
FBC FBC: ZH 134,500.00 - 1,050.00 - 8,199.06 - 23,120.00 404.17 5,425.19 10.20 0.00% -79.57%
1,699.26 500.00 134,500.00 - 795.00 889,500.00 - 253.87 294.84 0.55 0.00% -79.57%
Fidelity Life FIDL: ZH 1,300.00 - 1,651.43 - 2,125.00 - 28,203,760.00 1,285.88 5,353.63 10.06 -26.72% -85.03%
3,150.76 10,000.00 1,300.00 - 850.00 - - 66.17 21,211.71 39.87 8.97% -77.74%
FCB FCB: ZH 8,199.06 - 3,170.74 3.85% 7,607.43 1,500.00 - 37.09 19,529.01 36.71 -25.16% -84.71%
795.00 - 8,199.06 0.09% 15,960.25 - 31,875.00 251.94 89,806.21 168.80 77.49% -63.75%
First Mutual FMLH: ZH 2,125.00 1,640.00 795.00 0.10% 163.00 1,700.00 - 2,495.50 7,693.13 14.46 40.83% -71.24%
850.00 - 2,125.00 -1.56% 12,800.00 17,900.00 134,300.00 247.20 32,894.14 61.83 88.03% -67.83%
First Mutual Properties FMP: ZH 7,607.43 3,170.00 850.00 - 200.00 27,900.00 2,859,435.00 562.18 768.14 1.44 0.00% -79.57%
15,960.25 SUSP 7,900.00 - 6,125.00 100.00 45,522.00 4,715.08 21,872.52 41.11 -12.71% -82.17%
GB Holdings GBH: ZH 163.00 SUSP 15,974.50 0.29% 455.68 - 12,600.00 261.06 2,253.19 4.24 11.43% -77.24%
12,800.00 2,125.00 163.16 - 3,420.00 - - 384.07 3,641.42 6.84 14.13% -76.69%
GetBucks GBFS: ZH 200.00 - 12,600.00 -1.37% 187.06 600.00 - 357.10 3,280.23 6.17 -40.39% -87.82%
6,125.00 7,900.00 200.00 -4.91% 8,413.33 - 2,742.00 493.04 14,015.25 26.34 3.90% -78.78%
Hippo HIPO: ZH 455.68 16,000.00 6,125.00 - 2.88 68,200.00 - 106.47 13.34 0.03 500.00% 22.55%
3,420.00 163.00 457.00 -0.08% 492.00 600.00 125,820.00 1,778.00 8,938.91 16.80 30.72% -73.30%
Innscor INN: ZH 187.06 12,600.00 3,420.00 - 400.00 - 48,000.00 175.19 2,304.00 4.33 37.46% -71.92%
8,413.33 - 184.49 - 1,700.00 17,700.00 - 463.34 5,857.87 11.01 -27.97% -85.29%
Lafarge LACZ: ZH - 8,000.00 - 500.00 87,018.75 1,818.22 7.14 0.01 - -
2.88 457.00 - 9,355.00 - 2,000.00 576.00 11,415.86 21.46 133.88% -52.23%
Mash MASH: ZH 492.00 - 2.88 - - 344.58
400.00 200.00 491.63 - - 167.89
Masimba MSHL: ZH 1,700.00 8,000.00 400.00 - 122.03
SUSPENDED - 1,700.00
Meikles MEIK: ZH 9,355.00 492.25
400.00 4.25
Nampak NPKZ: ZH - 9,355.00
-
Natfoods NTFD: ZH -

NMB NMB: ZH

NTS NTS: ZH

OK Zimbabwe OKZ: ZH

Old Mutual OMU: ZH

PPC PPC: ZH

Proplastics PROL: ZH

RTG RTG: ZH

Seedco SEED: ZH

Simbisa SIM: ZH

Star Africa SACL: ZH

Tanganda TANG:ZH

Truworths TRUW: ZH

TSL TSL: ZH

Turnall TURN: ZH

Unifreight UNIF: ZH

Willdale WILD: ZH

ZBFH ZBFH: ZH

Zeco ZECO: ZH

ZHL ZHL: ZH

Zimpapers ZIMP: ZH

Zimplow Holdings ZIMPLOW: ZH

Hw ange HCCL: ZH

RioZim RIOZ: ZH

Econet shares in issue include Class A Shares

Exchange Traded Funds Opening LTP Closing Price Change Previous Price Volume traded Value traded Market Cap Market Cap Price Change Price Change
(RTGSc) (RTGSc) (RTGSc) (%) (RTGSc) (RTGS$) (RTGS$ mn's) (US$ mn's) RTGS YTD (%) US$ YTD (%)
Cass Saddle Agriculture ETF 155.00 155.00 155.00 155.00 6,850.00 15.63%
Datvest Modified Consumer Staples ETF 169.00 161.00 160.80 0.00% 169.00 16,775.00 10,617.50 - - 55.00% -61.47%
Morgan&Co Made in Zimbabwe -4.85% 169,001.00 26,973.75 109.39 0.21 60.80%
Morgan&Co Multi Sector 125.00 125.00 122.63 125.00 1,100.00 22.63%
OM ZSETop-10 ETF 2,850.00 2,850.00 2,850.00 -1.90% 2,850.00 1,002,106.00 207,251.25 3,019.15 5.67 22.63% -41.79%
0.00% 31,350.00 3,588.94 6.75 185.00%
513.95 514.00 514.05 513.95 -76.35%
0.02% 5,151,325.00 411.24 0.77 15.81%

* The complete list of ZSE Indices can be obtained from the ZSE website: www.zse.co.zw

Property
NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022 PROPERTY INTERIORS ARCHITECTURE GARDENING Page 34

The home of prime property: [email protected]

Zanu PF's school of ideology taking shape

The Herbert Chitepo School of Ideology building at the intersection of Samora Machel Avenue and Simon Muzenda Street is slowly taking shape. Pictures: Aaron Ufumeli

NewsHawks News Analysis Page 35

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

NYASHA CHINGONO ANC can't continue treating
Zanu PF with kid gloves
SOUTH Africa’s governing Af-
rican National Congress (ANC) they can’t get it and that is angering South Africa’s International Re- a no-holds-barred discussion over athy towards all foreigners increas-
should once again confront its sis- the community. lations and Cooperation minister the crisis. They should work with es,” Chan said.
ter revolutionary party Zanu PF Naledi Pandor early this month other Sadc countries, AU and the
over the escalating immigration “… you are not even registered acknowledged to Zimbabwe’s international community to find a “In the case of Zimbabweans,
crisis across the Limpopo, with anyway; you are not counted. You Foreign Affairs and Internation- lasting solution,” Mukundu said. the truth is a simple one. They
analysts saying the solution lies in are even illegal and you are abusing al Trade minister Frederick Shava are in South Africa because there
Zimbabwe’s ability to hold a credi- me. This is unfair.” that there is an immigration crisis Central to this approach is hold- is no work for them back home.
ble election to usher in a new eco- unfolding between the two coun- ing free and fair elections, which The solution is economic progress
nomic dispensation. Political analyst Rashweat tries. are largely seen as a precursor to in Zimbabwe, but that is not hap-
Mukundu said the ANC and better economic fortunes. pening.”
Soured relations between Zim- Zanu PF should have a “no-holds- Shava, who has largely been a
babwe and South Africa were this barred” conversation on the grow- mute foreign minister since taking “This lies in holding free and fair He said there is no solution in
week brought into sharp focus ing crisis. over the reigns following the death elections and set up a government the short term, but pointed out
when the Limpopo provincial of Sibusiso Moyo last year, did not that is accountable. There is no that what is unfolding could have
head of Health, Dr Phophi Ra- “While the statement by the proffer solutions for the crisis. This short cut or short-term measures political ramifications for the gov-
mathuba, scolded a Zimbabwean Limpopo MEC for Health reflects speaks to the cluelessness of the than going to the drawing board in erning ANC, which should be seen
patient seeking treatment at Bela a growing anti-Zimbabwe senti- state in solving the unfolding im- terms of addressing the governance to support the general populace.
Bela Hospital. ment in South Africa, the influx of migrant crisis. deficiencies,” he said.
foreigners is having negative effects Already, opposition parties like
The video that has gone viral has on public service delivery in the The Zimbabwean government University of London Professor the Democratic Alliance (DA) and
stimulated debate over the growing country. The MEC was wrong in has chosen to remain mute in the Stephen Chan said the anti-immi- the Economic Freedom Fighters
immigration crisis which has seen targeting a suffering person. What face of epic national embarrass- grant sentiments in South Africa (EFF) have adopted an inclusive
an estimated three million Zimba- the minister should have done is ment. are a result of shrinking economic approach when dealing with for-
bweans reportedly living in South to take the issues to the ANC and opportunities for locals. eigners, while the ANC has chosen
Africa, with the bulk of them stay- government discussions, with re- Analysts say Zimbabwe is in a to take a hardline stance.
ing in the country illegally. gards to the situation,” Mukundu catch 22 situation and helpless, “South Africa has become a very
said. considering the government is unequal society. Very poor govern- “As for what can be done with-
Ramathuba’s sentiments have presiding over a declining econ- ment under Jacob Zuma and ma- in South Africa itself, it is clear the
also divided opinion over growing Seeing growing crisis in Zimba- omy. Mukundu said a concerted jor economic upheaval caused by government has lost a huge amount
anti-Zimbabwean rhetoric large- bwe, the ANC in 2020 sent a dele- approach by Southern African De- Covid and the war in Ukraine have of political support because of its
ly championed by pressure group gation led by former secretary-gen- velopment Community (Sadc) and led to huge price rises. But there own economic incompetence. If
Operation Dudula. eral Ace Magashule to engage African Union (AU) is needed to has been no increase in employ- regaining support means expelling
Zanu PF on the Zimbabwean sit- come up with a solution for Zim- ment or salary levels. In this con- foreigners, it will do that,” Chan
It also comes on the back of the uation. The delegation went back babwe. text, foreigners — especially those said.
imminent deportation of over 200 home empty handed after failing who seem to have achieved some
000 Zimbabweans whose special to agree with the Zanu PF leader- “What South Africa needs to economic benefit — are regarded What is however clear is that
permits expire in December. ship on the terms of reference and do is to acknowledge that there is with envy and hostility. When for- Mnangagwa should fix the econo-
the South Africans were blocked a crisis in Zimbabwe and engage eigners go on to break the law, like my and make it attractive for Zim-
Early August, thousands of an- from meeting the opposition. their counterparts in Zanu PF in gang-raping young women, antip- babweans seeking refuge elsewhere
gry residents in the South Afri- to come back home.
can city of Krugersdorp attacked
a group of illegal miners, among
them Zimbabweans, with machet-
es, golf clubs and hammers after
a gang rape last week shocked the
nation. Some were stripped of their
clothes and whipped by residents,
while others were chased out of
their camps and beaten up before
being handed over to the author-
ities.

The attacks came after a Zim-
babwean immigrant, Elvis Nyathi,
was set alight in Diesploot by sus-
pected Operation Dudula militia
in April, stoking fears of xenopho-
bic attacks.

Zimbabweans fleeing economic
decline have been subjected to in-
humane treatement at the hands
of South Africans who accuse for-
eigners for crowding them out of
the job market.

Ramathuba’s sentiments are just
a tip of the iceberg of how ordi-
nary South Africans feel about
foreigners. It however had to take
a respected official to lash out at a
helpless patient.

According to Ramathuba, for-
eigners seeking free treatment are
burdening South Africa’s health
care system.

“I am going to tell you some-
thing that is truthful and painful,”
she says.

“You know Stats SA goes to
count people during census and
tell that in Limpopo you have 5.7
million people, and tell me that
out of 5.7 million 91% do not
have medical aid.

“They are dependent on the
state and only 9% depend on pri-
vate doctors.”

She continued: “Now I’m here,
instead of using the budget for
what it’s meant for I’m operating
for what Mnangagwa is supposed
to do.

“That is why when my people
of Limpopo want health services,

Page 36 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Government control of electricity left
Zimbabwe, South Africa in the dark
REJOICE NGWENYA deficit nightmares.
more than 200 000 gigawatts.  party. suffering from hyperinflation, those few Only a few weeks ago, South Africa’s
IN the 1980s and late-1990s, it was un- On paper, it is difficult to understand At one time, the Zesa was the best go- industrial and mining companies brave
thinkable that Zimbabwe would experi- enough to remain have to bear with president, Cyril Ramaphosa, tried to
ence electrical power outages. why such capacity fails to satisfy South to company for electrical engineers but crippling load-shedding.  reassure sceptical South Africans about
Africa’s power demands.  antagonism, greed and an inefficient “alternative power arrangements”. 
With the country having two of Afri- human capital system sent thousands of President Emmerson Mnangagwa
ca’s largest hydro-electric power stations Just as in “independent” Zimbabwe, world class engineers to New Zealand, dreams of turning Zimbabwe’s mining Power analysts in the region argue
along the Zambezi River, it seemed the governing ANC in South Africa ig- Australia, and other destinations.  sector into a multi-billion-dollar indus- that Zimbabwe and South Africa’s
Zimbabwe’s capacity use would only be nored, if not fuelled, the cronyism that try but that is a bridge too far with a state governance model does not allow
interrupted by an unlikely event. corroded Eskom.  Electricity subsidies meant to paci- power utility operating at 50% capacity.  competitive practices in the sector. For
fy “new farmers” who benefitted from instance, Zimbabwe has, for years, en-
In the north lies Kariba Dam, com- In Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF trumpeted Mugabe’s notorious “fast track land re- Ruling party politicians are quick couraged independent power producers
missioned in 1960 by the Federation of dozens of “mega deals” that were intend- form programme” in 2000 means the to say that South Africa will step in to (IPPs) to channel excess power into the
Rhodesia and Nyasaland and designed ed to replace ageing generators. Millions Zesa operates on sub-economic tariffs quench our power deficits but this is a national grid. 
by Coyne et Bellier, with nominal ca- of dollars have been paid to Malaysian that make it impossible to recapitalise fallacy. Zimbabwe owes its neighbour
pacity to supply 1 600 megawatts of and Chinese companies as thousands the ailing power giant. millions in unpaid power bills and But this has been frustrated by the
power.  of material contracts are channelled to South Africa also has its own power central government’s determination of
companies with close ties to the ruling In an environment that is already the tariff at which the ZESA should
The liberation war did interfere with buy, much to the chagrin of IPPs. There
the construction but, by 1980, it was set are also unresolved structural issues in
to propel the newly independent that the Zesa board is controlled by a
ruling party crony who is quick not to
Zimbabwe to the heights of industri- just divert tenders to party cronies but
alisation.  also channel millions of United States
dollars into Zanu-PF’s political pro-
In the east lies Cahora Bassa, com- grammes such as “rural electrification”
missioned in 1974 shortly before Samo- and “command agriculture”. 
ra Machel’s Frelimo overran the Portu-
guese garrisons to set up a communist The billions of local real-time gross
government in Maputo. This power settlement bond currency declared as
station played a key role in satisfying the revenue by the Zesa have no capacity to
power deficits of Mozambique’s eco- quench the state-controlled company’s
nomically hyperactive neighbours. thirst of multi-billion-dollar infrastruc-
ture needs denominated in foreign cur-
As time progressed, Zimbabwe ex- rency.
panded its mining, industrial, agricul-
tural and commercial capacity, all of Power analysts say Eskom is not short
which necessitated enhancing or sup- of infrastructure, but has been disabled
plementing Kariba’s power supply.  by a huge financial black hole traced to
state capture culprits, the Guptas.
Attention was focused on thermal
units in Hwange, the coal mining hub The company has a woeful mainte-
a few hundred kilometres from Victoria nance system and failed to extricate it-
Falls, and similar units in Bulawayo and self from “command economics”.
Harare. 
Both countries’ obsession with state-
Towards the end of the 20th centu- owned enterprises deprives our econ-
ry, the then president, Robert Mugabe, omies of free market competition. To
was getting uncomfortable with the place a country’s entire energy produc-
new democratic culture, having enjoyed tion and pricing in the hands of politi-
unprecedented one-party paradise since cians is a catastrophe waiting to happen. 
1980. 
We may be politically independent
Life’s lessons have taught Africa that but the cost is becoming too heavy to
no good economics comes from bad bear. I am not saying we should return
politics. Although the state-run Elec- to colonialism. Instead we should bor-
tricity Supply Commission (ESC) had row from the past that which made our
inherited impeccable maintenance sys- power corporations models of excel-
tems, Mugabe’s Zimbabwe Electricity lence in Africa.  
Supply Authority (Zesa) was eroded
and corroded by nepotism, corruption *About the writer: Rejoice Ngwenya
and executive thuggery. South Africans is the founder and executive director
today understand what this results in.  of the Coalition for Market and Liber-
al Solutions in Zimbabwe, and a con-
Eskom, the almost 100-year-old tributing author for the Free Market
state-owned power utility has blos- Foundation.
somed into more than 40 sub-units,
with a current generation capacity of

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 37

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zimbabwe study challenges idea that
women are inherently close to nature

ELLEN FUNGISAI CHIPANGO Women cut down trees for household energy needs. own…
Another said: "To talk con-
IN Zimbabwe, it is mainly wom- petroleum gas. The poor depend itants is restricted to “own use”. captured the typical women’s
en who collect and use fuelwood. on fuelwood. The sale or supply of any forest view: servation to those without fuel-
The more women cut down trees produce to any other person is wood is talking nonsense. They
for household energy needs, the I conducted qualitative field- prohibited. We just do not wake up be- say harvest dead wood or prune
longer it takes to find and fetch work between September 2016 ing mothers of the environment. wet branches selectively. Where
wood. Women are thus trapped and January 2017, with fol- The government officials I There are determinant factors. is dead wood?. Grow woodlots –
in a cycle of increasing labour low-up interviews in 2021. I spoke to saw women as environ- Women are not the same – some where is the land for that?"
and environmental degradation. spoke to women and men in the mental nurturers. One senior of us are poor and for that reason,
village and to some government forestry official, for example, told the cost of living forces us to cut In Zimbabwe, women tend to
National policy has responded representatives. We discussed the me that it was mostly men who trees unsustainably. Woodlands be culturally excluded from own-
to this by giving  environmental legislation relating to environ- broke the law: have become part of our liveli- ing land. One respondent said:
protection a gender element. mental protection and how it af- hood system. “Even in marriage, land is for
fected the collection of fuelwood. Normally women do their men. Trees grow on the land.
Zimbabwe’s environmental I wanted to understand how things properly. Women in my study showed
policy seeks to involve women women survive and how they re- greater resentment of the envi- Women’s access is through
specifically. It sees the need for late to the environment. Yet a police community liai- ronmental legislation than men their relationship with men.”
natural resources like fuelwood son officer told me that most of did. One said:
as a female need. From this per- The  Communal Land Forest the people caught poaching fuel- Another respondent said the
spective, it is women who should Produce Act, for example, strictly wood were women. On one hand, the Environ- laws protecting the environment
protect those resources. regulates the use of all communal mental Management Agency is might have good intentions, but
area forest produce. The act states Interviews with women gave a tough on us and on the other we deprived people of their “natural
Some  scholars, too, have en- that exploitation of forest pro- contrary view to the government have to depend on our husbands rights”.
trenched this idea that because duce by communal area inhab- official’s observation. I asked more than before.
women need environmental re- women: “Are you close to nature Fuelwood scarcity is also a
sources for their livelihood, they as mothers?” One respondent We don’t have anything of our power struggle among women
are concerned with nurturing the themselves. One woman put it
environment. like this:

But in a recent paper I argued We do not allow anyone from
that women do not have an in- any other ward to come and har-
herent relationship with nature. vest wood here. What is here is
Rather, the relationship is social- for us, the local inhabitants.
ly constructed. And environmen-
tal legislation in Zimbabwe has Environmental degradation
not helped women. It has instead causes women like these villagers
perpetuated fuelwood scarcity. to suffer. But their burden is not
inherent. Women’s experiences
Focusing on women only in are shaped by political, econom-
environmental policy is too sim- ic and social factors. For exam-
plistic. To incorporate gender ple, land is inherited through
fully into policy is not to “add” the male line. Culture has power
women. The problems of wom- over written law. Even if men and
en are due not to their biologi- women have equal rights over the
cal difference from men, but to land on paper, in practice trees
their social relationship. In this serve the interests of men first
relationship, women have been (for example, used as construc-
systematically subordinated. tion poles) before fuelwood is
considered.
In my study, women were
agents of environmental deg- Inclusion doesn’t equal empow-
radation because of their social erment
position and class relations. Fail- Fuelwood scarcity for women
ure to accept this reality, and the comes from the sexual division
attempt to construct a special of labour, the gendered control
women-environment relation- of production resources and de-
ship, obscures important policy cision making and gender ideol-
analysis. When the emphasis is ogies.
on programmes and projects that
address women’s practical needs The conventional view of “add-
(such as growing woodlots), it ing women” to environmental
doesn’t change their place in management because of their
the division of labour. Nothing supposed knowledge may add
changes about women’s position more problems to their exist-
in society. ing burdens.
Energy in rural Zimbabwe
My study took place in the For equality and sustainable
Buhera district of Manicaland development to be achieved in
province in Zimbabwe. As in environmental policy, women is-
other rural districts, most of the sues should be considered in con-
population do not have electric- text. Gender and environment
ity. Only  14%  of rural people are the  outcome of power and
have access to electricity. In ur- should be approached as such.
ban areas it is 86%. Many people
living in rural areas  cannot af- — The Conversation.
ford alternatives such as liquefied
*About the writer: El-
len Fungisai Chipango is a
post-doctoral research fellow at
the University of Johannesburg
in South Africa.

Page 38 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

MATTHEW MARE Issue 95, 26 August 2022

THE state has outlawed virginity Virginity and the Johanne
testing as a human rights violation. Marange religious customs

However, it is surprising to note Johanne Marange Apostolic Church still teaches and conducts mandatory virginity testing.
that Johanne Marange Apostolic
Church (JMAC) still teaches and While JMAC refutes the fact that trigger domestic violence is virginity subject to public scrutiny. violations. To note, Deuteronomy
conducts mandatory virginity test- it permits child marriages, through which, in turn, spills into paternity The study highlights some of the and Leviticus are major sources of
ing. observation and document exploita- disputes. the JMAC theology.
tion from gender-based civil society verses in scripture which expose
Apart from JMAC, there are a organisations and community-based Marriage in African societies re- women and children to the whims In JMAC, if a member of the con-
number of cultural groups in the organisations, the church is impli- volves around the concept of vir- and caprices of human rights abuse. gregation marries a virgin, he is not
country that are still practising vir- cated in a number of cases where the ginity, hence the concept of a beast Whilst the canonisation of the scrip- allowed to divorce her unless by a
ginity testing, which is commonly rights of the girl child are found to known as “mombe yechimanda” ture is a disputed academic discourse, special grant by the church. To prove
referred to as “chinamwari”. The have been violated. which is part of the bride price. In with commentators arguing for and that she was a virgin, she must en-
virginity testing by JMAC is in sync African traditional religion, when a against the quantum of inspiration sure that her first sexual intercourse
with both the cultural beliefs and the The JMAC doctrine views losing woman gets married, her aunties are of the scripture, Canaan Banana in with her husband is done on a white
Hebrew text. virginity as a sin against both the found to be so much concerned with "Rewriting the Bible" highlighted sheet and the blood that comes out
church and God. JMAC, like the whether she was a virgin or not. the need to revisit our hermeneutical after losing virginity would be kept
In line with the Hebrew text, Roman Catholic Church on the methodologies so as to be contextu- as proof.
Psalms 68: 24-26, girls who are praise power of atonement, teaches that There are ways through which ally relevant to the existential realities
worshippers must be virgins with the the church, through Mutumwa Ma- they have to know of this virginity in Zimbabwe. The cloth would be presented to
understanding that you cannot sing range, has been given the power to status of their niece, and this in- the parents and, after that, dowry –
for God if you are dirty (Psalms, 68: intercede for the wrongs done and formation is shared amongst some Banana advanced for the domes- including “mombe yechimanda” , if
24-26 ESV). bring about expiation. family members. In most cases, even tication of theology for it to be rel- she was a virgin, would be charged.
her in-laws will have to know about evant in the present situation. In Leviticus 21:13-14 prohibits marry-
Since the Bible is the founding In the process, the JMAC pun- this status, thus defying the right to the era of fourth-generation rights, ing widows, divorcees and any girl
document for theological discours- ishes any girl who loses virginity by privacy. This will determine whether the scripture must be relevant to who has lost her virginity whom
es, churches are however found to marrying them off to older men in “mombe yechimanda” will have to be the modern demands. The JMAC it describes as a harlot (Leviticus,
interpret the sacred text differently the church. This process of marrying paid or not. The issue of privacy is a literally interprets the scripture and 21:13-14 ESV).
and section 60 of the Zimbabwean them off to older men is usually done human rights issue according to the purposefully relies more on the Old
constitution allows for freedom of without the consent of the affected constitution of the land. Testament. Similarly, in Deuteronomy 22:
worship. girls. This is done during their rituals 13-19, when a girl had already lost
known as pasika, meaning Passover As such, the aforementioned prac- Thus, the majority of the JMAC her virginity, the parents of the girl
Thus, the nexus between theology ceremonies. This church is known tice is an infringement on the rights teachings are derived from the Old should present her before the whole
and human rights discourse remains for relying on the Old Testament of women. Every citizen regardless Testament. For example, Deuteron- congregation and the father presents
an elusive concept. Virginity testing text which is influenced more by the of gender has the right to privacy, omy 22: 13-19 is one of the widely the girl to the elders of the church
is one of the common practices in Hebrew culture in their practice of which is unfortunately being appar- revered verses in JMAC’s theological for a wife (Deuteronomy, 22: 13-19
JMAC and is associated with dignity marrying off girls. ently violated by the JMAC theolo- doctrine on virginity. The verse reso- ESV).
in line with the customary laws. gy, through the parading of the de- nates with the theological teachings
In the secular realm, domestic vi- flowered girls in front of congregants and practices in JMAC. JMAC, being an indigenous
Virginity testing has, from a cul- olence is one of Zimbabwe’s greatest without seeking the consent of the church, borrowed heavily from both
tural and traditional perspective, hurdles despite an array of policies affected persons. The Old Testament verses referred the Jewish tradition and African
been a method of protecting the girl and laws to curb the same. One of hereto help to locate the fulcrum of traditional religion, which amongst
child from sexual exploitation. The the most contentious issues that Virginity is an element that be- the JMAC theology and how these other things, revered the sacrosanc-
elders would make the girl reveal longs to the private sphere and not selected verses enhance human rights tity of virginity.
the exploiter and the paedophile is
confronted and at times made to pay
damages.

This was done to protect the girl
child even though it would be done
without the girl’s consent. The con-
cept of consent does not, according
to the law of the country, apply to
persons below the age of 18.

Anyone below the age of 18 years
cannot legally consent to any sexual
act or union and it is illegal for any-
one to consent on their behalf on
issues that pertain to marriage or in-
dulging in sexual acts.

Radical feminists the world over
are up in arms against any cultural
practice that perpetuates patriarchal
hegemony through violating the
dignity of the girl child and wom-
en. The JMAC practice of virginity
testing is widely criticised as a gross
human rights violation.

Within the practice of virginity
testing, the naming and shaming of
those who after testing were found
not to be virgins is cited to be im-
pairing the dignity of the girl child.

Meanwhile, virginity testing is
also regarded as one key catalyst in
child marriages, where all those girls
deflowered are allegedly married
off to older men within the church
without seeking their consent.

The constitution of Zimbabwe
has set the age of legal consent at 18
years, meaning any sexual engage-
ment with a minor is statutory rape
and that no minor is allowed either
to be sexually abused or married off
before reaching the legal age of ma-
jority.

The JMAC is thus found to be
violating the law, hence the need to
align its theology to the new consti-
tution.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 39

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

In Zimbabwe, the constitution ed to undergo virginity testing. In Genesis 3:12, Adam blamed 19:8 says, "Now behold, I have two marriages, both the concerned girl
stipulates that subjecting any person In African traditional religion, Eve for disobeying God, and in Gen- daughters who have not had relations child and her parents get ex-com-
to dehumanising treatment is a hu- esis 3: 16 God said to the women, with men, please let me bring them municated and permanently banned
man rights violation. The constitu- Jewish culture and the JMAC teach- "I will greatly multiply thy pain and out to you, and do to them whatever from JMAC membership (Mare,
tion goes on to say that citizens have ings, males are encouraged to marry conception, in pain thou shall bring you like. Only do nothing to these 2015:61). The ban is more of a theo-
the right to privacy and self-determi- virgins and despise widows, divor- forth children, and thy desire shall men, in as much as they have come logical curse than mere punishment.
nation. ceees or any women "profaned" by be to thy husband, and he shall rule under the shelter of my roof" (Gene-
fornication (Isaiah, 62:5 ESV). over thee" (Genesis, 3:12 ESV). sis, 19:8 ESV). JMAC teaches that, whatever is
In JMAC, like African traditional bound here on earth is also bound
religion and Jewish culture, where Sexuality is very central in the Thus, all the bad things in the The scripture does not treat a girl in heaven (Matthew, 16:18ff). In or-
African indigenous churches bor- discrimination against women in world are being blamed on women child with any dignity and herme- der to have the parental support, the
rowed their theologies, women are JMAC. Women are viewed as inher- in general and Eve in particular. In neutically JMAC has literally incor- JMAC church introduced very pu-
not accorded the same rights as those ently evil, just like the biblical Eve. the JMAC, as in most African indig- porated these verses into its theolog- nitive measures against parents who
that are enjoyed by their male coun- The fall of humanity from the glo- enous churches, women and men do ical teachings. wilfully defy church teachings.
terparts. ry of God is ascribed to Eve and is not sit together. The sitting arrange-
spread to the generality of woman- ment itself is a clear indication of Thus, the Lieubumahs Muparid- In JMAC, offenders of church
JMAC teaches that girls who kind.  Thus the JMAC, like the Af- gender imbalances. zi regularly refer to these patriarchal doctrine are not only excommuni-
lose their virginity must be parad- rican traditional religion and Jewish verses in order to theologically legit- cated and banished from the church
ed, named and shamed before they culture, teaches that women in their The scripture objectifies a girl imise the abuse of women and a girl for life, they are made to know that
are married off to any member of menstrual cycle are unclean and their child where the kings would require child in particular. they are destined for hell.
the church, without their consent. uncleanliness can affect men. virgins to keep themselves warm as
Old women in the church conduct was the case with King David. 1 Leviticus 12:2, 5 goes on to say In addition to that, JMAC teaches
virginity testing annually, especially Since JMAC’s theological teach- Kings 1:1-4 says, "Now King David that if a woman bears a male child, that no non-JMAC members enter
towards their pasika, the Passover ings extend to the social sphere, was old, advanced in age, and they she is unclean for seven days, but if the kingdom of God (ibid, 2015:60).
feast. In African traditional religion, male congregants are not allowed to covered him with clothes, but he it is a girl child, she is unclean for Thus, JMAC, being one of the oldest
there is also the “mombe yechiman- have sexual intercourse or eat food could not keep warm" (1 Kings 1:1- 14 days. Clearly, there is disparity African indigenous churches in Af-
da”, which is a beast paid only for prepared by a woman on her men- 4 ESV). between a girl and a boy child (Levit- rica, proclaims to be the only church
the virgins. strual period. Thus, women on their icus, 12:2,5). that is still teaching and practising
menstrual period are discriminated So, his servants said to him, "Let the true gospel as it was handed over
During the first sexual encounter, against. In JMAC, women on their them seek a young virgin for my lord In assimilating the Jewish culture, by Moses.
girls ought to produce the blood- menstrual period are not allowed to the king, and let her attend the king parents in JMAC are conduits of
stained white cloth as evidence of participate in church activities, in- and become his nurse; and let her lie abuse as they concede to sexual abuse * About the writer: Matthew
their virginity which will be shown cluding singing. in your bosom, that my lord the king and exploitation on behalf of their Mare is a Zimbabwean academic
to aunties and parents of the girl may keep warm." daughters. A number of cases of sex- who holds two bachelor’s degrees,
as proof that she was a virgin and In addition, the church teach- ual abuse involving the girl child and five master’s qualifications and a
“mombe yechimanda” can be paid. es that women should not touch So, they searched for a beautiful parents do translate to the violation PhD. He is also doing another PhD
This means that in the JMAC, wom- or wash the garment for the man, girl throughout all the territory of of the fundamental rights accorded and has 12 executive certificates in
en do not have matrimonial privacy including her husband or son. St Israel, and found Abishag the Shu- to children by the constitution and different fields. Professionally, he is
and the right to dignity and self-de- Augustine of Hippo believed that namite, and brought her to the king. all the treaties and conventions to a civil servant and also board mem-
termination. humanity’s sinful nature inherently In addition to that, fathers would which Zimbabwe is a signatory to. ber at the National Aids Council of
got inherited from the fall of the first donate their virgin daughters as ran- Zimbabwe.
Interestingly, men are not obligat- parents (Adam and Eve). som to redeem other men. Genesis In JMAC, if a child refuses to
take church orders such as arranged

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Page 40 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Investing in next generation of tech talent

CHRISTINA HUPY/ NYARI SAMUSHONGA ground camp allows individuals to build on one demographic or personality type munication, and application develop-
For years, a four-year degree in com- their existing skill set without need- that can excel in this industry. With ment and design. Educational insti-
TECH companies are experiencing puter science was the bare minimum ing to start over with a university baseline traits of curiosity, logical tutions should work with enterprises
an unparalleled – and well-publicised to enter the technology industry. Al- programme. In addition, boot camps thinking, grit and basic numeracy on an ongoing basis to ensure the
– talent shortage. though a university education can allow for a more practical approach and literacy skills, an individual can curriculum is aligned with business
be fulfilling, and provide founda- to learning, as the curriculum is tai- be trained to contribute to an organ- and industry needs.
The World Economic Forum’s Fu- tional knowledge for tech workers, lor-made to prepare students for em- isation. 
ture of Jobs Survey 2020  reported it’s important to acknowledge that ployment. Developing a training programme Future of enterprise-education eco-
that 55% of companies surveyed a significant portion of the industry Engaging with new talent The core objective of any educational system
identified skills gaps in the local la- gains new skills outside of the bounds Organisations are often at a loss when programme should be to equip indi- In the seven years since WeThink-
bour market as the main barrier to of traditional education. Notably,  a it comes to identifying new talent viduals with the competencies that Code was established, the institution
the adoption of new technologies.  study from Stack Overflow found that pipelines, whether that’s talent brand are most relevant to a successful ca- has placed over 500 programme grad-
nearly 60% of respondents learned to new to the workforce or talent that reer in the technology industry. uates in tech positions, with a 93%
After decades of conversations code from online platforms.  has been circulating in the industry job placement rate post-graduation.
around improving diversity and in- for years. For this reason, partner- When developing a curriculum, As a result, their alumni network has
clusion in the tech industry in the Because technology as an industry ships between enterprises and educa- educators should clearly identify how grown into a team of ambassadors ad-
United States and globally, many or- is constantly evolving, some level of tional institutions are paramount. the programme can provide the most vocating for the programme and its
ganisations have come to the conclu- continuous self-taught instruction value both to students and to hiring students.
sion that old practices and standards is required. Coding academies can Tech companies are at the forefront organisations. In order to make this
of hiring are holding the industry take the natural organic momentum of innovation, creating new platforms value chain sustainable and applicable One student, Alyson Ngonyama,
back from reaching its true potential. of this self-led education and add and opportunities for students to to the modern, constantly evolving worked primarily in administrative
The time has come for the technology structure to the process. This helps learn every day. By partnering with technology ecosystem, organisations roles before joining WeThinkCode.
industry to re-evaluate hiring practic- streamline the wealth of information boot camps and other initiatives, they must start with the end goal: identi- During her tenure, she was award-
es and develop new, more accessible available online, harness the way in- can translate this innovation into ed- fying the most relevant skills needed ed the Good Fellowship Award and
pipelines for talent, to drive inclusiv- dividuals naturally learn and help val- ucational content that can be used to for placement in a specific industry. joined the Dotmodus team as a soft-
ity, as well as generate more sustain- idate the curriculum so hiring organ- teach and train fresh talent. This cre- ware engineer shortly after graduat-
able forms of sourcing talent. isations understand their candidates’ ates an ongoing ecosystem between The most sought-after skills will ing.
skill sets. educators, enterprises and students.   continue to evolve to reflect the
GitLab has partnered ebbs and flows of technology indus- Ngonyama has cited the pro-
with  WeThinkCode, a South Afri- As the technology industry melds Despite ongoing diversity and in- try trends. GitLab’s  DevOps in Ed- gramme as “the most life-changing
can non-profit coding academy that with other industries to create seg- clusion efforts, many recruiters con- ucation  survey found the top skills two years of my life”, noting that she
trains cohorts of future software en- ments like health-tech, fashion-tech tinue to look for the same patterns taught alongside a DevOps platform has “an expanding career as a software
gineers in a 20-month, tuition-free and retail-tech, having a non-tradi- in tech workers – often male, with are CI/CD (continuous integration/ engineer”.
programme. Funded by sponsorships tional background can actually be an wealthier, university-educated back- continuous delivery or continuous
from local corporates across informa- asset for new employees. A non-tra- grounds. In actuality, there isn’t just deployment), collaboration and com- Recently, WeThinkCode partici-
tion and communications technology ditional tech programme or boot pated in a partnership pitch meeting
and other industries, the programme with a potential enterprise sponsor.
prepares youths from underrepre- Shortly into the meeting, a member
sented communities for full-time em- of the enterprise team paused the
ployment at tech companies. pitch to share his own background
as a WeThinkCode alumnus. These
Entering the technology field can full-circle moments further validate
open up a world of opportunities GitLab’s mission of providing wide-
for young people from marginalised spread access to the opportunities the
communities, particularly in South tech industry has to offer.
Africa where  youth unemployment
is over 60%. Despite the opportuni- The technology industry is at an
ty that the tech industry presents, in important turning point – the past
many cases, such individuals are un- few years have changed the way we
aware that positions at tech compa- think about where and how we work.
nies are even attainable. Furthermore, With the “Great Resignation” passing
it can be challenging for them to gain through the industry, it’s critical that
roles without some kind of university we also reassess how we hire and how
degree, which are often cost-prohib- we can better invest in the next gen-
itive. eration of tech talent.

Although it may seem like a degree The truth is, there is no one path
from a top college or university is the into the technology industry. Indi-
only way to adequately prepare for a viduals with all kinds of backgrounds
role, the pace at which tech-skilled can find a way to deliver value and
graduates are entering the workforce innovation within the industry – as
is not keeping up with market de- long as they are curious and willing
mand. Today, in the tech industry, to learn. Training programmes like
there is a new crop of alternative, or WeThinkCode provide enthusiastic
non-traditional, education systems, candidates – many of whom have
like WeThinkCode which can help been overlooked by the tech industry
to meet the growing demand for tech in the past – with real-world, hands-
skills. on experience that reflects the most
current, sought-after skills, which
It’s critical that tech companies, is just as valuable as the theoretical
big and small, begin investing in their knowledge taught in the classroom.
talent pipelines at the foundation-
al level. This is two-fold: one, while For those companies struggling
there is an existing moral responsibil- with hiring and retaining talent
ity for enterprises to open the doors during the Great Resignation, rethink
to the lucrative, constantly evolving how you seek out talent. The next
and opportunity-filled world of tech, generation of tech is out there. You
two, there is also a business case to just have to take the first step.
be made when considering how tech
companies can contribute to the pool — Mail & Guardian.
of talent that can someday join their
ranks and contribute positively to *About the writers: Christina
company growth. Hupy is a senior education pro-
gramme manager at GitLab, an
Let us walk through some of the open source end-to-end software de-
benefits of non-traditional education, velopment platform.
how companies can best engage with
emerging talent and some of the key Nyari Samushonga, a chartered
pillars of a skills-based training pro- accountant by training, is the chief
gramme. executive of non-profit  WeThink-
Benefits of non-traditional back- Code, a South African tech acade-
my that operates in Joburg, Durban
and Cape Town.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 41

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Academic freedom and democracy in African
countries: First study to track the connection

LIISA LAAKSO

THERE is growing  interest  in democratic transitions in Africa. democracy based on the  V-Dem in Africa. Students studying.
the state of academic freedom A  study  I published with the data. But cause and effect are not To look at the role of preced-
worldwide. A 1997 Unesco doc- so clear. mocracy
ument  defines it  as the right of Tunisian economist Hajer Kratou ing levels of academic freedom for • to make politics inclusive, a
scholars to teach, discuss, research, showed that academic freedom The  African experience  makes the quality of current elections,
publish, express opinions about has a significant positive effect on the relationship clearer because we  built  an econometric mod- country needs to produce its own
systems and participate in aca- democracy, when democracy is simultaneously, and in a relative- el. We then tested it through the knowledge and have its own intel-
demic bodies. Academic freedom measured by indicators such as the ly short time, the whole conti- V-Dem academic freedom and lectual capacity.
is a cornerstone of education and quality of elections and executive nent moved from one-party to clean elections indices data.
knowledge. accountability. multiparty systems. Before 1990, That is why attacks on scholars
only five African countries with To the best of our knowledge, in Africa are troubling for the con-
Yet there is surprisingly little However, the time factor is universal suffrage had multiparty this was the first attempt to inves- tinent’s prospects of sustainable
empirical research on the actu- significant. Countries with high systems. By 1995, constitutional tigate empirically the impact of democracy and political stability.
al impact of academic freedom. levels of academic freedom before one-party or non-party systems academic freedom on democracy.
Comparable measurements have and at the time of their democrat- were exceptions. Mobility and international co-
also been scarce. It was only in ic transition showed high levels of We found that time lags of five, operation is a  strength for inde-
2020 that a  worldwide index of democracy even five, 10 and 15 Multiparty electoral competi- 10 and 15 years of academic free- pendent African academia. But
academic freedom  was launched years later. In contrast, the polit- tion alone, of course, doesn’t make dom statistically had a positive the less attractive it is for African
by the Varieties of Democracy da- ical situation was more likely to a democracy. The sole purpose of effect on the quality of elections. academics to return to or circulate
tabase, V-Dem, in collaboration deteriorate in countries where ac- elections can be to legitimise au- For Sierra Leone, for instance, within the continent, the more
with the Scholars at Risk Network. ademic freedom was restricted at thoritarian rule and they can be the academic freedom index for likely they are to leave. This will
the time of transition. The impact rigged. It is thus the quality of 1980-2009 was 0.48 and the clean lower the competence and com-
Following Unesco’s definition, of academic freedom was greatest elections that matters. election index in 1990-2019 was petitiveness of African countries.
the new index provides a com- in low-income countries. 0.55. For Rwanda the same figures Conversely, countries supporting
prehensive measurement of aca- The link between academic free- The V-Dem  clean elections in- were 0.20 and 0.40, and for Benin academic freedom, and investing
demic freedom. It covers research, dom and democracy dex  measures absence of registra- 0.72 and 0.65. in education today, can expect to
teaching and expression as well as Around the world, there’s a strong tion fraud, systematic irregulari- have a bright future.
university autonomy and campus correlation between academic ties, government intimidation of Academic freedom allows edu-
safety. It reveals that while the av- freedom and other elements of the opposition, vote buying, and cation to produce a democratising — The Conversation.
erage level of academic freedom election violence. It is a useful in- effect. Our results highlight two
today is higher than before the dication of the level of democracy things: *About the writer: Liisa Laak-
end of the Cold War, the decline so is a senior researcher at The
over the past 10 years is remark- • it takes time to consolidate de- Nordic Africa Institute in Swe-
able. den.

Academic freedom has declined
from 0.6 in 2009 to 0.43 in 2021
in a range of 0.00 to 1.00.

Advocacy groups have noted
scholars’ deteriorating freedom of
expression and  working condi-
tions in Turkey, for instance. This
reflects global trends in civil liber-
ties and human rights. Declines
have been observed in the regions
where academic freedom is great-
est — Europe and North America
— and in the least free regions: the
Middle East and North Africa. In
Africa overall, the level has been
relatively stable: 0.58 in 2009 and
0.57 in 2021.

The positive effects of universi-
ties on local economies have been
researched extensively. Recent ap-
proaches have also looked at wid-
er societal impacts. Most notable
is  the Times Higher Education
Impact Rankings assessing univer-
sities against the UN Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs). This
shows a great variety of rankings in
different goals. Universities high
in SDG 4 — quality education —
are not necessarily high in SDG
16 — peace, justice and strong
institutions, which includes aca-
demic freedom.

My research has been on the po-
litical science discipline in African
universities and its role in political
developments on the continent.
As part of this project, I have in-
vestigated the impact of academ-
ic freedom in the post-Cold War

Page 42 Reframing Issues NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

South Africa’s foreign policy: New paper
sets the scene, but falls short on specifics

ABEL ESTERHUYSE South African International Relations and Co-operation minister Naledi Pandor. — the eradication of the legacy of
apartheid and overcoming the tri-
SOUTH Africa’s international rela- exports; 94% of this trade is done Secondly, the document’s outline What are the things South Af- ple challenges of inequality, unem-
tions department published a doc- with China and India and only 2% of South Africa’s national interests rica would be willing to deploy ployment  and  poverty  — seem to
ument on 1 August setting out the with Russia. is stating the obvious. The differ- its military to protect and defend be the key drivers, rather than the
country’s new foreign policy. ent interests address the general if threatened? Is the  flow of water "dynamic nature of global and na-
The war in Ukraine has highlight- well-being of society, nothing else. from Lesotho  of vital interest to tional affairs" (p.9-13).
The outline of South Africa’s na- ed the importance of a clear articu- The constitutional order, the safety South Africa; and to the extent that
tional interests is an important pa- lation of South African national in- of society, economic prosperity, a it will use military force to protect The document seems to express
per that sets out how the country terests in geographical terms. A lot better world are not national inter- the access? When is illegal immi- the ideological orientation of the
will relate to the rest of the world has recently been said about Preto- ests. They are the general responsi- gration a threat to vital interests, ruling elite, more than material
for some time to come. ria’s diplomatic support for Russia; bilities of government. how will citizens know and who is interests that ought to drive good
and the dichotomy between South to decide? These questions are left governance. It is more of a poli-
The title of the document is: African support for the Palestinians In short, the outline of the inter- unanswered. cy document than a guideline for
Framework on South Africa’s Na- as the victims, but not for Ukraine. ests is superficial and insignificant. the practice of diplomacy, military
tional Interest and its Advancement This raises a question as to the guid- It’s not clear how these interests are Thirdly, the outline of the na- statecraft and trade.
in a Global Environment. ing principles of  human rights in to define and direct South Africa’s tional interest, without the “s”, rais-
South Africa’s foreign policy. foreign policy. es questions as to why government The document’s objective seems
Governments are often cautious, appears reluctant to be explicit. to be to outline how to think about
for various reasons, about commu- Also, how is South Africa’s posi- The focus seems to be on domes- This, at a time where direction is South African national interests,
nicating their national interests. tion on Israel and Russian aligned tic interests — public interests. A urgently needed in an international rather than to specify what those
This is a first effort by the  depart- with its bigger material interests in better Africa and world is the only order that is increasingly complex. interests are.
ment of International Relations and the Middle East, Asia, and Europe; interest that is defined  within the
Cooperation to contextualise South specifically in terms of trade? context of foreign policy. Domestic and historical realities The objectives outlined in the
Africa’s national interests. document are to:

But the document falls short in • propose a definition of South
key respects. Africa’s national interest and its el-
ements
The first flaw is its title. It speaks
of the national “interest” rather • propose the means for the pur-
than interests (plural) – but in in- suit of South Africa’s national inter-
ternational relations there isn’t just est
one.
• propose guidelines for the prac-
It’s also unclear what practical tical application of national inter-
purpose its drafters envisaged it ests in an international environ-
serving, or who its intended audi- ment
ence is. It is unclear if it is to guide
government policy, direct South • reflect on the current and po-
African investment, or inform the tential future global environment
country’s allies and friends.
• provide for predictability in
That is not to say that the docu- South Africa’s international rela-
ment has no value. It will be used tions.
extensively in future debate and
analysis of South African foreign The discussion of who is respon-
policy. And it may be a guideline sible for implementing the coun-
for policy. try’s foreign policy is limited to
Shortcomings generic realities. It emphasises the
Three general points ought to be responsibility of the Department of
made. International Relations and Coop-
eration.
Firstly, the document doesn’t have
a geographical outline of South Af- It’s not clear what part South Af-
rica’s interests. The business sector rica’s diplomats, military and busi-
will be looking for the importance ness community can play in pursu-
of specific geographical regions. ing its national interests.

Reading between the lines, Africa The military, for example, is of-
seems to be a critically important ten the lead instrument of foreign
region for South Africa. But the policy in Africa, especially  in the
country, traditionally, has import- conduct of peace missions. The
ant export interests in Europe. It business community is also at the
is the EU’s largest trading partner leading edge of South Africa’s for-
in Africa. The EU, excluding the eign policy interests. What practical
UK, accounts for 22% of South Af- realities should the business com-
rican trade. Trade with the rest of munity keep in mind when they
Africa constitutes 16%. do business in Europe, China, or
South America?
More recently the BRICS bloc —
Brazil, Russia, India, and China — These questions are not answered.
has become important for South — The Conversation.
Africa’s national interests. Trade
with BRICS constitutes 59% of the *About the writer: Abel Es-
country’s imports and 41% of its terhuyse is associate professor of
strategy in the Faculty of Military
Science at Stellenbosch University
in South Africa.

NewsHawks Reframing Issues Page 43

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

MALAIKA MAHLATSI Ramathuba conduct unethical
but raises important questions
THERE are two issues we must ad-
dress about Limpopo MEC of Health Limpopo MEC of Health Dr Poppy Ramathuba. The collective saviour complex that
Dr Poppy Ramathuba. grips Zimbabwe, where the people ex-
Our institutions, especially univer- ma at Rhodes University. there is a problem. This speaks to pect liberation to come from someone
The first is that her conduct reeks sities, have benefitted from the brain I'm a product of the Zimbabwean which Zimbabwean life we value but or something, must someday be re-
of populism and was intended not to drain in Zimbabwe. I can tell you that also, to how the ANC government has flected upon. It is a habit in Zimbabwe
address an important issue, but to hu- personally, ALL three of my Masters brain drain that has benefitted our benefitted from and exploited Zimba- to reduce liberation to something that
miliate those Zimbabwean patients. degrees were supervised and co-su- country. When it was the educated bwe. And now for electoral support, it will be achieved by some messiah. This
What she did is not just humiliating pervised by Zimbabwean academics: and "desirable" immigrants coming is breeding populism akin to what we is why it is often left to individuals to
but downright unethical. Professor Trynos Gumbo at University into our country, everyone was quiet, saw with the MEC. chart the path and in the process, pay
of Johannesburg, Professor Ricky Mu- including the ANC. a heavy price alone.
No one should be treated like that - konza at TUT and Dr Dennis Choru- But a final point that must be made
immigrant or not, documented or not. Today, when it's poor, uneducated is about Zimbabweans themselves. It happened with comrade Itai
But this is the logical conclusion of the and illiterate Zimbabweans coming, Dzamara, with Evan Mawarire, with
rising anti-immigrant sentiment that Makomborero Haruzivishe and with
has found root in South Africa. other individuals who became looked
to as liberators. There is a death of
In fact, I want to posit that the rea- consciousness and creativity in Zim-
son she gave her monologue in cam- babwe, which results in a failure of
era is because she knew it would be people to mobilise and organise.
published. She wanted to curry favour
with a South African electorate that is It is true that the regime is brutal. It
anti-immigrant and which rewards an- is true that it has punished those who
ti-immigrant sentiments as evidenced have dared to rise. It is true that Zim-
in the electoral victories of parties like babwe is a securocracy and a military
ActionSA and Patriotic Alliance which state. But what is also true is that every
are downright xenophobic. That is oppressive regime is exactly like this.
what was at the heart of the Dr Ra-
mathuba's cruel performance.  Hong Kong is a perfect example,
even as it has some geographical dif-
BUT. ferences. The people of Hong Kong,
She is raising very important ques- with the boot of Beijing on their
tions that must not be dismissed. The necks, fight. Hard. Collectively. It is
key one being the unsustainability of important for people to creatively and
South Africa dealing with the conse- collectively organise. The reason that
quences of a failed Zanu PF regime. It it's so easy for the Zanu PF to target
is a fact that the Zanu PF is a cancer individuals is precisely that they are
that has eaten away at everything good exposed due to everyone else's lack of
and possible in Zimbabwe. courage to stand.
It has destroyed not just the coun-
try's economy and politics, but also its In the diaspora, in the country,
possibility of a future defined by re- Zimbabweans need to be serious
covery. It has institutionalised violence about organising and stop leaving it to
and governs with a margin of terror. some individual, some messiah, to do
Its actions, more than ecological and the heavy lifting alone.
other challenges, are predominantly
responsible for forcing Zimbabweans Ultimately, it must be internalised
to be scattered across the diaspora. by Zimbabweans that NO ONE is
Everywhere in the world, Zimba- coming to save them. There are no lib-
bweans are reduced to figures of pa- erators — the people and they alone,
thos, their lives devoid of value. And will liberate themselves. The world can
the cause must be placed at the feet of offer solidarity, but no one is coming
not just president Emmerson Mnan- to liberate Zimbabwe who is not Zim-
gagwa, but at the entirety of the Zanu babwean. It is a fact.
PF as an institution.
In our justified condemnation of *About the writer: Malaika
the MEC, we must not trivialise the waAzania, born Malaika Lesego
entirety of the argument that she's Samora Mahlatsi, is a South Afri-
raising. can writer, political commentator,
The Zanu PF must take responsi- essayist, blogger, columnist and
bility for the state of Zimbabwe. And television presenter. She is also a
we must constantly insist on holding self-proclaimed feminist. In 2014,
it accountable. We must also hold she published her first book Memoirs
the ANC accountable, because for of a Born Free.
decades, South Africa has benefitted
from the collapse of Zimbabwe. Our
economy has benefitted from cheap
Zimbabwean labour which is exploit-
ed for profit maximisation.

Page 44 Africa News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

JUSTIN PEARCE Angola 2022 election: Unfair
contest MPLA is sure to win
ANGOLANS went to the polls on 24
August to vote in parliamentary elec- Angolan MPLA supporters.
tions.
midst of a deep economic crisis, which João Lourenço. Marshalling the opposition the party congress, he held dual An-
The leader of the party with the has only got worse since he was elect- je in north-central Angola, the par- As the MPLA’s political capital has di- golan-Portuguese nationality, even
most seats in parliament automatically ed. ty has  battled to mobilise support at minished, so the opposition has begun though he subsequently  renounced
becomes the president, so this is also in campaign rallies. to look more credible. Unita, the main the Portuguese citizenship that he had
effect a presidential election. Poverty is once again visible on the opposition party, began to broaden its inherited from his father.
streets of Luanda, the capital, in the Lourenço has been more tolerant of social base during the 2010s, finding
This is the fourth election since the form of people scrounging for food in criticism than his predecessor was, but common cause with civil society and The composition of the electoral
end of the Angolan civil war in 2002. rubbish containers. Abandoned con- the current regime still resorts to force a growing protest movement partic- commission is dominated by gov-
The three previous post-war polls were struction sites are a visible reminder of when it feels challenged. In November ularly in Luanda – a city where for ernment and MPLA appointees. As
marked by a steady decline in the the bubble that burst. Even the middle 2020, a march in Luanda calling for previous generations, voting for Unita in previous years, state media during
number of people voting for the Pop- class, whose expectations were raised the creation of jobs and the holding would have been anathema. the campaign period have been giving
ular Movement for the Liberation of during the oil boom, now struggle to of long-delayed municipal elections disproportionate coverage to MPLA
Angola (MPLA). In the last election, buy basic necessities. was  met by police with live ammu- The election to the party leader- events and government projects asso-
five years ago, the party’s share of the nition. In 2021 police also used force ship of Adalberto Costa Júnior, 60, in ciated with the MPLA. Unita has filed
vote was down to 61% nationally, in The 2022 election is the first in against protesters  in Cabinda and 2019 marked a change of generation criminal complaints over  breaches of
contrast to 70% in the previous elec- which citizens born after the war Lunda Norte provinces. and image, and an effort to build the the electoral law, of which the out-
tion according to the official tally. are old enough to vote. To this gen- party’s support beyond its traditional come remains uncertain.
eration, the old slurs against Unita The authorities have prevented civ- bases in the interior.
Most worryingly for the ruling par- are meaningless. Even in traditional il society organisations  from holding Discontentment
ty, it came in with less than 50% of the MPLA strongholds such as Malan- meetings in the run-up to the elec- In an attempt to gather together Lourenço faces new challenges as he
vote in the capital, Luanda, a city that tions. divided opposition votes, Unita is in- heads into his second term. The econ-
it historically regarded as a heartland. cluding on its electoral list candidates omy remains oil dependent and the
from outside the party. They include country still depends heavily on im-
The four main opposition parties Abel Chivukuvuku, a former Unita of- ported food. So a recovery in global
issued a joint statement citing irreg- ficial who enjoys a strong personal fol- energy prices has been offset by an in-
ularities in the vote counting process lowing and whose new PRA-JA party crease in food prices brought about by
and rejecting the election results. Days was denied registration, and Justino the war in Ukraine.
later, they decided instead to take up Pinto de Andrade, a well-known aca-
their seats and continue to participate demic and liberation struggle veteran Discontentment over the ongoing
in parliament. The sudden change from a prominent MPLA family. issues of inequality and unemploy-
earned criticism from civil society or- ment is likely to be sharpened in the
ganisations that had also been angered The MPLA, which still has a strong wake of an election result that lacks
by the irregularities in the vote tallying hold over the civil service and judi- legitimacy.
procedure. ciary, has done its best to make life
difficult for the opposition. Last year — The Conversation.
The biggest concern, once again, is the constitutional court annulled the
that the election will lack credibility. election of Costa Júnior as Unita lead- *About the writer: Justin Pearce is
er, on the grounds that at the time of a senior lecturer at Stellenbosch Uni-
A local polling service,  Ango- versity in South Africa.
Barómetro, has  predicted  that in a
fair competition, there would be an
outright win for the National Union
for the Total Independence of Angola
(Unita), the former armed movement
that fought the MPLA in a 27-year
war that ended in 2002.

Voter polling is a relatively new
phenomenon in Angola so one can-
not vouch for the reliability of the
poll. However, it fits with the general
downward trend in the MPLA’s elec-
toral performance since 2008.
Uneasy situation
The 2017 election marked the resig-
nation of President José Eduardo dos
Santos, who had been in office  since
1979. His lengthy tenure had become
a focus of popular protest that had
gathered pace in Angola since 2011,
along with other issues such as unem-
ployment, the high cost of living and
growing inequality amid an oil boom.
The boom had produced, at least on
paper,  dizzying growth figures  be-
tween 2004 and 2014.

President João Lourenço took of-
fice amid the post-boom recession.
His first move was to distance himself
from Dos Santos. He lost no time in
prosecuting some high-profile ben-
eficiaries of the Dos Santos regime
and nationalising their assets.

The goodwill generated by such
measures, however, could not last
long. Dos Santos’s electoral strategy
had rested on associating himself with
the arrival of peace in 2002, and blam-
ing the country’s problems on the leg-
acy of the war and more specifically on
Unita. The MPLA’s declining share of
the vote from 2008  onwards showed
how that strategy was becoming ever
less effective as the war receded into
the past.

What is more, in previous elections
the MPLA could count on the support
of an emerging middle class that got
used to a consumer lifestyle during
the boom. Lourenço took office in the

NewsHawks Africa News Page 45

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Uhuru Kenyatta and Kenya’s media: A
bitter-sweet affair that didn’t end well

MICHAEL NDONYE

PRESIDENT Uhuru Kenyatta’s re-
gime came into power in 2013.

It was the first to implement most
of the provisions of Kenya’s 2010 con-
stitution. The media were eager to see
how the government, led by Kenyatta
and his deputy William Ruto, would
adhere to  article 34  of the constitu-
tion, which deals with the freedom
of the press. The two politicians had
promised to expand media freedoms
once in power.

The relationship between the
media and Kenyatta’s regime went
through six stages that defined the
president’s nine years in office be-
tween 2013 and 2022.

It shifted from “karibuni chai” (wel-
come to tea) to  “nyinyi mzime hiyo
mavitu yenu na muende”  (all of you
switch off your thingies (cameras)
and leave).

1. Courting the media
Uhuru Kenyatta took over from
Mwai Kibaki to become the fourth
president of Kenya on 9 April 2013.
His relationship with the media start-
ed off well. The president warmly
welcomed journalists to State House
before he and Ruto hosted a breakfast
with top editors on 12 July 2013. It
was the first time State House was
hosting such an event.

Kenyatta called it an opportunity
to build relations between the media
and the state. Critics saw it as a way
of arm-twisting the press to get it on
the side of the government.

2. Rebranding the presidential Former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta.
press
The media breakfast was soon fol- parliament passed a law that imposed ernment  withdrew advertising reve- nipulate coverage. felt cornered. Twice, he sought out
lowed by another move touted as heavy penalties on journalists and nue from mainstream media in 2017. 5. Snubbing the 2017 presidential journalists to address his home turf,
an effort to streamline the State media houses found guilty of code debate the  important  central Kenya voting
House-media relationship. In July of ethics violations. These violations The Kenyatta and Ruto regime The 2013 presidential debate was the bloc.
2013, the Presidential Press Service, were to be determined by a state established a state-run pullout and first of its kind for Kenyan media. All
which mostly covered the head of agency. website, MyGov, which carried all ad- presidential candidates were in atten- Two days to the 9 August 2022
state’s movements, was  rebrand- vertising from government agencies. dance. It gave journalists an unprec- elections, Kenyatta spoke with jour-
ed  into the Presidential Strategic In 2015, when the media became This was coordinated through a new- edented opportunity to interrogate nalists from vernacular media plat-
Communication Unit. Its mandate critical of Kenyatta’s relationship ly established body, the Government them on issues of national leadership. forms, urging people from central
was expanded to communicating with his deputy Ruto, the president Advertising Agency. Kenya to vote for Odinga. Ruto al-
government policy and branding dismissed these reports saying “gazeti However, in 2017,  Kenyatta lies  protested  the move. During this
state events. ni ya kufunga nyama” (newspapers are The government’s decision redi- snubbed the presidential debate. This interview at State House, Kenyatta
for wrapping meat). rected about US$20 million in ad- was  replicated  in 2022 when Raila appealed for the region’s vote for his
The rebrand implied that strate- vertising that initially went directly Odinga, who contested the presiden- preferred successor, Odinga.
gic communication – which is the And at a police service confer- to media houses annually. This ac- cy under the Azimio coalition chaired
purposeful use of communication to ence in February 2018, Kenyat- counted for an estimated 30% of by Kenyatta, disparaged the debate. The relationship between Kenyatta
fulfil a set mission – would be pri- ta told journalists to switch off their total media advertising revenue. The and the media has been bitter-sweet.
oritised. The presidential press unit cameras and leave. formation of the agency coincided These decisions seemed to under- However, the media and state are not
would, therefore, be used to convey with rising tensions between the me- mine the media’s relevance in Ken- expected to be bedfellows. It is jour-
news from State House to journalists, A month earlier, David Mugonyi, dia and the government. ya. In my opinion, snubbing the de- nalists’ responsibility to hold those in
and ensure the ruling party’s agenda the then deputy president’s spokes- bate was political indiscipline. It’s not power accountable. That is why it is a
was achieved. man,  threatened  a journalist, Jus- Though the move was  initially just voters and the media who needed red flag whenever regimes purport to
3. Divorcing the media tus Wanga, with dismissal from his criticised, it challenged media houses to hear from leaders, but all Kenyans. work with the media.
The cordial start to the relationship job. This was provoked by Wanga’s to think of other ways of generating
between the media and Kenyatta’s newspaper article carried under the income. This included tapping into — The Conversation.
regime didn’t last. Soon there were title “Cabinet seats that split Uhuru, reader revenue and exploiting tech-
signs that the Jubilee government had Ruto”. nology to support daily operations. 6. Unable to hide *About the writer: Michael Nd-
taken a road it couldn’t walk comfort- 4. Redirecting advertising revenue This, ideally, would have helped free Despite the tense relationship he had onye is a senior lecturer in the De-
ably. To the chagrin of the media, the gov- media houses from the government’s with the media, Kenyatta still found partment of Mass Communication
use of advertising as a weapon to ma- it important to seek its help when he at Kabarak University in Kenya.
Following the October 2013 ter-
rorist attack at the  Westgate mall,
journalists were thrown out of parlia-
ment on allegations of misrepresent-
ing facts. This followed media reports
that soldiers had looted shops during
the siege at the mall. In December,

Page 46 World News NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

US Senator Marsha Blackburn was greeted at the airport by senior Taiwan official Douglas Yu-Tien Hsu. Credit: Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs via AP Photo

Republican Senator ‘We will not be bullied’: US
Marsha Blackburn politician arrives in Taiwan
will meet Taiwan
President Tsai Ing-
wen in visit con-
demned by Beijing.

A SENIOR politician from the steadfast in preserving freedom high-level foreign visits to the is- US “provocations”. “Members of Congress and
United States has arrived in Taiwan around the globe, and will not tol- land as “interference” in its affairs. “The relevant visit once again elected officials have gone to Tai-
in the latest visit by an American erate efforts to undermine our na- Pelosi was the most senior US wan for decades and will continue
politician this month, despite in- tion and our allies.” elected official to visit the island in proves that the U.S. does not want to do so, and this is in line with our
tense pressure from Beijing not to 25 years. to see stability across the Taiwan longstanding One China policy,” a
visit the self-ruled island. In a separate statement, Black- Strait and has spared no effort to White House National Security
burn said she was looking forward Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry said stir up confrontation between the Council spokesperson said in re-
Marsha Blackburn, a Republican to “meeting with leaders in Taipei Blackburn would meet President two sides and interfere in China’s sponse to a question about Black-
senator for the state of Tennessee to advance and strengthen our Tsai Ing-wen on Friday morning, internal affairs,” Liu said in a state- burn’s visit.
who sits on the Senate’s Commerce partnerships”, and that such visits as well as top security official Wel- ment.
and Armed Services committees, were a “long-standing U.S. policy”. lington Koo and Foreign Minister Taiwan’s government says the
landed in Taiwan late on Thursday Joseph Wu. Beijing held more military exer- People’s Republic of China has
after visiting the Solomon Islands Blackburn is the latest US pol- cises after a group of five US legis- never ruled the island and has no
and Papua New Guinea. itician to travel to the democratic “The two sides will exchange lators visited the island in the wake right to claim it, and that only its
island since House Speaker Nancy views extensively on issues such as of Pelosi’s trip. 23 million people can decide their
She was greeted by Douglas Pelosi visited in early August. Taiwan-U.S. security and econom- future.
Yu-Tien Hsu, director general of ic and trade relations,” the ministry The US, which has formal dip-
Taiwan’s foreign affairs ministry, After Pelosi’s visit, Beijing, added in a brief statement. lomatic ties with Beijing, has reit- The government this week an-
Blackburn’s office said. which claims Taiwan as its own, erated that congressional trips to nounced a near 14 percent jump in
staged large-scale military sea and Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for Taiwan are routine. Washington defence spending to include fund-
“I just landed in Taiwan to send air exercises that included firing China’s embassy in Washington, follows a policy of ‘strategic ambi- ing for new fighter jets and other
a message to Beijing — we will not missiles over the island. China has DC, said Beijing would take un- guity‘ on the island and is bound military equipment.
be bullied,” she tweeted. not ruled out the use of force to specified “resolute countermea- by law to provide it with the means
take control of Taiwan, and sees sures” in response to what he called to defend itself. — Aljazeera.
“The United States remains

Porsche just got angrier Being a Fashion Model

&Life Style

STYLE TRAVEL BOOKS ARTS MOTORING

Page 47 Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Zim musicians
missing on the
international stage

TAURAI MHAKA Master KG playing at countless platforms across the
world. Rising music star Makhadzi has also notched up
LEGENDARY Chimurenga musician Thomas Mapfu- sold out shows in the southern African region.
mo once sparked a storm when he declared that there
were only two international musicians in Zimbabwe: Despite the many shows Zimbabwean musicians have
Oliver Mtukudzi and himself. held in South Africa, Botswana, UK, Canada, Australia
and Dubai, they have remained stuck with the local au-
While Mapfumo's statement was viewed as an attack dience. The United Kingdom hosts the most, including
on other musicians, it provokes debate on the status of Zimfest, JamAfro and Sama, but they are all targeted at
our artistes on the global stage. the Zimbabwean diaspora.

Nigeria's Wizkid and Davido made history when they Our artistes and promoters have failed to utilise the
sold-out the 02 Arena in London. Recently, Burma Boy "international tours" to reach out to new audiences and
sold more than 15 000 tickets at the same arena. Wizkid market. They have failed to attract to those shows other
is reported to have sold-out the 20 000-seater 02 Arena nationalities.
in 12minutes. Nigerians have continued to increase their
footprint on the international music scene in both con- Imagine Burma Boy coming to Zimbabwe to play for
cert and music sales. Nigerians or Makhadzi coming here to play for South
Africans or Kofi Olomide performing for Congolese and
Closer to home, South African music producer and calling that an international show.
musician Master KG made a huge impact across the
world with his hit song Jerusalema. The South Afri- Mapfumo and Mtukudzi toured the world, playing
can Music Awards correctly observed when presenting to international audiences. The same with the Bhundu
Master KG the International Achievement Recognition Boys, Stella Chiweshe and John Chibadura. You cannot
award: “Through his smash hit Jerusalema featuring say the same of Winky D, Alick Macheso, Jah Prayzah,
Nomcebo, he reached the stratosphere of international Killer T, Freeman or Suluman Chimbetu. Mapfumo is
fame and acclaim." vindicated for being honest with our artistes.

The anthemic Jerusalema sparked an international Our only consolation is Mokoomba who are doing
dance phenomenon that took every corner of the world well on the international gigs circuit, especially the fes-
by storm. The internet was awash with videos of flash tivals. Otherwise, 99% of our shows are targeting the
mobs and musicians remixing the song from North Zimbabwean diaspora, not international audiences.
America, South America and Europe to Asia, Australia
and of course the mother continent, Africa. This saw Let us rise above that and fill the 02 Arena, Accor Are-
na, Philharmonie de Paris, Century Link Field and other
international venues with natives of those countries.

Page 48 LifeStyle NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

We are what we eat, says Pastor G

JONATHAN MBIRIYAMVEKA “It’s a very intensive in terms most effective means of weight tired or fatigued. I no longer The fifth album was called In-
of the dietary requirements, loss because if you walk three to have the aches and pains that spiration and had songs Man-
PASTOR G is an absolute gi- and that helped me for the first four kilometres a day, that helps come with overweight, espe- dipa and Better Man, among
ant of a man by nature, a re- 40 days, I was on 500 calories you with steady weight loss and cially in the muscle and on the others.
ally huge fellow whose sheer per day. If you understand food it is not hard on the muscles, feet,” he says.
size turn heads wherever he science, you would know that the knees and the bones. Walk- Quadrology Plus was his
goes. 500 calories is very little food. ing is just steady; as long as you “I am so privileged that the sixth album and it features the
Also, I was on a diet of vegeta- are walking 3-4 kilometres a Lord has helped me to lose hit Satisfy My Soul. It was al-
For a number of years, the bles and meat and no carbohy- day it helps as well. But, dieting weight and given me discipline, most a compilation of his first
famous Zimbabwean gospel drates, sugar, bread, or rice. In is the main thing especially in and that has also helped me to four albums with some new
musician has been fighting those first 40, days I lost 23kgs. the area of carbohydrates and be more alert than I have ever material.
what seemed like a losing bat- By the time I had hit 60 days, sugar because those two things been in my life. Usually, I felt
tle to shed off excess weight. I had lost 33 kilogrammes. In lead to glucose which turns sluggish and tired in terms of Then the live DVD titled
five months, I had lost 43kgs. into fat in the body. The key is just performing on stage.” Mhoroi was his seventh.
All the hard work and de- I was on 193kg I am now on always to get your body to use
termination are however 150.8 kgs.” its own fuel instead of using And those who have watched His ninth album was called
finally paying off for the af- the fuel that comes from eating Pastor G perform on stage since Indestructible, released in
fable pastor and songwriter,   And as part of that regime, carbs. Every time we eat, the his weight loss journey can tes- 2012. Then came his 10th al-
whose real name is Stanley Pastor G would go walking and body stores fat. And as a result, tify to a more electrifying en- bum, Legacy 1610.
Gwanzura. live on a diet of fewer carbohy- we become insulin resistant, tertainer.
drates. because the more carbs we eat “My 11th album was called
For Pastor G, losing weight the more the pancreas has to “I think losing weigh has af- Victory 1911 because I was
is not a stroll in the park; it is “In fact, I do vegetables most produce insulin,” he explains. fected my music in a positive celebrating my 10 years in the
an arduous journey. of the time,” he adds. “I might way. I think I have more cho- music industry. From then I
have some carbs here and there, What is his advice to those reography on stage. I don’t get have been dropping singles
The first step, he reveals, but very little carbs, almost five who want to lose weight? Cut tired early on stage. It had af- like Ishe Komborera, Mweya
was to cut his diet by al- to six days a week I don’t do any your portions in half. fected my music that way, es- Mutsvene, Versace neBachi,
most half, then followed by a carbs. No cokes, no sugar or pecially on the music side,” he Zvichanaka 2021, and just re-
change of mindset. fizzes. I use sweeteners. There is “This is for those who want says. cently I released Mirira which
a sweetener I use called Stevia to lose weight,” says Pastor G. is doing well on Star FM gospel
This is the remarkable story from South Africa which I use “Where you were eating five, Pastor G's debut album as charts,” he says.
of Pastor G, a charismatic fig- for my dietary requirements.” begin to eat two. Where you ate a solo artiste was Tariro. His
ure who has dominated Zim- a big portion, begin to eat half second album, Reflections “There is another album I
babwe’s social and religious While this sounds like an of that. Half a portion of sad- of a Street Preacher, featured released in 2021 called Favour
scenes for decades. easy routine, Pastor G admits za, rice, and whatever you used songs like Walk Alone, Count 2012. It’s a live DVD. I am
to battling serious cravings. to eat. Also, change the time Your Blessings and the banger dropping my 13th, Hope Re-
The target for Pastor G is to of eating. Try and eat between Chibilika. His third release, loaded, hopefully in October,
lose 50kgs and get to 100kgs. “The most difficult thing 11 and six in the evening. A Diary of a Street Preacher, fea- but I’m most likely moving this
To go with it, he will also about weight loss in managing lot of times we just walk from tured the song Zvichanaka and to December.”
re-arrange his wardrobe to your appetite and cravings. But the car to the office, the car to several other songs like More
avoid sagging pants. I think the most difficult thing the shops and we don’t exercise. Than Love, I Worship You and
about managing weight loss is Join a gym, and get a trainer Ndaiwana Hama.
“Yes, I am losing my ward- mindset,” he says. because 80% of it is what we
robe, but at the same time, I eat. We are what we eat.” The fourth album, Psalms
am getting a new one!” quips “I have tried to lose weight of the Street Preacher,
Pastor G in a chat with  The before, but it is just that my Pastor G admits that his did well with the hit
NewsHawks this week. mindset had not changed. I quality of life used to be low, My Home.
needed more information. And health-wise.
“So I have had to buy some I think in the last year or two
new clothes in the last couple I started reading more about “I don’t get
of days.” weight loss because I wanted to easily
make sure that I manage it. And
Pastor G is now 50 years because of Covid-19, I wanted
old and counting, an age that to make sure that my health
carries a risk for such ailments was in ship-shape.”
as high blood pressure.
It’s both dieting and
This has been one of the exercising, he says,
chief reasons in his pursuit of and 80% diet and
a leaner body. 20% exercise.

“I embarked on the weight “You need to do
loss journey simply because I exercises such as
wanted to get healthier,” says cardio-high in-
Pastor G. tensity. Walk-
ing is the
“I feel like I needed to lose
weight because I am actually Pastor G.
50, and when you are over
50, co-morbidities set in such
as hypertension, blood pres-
sure and things like that. Di-
abetes – I don’t have diabetes
but blood pressure I suffer
from that. So I have to make
sure that at least I get weight
which makes me manage it
better. And also just be able
to have wellness. And that is
how the journey actually
started.”

Pastor G enrolled for a
programme called Aruka
Lighten Up, a programme
run by Pastor Mtungwazi
and his wife Rutendo.

NewsHawks Poetry Corner Page 49

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

Title: Bird swing Title: A Lawless Rate. Title: The Crack House
Poet: Andy Kahari Poet: Obey Chiyangwa Poet: Stephen Mupoto aka Professor
Ngugi waMkirii
in soaring flight This rate keeps sprinting,
i wondered engulfed Her long lanky limbs, unfettered and confident. Like a boxer who shadow boxes,
in angst and worry Scratching the roof of the Emperor's mind silly And plays pong,
if ever this volant with worry. Dancing to the cadence of his throbbing
amongst the violent bars At this alarming rate, heart,
would glide me home Of the lawless rate, The crack house,
on a pendulum The nation will soon be deprived of a rarely Dead and reeking with a whiff of death,
i was swayed reasonable leader! Stands in stark contrast,
to and fro A Minister coughs repeatedly nervously in Par- To the brewery of the saints,
here and there liament House. Where the opium of the spirit is imbibed,
far from home This rate is downright rude and sinister all in To exorcise the soul of her burdens.
void of joy one move. A horde of dimwits,
i fell in wonder A real enemy of a thriving state that is wrecking Huddle together in solidarity,
as sways and airflow the lives of the ordinary people. Surrounding the bulb,
brought no joy Why is law enforcement not arresting and de- To quip their lost souls,
but a gale and a thud taining this rate without trial? With crack and dope,
to see me lost The Minister of Home Affairs must be colluding To liberate their weary conscience,
as paths back home vanished and conniving with this same ill-disciplined rate. From the oppressive social regime,
and no flight was seen in me The mansion he has since built on that farm That bites like the fangs of the adder.
as the pendulum was back and forth confiscated from a white farmer is too big for his In one corner lay unwashed undergar-
between home and this cage of steel salary alone. ments,
and so was lost in thoughts of toads Why are the soldiers not firing the newly pro- Silently crying for attention,
to still leap here and there cured guns at this unpatriotic and wanton With a haranguing stench.
in cycles of lips eroding faith behaviour? A rusty washing line,
speaking not a day of home Yet all the generals are lavishing in beautiful Runs from one end to the other,
when i the caged would be uncaged houses not built of state coffers. Like a line of symmetry,
to be deep into the orange horizon The concerned minister coughs again before Dividing the crack house,
where i dreamt of flames warming flights addressing a question from the Governor of the Into two distinct court yards,
and be awakened in tomorrow State Bank. One that rules the mind,
where my marrow was reborn strong Why are the Green Bombers sitting idle when And the other that rules the flesh,
and brave was it to hold my bones the rate is on the rampage like this? Only divided by a thin veil,
to and fro here and there The Honourable Minister of Finance licks his Linen dipped in dirt,
till freedom land i saw in reach lips and straightens his designer suit garment. And dotted with the curse,
but jail bars swung to ever gel He clears his throat and taps on the mic in a Of the whore's blood.
with a life of a jail bird manner meant to buy time.
to be laid in a thorny jail bed The August House is more silent than at the ***********************************************
dreams to freedom funeral of the last National Hero. Title: Self Knowledge
i saw them balloon deflated When he speaks his voice quivers as his long Poet: Chioneso
and inflated and once more deflated whiskers fold into his usually loud mouth.
and as a bird swing swayed to and fro "Your Honour, concerted plans are seriously I don't know what I don't know,
did my mind also sway here and there underway to engage the services of the best But I do know what I know,
and hope I did the fall will be at home lawyers in the land to deal once and for all with The woman that birthed me,
the thorny issue of this lawless rate" The father who claims me,
Overview Laughter, loud catcalls and rude jeers in the My body,
This poem came to me as I remembered a increasingly lawless August House! My name,
conversation I heard at Chikurubi Prison with My beliefs,
an inmate who was about to be released. He .***************************************************** My age,
feared the walls of prison now controlled him, My children,
which I equated to a Pendulum, signified by a The ones I loved,
bird swing in a cage. The ones I lost
Which is good in measuring time, because it is The ghosts that haunt me,
constant, but constant may also be stagnation; The spirit that moves me,
so was his life also stuck on the bird swing, The hands that have been dealt to me,
to be swayed here and there, going nowhere The things that break and make me,
slowly, only to find him still caged and stuck on The things that keep me awake at night,
the swing. The darkest of night,
The things that keep me going,
***************************************************** The dreams that keep me believing,
What do you know?

Page 50 People & Places NewsHawks

Issue 95, 26 August 2022

SA's DJ Tira just loves Zimbabwe