Govt vows to prosecute black ‘business pawns’

By Michael Chideme recently in MUTOKO

GOVERNMENT has vowed to prosecute local blacks used as "pawns" in defending white interests across the sectors of the economy.

High-ranking Government officials, politicians and indigenous businessmen and farmers across the sectors of the economy are reportedly being used as fronts for the whites. This is seen as a deliberate ploy by some unscrupulous businesspeople to defeat the indigenisation programme.

Addressing traditional leaders, the Zanu-PF leadership in Mutoko, Mutoko Rural District councillors, officials and the business community, Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Minister Saviour Kasukuwere warned that blacks who front and defend white interests risked losing businesses they fronted.

His remarks come in the wake of massive exploitation of the black granite in Mutoko, which began in 1972.

Since then the Mutoko community has not significantly benefited from the mining that has seen the communal area’s once beautiful mountains, reduced to flat ground.

Some of the black quarry miners are reportedly fronting white interests and are being paid money supposed to benefit the local people.

"Let us stop fronting white interests ahead of our people. Our people must come first. The people of Mutoko cannot allow it anymore. Shape up or ship out," he said to a thunderous applause from the delegates.

He said political independence attained in 1980 would never be complete without economic emancipation.

Minister Kasukuwere said it was disheartening that 30 years after independence 70 percent of the population still lives in abject poverty.

This, he said, was a result of some black people who vigorously resist the empowerment of the local population.

In response to a white quarry operator who had said business was depressed and that the miners were hardly making any profit, Minister Kasukuwere disagreed saying if the business was not viable the operators should quit and leave the local people to benefit.

"Why are you here if our stones are not competitive. Leave our people to benefit. It is time you understood clearly that we want 51 percent control in all business activities," he said.

Government, Minister Kasukuwere said, was looking at the possibility of having locals only to mine the black granite and export it themselves.

Prices of the black granite have been kept a closely guarded secret.

Minister Kasukuwere was in Mutoko to explain to the local leadership the Govern-ment’s Indigenisation and Economic Empo-werment Act.

He told the delegates that section 14B of the Act prescribes Community Share Ownership Schemes or Trusts in businesses, which exploit natural resources.

"10 percent shareholding in qualifying businesses shall be reserved for the community Share Ownership Schemes or Trusts.

"The Community Share Ownership Schemes or Trusts shall have a Deed of Trust registered with the Deeds Office," he said.

The local chief shall chair the Trust with the chairperson of the Rural District Council, as deputy while council chief executive officers would be roped in as secretaries of the Trusts. Funds from the shareholding would be used to maintain and operate schools, provide scholarships, hospitals and clinics.

Minister Kasukuwere said the funds would also go towards community dip tanks, road development and provision of water works and gully reclamation.