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“We have read about the issue in the Press. My Ministry has engaged the bank to obtain that report. We expect to get that report before the end of this week. The names of the beneficiaries must be known and it is a Cabinet directive that the information should be made public,” said Prof Ncube.
He said the funding facility which was meant for ailing Bulawayo industries, had been hijacked and spread to also assist ailing companies from other areas.
Prof Ncube said there was consensus at the decision making level in Government that Bulawayo as the country’s industrial hub, should be given priority when it comes to funding of ailing companies.
He accused the Ministry of Finance of sabotaging efforts to revive the city’s industries through delays in releasing the money.
“The need to revive Bulawayo is not disputed by anyone. We have made a lot of resolutions but the problem is on implementation. That is the weakness of the GNU. We make decisions but when it comes to implementation we are found wanting. Dimaf is a typical example,” said Minister Ncube.
He said it has been a year since Dimaf was set up but Government was yet to pay its $10 million outstanding contribution.
According to CABS 17 out of 29 companies that benefited were from Matabeleland and have received more than $9 million from Dimaf as of 21 September.
Beneficiairies were drawn from Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Harare, Goromonzi and Marondera.
The Government partnered with Old Mutual to set up Dimaf, with both parties pledging to deposit $20 million each into the fund to make it $40 million.
Business people in Bulawayo have said the $40 million was not enough to bring the city’s industry back to its feet.
More than 20 000 people have lost their jobs in Bulawayo following the closure or relocation of companies to other cities and towns.
Online Reporter