Online Reporter
Judith Phiri, Zimpapers Business Hub
THE Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndhlovu has said Community Economic Empowerment Trusts (CEETs) will be drivers of Government’s rural industrialisation agenda in line with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
CEETs are a major policy shift from the earlier Community Share Ownership Trusts (CSOTs), designed to drive rural industrialisation by using local resources for agro-processing, setting up industrial parks and attracting investment.
These ensure communities benefit directly from mining and agriculture through revenue sharing and project development, aligning with President Mnangagwa’s “leaving no one behind” vision.
In his keynote address at the CEETs Policy Dissemination Workshop in Bulawayo on Wednesday, the Minister said CEETs were critical to development and economic growth.
“Under NDS2, Government is focused on aggressively growing the economy through initiatives such as the Rural Industrialisation agenda. NDS2 demands that we devolve development, expand economic participation and value add our raw minerals.
“The new policy trajectory recognises CEETs as drivers of Government’s rural industrialisation agenda as they will be directly linking local mineral wealth to job creation and sustainable economic activity,” he said.
He said the enhanced CEETs that the Government approved in September this year marks a critical juncture in the nation’s economic empowerment journey under the Second Republic and aligns with President Mnangagwa’s development philosophy of “leaving no one and no place behind.”
Minister Ndhlovu said the comprehensive and revitalised framework for community empowerment was not merely a policy adjustment, it was a fundamental shift to ensure that the wealth generated from abundant natural resources translates into tangible and sustainable development for the communities where these resources are found.
He said equally important was the indispensable need to ensure Zimbabweans play a pivotal role in the rapid economic growth experienced under the Second Republic.
“The theme of this two-day workshop, which is ‘Harnessing Community Economic Empowerment Trusts for Accelerated Rural Industrialisation’, reaffirms Government’s thrust to accelerate inclusive industrialisation and commercialisation by tapping into grassroots potential,” he added.
“We are not inventing the wheel. We are learning from the best practices around the globe. Successful community empowerment models exist globally and we must emulate their governance standards. Next door we have the Royal Bafokeng Nation (South Africa). They converted their mineral rights into a diversified investment holding company.”
Minister Ndlovu said they have also built roads, schools and stadiums not through charity, but through dividends from their commercial assets.
Internationally, he said there is the Alaska Permanent Fund from the United States of America where Revenue from oil is invested and part of the dividends are paid to residents.
The Minister added: “Let me reiterate that we are not completely abandoning the Share Ownership model as we have witnessed positive tangible community development and empowerment from some successful Community Trusts.
We have seen the success stories from the Mhondoro – Ngezi – Chegutu – Zvimba and Gwanda Community Trusts only to mention a few.”
He said these have been flagship trusts that can be emulated and outlined as benchmarks for the potential possessed by communities when fully supported.
