adminThe other provinces are Matabeleland South, Midlands, Mashonaland West and Manicaland. Nine companies operating in Matabeleland North province have pledged to contribute $16,5 million as seed money under the CSOS/T and a cheque of $10 million which is part of the seed money was presented to President Mugabe at the launch. The companies that are participating in the Matabeleland North CSOS/T are Hwange Colliery Company, Makomo Resources, Chibondo Mine, South Mining, Hwange Coal Gassification, China Sunlight Africa, Pretoria Portland Cement, Liberation Mining and New Dawn Mining.
The CSOS/T in other provinces are already implementing development projects and we hope the Matabeleland North scheme will immediately get down to business as well. What is pleasing is that companies in the province have made available seed money and what the communities should immediately do is to put the structures in place and identify projects to implement. It is our hope that Tsholotsho, Nkayi and Binga community trusts that were also launched on Wednesday will receive seed money as soon as possible so that they do not lag behind other districts in the province.
Under the CSOS/T companies operating in a given area cede 10 percent shares to communities they are operating in. The communities then use proceeds from their shares to fund development projects such as building schools, clinics, construction of roads or bridges. In Shurugwi and Zvishavane in the Midlands province, some of the projects being implemented under CSOS/T are nearing completion. We have said it before that CSOS/T should be established in all corners of the country so that all communities benefit directly from their natural resources.
We are pleased to note that Government is moving with speed to establish these schemes and already five provinces have been covered. We however realise that even in those provinces where the CSOS/T have been launched, some areas are yet to benefit from the exploitation of their natural resources because companies operating in their areas are yet to contribute to the CSOS/T. Government should therefore put mechanisms in places to ensure that those pockets that are yet to benefit also start enjoying the fruits of their natural resources.
We have said it before that only those companies that are prepared to share their profits with communities through ceding shares should be allowed to continue exploiting the country’s resources. There is no room especially for foreign companies that just want to exploit our natural resources to benefit their countries of origin while the people, who are the owners of the resources, wallow in abject poverty. We want at this juncture to once again urge communities to ensure that only individuals of high integrity are appointed to handle the CSOS/T money.
Online Reporter