adminIn an interview on Tuesday, Cde Sandi Moyo expressed concern over the disregarding of the indigenisation regulations when it comes to the retail businesses with local authorities licensing foreigners in a sector that is specifically reserved for Zimbabweans.
Cde Sandi Moyo said the Ministry of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment should quickly look into the issue and take appropriate action for the benefit of local people.
“We need a legislation that will enforce the acquisition of retail businesses by indigenous people and facilitate the monitoring of people who buy these businesses. We have hundreds of unemployed people in Bulawayo who have qualifications and are able to run these businesses,” said Cde Sandi Moyo who is also Zanu-PF’s Deputy National Secretary for Women’s Affairs.
“It is disappointing that most of the retail shops in the city are still run by foreigners when the law is clear that the sector is reserved for black Zimbabweans. We feel this is a deliberate ploy to sabotage the indigenisation programme.
“The foreign businesses should also adjust and abide by the indigenisation policy. We fought the liberation struggle so that our children can own these businesses. Some of these foreign players are ill treating workers and are not giving them anything. As leaders we will not tolerate that. This issue should be addressed before we can make noise.”
Cde Sandi Moyo buttressed calls by Bulawayo Governor Cain Mathema that the more than 85 closed companies in the city should be taken over and given to black people.
“For a long time Zimbabwe has suffered economic hardships under sanctions as white owned businesses deliberately closed shop and denied workers salaries. Some of them went away with the keys and left hundreds of our people destitute.
“The liberation struggle was fought so that we get back our land and today we demand total empowerment of our people.
We cannot allow buildings to lie desolate because they are on our land. Governor Mathema is right that these companies should be taken over and given to the youthful graduates to run them,” said Cde Sandi Moyo.
She also castigated corrupt black people who were manipulating the indigenisation programme to satisfy their selfish interests.
Said Cde Sandi Moyo: “The indigenisation policy is a Government programme that seeks to benefit all Zimbabweans.
However, we are aware that there are black sellouts who are moving around acquiring several buildings and mines under unclear circumstances. Minister Saviour Kasukuwere should watch out for such people and come up with measures to curb the abuse of the policy.”
Recently, the Bulawayo City Council came under fire from residents who accused it of renewing retail licences to foreigners while sidelining local business people.
Cde Sandi Moyo’s sentiments come amid frustration over delays in the release of the $40 million for recapitalisation of Bulawayo firms under Dimaf.
The Zimbabwe Federation of Trade Union (ZFTU) is also on record saying the closed companies should be given to workers.
Online Reporter