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Harare Bureau
FORMER Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Minister Cde Saviour Kasukuwere has accused companies mining diamonds in Chiadzwa of being dishonest and disrespectful of the community they are operating in saying they must honour the $10 million pledges they made to the Marange Community Share Trust instead of trying to disown the Trust.
Responding to claims by the companies that they were not aware of the existence of the Marange-Zimunya Community Share Ownership Trust that was launched by President Mugabe on July 27, 2012, Cde Kasukuwere accused the companies of dishonesty saying the trust was formed with the involvement of various ministries and the respective mining companies.
The companies — Mbada Diamonds, Marange Resources, Anjin Investments, Jinan and Diamond Mining Company — denied the existence of the trust when they appeared before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment chaired by Gokwe-Nembudziya MP Cde Justice Wadyajena (Zanu-PF) last week.
The then Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu was non-committal when contacted for comment only saying, “I am not aware of that trust. When it was launched, I was not in attendance. It is better that you ask those who attended the launch.”
But Minister Kasukuwere came out guns blazing.
“For anybody to try and suggest they were not aware of the legal provisions contained in our laws and the instruments which were gazetted is really, really deceitful,” Minister Kasukuwere — who is now in charge of the Environment, Water and Climate portfolio — said.
“In all the ceremonies that were held all the ministries — Mines and Mining Development, Local Government and the President’s Office were all involved in setting up these community trusts.
“For one to say they did not hear or they didn’t know about it is just displaying dishonesty of the highest order. You cannot display dishonesty to this level and the communities of Marange deserve what is due to them. They (the mining companies) must be responsible and show respect.”
Minister Kasukuwere said he could not have fabricated the dummy cheque that was displayed at the launch of the community share trust.
“Kasukuwere does not work in a bank to come up with a dummy cheque,” he said. “How do I know the signatures of the bank officials? Let’s be responsible and ensure that the communities are benefiting from their resources, that is the bottom line.”
Cde Kasukuwere said the $10 million for the community share trust was suggested by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development on the premise that the community could not be given 10 percent shares because the Zimbabwe Mining Development Company, government’s investment arm, was already in partnership with the companies.
“A community share trust is not formed without sufficient consultation having taken place at official level,” said Minister Kasukuwere. “I am just putting the record straight, what was said in Parliament was devoid of the truth,” he charged.
Minister Kasukuwere said it was unfortunate that the mining companies wanted to create “a very unfortunate impression on a process they were fully aware of and were engaged”.
He said as Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment, he could not have gone ahead with the launch of something that did not have a basis.
“In any case, we have been on record saying the community of Marange must be supported to set up the $50 million on the fact that the alluvial diamonds will be finished and the community must be allowed to move forward,” said Minister Kasukuwere.
He said other community share trusts like those of Zimplats, Gwanda and Unki had shown how communities could benefit from their resources.
Minister Kasukuwere said he awaited a chance to be called to Parliament to give his side of the story on the Marange share trust.
Online Reporter