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In his address during the launch of the Matabeleland North Community Share Ownership Scheme/ Trust (CSOS/T) at Hwange Colliery Stadium on Thursday, Mr Saunders praised President Mugabe for achieving successes in education, land reform and economic empowerment.
“I commend President Mugabe for promoting education in the country after independence. Zimbabwe boasts of a 92 percent literacy rate, which is the highest in Africa. If I speak to you in English I do not have to apologise because you understand me,” said Mr Saunders drawing applause from thousands of people at the stadium.
“I appreciate the country’s educational success and the land reform, which is having its logical conclusion. Now the President has brought empowerment to the people.”
New Dawn Mining owns gold mining companies such as Duration Gold and Casmyn in Bubi District. The company joined nine other companies that are participating in Matabeleland North’s CSOS/T.
Mr Saunders applauded the Government for initiating the CSOS/T saying countries the world over were taking into account the need to foster development in previously disadvantaged communities.
“Business at all levels the world over is about sustainability. As New Dawn we understand that in this changing world empowerment is key to our own survival. We do not need to suffer problems of unbalanced development,” he said.
“We believe in the empowerment of our people. We have a firm belief in the indigenisation programme that is balanced, transparent and focused. We have engaged the Bubi community where we operate in. We are saying the company is for the people and the people are for the company.”
Mr Saunders said he has held meetings with the company shareholders all over the world who agreed that ceding 10 percent shares to the community was a noble idea.
In the last two months we engaged the top 10 of our shareholders and agreed that 10 percent equity to the community was paramount. It is a long term way of giving capital and enabling participation of different stakeholders for sustainability,” said Mr Saunders.
Mr Saunders said his company would not only hand an open cheque to the community but would seek to see that the development programmes funded through the scheme were implemented accordingly.
New Dawn pledged to contribute $4 million to the community trust and handed over a $1 million cheque to Chief Mtshana Khumalo, who chairs the trust in the district.
Online Reporter