No bad blood between myself, Kasukuwere: Mpofu

Kasukuwere and the two were pursuing the same empowerment agenda.
The minister made the revelations while presenting a paper on the future of mining development and exploitation of mineral resources in Zimbabwe at the Staff Collage yesterday.
“Contrary to some reports in some sections of the media alleging that there is a misunderstanding between me and Minister Kasukuwere regarding his policies in the mining sector, I’m happy to tell you that we are working well on this issue.
“All companies in the mining sector have to take heed of the indeginisation requirement because it is a law of the country.
“Any company that does not respect that law is doing that at it’s own peril,” he said.
Minister Mpofu said the mining sector was dominated by a few large firms whose shareholders were domiciled out of the country.
“Zimbabwe’s indigenisation and economic empowerment is founded on the understanding that Zimbabweans must be the major beneficiaries of the exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.
“The Government seeks to achieve empowerment and indigenisation in the mining sector in a manner that results in the development of a broad-based mining industry for long lasting economic benefits to both Zimbabweans and investors,” Minister Mpofu said.
He said a draft Diamond Bill was now in place and would be operationalised soon.
“A draft diamond policy has been produced after extensive stakeholder consultations were carried out within the last three months and we expect the policy to be operational soon,” Minister Mpofu said.
Minister Mpofu said the policy documents would ensure sustainable exploitation of the mineral resource.
Zimbabwe is believed to have the largest deposits of alluvial diamonds in the world.
Minister Mpofu said he was in agreement with Minister Kasukuwere in implementing the indigenisation and empowerment regulations. The regulations make compulsory for foreign owned companies to give at least 51 percent shareholding to indigenous Zimbabweans. Minister Mpofu’s remarks come at a time when platinum mining company Zimplats that was failing to submit an acceptable indeginisation proposal finally complied with the indigenisation laws.
He said the Government would soon introduce a policy that would facilitate the sustainable development of small to medium scale mining by providing technical and financial support.