Trojan to launch community fund

“The President will soon be launching an empowerment fund by the Bindura Nickel Mine for Bindura and Mashonaland Central.
“The funds have already been put in place,” said Minister Kasukuwere without giving figures.
BNC is majority-owned (52,9 percent) by regional mining conglomerate Mwana Africa Holdings (Pty) Limited, which acquired it from Anglo American Corporation of Zimbabwe in 2003. Plans to establish the community share trust come as BNC says it is now ready to go ahead with a rights issue to raise US$21 million for the restart of the Trojan Nickel Mine.
Mwana Africa, through its subsidiary Zimnick Limited, will act as underwriter for the BNC rights issue.
The company owns and operates the Shangani and Trojan nickel mines, as well as a smelter and refinery complex.
BNC also owns the large Hunters Road nickel deposit that is a pre-development nickel project.
Minister Kasukuwere was speaking during the official opening of Chitse Clinic in the area.
The Chitse Clinic was built as a joint initiative between the community of Mount Darwin West constituency and Roserock Mine.
The clinic is expected to serve a population of about 12 000 people in the Chitse and Mudzengerere wards of Mount Darwin.
Roserock Mine is involved in the extraction of black granite blocks as well processing and export of finished products. It is a joint venture between an indigenous Zimbabwean company, Black Granite (Pvt) Limited, and an Italian company, Red Graniti SpA.
Minister Kasukuwere thanked the granite miner for its contribution to community development, but urged them to increase their social responsibility efforts.
“We applaud the effort of Roserock in respect of the construction of the clinic, but we want more from these granite firms.
“If these rocks you are taking had no value, then you would not be taking them,” he said.
Officially opening the Chitse Clini, Vice President Joice Mujuru described the construction of the clinic as a development that showed effective partnering between the State and the private sector.
“I urge and encourage the rest of the corporate world to emulate the constructive spirit of win-win partnerships between the Government, the Rural District Council and the private sector,” she said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the clinic’s launch, Roserock Mine managing director Mr Yves-Marc Charvet said:
“This project is central to our corporate social responsibility programme. Our focus is to promote good relations nationally with stakeholders and assist in meeting community development needs in the areas which we operate.”