- MORE than 666 000 hactares had been put under maize production by end of December last year compared to 530 000 hectares planted in 2009, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Governor Dr Gideon Gono has said.
Presenting his monetary policy on Friday, Dr Gono said if the crop is not affected, the country was likely to record improved harvest this year.
Already agriculture is on the rebound after it recorded a 34 percent increase last year.
“Agriculture output is estimated to have grown by 34 percent in 2010 and is expected to continue on a recovery path in 2011. As at the end of December 2010, a total of 660 000 hectares of maize had been planted, compared to 530 000 in 2009.
“If the c…
- FREDA REBECCA gold mine located near Bindura has drawn down the first $4 million tranche of the $10 million loan facility provided by the Industrial Development Corporation of South Africa Ltd.
Mwana Africa PLC a group that has a diverse asset base including gold, nickel, copper, cobalt and diamonds and the first African-owned and managed resource company to list on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange (LSE) made the announcement.
“Mwana Africa PLC is pleased to announce that its Zimbabwean subsidiary, Freda Rebecca Gold Mine Limited, has drawn down the first $4m tranche of the $10m loan facility provided by the Industrial Development Corporation of…
- LEADING telecommunication giants Econet Wireless Limited and tourism giants Africa Sun Zimbabwe Limited have won the first annual “Investing in Zimbabwe’s Future” American Business Association of Zimbabwe Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Awards.
The two Zimbabwe Stock Exchange (ZSE) listed companies won the award for continued investment in Zimbabwe’s youth by supporting young, gifted but economically disadvantaged Zimbabweans as they work to build their educational and professional capacity.
United State Ambassador Charles Ray and ABAZ chairman Mr. Fred Mutanda announced the winners at the Just Business Forum closing reception in Harare on Wednesday.
Accord…
- by Ronny Zikhali
THE Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) has entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with a South African firm that will see the acquisition of 1000 compressors and accessories at a cost of US$2 million from China.
ZMF chief executive officer, Mr Wellington Takavarasha said they had entered into a deal with Sethembe Investments (Pty) Ltd in South Africa for the supply of compressors and accessories from Zhejiang Jiacheng Machinery Company in China at a cost of US$2 million.
He said under the deal Sethembe Investments was going to deliver the first consignment of 20 compressors this month to ascertain the viability of the project.
“Our aim is to put together afforda…
- by Ronny Zikhali
THE Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) seeking local companies to assist it in the rehabilitation of the Bulawayo Thermal Power Station, an official has said.
Mr Fullard Gwasira, the ZESA spokesperson revealed that the parastatal signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoU) with a Botswana power company to rehabilitate the Bulawayo thermal power station in a deal that is worth $9 million dollars.
“Plans have always been there to rehabilitate this power station. We’ve actually gone into an agreement with a Botswana power company to rehabilitate the Bulawayo power station. We’ve signed a memorandum of agreement similar to the one of Hwange power s…
- by Ronny Zikhali
FINANCE minister, Mr Tendai Biti, has underlined the budgetary policies to be inherited from this year’s national budget into the 2010/11 budget.
Speaking at a national budget consultative process meeting in Bulawayo last Friday, Minister Biti said the 2011 budget would be premised on the continued use of the multiple currencies state budgeting.
“We will continue using multiple currencies in 2011…We will continue with state budgeting, I belief in a philosophy of spending that which you have and again if you tell us to spend that which we don’t have we will refuse even though we are democratic so don’t tell us that.
The third thing, which…
- by Roony Zikhali
ZIMBABWE’S beverage manufacturer,DELTA Beverages is installing a state-of-the-art automatic boiler worth about US$650 000 at its Belmont plant in Bulawayo, an official said.
Delta Corporation general manager for corporate affairs, Mr George Mutendadzamera said the installation of the automatic boiler was a move aimed at improving efficiency in the line of production as well as to increase capacity to meet market demands.
“The installation of the boiler is currently in progress at the Belmont Plant and hopefully it will be finished by end of October this year. The buying and installation of the boiler will bring the total cost to $650 000.
“If the i…
The Zimbabwe government should invite private investors in the energy sector to reduce the perennial power shortages that have affected industry, the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries has said. - The CZI president, Mr Joseph Kanyekanye, said there is a need to increase power generation in the country to accelerate industrial recovery and growth.
“There is an urgent need by government to cause existing power generation to be concessioned out somehow, in order to increase generation capacity,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Electricity supply Authority (ZESA) has been on record denying that it holds a monopoly over power generation arguing that the power act allows other players to…
- Zimbabwe’s sole coal miner, Hwange Colliery Company Limited’s coke oven battery which has been undergoing corrective maintenance over the last four months is expected to produce its first coke consignment next week, an official said.
The coal mining giant’s corporate affairs manager, Mr Burzil Dube said the thirty two oven battery has been undergoing a heat-up process to raise temperatures through various phases and twenty-three of them were already charging yesterday.
Coking is a cash cow for the HCCL with coking coal sales accounting for half of its revenue.
“The twenty three ovens that were being heated at sequences using coking coal are expected to be produci…
- By Ronny Zikhali
Zimbabwe’s small-scale miners still await anxiously for the Zimbabwe Miners Development Corporation (ZMDC) to release the names of companies to be granted mining rights at Chiadzwa diamond fields in Marange area, in the eastern border town of the country.
Most small scale miners submitted applications to the ZMDC as they sought to be granted rights to mine the diamonds.
Speaking on condition of anonymity, one small-scale miner said priority to mine at the diamond fields had to be given to them to ensure that they were fully empowered and that indigenisation was operational.
“We are looking forward to be empowered by our Government and be granted mining ri…
- Tourism sector grows by 7pc
by Ronny Zikhali
ZIMBABWE’s tourism sector has this year grown at an average annual rate of seven percent, the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality has said.
Tourism Minister Walter Muzembi was speaking at the annual National Tourism Awards, which was hosted in the resort town of Victoria Falls recently.
The awards were meant to honour individuals and corporates that contributed significantly to the growth of the tourism and hospitality sector between 2009 and 2010.
Minister Muzembi thanked the various stakeholders for their invaluable contribution to the improved performance.
"It is encouraging to note that these Awards are coming…
- By Ronny Zikhali
OVER 100 schools in Zimbabwe are facing sanitary infrastructural challenges and the Ministry of Education, Sport, Art and Culture will soon be rolling out a plan of action aimed at rectifying that.
The Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart, said this would be part of the Government’s efforts to improve the learning environment in schools.
“It has been agreed as a policy to make sure that infrastructural development is implemented especially when it comes to the issue of sanitary systems in schools to restore a conducive learning environment,” he said.
The minister said both rural and urban schools have been hit by wat…
- By Ronnty Zikhali
IN an incident which left villagers at Zimbabwe's resort town of Binga in shock, a crocodile grabbed a two-year-old infant from the banks of the mighty Zambezi river and went under water before resurfacing a few metres away to cut the child into two before swallowing him in full view of a wailing mother.
The incident happened last Thursday at Intale Fishing Camp whose inhabitants mainly rely on fishing for income. Ironically, Intale in the Tonga language means crocodile.
A visit to the area last Sunday, locals where still trying to come to terms of what had happened, while the deceased child’s parents had reportedly gone to their rural home for traditional…
- COMESA on new trade regulations
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa member
states have been urged to fully implement regional procurement
regulations in order for the region to benefit meaningfully from its
lucrative public procurement market and enhance private sector growth
and development.
According to the latest Comesa newsletter, this was stated among the
key resolutions at the end of a two day meeting of the Technical
Committee of Procurement Experts (TCPE) meeting in Ezulwini-
Swaziland, in July.
The meeting of experts underscored their commitment to encourage their
respective governments to foster targeted policies that will ensure
sourcing their public procur…
The world's biggest fast-food chain, McDonalds, has reportedly targeted Zimbabwe as a new market for its outlets as the country continues to recover from the economic chaos experienced over the last decade. - McDonalds tried to get into the country in 1999 but was put off by the simmering political and economic instability.
Over the last several years some international companies pulled out of Zimbabwe, frustrated by the inclement operating environment which was characterised by hyperinflation and chronic foreign currency shortages.
The foreign currency crunch meant companies could not take out their profits.
However the establishment of a coalition government between President…
- Richard Branson, the multi- millionaire entrepreneur has urged people to invest in Zimbabwe.
Branson who has since launched a campaign to save poorly administered countries said the world was wrong to wait instead of helping the politically volatile, impoverished southern African nation revive itself.
Virgin Unite, the philanthropic arm of Branson's Virgin Group, has helped create Enterprise Zimbabwe, a nonprofit group connecting philanthropists and commercial investors with business and social development opportunities.
Zimbabwe has struggled to attract foreign aid and investment because of President Robert Mugabe's policies, which include a plan for local blacks to acqu…
- Ronny Zikhali
THE Government of Zimbabwe has made efforts that rural communities also get a chance to see the stars of soccer in action in South Africa this June, a cabinet minister has said.
The Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Mr Walter Mzembi, said, to ensure that rural communities will not be left out of the euphoria of the first world soccer showcase on African soil, the Government had imported a number of LCD Screens to connect Zimbabweans to the World Cup through theme parks.
“There are 33 sites funded by the business sector in the country. The Government of Zimbabwe has come up with 40 other theme parks in rural areas,” he said.
The minister said although the…
- Ronney Zikhali
A 29-year-old man from Bulawayo’s Pumula Suburb was last week on Tuesday fined $US60 after he was convicted of thoroughly assaulting her nine-year niece while tying her on car jump starters following an altercation over a remote control gadget.
Earlier on in the morning- when the incident took place- the man had also severely whipped the girl for waking up late for school.
The man was convicted on his plea of guilty for contravening Section 89 of the Criminal Law (Codification And Reform) Act Chapter 9:23, assault.
The Prosecutor, Mr Jabulani Sibanda, told the court that on 14 October last year at around 7 am, the girl woke up late for school and his uncle too…
- by Ronney Zikhali
CAPACITY utilisation stands at 30 percent while in some industries it is still very low, the president of the Employers Council of Zimbabwe (EMCOZ) has said.
Addressing other business people at the just ended Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Mr David Gorere, said more still needs to be done as capacity utilisation was still low and in the textile industry it still stood at 10 percent.
“We need to curb imports to give local industry a chance. The import export ratio is 20:1. The huge imports that we have the capacity to destroy our agriculture and upstream agriculture processing businesses,” he said.
He said there is a need to relook at the list…
Zimbabwe's coal mining giant Hwange Colliery Company Limited (HCCL) has sent a budget proposal of over US$115 million to the Government for recapitalization as it seeks to improve its production. - HCCL managing director, Fred Moyo said they have prepared two budgets. He said the company is seeking US$25 million for a short term recapitalization to increase its production levels to about 60-70% within the next 100 days set aside by Government under the Short Term Economic Recovery Plan (STERP) while US$90 million is meant for long term projects.
“The US$25 million doesn’t restore capacity to the required levels but it will certainly improve production.
“We also h…
- Ronny Zikhali
PREPARATIONS the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), which is the second largest trade show south of the Sahara, have gather momentum amid revelations that 88 percent of exhibition space has been sold.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting on Thursday, ZITF general manager, Mr Daniel Chigaru, said the number of exhibitors to participate at the fair has risen tremendously against the backdrop of a cash crunch being faced by the country.
“The exhibition has sold well regarding the situation we are in, with 88 percent of the space being sold in Hall One, Three, Four, Five, open sites and all our leased stands.
“If need be we will also open Hall Two and Hall…
The Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) has called on the Government to facilitate an extended remittance period for loans acquired by businesses from financial institutions. - ZNCC Gwanda chairman, Misheck Ndlovu, said the one month period for the submissions of funds loaned by businesses from banks was restrictive since the economy is in a state of recovery after experiencing a downturn over the years.
He said money lending institutions such as the Small Enterprises Development Corporation should be made accessible to businesses especially in remote areas so as to capacitate them.
“All that we have been canvassing and lobbying is for organisations or financial institut…
- Ronny Zikhali in Bulawayo
THE Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperatives is making concerted efforts to open a secondary stock market exchange for Small and Medium Enterprises, a Cabinet official has said.
In an interview recently, the Minister of Small to Medium Enterprises and Cooperative, Sithembiso Nyoni said SMEs are the foundation for private sector development in any country thus the need for Government to fully support them so as to ensure economic turnaround.
“They (SMEs) are already contributing a very significant percentage to the Gross Domestic Product. For instance I was in Beitbridge at the end of February and the number of SMEs that were bringing…
- Good News: More houses for Zimbabweans
By Ronny Zikhali
THE Ministry of National Housing has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Old Mutual that will see more than 10 000 houses being built this year countrywide, a cabinet minister has said.
The deal comes after the ministry has crafted its five-year strategic plan that is aimed at constructing 1.5 million houses.
The Minister of National Housing, Fidelis Mhashu said the deal was a major boost to the five-year strategic plan which is expected to go a long way in creating valuable accommodation nationwide.
Minister Mhashu said years 2010 to 2015 was a period of reducing housing backlog in the country.
“I can tell y…
- Bulawayo readies for World Cup
by Ronny Zikhali
THE Mayor for the City of Bulawayo Councillor Thaba Patrick Moyo has called on residents to take advantage of the Soccer World Cup tournament to be held in South Africa later this year.
The world cup will be hosted, for the first time in Africa, in June this year; will see an increase in the number of tourists visiting the continent and the mayor says this would be a chance to help boost the image and status of the city.
The Mayor said this in his end of year message to Bulawayo residents in which he highlighted the challenges faced in the previous year and also set the council's key priorities for 2010.
"As we look forward t…
A young man's lust for liquor almost led to his death at a birthday party. Luckson Phiri, 25, accidentally fell into a large container full of opaque beer and lost consciousness after he had climbed to the top of the tank in an attempt to scoop beer using a bucket, because the receptacle's tap was faulty. - Phiri confirmed the incident that took place at Bulawayo’s high density suburb of Nketa. However, he said he does not remember what caused him to fall into the container.
He narrated: “I don’t know whether I was pushed or I slipped. The only thing I remember was waking up at home the next day. My friends told me that they had to pump my stomach for me to r…
SADC is set to meet and deliberate on the adoption of a single currency to be used for trading by member state, a cabinet Minister Welshman Mpofu said. "The issue of adopting a single currency is a collective effort by all member states and will be debated by the Ministers of Trade and head of states in Kinshasa." - The Minister of Industry and Commerce, Professor Welshman Mpofu said the regional trading bloc’s Ministers of Trade and head of state deliberated the issue when they met in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and would soon sit to further the issue of adopting a single currency.
“This issue falls under one of SADC’s programme which saw the settin…
Zimbabwe is likely to be hit by drought this farming season. The drought forecast by the Association of World Meteorological Services department in Southern Africa in the coming cropping season has become a cause for concern not only to farmers themselves but the entire Zimbabwean nation at large. - Farmers who faced a number of challenges in the providing of the nation with adequate food in previous drought years are looking at mitigation measures to lessen the adverse impact of El Nino phenomenon.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union President, Wilson Nyabonda told Zimbabwe’s sole broadcaster, ZBC News in Harare that since the local meteorological office has not yet confirmed a droug…
About $50 million has been devoted to fight HIV/AIDS in the southern African country of Zimbabwe. The amount was channeled into the Expanded Support Programme which aims to scale up the national HIV/AIDS response in line with the Zimbabwe National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (ZNASP). - The Common Fund – the backbone of the programme – is supporting the drive for three years, according to the National Aids Council. The Council said about $48 million had been disbursed into the common fund with expenditure rate above 80%.
“The Programme activities are concentrated on behaviour change, strategy implementation, care and treatment (which is taking almost 65% of the resources …
Divisions seem to be rocking the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance (ZCA) as the issue of the inclusion of homosexuality in the southern African country's constitution has taken centre stage. There are calls by some of its members for its inclusion while others are diametrically pitted against the idea. - Discussions held at the ZCA organised indaba held last week revealed that while some of the members of the church who run civic grouping were arguing that homosexuality should be included in the constitution some stood firm against its inclusion arguing that it was morally wrong for the church to permit homosexuality.
One of the participants who declined to be named argued that churches sh…
The delay in the opening to the public of Zivuku Clinic in Chivi district of Zimbabwe has resulted in the communities resorting to a church temple as a maternity ward, where pregnant mothers give birth with the help of prophets from the Johnne Masowe sect. There are fears they have no health expertise. - According to the villagers the clinic that was built some five years ago had now turned into a white elephant. AfricaNews reporter said the health conditions under which they operate can also be a cause for serious concern since the prophets do not have the required protective clothing such as gloves.
Pregnant women from the surrounding villages such as Tagwirei, Musiiwa and Machanja comm…
Gold production at Turk mine, northwest of Bulawayo in Zimbabwe increased by more than 10% in May compared to the previous month, as the mine finds its feet after re-opening early this year. The mine, owned by Japanese based New Dawn, was placed on care and maintenance due to operational challenges last year. - The mine re-opened in February after the Government introduced new measures that were meant to revive the sector.
New Dawn Mining group chief executive officer Ian Sunders said production at the mine increased to 916 ounces in May compared to 832 ounces produced in April. He said the gold produced amounted to more than US$780 000 during the period.
“To further advance prod…
As MDC joins Zanu PF in the new government, some politicians have seen it fit to revive an opposition party in Zimbabwe. The new party, PF ZAPU, a party that was swallowed by Mugabe's ZANU in 1987's unity accord that brought to an end the massacre of nearly 20 000 civilians in the Ndebele province of Matabeleland. - Ironically, the Matabeleland region and the city of Bulawayo were the birth place of the most fierce opposition party, MDC.
The country’s grab and loot land reform is likely to haunt the country.
A former Zanu (PF) Bulawayo Province chairperson, tipped as one of the brains behind the revival of Zapu, has revealed that the land grab was one of the issues that…
Zimbabwe's ministry of Mines and Mining Development has vowed to deal with some mining commissioners and officials that are resisting a government directive to be transferred for reassignments. Three defiant mining commissioners B Manyange, L F Thusi and WM Dube have rebuff being moved to new postings. - The three through a letter by their lawyers, TK Hove and Partners legal practitioners stated that their transfers contravened some sections of the Public Service Commission.
However, the Minister of Mines and Mining Development, Cde Obert Mpofu, said no civil servant has the power to refute any Government directive.
“These mining commissioners are literally refusing to be tr…
