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Harare embarks on a water disconnections

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Nehanda Radio
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The Combined Harare Residents Association is deeply concerned by the reports that it has received from the residents of Mufakose who have raised an outcry on the water disconnection exercise that is currently being conducted by the Harare City Council. 

The exercise comes at a time when the residents of Mabvuku-Tafara are struggling to combat the typhoid outbreak that has since claimed five lives. 

CHRA understands that the city of Harare’s Department of Health is making efforts to deal with the typhoid outbreak in Mabvuku but the water disconnection exercise actually defeats such efforts as it has the potential to create a similar situation in Mufakose. 

One would expect the City of Harare to at least focus on how the outbreak can be contained and also ensure that other suburbs have adequate supplies of clean water so as to prevent the spread of the outbreak. 

The City Council disconnected water for outstanding bills in Mufakose yesterday and about 150 families were affected. Mukonde and Msasa streets near OK shopping centre in Mufakose Ward 36 are the most affected.

The CHRA Coordinator for Mufakose Ward 34 expressed his disappointment with the City of Harare saying that Council seems to be more concerned about fundraising rather than the welfare of residents. 

While residents are cognizant of the fact that bills must be paid so as to enable the Council to continue operating, concerns have been raised over the exorbitant water bills that are usually based on estimates; a situation that has seen most residents failing to pay their bills in full. 

Most residents in high density areas are executing part payments of their water bills as they cannot afford to pay the high amounts being demanded by the Harare Water. Residents have said that they have been in debt since the dollarization of the economy that saw the City of Harare converting bills that were quoted in Zimbabwe Dollars into US dollars. 

The converted amounts were so high that residents were not able to pay up and this has resulted in the bills accruing to even larger amounts. The average monthly water charges are within the range of US$17-25 in high density areas but most of the residents who have had their water disconnected have bills that have accrued to an average of at least US$100.

CHRA urges the City of Harare to seriously consider the implications of disconnecting water supplies to residents especially considering the fact that Harare is still vulnerable to diseases caused by acute water shortages. These residents have no other sources of water and it is likely that they will resort to unprotected water sources. 

The Council should come up with other safe ways of motivating residents to pay their bills as disconnecting water will certainly expose them to diseases like cholera and Typhoid. CHRA values the health of residents and the Association will continue to advocate for good, transparent and accountable local Governance as well as lobby for quality municipal services.  CHRA

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UK firm will never mine Zim diamonds

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By Clara Smith 

HARARE – Mines Minister Obert Mpofu has declared that London-based mining firm African Consolidated Resources (ACR), “controlled by one white man”, will never mine diamonds at Marange diamond field in eastern Zimbabwe as long as he is in charge of the ministry. 

Mpofu was speaking to reporters at Parliament on Wednesday just before appearing before a parliamentary committee investigating operations in Marange, which is also known as Chiadzwa. He reiterated that Zimbabwe was ready to sell the gems outside the Kimberly Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). 

The parliamentary committee, which Mpofu and his top officials have tried to dodge, is also investigating the composition of the boards of two private firms – Mbada Investments and Canadile Miners – that were unprocedurally licensed to mine in Marange, according to evidence collected through several interviews conducted by the committee. 

Reporters were barred from attending the hearing after Mpofu, who despite telling journalists before the start of the hearing that he had nothing to hide told committee chairman Edward Chindori Chininga (ZANU PF) that he wanted to give evidence in camera, forcing journalists to troop out of the committee room. 

Mpofu said ACR chief executive officer Andrew Cranswick should be punished because he was the major obstacle in Zimbabwe’s bid to officially sell the diamonds.

“That man will never mine in this country as long as I am minister. Cranswick, only one man, has caused all the chaos. That one white man does not even employ, his company is listed in Britain yet he holds Zimbabwe to ransom,” said Mpofu. 

ACR owns legal title to the Marange diamond claims but was controversially forced off the alluvial diamond-rich field by the government about four years ago. 

“In fact, we received communication from Israel, the Kimberly chair saying they will not listen to Cranswick and they want us to move forward. He is responsible for all this mess, stopping us from using our resources to assist the country. We are under sanctions because of that one man,” Mpofu said, blaming the media for listening to Cranswick more than the government. “He has used the media effectively.” 

Mbada and Canadile are two are joint venture companies between state-owned Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation (ZMDC) and some South African investors formed as part of measures to bring mining of diamonds at Chiadzwa in line with standards stipulated by world diamond industry watchdog, the Kimberley Process (KP). 

Mpofu said Canadile and Mbada could mine diamonds worth between US$1,2billion and US$1,4 billion annually if they were allowed to operate “smoothly”. He said Zimbabwe would seek other markets if the KPCS refused to certify Marange stones. “We have told them (KPCS) that we can pull out. We can sell our diamonds elsewhere. There is a bigger market out there,” he said. 

Asked why Zimbabwe was still putting efforts to keep its KPCS membership if it could just walk away, Mpofu said: “We are a founding member of the KPCS. We are a member and we are producers as well. The UK and the US are not producers yet they want to control our industry. They make the most noise,” he said. 

Most evidence heard so far in the parliamentary investigation points to Mpofu unprocedurally licensing Mbada and Canadile, as well as making irregular board appoints to the two firms. But he was defensive. 

“I don’t regret any decisions I made. I have never touched alcohol in my life and I didn’t make those decisions under the influence of alcohol. Those were sober decisions.”

Chiadzwa is one of the world’s most controversial diamond fields with reports that soldiers sent to guard the claims after the government took over the field in October 2006 from ACR committed gross human rights abuses against illegal miners who had descended on the field. 

Human rights groups have been pushing for a ban on Zimbabwean diamonds but last November, the country escaped a KP ban with the global body giving Harare a June 2010 deadline to make reforms to comply with its regulations. 

However Mbada and Canadile brought in to ensure mining standards at Chiadzwa meet KP requirements have attracted more controversy amid revelations that some members of the two firms were once illegal drug and diamond dealers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Sierra Leone. 

Some Mbada and Canadile members are also known to have close links to Zimbabwe’s military establishment that is accused of stealing millions of dollars worth of diamonds from Chiadzwa and offloading them onto the foreign black market for precious stones. – ZimOnline

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Zimbabwean burglar in Ireland jailed

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Nehanda Radio
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By Martina Nee 

Ireland- A 35-year-old Zimbabwean man who committed burglaries at a number of B&Bs (Bed & Breakfast), by gaining access to rooms with filed down keys, was jailed for 12 months this week and could face deportation following his release. 

Allan Dambuka with an address at 203A Collins Avenue, Whitehall, Dublin 9, appeared before Galway District Court on Monday where he pleaded guilty to the offences brought against him. 

Garda Patrick O’Shea gave evidence that on January 4, 2010, there had been a report of a burglary at Griffin Lodge, Fr Griffin Place. When he arrived at the scene a French couple, who had been staying at the B&B, told him that when they had returned to their room after breakfast they had found the defendant rifling through their belongings.

Dambuka, who had also been a guest at the B&B, had been seen taking money from a wallet but immediately put it back when the couple entered the room. Garda O’Shea said that the defendant had only been in Galway for the night and had returned to Dublin. 

Dambuka then returned to Galway on March 12 last and booked into Anbelle Lodge in Lower Salthill. From his investigations, Garda O’Shea was able to track the defendant down and when he entered the room Dambuka was seen discarding a “quantity of keys”.

Garda O’Shea explained that a lot of older B&Bs use Basta door keys and that there is only a small number of these types which means that “one key can open many doors”.

He said that the defendant had filed down one key “in an effort to gain access” to doors in the B&B. Garda O’Shea later told Judge Mary Fahy that B&Bs that have been in existence for a number of years, and which would use these types of locks and keys, were targeted. 

“To say that he was caught red-handed would be appropriate,” said Judge Fahy. Defence solicitor Adrian MacLynn said that his client was orginally from Zimbabwe and that his application for aslyum was currently in process. He said that Dambuka, who is married with one child, had left his country because of political turmoil and has been in Ireland since 2008. 

Inspector Sean Glynn then informed the court that Dambuka has no previous convictions in this jurisdiction. Garda O’Shea also explained that Dambuka had been refused asylum in this country in August 2008, and that this was affirmed in August 2009. He also said that according to the immigration system Dambuka did come to the attention of the UK authorities when he was residing there. 

“You’re here seeking the mercy of this country and this is the thanks you give by stealing from the inhabitants,” Judge Fahy told the defendant who then attempted to go down on his knees to beg for leniency. 

“Just get up, I don’t want any of that nonsense,” said Judge Fahy, before imposing a total of 12 months in jail. Judge Fahy then told Garda O’Shea that it was incumbent on him to ensure that Dambuka was deported. 

“He’s of no use to this country,” she said, before commending Garda O’Shea for his work in preventing the defendant from targeting more B&Bs. Galway Advertiser

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Rivals under fresh pressure in Zuma talks

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Nehanda Radio
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By Godfrey Marawanyika 

HARARE — Zimbabwe’s rival leaders faced fresh pressure Thursday to mend their differences and push toward new elections, as South African President Jacob Zuma led talks on the fragile unity government. 

Zimbabwe’s ageing President Robert Mugabe, in power since independence from Britain in 1980, reluctantly formed a unity government one year ago with Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader. 

The power-sharing pact has curbed deadly political violence that erupted around disputed 2008 presidential elections, while halting Zimbabwe’s decade-long economic collapse. But they remain sharply divided on a slate of key appointments, western sanctions on Mugabe’s inner circle, and the treason trial of a top Tsvangirai ally. 

Amid the feuding, work has stalled on drafting a new constitution, which is required under the power-sharing pact to pave the way to fresh elections envisioned by February 2011. Zuma’s spokesman Vincent Magwenya told AFP that one-on-one talks with Mugabe and Tsvangirai on Wednesday were “quite encouraging, in the sense that President Zuma got an impression that parties were as keen as we are to move things forward.” 

“There was commitment all round to work harder in finding a lasting solution,” Magwenya said. Zuma, the regional mediator on Zimbabwe, is now set to hold round table talks with the rival leaders on Thursday in a bid to pressure them to resolve their differences. 

The South African leader on Wednesday also met with attorney general Johannes Tomana and central bank governor Gideon Gono, whose appointments are contested by Tsvangirai. Zuma met late Wednesday with Roy Bennett, the treasurer of Tsvangirai’s party who is on trial for treason over a plot against Mugabe that was already dismissed by the courts in an earlier case. 

“The idea behind those meetings, is that President Zuma’s intention was to meet a wide range of key role players to create common understanding on how to take matters forward,” Magwenya said. A South African diplomat close to the talks said that Zuma had met with Bennett, Gono and Tomana because Pretoria is keen to see their issues resolved. 

“We want a solution to these negotiations for the good of Zimbabwe, and the region,” the diplomat said. But the diplomat said broader progress has not been made in ensuring that the political environment is conducive for new polls. “Although there are concerns that Zimbabwe must hold elections, the situation on the ground must change,” the diplomat said. 

“Zimbabwe cannot hold elections for the sake of elections, yet the conditions have not changed from the ones we witnessed in June 2008,” when the country was engulfed in political violence. The power-sharing deal called for the creation of committees to oversee reforms in media freedom, human rights and the electoral process. 

Those committees were only named in December, and have yet to begin their work in earnest. The government-run Herald newspaper, a mouthpiece for Mugabe’s faction in the government, held out little prospect for much progress in the latest talks. 

“No major changes should be expected from current deliberations,” the paper said. Mugabe insists that a western travel ban and asset freeze on him and about 200 of his family and allies should be lifted before he makes further concessions. 

Both the United States and the European Union this year extended their sanctions for another 12 months, insisting that Mugabe implement reforms before the restrictions are lifted. AFP

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Thomas Sweswe tips Chiefs to shine

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Nehanda Radio
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Kaizer Chiefs defender Thomas Sweswe is confident Amakhosi will dump Santos out of the Telkom Knockout Cup. The 28-year-old is one of several Amakhosi stars that will miss the trip to Newlands on Sunday. 

Sweswe believes all the pressure is on the People’s Team, despite all the absentees for Chiefs. “I am very disappointed that I will not be in Cape Town with the boys this weekend,” he told the club’s official website. 

“I am confident though, that we will come back with a good result. Pressure will be on the hosts. They might take things lightly, taking into consideration that we are missing a few players due to injury and to some of them being in the Bafana Bafana squad. 

“They also have the home ground advantage and all of this might work in our favour (making them overconfident).” The Zimbabwe international has backed striker Lucky Khune to make a big impact should he be given the chance. 

“He is definitely one for the future. The boy is deadly and can use both feet. He showed against Aces that if he continues to work hard he could be one of the best. “I think we have quite good young players in the team, like George Lebese and Mandla Masango, who are also destined for bigger things.” Football365.co.za

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Crucifier Chemhere jailed 18 months

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Nehanda Radio
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By Innocent Ruwende

THE Harare businessman who nailed together the hands of a homeless 19-year-old man with a six-inch nail after he failed to settle a US$250 debt has been slapped with an effective 18-month jail term.

The prosecution pushed hard for a custodial sentence to be slapped on Munyaradzi Chemhere (34), saying the State had not heard of such a callous act since the time of Jesus crucifixion.

Chemhere pleaded guilty to assault when he appeared before magistrate Mr Don Ndirowei and was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment, but six were set aside for three years on condition of good behaviour.

In pleading for leniency, Chemhere said he was a family man and a first offender who was willing to help the complainant.

“Have mercy on me Your Worship, I am the sole breadwinner of my family. I also want to go out and settle my debts with other business associates. I would also want to continue taking care of the complainant,” he said.

Chemhere said sending him to jail would result in his business crumbling and his family plunging into abject poverty.

But prosecutor Ms Media Chikosi implored the court to pass a custodial sentence, arguing that community service or a fine would trivialise the offence.

“This is a novel case which has sent shock waves across the country. The only time we hear about crucification was when Jesus was crucified for peoples sins.

“The State is wondering whose sins the complainant was being crucified for. Your Worship, this offence was committed in a heartless manner,” she submitted.

Agreed facts are that Chemhere gave Naison Teko a five-in-one home theatre and a two-plate stove to sell sometime this year. Chemhere runs an electrical appliances shop at the Gulf Complex.

Teko sold the goods but did not surrender the US$250 to Chemhere. Chemhere sent Teko’s street friends to look for him. They found him last Friday along Chinhoyi Street, tied his hands and took him to the businessman’s shop.

When Chemhere demanded his money, Teko said he had spent it. It was at this point that Chemhere decided to “crucify” Teko. He nailed Teko’s hands together with a six-inch nail after which a police report was made leading to Chemhere’s arrest. The Herald

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Big send-off for Sam, Owen

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Nehanda Radio
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By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka and Jairos Saunyama

HUNDREDS of people, including the who’s who of Harare, yesterday thronged Warren Hills Cemetery to bid farewell to Sam Mtukudzi and Owen Chimhare who were killed in a road accident on Monday.

It was also revealed yesterday that President Mugabe had extended US$10 000 to the bereaved families for funeral expenses. The two were laid to rest side-by-side at a moving afternoon ceremony. The crowd burst into song when hearses carrying the bodies of the two young men arrived.

Others who lined the road to the cemetery openly wept as the procession made its way with a police escort. Traffic police manned every intersection along the way as bus after bus ferried mourners behind the hearses. Harare’s fashionistas donned black designer outfits despite the blistering heat that characterised the better part of the afternoon.

Owen’s body was the first to arrive and the crowd started pushing and shoving to catch a glimpse of the casket bearing the body of the promising sound engineer. Sam’s body arrived minutes later and the crowd pressed closer, making it difficult for pallbearers to reach the graves.

A stampede nearly broke out and police moved in to restore order. There was not enough space to swing a cat and some people sat on old graves while others climbed onto their cars to follow proceedings. The Prince Edward School Choir performed a song titled “We Will Miss You” in tribute to the deceased.

Thieves took advantage of the crowds to make some “business” and police arrested one man who had reportedly stolen US$300 from a mourner. Worse still, someone stole a sleeping baby from an open car. While others were stealing, President Mugabe was extending assistance to the two bereaved families.

Tragic Sam Mtukudzi

A statement from his office read: “The Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Dr M.J.M. Sibanda, has announced a decision by His Excellency the President, Cde R.G. Mugabe, to assist the bereaved Mtukudzi and Chimhare families towards meeting funeral expenses.

“To that end, the President has directed his ofice to release US$10 000 to the two families.” On Tuesday, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai went to pay his condolences to the Mtukudzi family in Norton. “I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to Oliver, his wife Daisy and the rest of the Mtukudzi family following the sad passing of Sam,” he said.

Earlier at a church service at Pakare Paye Arts Centre in Norton yesterday, Oliver Mtukudzi and his wife Daisy described Sam and Owen as disciplined children. “I never had problems with these boys. It only took a word for them to do good things. Yes, at times they made their mistakes but they were disciplined.

“If you don’t have discipline as an artiste no one will listen to your music,” the distraught Tuku said. Quoting one of his songs, “Kubara”, Tuku told Owen’s father, Mr Samuel Chimhare, that the young man was “everyone’s child”.

“Owen did not belong to you alone but to every parent. I probably benefited more from him (Owen) than you. So ndinoti kubara mwana wabarira vamwe,” he said.

However, it was his last words to the boys that touched a lot of hearts and he too broke down as he said them. “Samson, Samson mwanangu, urikupiko? Ndini baba vako Oliver Mtukudzi, nzou . . .

“Kana usirikudzoka famba zvakanaka. Owen, Owen, Mazvimbakupa, mogodzoka kwamaenda kwete kuzogumira panzira,” he sobbed.

Daisy was all tears and struggled for composure.

As she chronicled Sam’s life, grief got the better of her as she cried: “Ndotangira papi mhai? Kurambwa nenyika here shuwa? Ko kusekwa here? Mwanangu oga mukomana chete vanga vaatwo naOwen ndokubva vatorwa vese.”

Media, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu sang a popular hymn “Tichasanganiswa”.

He invited all musicians present on stage and they sang a rendition of Jimmy Reeves hit “Across the Bridge” together.

The song had heart-rending significance as Sam and Owen perished when their Tata truck rammed into a bridge.

Minister Shamu praised the two for loving one another unconditionally.

“The lesson we learn from the two boys is that we may be different but we were created by one God and we are one no matter language we speak and we have one country.”

Youth Development, Indegenisation and Empowerment, Minister Saviour Kasukuwere spoke highly of the late duo’s musical talent.

Other notables at the burial were Deputy Prime Minister Thokozani Khupe, State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, ICT Minister Nelson Chamisa    , Deputy Justice Minister Jessie Majome    , Zanu-PF youth director Cde Patrick Zhuwao and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive officer Mr Karikoga Kaseke.

Also present were popular talk show host Mai Rebecca Chisamba, artistes, businesspeople and ordinary people. The Herald

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Politicians doing injustice to the People

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Nehanda Radio
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The deadlock by the three political parties who are party to the inclusive government over how to fully implement the Global Political Agreement (GPA) is a great injustice to the people of Zimbabwe.

This continued failure by the two MDC formations and Zanu PF to be sincere enough to own up to the letter and spirit of the document that they all willingly appended their signatures to is proving costly for the inclusive government as they are now failing to reach some of their set priority targets in facilitating for full recovery and stability in Zimbabwe.

SADC, led by President Jacob Zuma of South Africa has not helped matters by their continued handling of this apparent deadlock without the alacrity and astuteness it deserves.

The reluctance or failure by SADC to put pressure and give proper guidance on the three political parties to resolve all outstanding issues according to the GPA exposes what many Zimbabweans have known of politicians for long; that once they are in government, personal and party interests come first at the expense of the people.

We have already noted signs that the socio-economic and political situation in Zimbabwe is slowly degenerating to the pre-GPA period, characterized by extreme polarization, poverty, intolerance and open hostility. The recent upsurge in cases of politically-motivated violence in some rural and urban parts of Zimbabwe is only one setback on an endless list of impediments that are hindering efforts by the government to collectively address the myriad of crises that have taken root in the country.

The manner in which the negotiators from the three parties would adjourn endless times or fail to form a quorum for negotiations raises more questions than answers over the real intentions of politicians and their seriousness in addressing the plight of the people over personal and party interests. Surely if our politicians can fail to hold a meeting to resolve the plight of Zimbabweans because one negotiator has to travel overseas clearly betrays a situation where the people have become second priority in a scenario overtaken by a fight for power and control.

It is this same show of insincerity by politicians in the inclusive government that is threatening to derail the constitutional reform process. There is no way that we can surely expect to obtain a people-driven constitution in the ensuing violence that is resurfacing in the urban and rural areas.

It is now apparent that the national healing, reconciliation and integration agenda by the government is a far-cry from reality on the ground given the continued hostilities, arguments and open show of disunity by the parties in government over partisan political battles at the expense of the peoples livelihoods and welfare which they all agree had reached catastrophic levels.

This is the main reason why they met at the negotiating table and eventually appended their signatures to the GPA. It is apparent that Zanu PF is opposed to genuine democratic reform given the manner in which they are trying to resuscitate their violence machinery (mainly youth from the national youth training service) ahead of the elections which are imminent at the conclusion of the inclusive government.

The MDC led by Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai has not helped matters by the manner in which they have handled the issue of sanctions. This is the same reason why Zanu PF politicians are quick to blame their slightest misdeeds, and justify their refusal to cede on key demand for democratic reforms on failure by the MDC to call for the removal of sanctions.

What is most evident in all these political games however is that the people of Zimbabwe are the biggest losers at the end of it all. Civil servants continue to yearn for better pay and working conditions which may never come because there are still outstanding issues.

A lot of young children and youth are out of school because they cannot access decent and affordable education promised to them by these same politicians. Social service delivery continues to be deplorable in most urban areas where poverty and disease continue to wreck havoc, all because the politicians of the day cannot agree over how to implement an agreement that they appended their signatures to in the first place. Our hospitals are still understaffed, ill-equipped and without adequate medicines and drugs.

We urge the MDC formations and Zanu PF not to take the people of Zimbabwe for granted through such irresponsible behavior. Clearly if they cannot agree for the sake of the people, they do not deserve to be the peoples choice of government. As the Youth Forum we will actively urge the people of Zimbabwe to be clear with the government and demand that they serve the interests of the people first and as an uppermost priority.

For as long as they continue to sacrifice the people in pursuit of power and personal gain, the people will always judge them accordingly, as a cabal only interested in personal aggrandizement. This is the same culture of politics that we have seen flourish under Zanu PF and is clearly spreading across the political divide.

They are in government because of the people and it is high time they started serving the people, with genuineness, openness, and sincerity. This also serves as a call to SADC and President Zuma not to be taken on a ride by the feuding parties in the inclusive government. If talks cannot end this impasse or give room for genuine progress, then SADC should follow the agreed channels and let the world know that the inclusive government in Zimbabwe is not working.

Youth Forum Information and Publicity

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Scrap unity deal and have supervised poll

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Nehanda Radio
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By Allister Sparks

Whatever President Zuma may have gained for our country during his state visit to Britain, the sad thing is he failed to seize the one opportunity he had to transform his international image completely – which was to come out strongly with a decisive new policy to resolve the protracted mess in Zimbabwe.

To show that he is not just a continuation of Thabo Mbeki on this morally definitive issue. Instead he tried to persuade British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to scrap what he called the European Union’s “sanctions against Zimbabwe.” This was dumbfounding. He must have known it was a non-starter. There are no sanctions against Zimbabwe.

There are only targeted sanctions against 200 individuals and nine companies known to be the prime villains who have looted the land and its resources, impoverished the people and committed crimes against humanity.

The sanctions have declared those individuals persona non grata and frozen their assets in the countries applying them. There is no way Brown or any other EU leader was going to condone those despicable crimes, in effect revoke Europe’s labelling of them as immoral and unacceptable, when President Robert Mugabe and his cohorts have done nothing to deserve such a reprieve.

Their crimes are ongoing. Zuma’s plea for the lifting of that condemnation was not just futile, it was egregious, for it made him look like an obsequious supporter of the Mugabe regime, just as Mbeki was, to the detriment of our moral standing in the world. In fact by perpetuating the myth that the EU is applying sanctions against the Zimbabwe nation, and that that, not Mugabe’s misrule, is what is responsible for the misery of its people, makes Zuma – and thus South Africa – a collaborator.

Why Zuma has done this is beyond understanding. There is no pressure on him from within the ANC or its alliance partners to take this collaborationist line. The factions that brought him to power at Polokwane were all critical of Mbeki’s “quiet diplomacy”, Cosatu particularly after having been crudely humiliated by Mugabe’s henchmen when they tried to visit their unionist comrades in Zimbabwe.

If Zuma thought he could sweeten Mugabe by going in to bat for him in London, then he is even more naive than Mbeki. Mugabe is an inveterate hawk who eats softies for breakfast. The pity is that Zuma had a great opportunity in London to change South Africa’s image on this issue which has done us so much harm internationally.

He should have made it clear that the Mbeki era of effeteness is over and that South Africa – the only country capable of ending the drawn-out mess in Zimbabwe – is now ready to become more assertive in trying to do so.

How? First by recognising that the unity government is not working and that the Global Political Agreement (GPA) which Mbeki negotiated is effectively dead. It started out reasonably well. Schools and hospitals opened, civil servants got paid and returned to work and the scrapping of the Zimbabwe dollar brought goods back to empty shop shelves.

There was also a brief moment when there was even a drop in human rights abuses. But it was not long before the hard-liners of Mugabe’s Zanu PF, especially the security chiefs, reasserted themselves and refused to implement some of the unity government’s decisions and the changes specified in the GPA.

More than a year after the signing of the unity accord, only 12% of the 34 items in the GPA have been implemented. Meanwhile, with all the instruments of state force still in Mugabe’s hands, the land invasions continue, members of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai’s Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) are continuously harassed and arrested, the youth militia roam the countryside intimidating opposition supporters, and the process of drafting a new democratic constitution can’t get started.

Frustrated by all this, the MDC briefly suspended participation in the unity government last year, bringing the Southern African Development Community (SADC), who are supposed to be the guarantors of the GPA, back to arbitrate. This produced a brief respite, but now things are slipping again.

One of the factors driving the deterioration is that Zanu PF leaders, who were beginning to feel the pinch of the shrinking economy, have suddenly struck it rich again thanks to a fabulous new alluvial diamond field at Marange, in the eastern highlands near the Mozambique border, yielding an estimated US$ 2-billion a year.

This bonanza should be helping Zimbabwe’s economic recovery and the lives of its struggling people, but it is not, because the operation is outside the control of the unity government and is being run by a cabal that includes senior political and military figures. With this new wealth pouring into the pockets of Zanu PF’s corps d’elite, their sense of power and impunity has burgeoned anew.

This has prompted new outrages. Three weeks ago Zanu PF suddenly revived an “Indigenization Act” passed by a pre-unity Zanu PF Parliament back in 2007 but never activated, which requires all companies with a capital value of more than US$ 500,000 to hand over 51% of their equity to “the people” – meaning Zanu PF’s elitists – and to do so within 45 days or face five years imprisonment.

The belated activation was announced by proclamation without reference to the unity Cabinet or Parliament. It has frozen business and investment in the country. In another act of complete contempt for the GPA, Mugabe on March 5 unilaterally stripped four Ministers of the two MDC factions of their powers and handed those powers to his own Zanu PF Ministers. That is why it’s time for South Africa, as the leading power in SADC, to say, “Enough!” If President Zuma has any political balls at all, he should tell Mugabe so during his visit to Harare this week.

He should tell him the GPA is obviously not working, that it is clear Mugabe is determined not to allow it to work, and that the South African Government is therefore going to call on SADC, as guarantor of the deal, to declare it to have been irretrievably violated and so nullified – and to demand the holding of an early election so that a new government with a genuine public mandate can take over.

This election should be supervised – not just observed – by a large team of electoral specialists from the SADC countries, especially South Africa. Moreover it should not be run on the basis of Zimbabwe’s hopelessly defective voters’ roll but by letting all adult citizens vote as has been done with the first elections of all newly independent countries in Africa.

Zuma should tell Mugabe, too, that if he and his Zanu PF cohorts refuse to accept such a process, South Africa will press for Zimbabwe’s membership of SADC to be suspended, and for any regime that might be unilaterally installed not to be recognized by SADC and the African Union. The country would then be isolated. Only South Africa has the influence and power to do this.

If necessary we could do it unilaterally. It’s time we acted on behalf of the people of Zimbabwe and the whole region, to say nothing of our own image as a nation whose internationally assisted rebirth surely imposes a moral obligation on us. But don’t hold your breath. Decisiveness is not Zuma’s strong suit on any issue.

Allister Haddon Sparks (born 10 March 1933 in Cathcart, Eastern Cape) is a South African writer, journalist and political commentator

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ZIFA boss Rushwaya bounces back

By
Nehanda Radio
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They say a cat has 9 lives, well for ZIFA boss Henrietta Rushwaya that is now probably true. Just 48 hours after being suspended by the outgoing ZIFA board the association was forced to re-instate her.

Rushwaya’s lawyers wrote to the Zimbabwe Football Association advising them their suspension was unconstitutional as it had not followed proper procedures.

Rushwaya was suspended by the board pending investigations into Monomotapa Football Club’s trip to Malaysia last year during which they posed as the Zimbabwe national team.

Nyatanga told a news conference on Monday: “After consultations with our lawyer, we have since been advised that the decisions passed in Masvingo last Saturday were null and void.

“We asked for legal advice and were told that it was improper and unconstitutional to take such a route … that it was improper and unconstitutional and we have decided to nullify all resolutions related to that meeting.”

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