Mines and Mining Development minister Obert Mpofu and Indigenisation minister Saviour Kasukuwere Thursday attacked critics of indigenisation laws and said some of them were being used as mouthpieces of Western countries.
The two were addressing the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Mines and Energy on indigenisation in the mining industry.
Mpofu said Zimbabwe’s diamonds had enriched countries like Israel and India, saying the Reserve Bank of India was even built using diamond money from Zimbabwe when Zimbabweans were not benefitting from their natural resources.
“In dealing with issues of indigenisation, we should not be mouthpieces of detractive interests because we are the only country in the world which has not benefitted,” said Mpofu.
“We have enriched neighbours and sometimes I get emotional to hear colleagues challenging the measures that government has taken to empower Zimbabweans,” he said.
Mpofu attacked Australia and Britain saying they were at the forefront of banning Zimbabwe from selling diamonds, yet they were the major beneficiaries.
“We had De Beers for 15 years in Chiadzwa and have records of more than 100 000 tonnes of diamond ore taken to South Africa and yet you hear people making noise about diamond transparency. We need to know who is looting our resources,” Mpofu said.
Mpofu said those who had mining claims but were not putting them to full use stood to lose them.
“Government will apply the work it-or-lose-it principle on mining claims. If one does not work, he will lose the claims. We have people who own two thirds of the Great Dyke but are only exploiting a tenth. What this has done is to block new investment and is holding the country to ransom and denying the people of Zimbabwe what belongs to them,” he said. Kasukuwere vowed there was no going back on indigenisation and urged companies to engage the government.
“Mpofu is under fire with the Kimberley Process because we want to share the honey. Investors are welcome but we are not going to sit and allow a situation where we are exploited,” said Kasukuwere.
http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2011-05-13-mpofu-kasukuwere-attack-indigenisation-law-critics
