Walter Mswazie, Masvingo Correspondent
GOVERNMENT has set up a raft of strategies that will see the resuscitation of the defunct King Mine in Mashava, Shabanie Mine in Zvishavane and the Cold Storage Company (CSC) in Masvingo next year.

Addressing thousands of supporters at Mucheke B arena in Masvingo yesterday, President Mnangagwa said more than 7 000 people will get jobs.
Government, he said, had already disbursed $20 million to King Mine and the company had started dewatering its shafts.

King and Shabanie mines which fall under Shabanie and Mashaba Mines (Private) Limited, were closed at the height of economic meltdown in 2004 while the CSC Masvingo plant which employed more than 500 closed shop in 2014.

President Mnangagwa had before the rally toured King Mine and CSC Masvingo plant.

In his address, the President said by June next year King Mine and Shabanie Mine would be fully operational with some workers having already been hired.

He said once the two companies were fully operational, at least 6 000 direct jobs would be created with the downstream industry also set to benefit.
“We have come here at the behest of the commissariat [of Zanu-PF] but before coming here, we toured Mashava, at King Mine. As we all know, King Mine and Shabanie Mine in Zvishavane were closed long back.

“I sat down with my Cabinet and agreed to resuscitate the two companies. The management said they wanted $35 million and we have already disbursed $20 million. Both companies will be fully operational by June next year,” he said.

Turning to CSC, President Mnangagwa said Cabinet would be seized with the matter this coming Tuesday with a Memorandum of Understanding set to be signed with some investors.

“In Masvingo there is CSC which used to offer 500 jobs and on Tuesday, we are signing a Memorandum of Understanding with some investors. By July 31, the company will be working. We are not looking backwards but forward,” said the President.

President Mnangagwa further revealed that Lowveld sugarcane company, Tongaat Huletts had offered 2 000 cattle to help resuscitate CSC.

He said farmers will also provide more cattle under the Government’s ambitious Command Livestock programme.

Besides King Mine and CSC, President Mnangagwa said the province was blessed with the biggest inland dam, Tugwi-Mukosi, which he said has the potential to irrigate 25 000 hectares of land.

The President said in pushing for the irrigation projects, Government was going to give priority to the 3 000 families who were displaced by floods which were experienced in the area in 2014. He noted that with Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri having launched a Command Fisheries project at the dam, which saw more than a million fingerlings being thrown in the 1,8 billion cubic metre dam for breeding, there was a need for people in the area to take advantage of this and ensure dam contributes to the nation’s fiscus.

“We want Masvingo to be a greenbelt through Tugwi-Mukosi Dam so that the province can be able to export food,” he said.

The President said Masvingo was also home to some mineral deposits which could change the economic fortunes of the province singling out lithium which is mined at Bikita Minerals as well as diamond deposits found in Chivi District’s Sese area.

Turning to road network, he said Government was looking for another contractor with a capacity to do the Beitbridge-Harare dualisation project after Austrian contactor, Geiger International, had its contract cancelled.

He said Geiger International had no money to do the $1 billion project, which is set to create at least 300 000 jobs.

President Mnangagwa noted that since the advent of the new dispensation which saw him taking over from former President, Mr Robert Mugabe, his Government had made a number of accomplishments which spelt better economic fortunes for the country.

“From 24 November, those who remember, we said we will be targeting economic development. I went to Davos where (Donald) Trump, Theresa May of the United Kingdom, those from China, India, among other countries meet.

“Davos is a place where one should not shy away from visiting and we were fortunate to be part of it,” he said.