Zanu PF bigwigs face conservancy eviction
http://www.theindependent.co.zw/
Thursday, 30 December 2010 18:16
ZANU PF bigwigs face eviction from conservancies they occupy in Matabeleland
North to pave way for mining of coal deposits discovered on their
properties.
Government sources said Bulawayo provincial governor Cain Mathema would have
to move from his Gwayi Ranch while his Matabeleland North counterpart
Sithokozile Mathuthu would be forced off her Dete Valley farm.
Apart from the two whose farms are in the wildlife-rich areas,
businesspeople and other Zanu PF officials were also likely to be evicted
when government starts the coal mining project.
Mathema’s Gwayi Ranch measures 4 600 hectares while Mathuthu’s property is 2
800 hectares, which they received under the controversial land reform
programme.
Sources told the Zimbabwe Independent that plans were underway for the
government to evict the governors before the end of next year.
“Mathema, Mathuthu and other businessmen with close Zanu PF links are likely
to lose out from their farms as the government is readying for coal mining,”
said the source.
The farms are close to Hwange, a coal mining town. Other coal deposits were
discovered near the Gwayi-Shangani Dam, whose completion has been delayed
due to lack of funding.
Observers said the coal mining project could avail the much-needed resources
for the construction of the dam expected to bring a permanent solution to
Matabeleland and Bulawayo’s perennial water problems.
Although Mathema declined that he would be moved from Gwayi Ranch, Mathuthu
confirmed that coal deposits were discovered and that she could be forced
off her farm.
Mathuthu said her province desperately needed serious investment through
coal mining and she would be the first to vacate her Dete Valley farm once
mining starts.
“If mining of coal starts, we will be moving; we should understand that
mining takes precedence to all other activities because the province and the
country at large need the money,” she said.
Mathuthu, however, insisted that the proceeds from the coal mining should
benefit local communities.
“We have lost in many areas where resources are plundered. As Matabeleland
leadership we told the government that if the mining of coal starts, the
proceeds should be ploughed back,” she said.
But Mathema down-played the impending evictions saying coal was discovered
in Matabeleland North “a million years ago”.
He said: “I haven’t heard about the evictions, its news to me. But there is
nothing new about the coal deposits, it’s known that coal is everywhere in
the province, so why do you think we will be evicted?”
Mines and Mining Development Minister Obert Mpofu declined to comment last
week saying he was on annual leave.
“I can’t comment now, I am on leave and I don’t know who is the acting
minister,” he said.
However, President Robert Mugabe a fortnight ago told his Zanu PF central
committee that government had received a lot of applications from whites who
wanted to go into coal mining in Matabeleland North.
He said he met the applicants recently, who explained to him that coal
mining was very lucrative and a good investment
“I wondered why they wanted to go into coal, that dark, dusty mineral, until
they indicated, without hesitation, that for the next 10 years, coal is
where all the money will be,” Mugabe said,
“I asked myself how many of our own people have this knowledge, indeed, how
many of our indigenous entrepreneurs are willing to venture into such
enterprises.”
Brian Chitemba