ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE 10/29/97 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE/ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE/ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE Edition #9 29 October 1997 Subscribe to Zimbabwe News Online A twice monthly update of news from Zimbabwe! ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE is written by Zimbabwean journalists living in Zimbabwe and brings you the news from their point of view. It is assembled and edited by Africa News Network, part of South Africa Contact, the former anti-apartheid movement in Denmark. ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE joins our other individual newsletters from MOZAMBIQUE, ZAMBIA, MALAWI, TANZANIA, ANGOLA and SOUTH AFRICA, in providing up to date news through our established network of journalists in southern Africa. These newsletters will be followed, in the very near future, by news updates from other countries in the region. ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE is brought to you through a co-operation between Africa News Network, South Africa Contact and Inform, Denmark's leading alternative information network. ******************************* In this edition: Feature: SOUTH AFRICANS AND ZIMBABWEANS:CORDIALITY AND DISLIKE Stories: 1. MALAYSIAN CONSTRUCTION GIANT FAILS ON JOINT VENTURE FUNDING 2. ZIMBABWE AND DRC SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT 3. EL NINO SCARES BANKS 4. ZIMBABWEANS EVER MORE CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT 5. MISSING BOMBS INTERCEPTED BY REBELS 6. GOVERNMENT TO OVERHAUL TENDER BOARD 7. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES ANTI-SMUGGLING BLITZ 8. 'O' LEVEL EXAM PAPERS GO MISSING Feature: SOUTH AFRICANS AND ZIMBABWEANS:CORDIALITY AND DISLIKE For some reason best known to themselves, South Africans, both black and white, generally dislike Zimbabweans. Although at government level relations between Zimbabwe and South Africa can be described as cordial, the opposite is true at civilian level. Not only do South Africans dislike Zimbabweans, they also look down upon them. Different explanations have been given as to why this is so and perhaps it is important to deal with black and white South Africans separately as their reasons for disliking Zimbabweans seem to differ. One of the reasons given is that for many decades, black Zimbabweans, along with Mozambicans, have provided cheap labour in South African mines. Their presence as foreigners undermined attempts by black South Africans to have their conditions of work improved. Black South Africans knew that if they went on strike demanding better wages, they could easily be fired and replaced by cheap foreign labour which was readily available in Zimbabwe. In fact, the regime of Ian Smith had an agreement with the South African government through which thousands of black Zimbabweans could be quickly flown to South Africa to work in mines whenever the need arose. Another reason why black South Africans dislike Zimbabweans is that today in independent South Africa, Zimbabweans are seen as competitors by unemployed South Africans. Thousands of Zimbabweans have illegally crossed the border into South Africa to seek employment. In fact, Zimbabwe now has the second largest number of illegal aliens in South Africa, after Mozambique. Zimbabweans are also accused by South Africans of pushing up the prices of used cars in that country. Because of a shortage of cars on the market in Zimbabwe resulting from a regulated economy, since Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, scores of Zimbabweans have travelled to South Africa to buy used cars. So great was the demand for used cars by Zimbabweans that their price ended up increasing substantially, much to the displeasure of black South Africans, the majority of whom could only afford used cars. Zimbabweans are also looked down upon by South Africans because in their desperation for jobs when they get down south, they grab any job opportunity which comes their way. It is they who work as security guards, on farms, sweeping the streets and cleaning toilets, seemingly providing a reason again to look down on them. As for white South Africans the reason why they literally hate Zimbabweans is first and foremost political. When Zimbabwe became independent in 1980, most of those whites who could not accept to be ruled by blacks, went to South Africa. To make matters worse, the black government of Zimbabwe started helping South African liberation movements which were fighting the white apartheid regime in South Africa. The hatred carried by white South Africans against Zimbabwe, and in particular against its government, is reflected in the South African media which is predominantly white-controlled. No country and no leader has had more negative coverage in South Africa than Zimbabwe and President Robert Mugabe. Zimbabwe is portrayed as a once prosperous country which has been ruined by a corrupt dictatorship. Stories of lack of media freedom, economic mismanagement, corruption in the awarding of tenders for government projects, arbitrary land acquisition from white farmers and electoral fraud are the order of the day in South African newspapers. However, Zimbabwe has not helped itself either by mismanaging the War Victims Compensation Fund. Many ministers, including Vice President Joshua Nkomo, were awarded huge sums of money from the fund after claiming high degrees of disability, some as high as 90 percent. One South African paper recently reported that Zimbabwe's cabinet would qualify for Special Olympics (sporting competition for the disabled) going by the degree of disability most ministers claimed. "However, none of them moves in a wheel chair or on crutches," the paper said. Black South Africans read the same newspapers which paint such a dark picture of Zimbabwe, and in the absence of other publications to paint a true picture of the country, these reports also shape the thinking of all South Africans about Zimbabwe. On television, Zimbabweans caught in South Africa after illegally entering the country are shown telling harrowing stories of economic hardships that drove them into border jumping. It is unfortunate, the level of ignorance among ordinary South Africans about Zimbabwe that is a contributing factor to the negative attitudes they show towards Zimbabweans. Few are aware that Zimbabwe has the second most diversified economy in sub-Saharan Africa after South Africa and that it is has a high level of literacy and commendable standards in its health delivery system and social services. They are also ignorant of facts such as that Zimbabwe is South Africa's biggest trading partner in Africa - and the fact that Zimbabweans sacrificed a lot by hosting South Africa's liberation movements during the days of apartheid. Stories: 1. MALAYSIAN CONSTRUCTION GIANT FAILS ON JOINT VENTURE FUNDING A Malaysian construction giant, YTL Corporation, to which government sold 51 percent of the shares of the country's largest thermal power station without following internationally accepted procedures, has failed to raise the estimated Z$12,3 billion needed for the implementation of the joint venture privatization of Hwange Thermal Power Station. The sale of the shares to YTL Corporation, which was described by President Mugabe as a political decision taken in the spirit of South-South cooperation, was heavily criticized by several Western countries whose companies were also interested in buying shares and entering a partnership with the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority in the privatization of the thermal power station. Sources close to the venture said investors may have been influenced by some Western companies still bitter about losing out on the deal to snub the YTL Corporation's bid to source funds for the project from the international money market. YTL Corporation was allowed to hold majority shares to enable the joint venture company to be listed on the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange for purposes of raising capital for the expansion of the power station. The Malaysian company was awarded the tender amid strong criticism from some Western companies which were also in the running to clinch the multi-billion joint venture believed to be a big money spinner in the long term. 2. STRIKING FARM WORKERS TURN VIOLENT Striking farm workers, demanding a 135 percent salary increase, turned to violence last week smashing cars and destroying property. The violence was most serious in Trelawney, about 40 km from the capital Harare, where about 1 800 striking workers put up road blocks on farm roads allowing no commercial farmers to pass. One white farmer who tried to force his way past a road block had his car stoned and he was injured in the attack. The strike has resulted in delays in the transplanting of tobacco seedlings and this more than likely see farmers revising yields downwards. 2. ZIMBABWE AND DRC SIGN TRADE AGREEMENT Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), have signed a trade agreement with a US$15 million line of credit between the two countries. Through the line of credit facility, exporters will deliver goods and services and get paid later. Zimbabwean exporters will be paid through six Zimbabwean banks which are involved and these will be linked to selected DRC banks. The agreement was signed by Zimbabwe's Minister of Industry and Commerce, Nathan Shamuyarira, and the DRC's Minister of Economy, Industry and Commerce, Victor Mphoyo. The two countries also announced plans to soon introduce flights between Kinshasa and Harare. Meanwhile, a local human rights organisation, ZimRights, has accused the Zimbabwean government of violating human rights by refusing to grant refugee status to Zairians who fled the country when Laurent Kabila launched his offensive against ex-president Mobutu. 3. EL NINO SCARES BANKS Some commercial banks in Zimbabwe are unwilling to lend farmers money for this agricultural season following predictions by weather experts that Southern Africa will experience a bad drought as a result of the El Nino phenomenon. According to the president of the Commercial Farmers' Union, Mr Nick Swanepoel, banks were generally reluctant to lend money. However, he said that each farmer's case was being treated differently, depending on the conditions under which he was farming and the crops he or she intended to grow. "Banks are reluctant to lend us money in the face of the El-Nino," Mr Swanepoel said, adding that his organisation had advised its members to grow short season and drought resistant crop varieties as this rainy season was expected to be unusually short because of the phenomenon. 4. ZIMBABWEANS EVER MORE CRITICAL OF GOVERNMENT A survey conducted by a German non-governmental organisation, Friedrich Naumann Foundation, has indicated that Zimbabweans are now more critical of the government than ever before. One of the chief criticisms is that government has failed to fulfil promises made at independence in 1980, to meaningfully improve people's standard of living. Professor Bill Johnson of the foundation presented the results of the survey in Harare last week. The survey also covered Botswana, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho, Zambia and South Africa. In Zimbabwe, the survey found out that the majority of the people were "dissatisfied" that government had not fulfilled its promises to uplift the economically disadvantaged. 5. MISSING BOMBS INTERCEPTED BY REBELS Zimbabwe's Defence Minister, Moven Mahachi, has confirmed that mortar bombs bought from Zimbabwe by the Sri Lankan government, and which went missing about three months ago while being transported by sea to Sri Lanka, have been seized by Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan rebel movement. Mahachi said the Colombo-bound ship with 34 400 rounds of 81 mm mortar bombs manufactured by the Zimbabwe Defence Industries had been hijacked by the rebels in the Indian Ocean. He could not say exactly when the hijacking took place, but confirmed that the mortar bombs were now being used by the rebels against Sri Lankan government troops. He said the loss was not the responsibility of the Zimbabwe government nor the Zimbabwe Defence Industries, but that of the ship owner. 6. GOVERNMENT TO OVERHAUL TENDER BOARD Zimbabwe's cabinet has succumbed to mounting local and international criticism over alleged political interference and graft in the handling and allocation of state tenders, and will now overhaul the controversy-ridden Government Tender Board. According to The Financial Gazette, cabinet members have already agreed to changes recommended by a team of consultants and aimed at improving the board's efficiency and transparency. However, the proposed changes will have to be discussed in Parliament before they can be passed into law. Sources from the Ministry of Finance, under which the board falls, said the overhaul would include changes in board membership that is presently dominated by civil servants appointed by the Minister of Finance and the re-defining of its reporting structures in an effort to make it more autonomous. Among tenders which have been heavily criticized is the one for the construction of a new international airport in Harare, awarded to a Cypriot company whose local agent is President Mugabe's nephew, Leo Mugabe. 7. CUSTOMS DEPARTMENT LAUNCHES ANTI-SMUGGLING BLITZ Zimbabwe's Customs and Excise Department has launched a nationwide blitz aimed at curbing rampant smuggling of goods into the country that costs the state millions of dollars in lost revenue. The blitz is targeting mainly rail and road transportation as most of the goods are smuggled in containers by cross-border trucks and goods trains. Customs director, Ranga Munyaradzi said from now on, each container coming into the country would be physically examined so as to verify its contents because many people were giving a false description of goods carried in the containers. However, this move is likely to attract fierce criticism from importers who already accuse the department of causing long delays at the border posts, thereby disrupting business. 8. 'O' LEVEL EXAM PAPERS GO MISSING A box containing an entire set of 'O' level examination papers meant for a school in Nyanga district, eastern Zimbabwe, vanished from the carrier of a bus on Monday last week. The Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council has sent out teams of officers to comb schools in the area with the hope that they may recover the papers. Police have also launched an investigation to try and avoid a mass leak which might result in the nullification of results for affected areas, or resetting of new examinations. The headmaster who was taking the papers to the school has been blamed for negligence. Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council director, Mr Isaiah Sibanda said the headmaster should have hired a vehicle to carry the papers, adding that these were security papers which were supposed to be handled with great care. Exam leaks are becoming a perennial problem in Zimbabwe as cases of schools or candidates having their results withheld over allegations of leaks are now common. While past leaks have been confined to single papers, usually dished out by top corrupt school or Government officials, this is the first time an entire set of 'O' level papers has disappeared. **************************** ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE A fortnightly update of news from Zimbabwe! If you would like to receive more information about ZIMBABWE NEWS ONLINE, or about our other newsletters or upcoming newsletters, please send an E-mail to: AfricaNN@inform-bbs.dk If you know of anyone else who might be interested in subscribing to Zimbabwe News Online, please let us know and tell them about us! 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