Traditional leaders and the Association of Community Share Ownership Trusts (ACSOTZ) have urged the government to enact legislation reserving 10 per cent ownership of minerals and other extractive resources for local communities.
This follows the government’s move to scrap the 51% quota of the Indigenisation Regulation that compelled foreign investors to cede majority shareholding to locals.
Speaking at the Policy Dialogue on the Prospects and Sustainability of community Ownership Trusts in Zimbabwe in Harare on Tuesday, ACSOTZ secretary general Clever Mandizvidza said:
We recommend, as CSOTs, that at least 10% of the extractive and natural resources sectors must be reserved for the communities. This must be made mandatory and not discretionary.
This is in light of values enshrined in Section 3(2)(j) of the Constitution which mandates State and Government Agencies to ‘the equitable sharing of national resources.
… The reason why 10% must be reserved for communities is that a regional comparative has revealed that other neighbouring countries are benefiting up to 26% which include Zambia but not limited to South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique.
Chief Marange from Manicaland province bemoaned the erosion of the social fabric and the loss of authority by chiefs. He said:
It is shocking that Lands Committee distributes lands on behalf of a chief even when he does not have land and these government officials have vast tracts of land.
It’s a clear loss of loyalty for kings by the government.