News / Regional
Former Gwanda mayor told he is not Zimbabwean
08 Jun 2014 at 06:24hrs | Views
FORMER Gwanda mayor Lionel De Necker got the shock of his life yesterday after he was told that his business does not comply with the provisions of the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act.
The law compels foreign-owned businesses to cede majority shareholding to locals.
The National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB) classification of De Necker's business as non-compliant seems to suggest that they do not view him as an indigenous Zimbabwean.
De Necker yesterday took to Twitter to express his dismay at the development and vowed to fight it.
"Today I received papers from NIEEB about Reserved Sector Compliance Status Notice. They say it's reserved for Zimbabweans," he tweeted.
"I refuse to run out of my country Zimbabwe and town Gwanda. I refuse to be intimidated too."
According to Southern Eye, efforts to get De Necker to elaborate on his claims were fruitless last night. He is a former MDC councillor in the Matabeleland South capital.
The government last year vowed to press ahead with controversial plans to ban foreigners from owning bakeries, barber shops, estate agencies and a host of other businesses.
Foreigners were given a January 2014 deadline to comply with the regulations put in place in 2010.
Last month the NIEEB temporarily closed down popular Golden Grill Fast Food outlets in Bulawayo claiming they did not comply with the controversial law.
However, the owner of the businesses Paul Evans said he was an indigenous Zimbabweans who should not be subjected to the requirements of the law.
President Robert Mugabe has recently indicated that the government is willing to relax the indigenisation regulations.
The law compels foreign-owned businesses to cede majority shareholding to locals.
The National Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Board (NIEEB) classification of De Necker's business as non-compliant seems to suggest that they do not view him as an indigenous Zimbabwean.
De Necker yesterday took to Twitter to express his dismay at the development and vowed to fight it.
"Today I received papers from NIEEB about Reserved Sector Compliance Status Notice. They say it's reserved for Zimbabweans," he tweeted.
"I refuse to run out of my country Zimbabwe and town Gwanda. I refuse to be intimidated too."
According to Southern Eye, efforts to get De Necker to elaborate on his claims were fruitless last night. He is a former MDC councillor in the Matabeleland South capital.
The government last year vowed to press ahead with controversial plans to ban foreigners from owning bakeries, barber shops, estate agencies and a host of other businesses.
Foreigners were given a January 2014 deadline to comply with the regulations put in place in 2010.
Last month the NIEEB temporarily closed down popular Golden Grill Fast Food outlets in Bulawayo claiming they did not comply with the controversial law.
However, the owner of the businesses Paul Evans said he was an indigenous Zimbabweans who should not be subjected to the requirements of the law.
President Robert Mugabe has recently indicated that the government is willing to relax the indigenisation regulations.
Source - Southern Eye
