Opinion / Columnist
Implats CEO David Brown has that tendency as Malema put it
26 Aug 2011 at 11:04hrs | Views
Yesterday we carried a story titled Zimplats not willing to transfers 51 percent to Zimbos: CEO where Impala Platinum, which owns 87 percent of Zimplats and has a 50 percent interest in Zvishavane-based Mimosa Platinum Mine, said it is not willing to hand over full control to Zimbabwean and wants to retain full control of its Zimbabwe operations Zimplats and is confident it will not have to transfer 51 percent of the stake to locals.
Readers reacted to the story and some think David Brown is an arrogant man. Tendi said: Arrogance, and hubris. This is the same sort of stuff that led to jambabja, which is what is not needed in Zimbabwe at the moment. Impala is not a Zimbabwean company and so they should comply with the laws of the country. In South Africa, their stronghold they had to cede to the local villages in the form of a trust and I do not see why it was okay and acceptable in South Africa and they trying to be arrogant in Zimbabwe. There are so many other Mining houses who would not hesitate.
Though the move is led by Zanu-PF it is indeed an irreversible national agenda. If they demonstrate such arrogance, it will then easily becomes a Zanu-PF agenda where patronage becomes a criteria. The chiefs should demand their share on behalf of the people, the 26% being offered is too little. The government gets its share in terms of taxation.
Budza also added his voice by saying: Zim keeping the old agreement would mean that they are willing to honor any other agreement. Ok this is B**l S**T. U do not say that to us becoz if u say it to gvt u say it to the people of Zim. Give up u moroons. Zim can't make them an exception because then it means the whole thing is nothing. every foreigner give up 51%. jus as simple.
Lawrence Vengesai had a question to as "My only question is if we have enough capacity to invest in the 51% stake we would get." and Tendi volunteered to answer the question, he responded by saying "It can be financed through production and dividends, the community or staff does not need to have cash. These so called mining investors did not have cash to invest in these mines to start with, instead they took the operating license to the bank local and offshore) and armed with a geological report of the deposits. They got a loan which they are servicing with production and profits."
Nastasija Zenkina cautioned Zimplats CEO, "Do not ever think anyone will symphathise with you. In some cases, there is no need to show as if you reason too much that others, sometimes it pays to be afraid, because you may try to scare these guys and you may not be lucky. They may find out your fake horns like those of an owl and they will instead scare you and even go beyond," he said.
Bigzvimbaz Bigzvimbaz had no kind description to Brown's actions, he says, "Just listen to the arrogance. The disrespect. The I'm white and you Africans are born morons. The insulting insinuations that we don't know what an economy is. The funny thing is this guy obeys laws in other countries but thinks he should disregard Zimbabwe laws. It's a law.51% or get out. It's that simple. If he thinks this is a Kasukuwere crusade he's got another thing coming. Every reasonably educated Zimbabwean (and that's 95% of the population, the highest in Africa and among the highest in the world) knows that the only way to insulate ourselves from future western tantrums is by at least owning half of our economy. Even if Kasukuwere backs down it will not go away. We are here and we want the mula. We will not forget.Ever.
Pidigu Dhi refused to be left out of the discussions: "Very noble contributions guys, you are saying it as it is. Who does this Brown think he is? In South Africa they comply because the whites are still in control of the economy. Did Impala bring any platinum and plant it into the ground. Did they have the cash to invest, instead they basically drilled and compiled geological reposrts which they took to the bankls and raised the money. Those loans are being paid off using production and that can be done by locals and other investors willing to be compliant. Mr, Brown shape up or ship out. Hapana chinoshamisira pa Impala."
Readers reacted to the story and some think David Brown is an arrogant man. Tendi said: Arrogance, and hubris. This is the same sort of stuff that led to jambabja, which is what is not needed in Zimbabwe at the moment. Impala is not a Zimbabwean company and so they should comply with the laws of the country. In South Africa, their stronghold they had to cede to the local villages in the form of a trust and I do not see why it was okay and acceptable in South Africa and they trying to be arrogant in Zimbabwe. There are so many other Mining houses who would not hesitate.
Though the move is led by Zanu-PF it is indeed an irreversible national agenda. If they demonstrate such arrogance, it will then easily becomes a Zanu-PF agenda where patronage becomes a criteria. The chiefs should demand their share on behalf of the people, the 26% being offered is too little. The government gets its share in terms of taxation.
Budza also added his voice by saying: Zim keeping the old agreement would mean that they are willing to honor any other agreement. Ok this is B**l S**T. U do not say that to us becoz if u say it to gvt u say it to the people of Zim. Give up u moroons. Zim can't make them an exception because then it means the whole thing is nothing. every foreigner give up 51%. jus as simple.
Nastasija Zenkina cautioned Zimplats CEO, "Do not ever think anyone will symphathise with you. In some cases, there is no need to show as if you reason too much that others, sometimes it pays to be afraid, because you may try to scare these guys and you may not be lucky. They may find out your fake horns like those of an owl and they will instead scare you and even go beyond," he said.
Bigzvimbaz Bigzvimbaz had no kind description to Brown's actions, he says, "Just listen to the arrogance. The disrespect. The I'm white and you Africans are born morons. The insulting insinuations that we don't know what an economy is. The funny thing is this guy obeys laws in other countries but thinks he should disregard Zimbabwe laws. It's a law.51% or get out. It's that simple. If he thinks this is a Kasukuwere crusade he's got another thing coming. Every reasonably educated Zimbabwean (and that's 95% of the population, the highest in Africa and among the highest in the world) knows that the only way to insulate ourselves from future western tantrums is by at least owning half of our economy. Even if Kasukuwere backs down it will not go away. We are here and we want the mula. We will not forget.Ever.
Pidigu Dhi refused to be left out of the discussions: "Very noble contributions guys, you are saying it as it is. Who does this Brown think he is? In South Africa they comply because the whites are still in control of the economy. Did Impala bring any platinum and plant it into the ground. Did they have the cash to invest, instead they basically drilled and compiled geological reposrts which they took to the bankls and raised the money. Those loans are being paid off using production and that can be done by locals and other investors willing to be compliant. Mr, Brown shape up or ship out. Hapana chinoshamisira pa Impala."
Source - Byo24News
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