Open letter to RBZ: Mashava Mine history difficult to whitewash and ignore

Dear Ms. Rita Likukuma

Re: Mashava Mine resurrects, significant ground covered

MY attention was brought to a story published by the Sunday Mail dated 14 January 2018 under the title: "Mashava Mine resurrects - Significant ground covered,"

It is the case that in the public domain, any story associated with SMM Holdings (Private) Limited ("SMM) and related matters is invariably directly and indirectly linked to me because of a history that unfortunately is difficult to whitewash and ignore.

As you may appreciate, the title to the story speaks to the resumption of the operations of the two asbestos mines and also to alleged significant ground covered.

On the face of the title, the presumption by any reasonable mind would be that such a development could never be contemplated and implemented without the knowledge and involvement of the only shareholder known to the general public in respect of the affairs of the concerned companies.

You will agree with me that the facts related to the purported extra-judicial reconstruction of SMM and related companies that were associated with me are generally not shared in the public domain save to state that the closure of the mines and attendant social and economic costs occurred under the watch of a state-appointed Administrator who was ostensibly appointed to reconstruct the very companies that collapsed against a background of direct state intervention.

I make the assumption that you were of a mature age in 2004 when laws were invented in the name of reconstruction or the new self-serving parlance "restoration" to divest the shareholders and directors of SMM of the control and management of a number of companies including SMM without their knowledge and consent.

One would expect any reasonable person to have known the content and context of the measures used in the name of government to create a new reality and/or normal which to date no one has boldly sought to claim any credit for creating it; using public power which in any democratic republican constitutional order ought to be reserved to uphold and protect the rule of law and principles of constitutionalism.

It is reported in the said article that: "Shabanie Mashava Mines (SMM) Holdings will resume asbestos production at Mashava Mine by end of March this year after securing the initial funding required to restart operations," confirming that the control and management of SMM is still vested in parties who could only have acquired such power as a consequence of the operation of the laws referred to above.

It is only when I read of the involvement of you as the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe Chairperson in the affairs of SMM that I was naturally ignited and inspired to write this open letter principally because to the best of my knowledge you were at all material times not directly, let alone indirectly, related to the affairs of SMM.

Perhaps you will care to provide any details of how you became related to SMM and also Turnall Holdings, a company that you seem to be a Chairman of now. It is not clear from the above-referenced article in what capacity you said this to the reporter:

"I have said efforts are underway to help the asbestos fibre producer get access to required foreign currency for key mining equipment."

It is also reported that you told Turnall workers last week that significant ground has been covered in making sure that Mashava resumes production early this year. It is also reported that you said that the resumption of Mashava is critical as Turnall will stop importing asbestos fibre.

It is stated as true and fact that: "SMM, which also operates Shabanie Mine in Zvishavane, shut down mining operations in 2004 after the Government annexed assets from proprietor Mutumwa Mawere through a reconstruction order, amid indications that the mining company was State-indebted and insolvent," when in truth and fact the mines were not shut down in 2004 as the government moved into the company pursuant to an order issued by Hon. P. Chanamasa in his capacity as the Minister of Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs and not by any court order as would be expected in any democratic constitutional state; SMM was operating as a going concern.

I am sure you will agree that no reasonable person would push for the reconstruction of a dead thing or operate on a dead body.

It cannot be denied even by a person like you whose relationship with both SMM and Turnall could only be as a consequence of the introduction of a new reality that can only be best described as a "soft corporate coup" using powers reserved for the judiciary by a member of the executive branch of government. I am confident that you will agree with me that the legality and constitutionality of your purported relationship with SMM and Turnall cannot escape the accusation of State managed theft.

I hope that you will no doubt dig deeper in your well of conscience and morality to reflect on what you are doing to undermine the promise of independence and wealth creation. I have no other way of inducing or negotiating with people like you who believe that harvesting where they have not sown is fair game and, more significantly, that public power can legitimately be used to leverage a person into wealth and personal aggrandizement.