This letter appeared in the most recent issue of the Financial Gazette, objecting to one of the questions that appeared in Zimbabwe’s Grade 7 exams. (Grade 7 is the final year of primary school – children are approximately 12 years old). I won’t delve into the excellent arguments written in the  detail of the letter (read it yourself by clicking on the image to enlarge the picture).

For now though, imagine you are that twelve year old; how would you answer the following question?

15. Before Independence, blacks and whites failed to live together peacefully because:

A. The whites had guns
B. The blacks liked to strike
C. The whites did not like blacks
D. All the blacks wanted to live in towns

What on earth are they teaching our kids at school?

A grubby US$ note - but not the grubbiest I've seen!

Zimbabwe is more than a year into dollarization and hyperinflation has receded in our memories to a distant nightmare. However, we are now faced with the daily displeasure of having to handle US$ notes that pass through thousands of unwashed hands, their designated value testing even those with 20/20 vision as it is so faded and their erstwhile crisp allure long gone. Sadly, although he would love to do so, Gono cannot print the US$ needed so Zimbabweans face major health risks when dealing in the grubby, infested cash.

The toll-takers on Zimbabwe’s roads seem to have adopted a new policy for dealing with the cash health risks: no filthy, grimy, or faded dollar bills will be accepted! (more…)

What on earth is going on in South Africa? I have been talking to a friend engaged in the business of promoting tourism who recently returned from the much publicised Soccer venue and I fear for the future of that country.

On his recent trip to Cape Town, the prime destination for tourists, he was meeting with South African colleagues at a pavement café in Camps Bay, play ground of the beautiful people of that fair city. A revolting scene brutally interrupted their discussions, playing out right before their eyes.

A police kombi pulled up outside the café, disgorging two of its five uniformed officers who determinedly targeted a parking attendant tout across the road. The tout was clearly terrified and obviously unhappy about being picked up. But flanked by the pumped up, muscle bound cops who could easily feature on WWE, showcasing the unrivaled Superstars of the ring, the cops marched the undersized “criminal” back to the vehicle, struggling ineffectually. The business group thought nothing of it, probably a petty thief or possibly operating without the license needed to direct parking in the African continent’s St Tropez.

To the horror of my friend, who as a Zimbabwean is entirely justified in being suspicious of any in uniform, the cops forced the suspect into the kombi, where their burly associates awaited them, and all four cops in the back proceeded to beat the living daylights out of the tout, in full view of all at the café. (more…)

Morgan Tsvangirai at the Delta Gallery exhibition, Harare

An extract of graffiti featured in Owen Maseko's exhibition, Bulawayo

The war for freedom of expression is being waged across Zimbabwe.

This week has seen two major exhibitions being interfered with by the police for daring to give an honest voice to the tragedy and suffering that have plagued this nation for too long now. (more…)

The 'Smoking lounge'

There has been much hype in the Zim government press over the coming 2010 world cup, with Ministers and their lackeys drivelling on about the (highly unrealistic) expected influx of tourists. Of course there will be some spill over from the soccer frenzy, but sadly most of it will take the form of tourists flying directly into Victoria Falls or crossing over from Livingstone, for a day or two on their way to better facilities in South Africa, Botswana and Zambia. One would think that the great Maosi Tunya was actually a South African destination as it is very often included in their domestic tour packages. Having visited the tourist town recently it is a sad, faded, shabby remnant of its previous glorious self. Indeed Unesco is currently threatening to downgrade it as a world heritage site.

Zimbabwe was once a tourist mecca, with all ages and budgets flocking to visit our rich and diverse range of destinations, from the Matobo hills to Hwange game reserve, the Victoria Falls to Kariba dam, Nyanga to Gonarezhou. Today over 80% of the luxury lodges, backpacker inns and small establishments have closed. I visited the Hwange Safari Lodge (owned mainly by ZPF) last year and we were the only tourists there rattling around in a vast hotel and being followed by a herd of staff, all bemoaning the state of affairs and longing for the old days when they were run off their feet. (more…)

Gideon Gono

There’s a lot of chat among Zimbabweans at the moment about the rumours we are hearing of massive production of Zimbabwe dollar bills.

The talk is that these bills are being transferred into big-wig bank accounts (people like Gono and his crew) which are swelling fast with Zim dollars.

People are speculating that these individuals, who have already enriched themselves at the expense of the Zimbabwe economy, are readying themselves for the day the Ministry of Finance decides on a rate to reimburse all those people who had Zim dollars in their account shortly before dollarisation.

As worthless as the Zimbabwe dollar was at the time, it is acknowledged that the switch to a different currencies left those who only had Zim dollars, and no US or Rands, with a disadvantage.

So the thinking on the streets is that Gono and his sordid crew are packing their accounts to the gills with local currency which they plan to exchange for the real-deal – US dollars – when the reimbursement rate is announced. (more…)

I signed the petition today to pressurise Old Mutual to stop funding Zanu PF’s propaganda machine, and as I sit here I seethe at the overwhelming evil of this gargantuan multi-national corporation.

One would think that the ethical thing for the Chairman of Old Mutual Zimbabwe to do would be not to prevaricate, but to demand that Old Mutual take up their full right to have a seat on Zimpapers board and thereby input corporate responsibility into the policies guiding the running of the company.

According to the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, Old Mutual owns almost a quarter of Zimpapers. I am no business person, but surely Zimpapers should offer a seat of their board to such a significant player in their business? Otherwise, Old Mutual should long ago have forced the issue to ensure their investment is ethical, viable and in the best interest of their own shareholders.

But it is important to look at the overall running of Old Mutual. Yes, Old Mutual were also victims of the Zanu Pf engineered collapsed Zimbabwean economy, but surely they should now revisit their pension pay outs to reflect dollarization…? (more…)

Phillip Chiyangwa stands as one of Zimbabwe’s largest property developers and recently stated that his empire is worth far more than the speculated US$15 million.  This in itself is not a problem, however the Bible-bashing tycoon cannot claim he has made his millions of US dollars from anything but illicit trade.

He is currently on a mission to grab as much land as possible in the urban areas of Harare, most of it State or council land.  This is land invasion under a different guise.

The Borrowdale greenbelt council-owned land has been reported as “claimed” by Chiyangwa and he denies any wrongdoing.

The pictures in this post were taken very recently and depict the disputed Borrowdale vlei. The workers camped there claim Phillip Chiyangwa owns the land and they are getting ready to put down boreholes. They could not produce any papers to prove Chiyangwa’s ownership.

This greenbelt is the water catchment for Mazoe dam. (more…)