INDUSTRY and Commerce minister Welshman Ncube yesterday denied reports that he was frustrating efforts to complete the handover of Zisco to Essar, alleging that there are people who are pulling out all the stops to ensure the deal flops. By Nqobile Bhebhe/Nduduzo Tshuma
Ncube accused the Mines, Mining and Mineral Development ministry of sabotaging the deal, which he said he wanted to complete.
“There are clandestine meetings where people drive from Harare to Ziscosteel at night to hold midnight meetings with so-called trade unionists and tell them what to say in Parliament,” he said, without mentioning names.
“Every time we make substantial progress towards implementation, all of a sudden the Parliamentary Committee of Industry is convened and calls the same people it has been calling for the past two years.”
Ncube said anyone blaming him for stalling the deal was probably from Mars and was not aware of what was happening in Zimbabwe. He accused the Mines Ministry of ignoring several Cabinet directives to hand over Essar.
“Cabinet has directed and redirected and in every occasion it has made the decision, every ministry has co-operated fully and has signed all documents,” Ncube said. “The ministries of Water, Energy, Finance, Transport and Investment Promotion, have complied, but only one, just one has repeatedly refused to do as Cabinet has directed.”
Last week, New Zimbabwe Steel workers union representative Benedict Moyo said the 2 500 employees of the company were now living in abject poverty. (See Ncube’s full interview in tomorrow’s paper/and on our website)
