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Midlands Correspondent
ZVISHAVANE based platinum miner, Mimosa Mine, spent $154 million in the economy as payments to local suppliers and local authorities for the financial year 2014/15. A recent report from the company indicates that of the total $211 million paid out, $28 million was paid to foreign suppliers and $29 million to the company’s shareholders.

During the period, Mimosa, a joint venture between Impala Platinum and Aquarius, contributed $61 million to the fiscus in the form of taxes while local indigenous companies got $70 million for supplies with local authorities getting $12 million.

Local non-indigenous companies got $9 million while $2 million went to other unspecified payments.

Mimosa Mine managing director, Fungai Makoni told Business Chronicle on the sidelines of a handover of the refurbished nurses’ staff quarters at Zvishavane District Hospital that the company has confidence in the country and will keep on investing in the economy including in corporate social responsibility programmes.

“Since we began our operation as Mimosa it has been our desire to meaningfully contribute to the country’s economy for the benefit of our immediate and national communities,” said Makoni.

“Moreover, we’re an organisation that takes cognisance of the fact that health is a vital part of our economy. It has been an important item in the world development index against which a country’s state of wealth is judged,” he added.

The refurbishment of the staff quarters was done at a cost of $300,000 and houses 28 nurses.

The works undertaken included roofing repairs, electrical, plumbing and refurbishment of the whole nurses’ hostel including the installation of new bathroom facilities among other renovations.

Previously, Mimosa has helped Zvishavane District Hospital to refurbish its access road, construction of the hospital mortuary, laundry facility construction and blankets donation.

The mine has also refurbished the male, female, children and maternity wards.

Last year, the company’s executive chairman, Winston Chitando said the company had poured $1,4 billion into the economy in the past five years in various investments and initiatives.