EDITORIAL COMMENT: Implementation of mega projects shame prophets of doom President Emmerson Mnangagwa and Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando look on while Karo consulting geologist Stony Steenekamp shows samples of the ores during the Karo platinum exploration site technical visit in Ngezi (Picture by Innocent Makawa)

The visit to Karo Resources’ $4,2 billion platinum mine project in Mhondoro-Ngezi by President Mnangagwa and his delegation that included the Minister of Mines and Mining Development Cde Winston Chitando last week, has put to shame the prophets of doom who have been trashing mega deals signed by Government and different investors. 

President Mnangagwa who was taken on a technical tour of the mining site on Wednesday, said he was satisfied with progress so far in setting up the mine.

The process is in its first phase of exploration and the company has so far completed aeromagnetic survey, digital terrain mapping and the drilling to quantify the platinum resources is expected to be completed by end of this year. 

President Mnangagwa said the development at the site had silenced sceptics from some sections of the media.

“A few months after we had our ground-breaking, the media began saying these mega deals are fantasy, a pie in the sky but now I am sure you know that the pie is never in the sky but on the ground here in Ngezi,” said President Mnangagwa. 

He said the timelines set by Karo Resources in terms of implementation of the project had been fulfilled and in many areas the company has been ahead of the timelines they gave Government. 

On Tuesday Government registered another milestone in mining development when it signed an investment deal worth more than $5 billion with a Chinese steel manufacturing giant, Tsingshan, for the setting up of a new steel plant in Mvuma.

The deal is set to create 30 000 jobs while that of Karo Resources will create 25 000 jobs. 

The mega deals signed by Government are real and there is evidence on the ground of projects being implemented.  What is exciting is that the country is registering these positives in the mining sector at a time when it is playing host to the 60th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair which has attracted a record 532 direct local exhibitors and 16 countries. 

The increased number of exhibitors to ZITF, which is Zimbabwe’s international trade showcase, is a confirmation of both local and foreign business’ growing confidence in our economy.

President Mnangagwa has already said Zimbabwe is on an unstoppable economic and political trajectory that will thrust the country to prosperity and the signs are already showing. 

We want at this juncture to urge especially our foreign exhibitors and visitors to take advantage of their stay in the country to explore business opportunities. 

It is our fervent hope that when they return to their respective countries, the visitors will be our ambassadors that will assist Zimbabwe to correct the negative publicity by some sections of the media based on falsehoods. 

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