SW Radio Africa
12 July 2012
Recently Indigenisation Minister Saviour Kasukuwere caused a major panic when he said schools were to be indigenised, meaning they had to hand over 51% of their shares.
The new regulations to take over private schools were published in a notice in the Government Gazette last week.
But now Minister of Education David Coltart has said he has reached an agreement with Kasukuwere: Writing on his Facebook page he said: “I am pleased to report that I had a very constructive discussion with (Empowerment) Minister Saviour Kasukuwere this (Wednesday) evening regarding the Indigenisation notice recently issued.”
“We are agreed that the rights contained in section 20(3) of the Constitution, namely the right of religious and other groups to set up and run schools, will be fully respected by Government.
“Accordingly all mission, church, religious, community and trust schools run not for profit will not be subject to any indigenisation policy.”
Coltart also posted on Facebook a statement by Kasukuwere saying: “Sen David Coltart and I had a discussion around the General Notice, specifically on the education sector. In our engagement with him we advised that the instrument had at no point talked about Trust schools, Religious/Christian schools and Community. The Notice was specific to companies engaged in education as a profit making venture. I am happy that the law is clear and was always clear. I appeal to fellow citizens to read the notice and satisfy ourselves so that distortions are minimized.”
So Kawukuwere appears to be blaming people for not reading the notice correctly, by pointing out that the indigenisation regulations only affect anyone who is trying to make a profit out of an entity.
In most nations, forcing someone to hand over half of a profitable company is called theft.