The following was originally published in TIMES Live:

A government notice issued last week by empowerment minister Saviour Kasukuwere gave foreign-owned banks and private schools a year to comply with a law requiring 51% shareholding by local blacks.

But Minister of Education David Coltart, a member of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party in a coalition government formed with President Robert Mugabe’s ZANU-PF, said the directive was illegal.

“This action is unlawful, unconstitutional and therefore unenforceable,” Coltart said on his official Twitter account.

Coltart also told the state-controlled Herald newspaper on Wednesday that Kasukuwere had previously assured him that private schools would not be targeted under the empowerment drive.

He said most private schools, formerly the preserve of whites but are now largely multi-racial, were owned by churches and trusts.

Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai who is sharing power with long-ruling Mugabe in a shaky coalition, has also sharply criticised the empowerment law and said Kasukuwere’s latest announcement does not reflect the cabinet’s position.

Kasukuwere, a Mugabe ally, has already forced mining companies such as Rio Tinto and Impala Platinum, the world’s second-largest platinum miner, to turn over majority stakes in their local units to black Zimbabweans.

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Tuesday dismissed as unconstitutional a government notice published by the indigenization ministry compelling foreign-owned banks, schools and other sectors of the economy to start transferring majority shares to locals.

Mr. Tsvangirai said the power-sharing government did not sanction Indigenization Minister Saviour Kasukuwere to issue the notice last Friday which he believes is a threat to local investments.

He said grabbing private entities or properties is unlawful under the country’s constitution. Some of the targeted companies include those in the tourism, energy and telecommunications sectors.

Private school owners, business executives and Education Minister David Coltart reacted angrily to Kasukuwere’s notice compelling the targeted entities to cede a 51 percent stake to local blacks in line with the Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act.

Coltart said he will fight to the bitter end to ensure no school will be forcibly seized. Economists insist that such moves are blocking foreign direct investment.

Former headmaster Paul Ngwenya said it is impossible to indigenize private schools set up by various communities.

His views were echoed by John Mufukare of the Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe, who said the indigenization program has become a national disgrace.

The Chronicle

4 July 2012

THOUSANDS of orphans and underprivileged primary school pupils under the Basic Education Assistance Module are likely to be stranded after Unicef pulled out of the programme.

Unicef has been supporting more than 400 000 disadvantaged primary school pupils for the past three years. Government fully pays tuition fees for Beam secondary school children while donors, through Unicef, catered for primary school pupils.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart yesterday said the pullout by Unicef would have “serious consequences” on the underprivileged children. The development, he said, would “heap” more responsibilities on an already constrained Government. “The move is going to have serious consequences on the lives of pupils under Beam,” said Minister Coltart. “What this means is Government will be forced to settle the difference but it’s common knowledge that Government does not have the resources. “Last term, more than 400 000 pupils in primary education were supposed to benefit but not all of them got the assistance as funding from the donors was not enough. Government on the other hand has been struggling to cover the secondary school pupils,” he said.

Beam was set up in 2000 to provide school fees for disadvantaged pupils. Minister Coltart said the British Department for International Development, which paid a huge chunk of the fees for the pupils last term, indicated that it would also stop funding the programme next term. DFID promotes sustainable development and elimination of poverty worldwide. “DFID has funded the programme for the past six months of this year and have indicated that they are not able to continue. “This leaves us in the cold and much needs to be done because those children have to be in school. My ministry will be working hand in hand with Minister of Labour and Social Welfare (Paurina Mupariwa) to ensure that something has been done for the pupils,” he said. He added: “The permanent solution lies in working hard towards achieving our Millennium Development Goals. One of the goals in education is to achieve free education for all pupils in primary school. For this to be realised it calls for collective action.” Beam is managed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Services for the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture

Minister Mupariwa said schools were in the process of processing Beam applications for the second term. “DFID paid for the first term and it is our hope that funding for the second term will be availed to assist the children. We hope DFID will pay the money that is going to be coordinated by Crown Agents.

“If that happens, then it means the children will be safe,” she said. Beam has assisted a lot of children in the country and has been doing a lot to meet the educational needs of orphans and vulnerable children.

The Zimbabwe Football Association says they are keen and committed to staging international matches at other venues outside Harare, but the desire to do so is being hampered by severe financial constraints.

Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation report that the comments come in the wake of the recent concerns raised by the Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Senator David Coltart who communicated his apprehension through correspondence to the Sport and Recreation Commission.

Senator Coltart expressed worry over what he deems as an inequitable distribution of international match, manifested through the fact that the Warriors have not played outside of Harare for some time, thus depriving football supporters across the country of the opportunity to watch the national team in action.

ZIFA President Cuthbert Dube responded to the Minister’s concerns by saying the football motherbody has nothing against staging international matches outside Harare, but are being pinned back by severe financial limitations.

“We would love to have matches at other venues but there’s a lot that involved in staging matches outside Harare. People should realise that if teams come they need to be flown to these venues but we don’t have the resources to do so.

“We are actually reeling from lack of funding so it becomes difficult for bus to take matches outside Harare. If we receive funding from the ministry then other venues will host international matches,” said Dube.

Minister Coltart last week issued a directive for national sporting events to be held across the country with effect from the 1st of next month.

The debate of venues only in Harare being used to host international matches has raged on for some time with some questioning why the capital city is enjoying the monopoly of staging national team matches.

Others blame ZIFA for demonstrating a lack of enterprise in generating resources to sustain its operations and spread matches beyond Harare, highlighting the need for the football motherbody to first put its house in order before going around with begging bowls in hand.

• Wonderful compliment paid to Andy Flower by one of the world's best bowlers ever – http://t.co/LYgffm0F #
• Hear some S Africans put down their cricket loss to Zim because their team was not full strength. Nor was ours – no Taibu, Price or Coventry #
• Congratulations to Brendan Taylor and his merry men for an outstanding victory over South Africa. Sorry this is belated but have been away #
• "The biggest problem is us and not sanctions which were imposed on us by some other people” Vice President Mujuru quoted in Daily News 30/6 #
• Decentralise Venues – Coltart http://t.co/miKCuw2R #zimbabwe via @allafrica #

Education, Sport and Arts Minister, David Coltart, has issued a directive for national sporting events to be held across the country with effect from August 1st 2012.

As published in ZimEye, in a directive letter to the Sports and Recreation Commission chairman Joseph James, Minister Coltart spelt out the need to decentralise Warriors’ football matches away from Harare to other deserving towns around the country, and called for the football fraternity to emulate other sporting events like cricket that are nationally spread out.

Coltart’s directive effectively means that the next Warriors match may move to Barbourfields Stadium away from Harare where all national sporting activities have historically been played at either the National Sports Stadium and Rufaro Stadium.

According to Coltart the purpose behind this directive is to ensure national equity and fairness and also build a national sense of pride.

“The purpose behind these directives is to ensure national equity and fairness. The current problem is that virtually all matches in some disciplines are played in Harare. If we are to build national support for all sporting disciplines and a national sense of pride, our national teams must be seen by as many Zimbabweans as possible throughout the nation,” he says.

Coltart’s directives letter broadly reads:

“All sports associations recognised by the SRC will immediately advise the SRC of the venues which are accepted/recognised for international fixtures by the relevant international sporting body. For example, I believe that the National Sport Stadium, Rufaro and Barbourfields are the only grounds which meet Fifa specifications and so, in future, matches should be held alternately and evenly at all three of these grounds.

With effect from 1st August 2012, the SRC shall only authorise international sporting events (in terms of Section 19(d) of the SRC Act) on condition that all sporting associations hold all matches involving representative Zimbabwean teams, including both friendly and official matches, at all internationally accepted venues on an equitable and alternating basis.

For the avoidance of doubt, in any calendar year matches should be evenly spread amongst all internationally accepted venues. For example, in every calendar year, Zifa will have to ensure that the Warriors and Mighty Warriors play an equal number of matches each at the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro and Barbourfields. Ideally matches should be held systematically and sequentially at all venues.

If financial considerations demand that a particular series be held at one venue (and because of that, an even distribution of matches at all venues cannot be achieved in that calendar year) then the SRC must only grant permission for future series in subsequent years if the relevant sports association holds any subsequent series at a different venue. In other words, there must also be equitable sharing of sporting series as well as individual matches.

The purpose behind these directives is to ensure national equity and fairness. The current problem is that virtually all matches in some disciplines are played in Harare. If we are to build national support for all sporting disciplines and a national sense of pride, our national teams must be seen by as many Zimbabweans as possible throughout the nation.”

New Zimbabwe reports that Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart has ordered the Sports and Recreation Commission to stage some national team matches out of Harare. David Coltart made the intervention in a letter to the SRC’s board this week.

The minister said: “If we are to build national support for all sporting disciplines and a national sense of pride, our national teams must be seen by as many Zimbabweans as possible throughout the nation.

“For some time, I have been concerned about what I perceive as an inequitable distribution of international sporting fixtures in Zimbabwe. For example, the Warriors have not played outside of Harare for some time, thus depriving football supporters throughout Zimbabwe of the opportunity to watch the national team.”

The national team has played all Africa Cup of Nations and World Cup qualifiers either at Rufaro Stadium or the National Sports in Harare.

He said he recognised that only certain facilities are acceptable for international events and to that extent, only certain stadia can be used.

The minister said other exceptions could be made, including financial reasons for wanting an event staged at a particular venue.

“The SRC should exercise its discretion to authorise, subject to undertakings having been obtained that equity will be obtained in future fixtures. The SRC must publicly announce this change in policy and annually produce a report detailing where all international matches have been held, the dates they have been held, the respective attendance figures and the report should give any justification applied to allow any deviation from a precisely equitable share of matches at all internationally accepted venues,” he added.

The directive – which Coltart wants implemented from August 1 – will affect all national football teams, including youth sides and the women’s team.

Apart from the National Sports and Rufaro, Bulawayo’s Barbourfields Stadium is the only other sporting facility approved to host international matches.

SRC director general Charles Nhemachena said: “I can confirm we did receive the letter and the board is going to consult and respond.”

The following was originally published in the Zimbabwe Independent by Kevin Mapasure:

SPORTS minister, Senator David Coltart, has directed the Sports and Recreation Commission to ensure that national teams play some of their matches outside Harare. Coltart is particularly concerned with national teams who have been confined to Harare for a long time.

In a letter to the sports supreme body, Coltart directed that Warriors play some of their matches at Barbourfields stadium in Bulawayo as opposed to the National Sports Stadium and Rufaro only.

Part of the letter reads: “For some time I have been concerned about what I perceive as an inequitable distribution of international sporting fixtures in Zimbabwe. For example, the Warriors have not played outside of Harare for some time, thus depriving football supporters throughout Zimbabwe of the opportunity to watch the national team.

“I recognise that only certain facilities are acceptable for international events and to that extent, only certain stadia can be used. This will be taken into account in the formulation of the directives.”

Coltart wants the SRC to take keen interest in the venues for international matches and monitor that they are distributed equitably throughout the country.

But Coltart’s demands are at variance with Zifa who want to capitalise on revenue by hosting most Warriors’ matches at the National Sports Stadium which accommodates 60 000 fans.

Both Rufaro stadium and Babourfields have a carrying capacity of 30 000.

“I believe that the National Sports Stadium, Rufaro and Barbourfields are the only grounds which meet Fifa specifications and so, in future, matches should be held alternately and evenly at all three of these grounds.”

His directive brings an interesting dimension to a debate over venues for the Warriors, already in the public domain.

Some fans and players have demanded that the Warriors play their home assignments at Rufaro stadium, while Zifa has stood firm arguing that the National Sports Stadium had the best security.

Of late, paying fans have barely reached 30 000 in competitive matches meaning Barbourfields can easily host the team.

The mighty Warriors on the other hand have played all their competitive home matches at Rufaro stadium.

Coltart’s demands apply to all sporting disciplines.

The following was originally published in the Herald Online:

June 2012 public examinations are in danger as workers are threatening to strike over late payment of US$420 000 housing allowances by the Zimbabwe Schools Examination Council.

Zimsec has yet to implement a court order to pay its 290 workers over US$420 000 in outstanding housing allowances dating back 12 months, although the council is owed US$1,9 million by the Treasury in what amounts to subsidies to keep examination fees affordable. Zimsec still has an appeal pending on the Labour Court ruling to pay allowances.

Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart is now involved in trying to resolve the dispute.

At the weekend he said he held a meeting with some of the board members last week as part of the measures to resolve the impasse. “I met Zimsec board deputy chairperson (Mrs Hilda Shindi) who also chairs the committee and I ordered the board to go back to the workers to resolve the issue,” said Minister Coltart.

The Minister said the problem was that Zimsec operates on a tight budget and is still owed US$1,9 million by Treasury.

This, he said, has affected the entire system as well as creating cashflow problems. “It is my hope that the workers will get something soon because they are an important instrument in the processing of public examinations and day-to-day running of the examination body,” said Minister Coltart.

What sparked off the latest unrest at Zimsec were reports, believed by the workers, that senior managers were granted loans amounting to US$50 000. Workers feel that the agreement over their allowances has to be implemented first, using available funds.

There are now growing fears that the disgruntled workers are likely to throw into disarray the finalisation and processing of the examinations currently underway as the workers are mooting an industrial action to force management to pay them.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement entered between Zimsec management and workers on June 6 last year by the Works Council was signed as a total package. All the relevant authorities endorsed the agreement.

Workers had demanded a 56 percent increment and US$210 in housing allowances, while the examination body was offering 10 percent. To end the stalemate, workers and management later agreed that sums set aside for housing, vehicles and personal use, as well as the budget for leave encashment could be used to fund workers’ allowances and that the money saved on not filling vacant posts could be used to increase salaries and allowances. Having found the money then it was possible to distribute it.

Calculations were done with cash from loans coming to US$420 000, which could then be converted to increase workers’ allowances and salaries.

After management moved away from the agreement, the workers approached the Labour Court, which ordered the examination body to pay the US$420 000.

A spokesman for the National Education Union of Zimbabwe—a body that represents the workers — Mr Matthius Guchutu yesterday accused the examination body of violating labour laws.

Zimsec, he said, had invited “solidarity” action as it was failing to honour a binding CBA signed between the workers and Zimsec management in June last year. “We are left with no option but to take the route of an industrial action. They agreed to pay the workers but nothing has come to date. Morale within the workers is low.

“Despite taking the legal route we have also engaged Minister David Coltart, who also ordered them to honour that agreement but there are no efforts to pay the workers,” he said.

“The employer (Zimsec) including the Board has taken a stance to defend the non-justifiable expenditure of the amount agreed for housing allowance in the 2011 works council meeting. A series of meetings have been held to try and twist the agreed position.

“What the management should know is that the workers they are denying allowances are the same workers who are involved in the processing of examinations and as such they should be treated with respect,” he said.

Efforts to get a comment from Zimsec Board chairperson Professor Norman Maphosa were fruitless as he is out of the country. His deputy Mrs Hilda Shindi declined to comment.

“Professor Maphosa speaks on behalf of the board,” she said. Zimsec public relations manager Mr Ezekiel Pasipamire yesterday insisted the matter was still pending at the courts.

“To us we are still waiting for the court’s decision since the board made an appeal,” he said.