Herald

2 June 2011

THIS year’s Zimbabwe International Book Fair (ZIBF) has been set for July 25 to 30, 2011. According to ZIBF acting executive director Dr Xavier Carelse, preparations are at an advanced stage for the week-long literary showcase.

The annual event, which was launched in 1983, will be held under the theme “Books for Africa’s Development”, which is generally meant to emphasise the impact of technology on writers.

“The first two days will be dedicated to six indabas at which 18 local and international speakers will address the gathering,” Dr Carelse said.

He said international participation was expected to be higher this year, especially in light of the fact that the Cape Town Book Fair will not take place.

“The Cape Town Book Fair normally runs in close proximity to our own and this year we have been trying to convince those who normally showcase there to use the ZIBF instead,” he said.

Professor Helge Ronning, who comes from Norway and is an alumnus of the University of Zimbabwe, will deliver the keynote address.

The official opening will be conducted by Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart.

Local author Memory Chirere expressed hope that this year’s fair organisers would make an attempt to include local writers who have been conspicuous by their absence in past editions of the fair.

Zimbabwe has many authors who have won international acclaim including but not limited to Shimmer Chinodya, Tsitsi Dangarembga, Charles Mungoshi, Chenjerayi Hove, Pettinah Gapa and the late Yvonne Vera.

Dr Carelse said that children and youths will be catered for with the with the Young Persons Indaba on July 27 with the traditional Live Literature Tent also running.

Events line up include workshops on various literary aspects like writing short stories, poetry, textbook writing and film-making.

Dr Carelse said ZIBF has managed to overcome the challenges of the past few years in which the world recession has affected the donor community resulting in some traditional partners moving out.

“I am happy to announce that some of our traditional sponsors have returned to the fair this year and most of them have pledged even bigger support for the event next year,” he stated.

Traditionally, the event is supported by various embassies and international agencies operating in the country.

The Culture Fund Trust, a local organisation that supports the arts, is also a supporting partner.

On another note, the Zimbabwe Writers’ Association is inviting all Zimbabwean writers to their annual general meeting to be held tomorrow at the Zimbabwe Film and Television School of Southern Africa along Mazowe Street between Parirenyatwa Hospital and the South African Embassy at 8:30am.

ZWA’s membership is open to all writers in Zimbabwe and one of their aims is to bring together all willing writers of Zimbabwe in order to encourage creative writing, reading and publishing in all forms possible, conduct workshops and provide for literary discussions.

SW Radio Africa

Interview by Lance Guma

1 June 2011

In Part 2 of Question Time, Education Minister Senator David Coltart speaks to SW Radio Africa journalist Lance Guma and tackles a variety of issues, including why he is moving teachers who are being targeted by war vets, the controversial system of teachers incentives and the long awaited civil service audit. Can his ministry also do anything about under-age girls being denied an education and married off to old men in apostolic sects in the country?

Lance Guma: Hallo Zimbabwe and thank you for joining us on part two of the Question Time interview with Education Minister, Senator David Coltart who joins us on the programme to answer questions sent in by listeners using FaceBook, Twitter, Skype, email and text messages. Senator Coltart, as ever, thank you for joining us once again.

David Coltart: Thanks Lance. Good evening and once again, good being with you.

Guma: Now last week we have some follow-up questions from some of the responses you gave in the interview, particularly what your ministry was doing about teachers and headmasters who are being harassed by war veterans and in your answer you pointed to the fact that you’ve moved some of these teachers and headmasters who are being victimised. A few of our listeners would like to know whether you’re not caving in and actually making the war veterans and ZANU PF youth militia win by moving some of these people?

Coltart: Well I suppose one can make that argument but I’ve got to deal with a practical reality. I don’t control the police, I don’t control the wider political processes and I have to act within my own power range. I’ve got to look after these teachers and the only way that I can guarantee their safety is to move them out.

That’s not the only thing I’m doing; as I mentioned last week, I have raised this issue in cabinet and I’ve raised it in parliament; I’ve spoken direct to ZANU PF cabinet ministers and ZANU PF parliamentarians telling them very clearly that that ultimately it’s their own children who suffer from this abuse.

But ultimately the only way that we can protect teachers and ensure the integrity of the entire education system is to get to the root of violence and that means an overhaul of the whole system and getting the police to enforce the law and the attorney general to enforce the law.

Guma: Georgina Munyongani says and I quote – I am really worried about children who cannot afford to pay for extra lessons because it seems as if no teaching is taking place during school hours. I feel for the teachers because they are trying to make ends meet. It is so unfair to those children who cannot afford extra lessons because they will be left behind. Minister, can you try and provide better education for the poor as well? That’s Georgina Munyongani there.

Coltart: Well this goes to the root of a financing of education. I’m very concerned about lawlessness that has crept in to the system and the provision of extra lessons is often just a means of extracting further money from parents. Obviously where extra lessons are genuinely needed and genuinely provided by teachers on top of efficient teaching during normal school hours, that is fine but sadly this is sometimes a scam employed by some unscrupulous teachers to extract more money.

But to get to the heart of the question – yes our primary focus has to be on the poorest children, to provide a basic quality education for all children but we can only do that once the education sector becomes an absolute priority of government and when the education sector is adequately funded. We need to be paying teachers a viable wage; they’re not paid a viable wage at present and unfortunately until they are paid a viable wage they will employ some of these tactics to extract money to enable themselves to live and at the end of the day, it’s children who suffer.

Guma: Now still on this subject, a guy who calls himself Vadzvanyiriri on FaceBook says how far true is this talk doing the rounds that teachers are teaching material that comes on exams only during extra lesson times so that those who don’t attend these lessons fail and are thus indirectly forced to pay and attend for these extra lessons?

Coltart: I don’t know how true that is. Let me make this point Lance – that the vast majority of our teachers are professional people who are committed to children and to their calling, so I don’t think that we can say that this involves the vast majority of teachers.

Clearly there are some teachers who are involved in these unscrupulous activities and it may well be the case that they’re not teaching the proper curriculum during normal school hours and only those who pay these extra lessons are going to pass but I think that that’s a tiny minority. What I see in most of the schools I go to is dedicated teachers who against tremendous odds are trying to do the right thing for children.

Guma: From Girl Child rights activist Betty Makoni comes the following question – she says there are 8000 girls married in Johanne Marange Church in Zimbabwe and girls are not in classrooms but in bedrooms. How can the school monitor children of school age that they are in school? She says that we have a full list of girls in bedrooms and working in people’s houses as house maids and if the minister wants it we can submit. What can we do to have social workers in schools to curb this menace?

Coltart: Let me deal with that in terms of the specific issue raised and then I’ll go to more general response. Specifically (inaudible) being kept deliberately out of school and as you say kept in bedrooms then that needs to be reported to the local district education officer and of course to the local representatives of social welfare, of the Social Welfare department because that is a breach of our law, it is a violation of those individual girls’ rights and we have mechanisms to ensure that those girls are protected and that is an intolerable situation.

But let me turn now to more general response – Lance, one of the great tragedies of what is going on in Zimbabwe is that we’ve got a huge drop-out rate that doesn’t just apply to girls but also to boys. What we are seeing at primary school level especially in rural settings is that in some schools two thirds of the children who start in Grade One have dropped out by the time they get to Grade Seven.

There’s also a massive drop-out rate between primary school and secondary school so this isn’t an issue that just applies to individual religious sects or to the girl child, it is a major problem that we face that because education is under funded, because many parents cannot afford to pay for secondary education, these children drop out and it’s creating potentially a massive social (inaudible).

I go back to this central theme – we need to fund education adequately and we need to have programmes which will ensure that these drop out rates are cut so that we get a much higher percentage of children going right the way through, to at the very least to the age of 16 which really is the first time that they should be moving out of the school environment.

Guma: From Joiline Chiponda Sengwayo comes the question – she wants to know are there any plans to introduce entrepreneurship as a subject in schools?

Coltart: Lance I’m delighted that your listener has raised that question because I’ve just recently signed off on a deal with the Open Society Institute for them to fund to the tune of three million US dollars a comprehensive review of our curriculum. Traditionally our curriculum has been very much academic in its orientation; we need to change that, we need to bring in more vocational and practical subjects such as entrepreneurship and that is what is going to be done in the course of the next two years.

We’ve got a very ambitious programme, we’re going to be completely revamping the Curriculum Development Unit in Mount Pleasant, bringing in Apple computer technology, connection to the internet, we want to bring in our best educational brains to the Curriculum Development Unit and expand the scope of our education so that it is more practical, it’s more applicable to the needs of Zimbabwean society than it has been in the past.

In the past we’ve often generated a lot of academic students who hadn’t been able to get jobs within Zimbabwe, we need to change that; we’re not going to of course dispense with an academic education but we need to ensure that children who are more business orientated or farming orientated, practically orientated come out of school with the practical education which they can immediately use in business and in the work place.

Guma: From a guy calling himself Mutambara is the question – teachers as stakeholders in the provision of educational services in schools, or rather teachers are stakeholders in the provision of educational services in schools – what part as a percentage do they contribute to the policies implemented by your ministry?

Coltart: Teachers play a major role in the development of our policies; obviously all our civil servants, our district education officers, our provincial education directors, our senior management are all teaching professionals so they, at that level, play arguably the biggest role of anybody in the formulation of policy but we also try to take into account the views of current teachers through trade union representatives.

I have representatives of all three trade unions on my National Education Advisory Board. We are currently in the process of revising education regulations. Teacher representatives will be brought in on that process, so I have tried since taking over two years ago to make sure we are as inclusive as possible and take into account the views of what of course is our greatest asset namely our teachers.

Guma: And probably the final issue, we have a question on teachers’ incentives. Various arguments from various people describing them as divisive; what’s your take on this whole issue of teachers’ incentives Senator Coltart?

Coltart: Lance this has been a vexed issue; we brought it in two years ago to enable the education sector to survive. Had we not done so in 2009 I have no doubt that the haemorrhaging of teachers would have continued and the system would have collapsed. I think that had we not legalised this arrangement we may have driven the practice underground and made criminals of our teachers so I have no apology to make for having kept the system in place for the last two years.

But we all acknowledge and I’ve acknowledged several times that this has been highly divisive; it’s been divisive between teachers and parents and of course it’s been divisive even within the teaching profession because teachers in urban areas tend to get much greater incentives than teachers generally in rural areas so we recognise that we have to end the policy as soon as possible and I’ve said repeatedly that we will end it as soon as we can guarantee that we as a government can pay teachers a viable wage and retain them in the teaching profession.

But we’re just kidding ourselves if I were to abolish incentives overnight if we think that it would end this practice. It would drive it underground or it would result in teachers at this stage seeking greener pastures elsewhere which is not in the best interests of children. So I am the first one to accept that it’s divisive, that it’s a practice that needs to be ended as soon as possible and I’m committed to that but only once I can guarantee that we’re not going to cause major disruption to the education of our children.

Guma: How do we arrive at that stage where you are able to overcome these hurdles that force you to employ systems like teachers’ incentives? People listening in will be wondering what’s the magic bullet that will sort this out or what needs to happen?

Coltart: Well there’s no magic bullet because it will take a variety of measures to address this. At its core is the nation’s economy and the amount of money coming into the fiscus. We need to get the diamond receipts coming in, we need to get coherent economic policies and investment policies so that the economy grows and more tax is paid and there’s more money available for the minister of Finance to allocate to teachers. That is the core issue.

Then obviously tied into that is the question of the audit of the civil service to make sure that we are paying people who are actually working so that those dedicated teachers who are at their classrooms week in and week out are paid and that we don’t have ghost workers being paid for work they are not doing.

Then of course we need to stabilise the political environment. The international community has told me that they will not support recurrent expenditure such as teachers’ salaries whilst the political uncertainty persists so we need to agree amongst all three of the political parties who’re signatories to the Global Political Agreement that we’re going to stop this bickering, that we’re going to complete the constitutional reform process, that we’re going to agree on free and fair elections and go through that process and I have no doubt that once we do that, that we will unlock a lot more support from the international community.

And then finally we need to rationalise our laws, make the system of payment of levies and fees more transparent and to introduce more accountability. I never want to get to a situation where parents play no role whatsoever in the education of our children; it’s one of the unique features of Zimbabwe’s education system that parents are involved and whilst they are paying a very heavy price today and we need to lessen that, I think it’s important that we keep parents’ involvement in some way because ironically that is one of the key elements in guaranteeing a quality education for our children.

Guma: You raised an important issue there and if I could just add a question on it: the audit into the civil service, your ministry is one of those heavily affected by this. Now we were told that the report, the audit was given to cabinet in November last year and what’s the latest on it because it seems it has not yet been discussed conclusively?

Coltart: Well obviously Lance I’m not at liberty to discuss the finer detail of it; suffice it to say that yes, this audit report compiled by Ernest and Young has been submitted to cabinet, I have read it, I can say this that it does not focus on the Ministry of Education, there are some queries but we’re not the main problem area as identified in the report and it is the subject of an on-going and very intense discussion within cabinet. In fact it was discussed in cabinet yesterday and it hasn’t been resolved yet but we need to resolve it in the interests of all Zimbabwean children and the people generally.

Guma: Well Zimbabwe that was Education Minister Senator David Coltart joining us on part two of this Question Time interview. Senator Coltart thank you so much for your time.

Coltart: Thank you Lance, good night.

Daily News

By Nigel Matongorere, Sports Writer

31 May 2011

The story of Zimbabwe’s marathon runner Stephen Muzhingi states how prophets are not recognised in their hometown, but are revered elsewhere.

The three-time Comrades Marathon winner from Chitungwiza almost dumped the country of his birth by acquiring South African citizenship due to the little appreciation of his achievements in Zimbabwe.

First ran in 1921, the Comrades Marathon is the world’s largest and oldest ultra-marathon race and is a test of the entrants physical endurance.

Muzhingi defied all odds to win his third Comrades Marathon on the trot yesterday.

The 34-year-old broke away from South African Fanie Matshipa with 14km remaining in the 87km to cross the line in five hours, 32 minutes and 45 seconds (5:32.45).

To show the significance of Muzhingi’s victory, no athlete in the last 23 years had managed a hat-trick of victories at the Comrades.

The last man to achieve this was South African Bruce Fordyce, who won the race between 1981 and 1988.

Despite this great achievement against top runners from across the world, Zimbabwe does not seem to give due credit towards Muzhingi’s achievement.

“Here in Zimbabwe, people do not know me,” bemoaned Muzhingi last year. I am a recognised in South Africa and the people there like me.”

“Companies and restaurants fall over each other to promote me but in Zimbabwe I do not have a single sponsor. A lot of my specialised training for races is done in South Africa and I need money for travelling, accommodation and facilities while I’m there. I cannot raise that money alone but there are people in South Africa who sacrifice and put money forward. I owe it to them but back home, I struggle on my own.”

After yesterday’s victory, the gravity of Muzhingi’s win still had not sunk into most Zimbabweans.

Zimbabwe’s Sports Minister, David Coltart, was the first to admit that Muzhingi is not getting the recognition he deserves in his home country.

“Very few people seem to appreciate what a truly remarkable win Stephen Muzhingi has had today.

“He is a humble man from a poor background,” Coltart wrote on his Twitter page yesterday.

“Muzhingi has achieved this magnificent hat-trick without much of the backing that athletes receive elsewhere in the world. Makorokoto!

“We need to turn out in force when Muzhingi returns so he knows that Zimbabwe is proud and mightily impressed with his achievements.”

Last July, Harare mayor Muchadei Masunda held a ceremony in honour of Muzhingi after he won his second Comrades Marathon.

Muzhingi’s frustration with his country is understood if you compare the reception he received last year to that of 2010 Big Brother contestant Munyaradzi Chidzonga.

There can only be one winner in Big Brother and that was not Chidzonga, but still government officials ran around and hurriedly organised a lavish welcome for him, and a cool $300 000.

A classic example of misplaced priorities, whereby we reward losers and neglect the real heroes we should be honouring.

In a country where unemployment levels are worrisome, sports can be a gateway for idle youths who are slowly being consumed by drugs and Aids.

Honouring our sports icons will be a good place to start.

Zimbabwean

Written by Chief Reporter

Tuesday, 31 May 2011

With the attention of the international community firmly fixed on the fall-out of the North African revolution, the plight of Zimbabwe, once “Africa’s Breadbasket”, has been largely ignored.

Many Zimbabweans fear the country is hurtling towards another disaster of catastrophic proportions in the forthcoming elections.

“I fear for myself, my family and for my country” Mike Bhemba, an MDC activist said. “Surely Zimbabwe cannot go on like this we ask incredulously. But day after day we do.”

Stacey Moyo, a mother of three says the prospect of an election on its own is scary. Such are the messages coming from many ordinary people whose lives have, in the last two years, been infused with some modicum of stability after being  thrown into chaos and uncertainty in the late 1990s by an increasingly tyrannical leader desperately clinging to power.

In recent months, while the world’s gaze has been captivated by the on-going Libyan war and by a Western crusade to unseat, in the words of Nicholas Sarkozsky, “one of the most revolting regimes in history”, Zimbabwe has descended further to a level at which daily life is characterised by, at best, serious water, electricity and currency shortages, and at worst, starvation, torture and death.

Zimbabwe, once celebrated as the “breadbasket of Africa”, was hailed as the post-colonial success story. Robert Mugabe, a committed socialist and leader of the ruling Zanu (PF) party was hailed for his policy of racial reconciliation and his plans to improve the health, living standards and education of black Zimbabweans.

Stranglehold

A little over 30 years later, and Mugabe’s grip on the nation has become a stranglehold. The economy lies stagnant and state repression is the order of the day.

The harassment of journalists is spiralling out of control. A statutory body regulating the media has announced plans to set up a Media Council to handle complaints against the Press and sanction errant journalists. This comes against a backdrop of escalating repression of the media. There was a suspicious a break-in at the offices of leading independent daily NewsDay just last month, in which computer hard drives of senior editorial staff were “stolen.”

Intruders took NewsDay Editor Brian Mangwende’s laptop and stole the hard drives of the computers belonging to 11 senior editorial staffers in the paper’s newsroom in Harare. Mangwende, who writes a critical column on current affairs, said the computers contained sensitive information on stories journalists were working on. Two of the journalists whose computers were targeted were Assistant Editor Wisdom Mdzungairi and Senior Parliamentary Reporter Veneranda Langa.

Both were summoned for interrogation by the military on April 19. They were questioned about their sources for a story on the health of Zimbabwe Defence Forces Commander Gen. Constantine Chiwenga.

Repression

Meanwhile, several human rights reports describe increasing acts of rape, torture and “the repression of the opposition” by the regime ahead of the election.

The horrors do not stop there. Human rights campaigners cite that there have been resurgent cases of abductions of MDC supporters in the past few weeks, a chilling reminder of 2008.

Draconian and repressive legislation such as the 2001 Broadcasting Services Act, which gives ministers the authority to interfere with the content of broadcasting programming, has given the regime the tools to silence critics. And silence it does.

The Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe has remarked that the state media is little less than a propaganda arm of  Zanu (PF). It continues to insult the MDC and black out its activities, sowing fear of the unknown if Mugabe loses elections.

If fear of the national police and the dreaded Central Intelligence Organisation does not sufficiently paralyse the opposition, then the daily hunt for that extra dollar amid record high unemployment preoccupies most.

Unemployment stands at 90 per cent and more than10 per cent of the adult population are living with HIV or AIDS with scant access to treatment or medication.

A debate last weekend’s debate at a local hotel attempted to address this very question, and to identify to whom the blame should be attributed and the way forward in light of threats by Mugabe to call elections this year.

Hopes in SADC

David Coltart, a human rights campaigner, legislator and minister in the GNU, said he firmly believed that the present regime was responsible, saying Mugabe has failed to fulfil his end of the GPA bargain.

Coltart belives SADC will ultimately call Mugabe to order despite his remonstrations.

“SADC has various processes that it has put in place to be implemented by all member states,” Coltart said. “These include and are not limited to principles and guidelines governing democratic elections. Whether we like it or not, these are rules that SADC has put in place and it shall not entertain any member state that tries to subvert them.”

Coltart said Zimbabwe needed to sober up to the fact that the GPA was crafted according to SADC guidelines.

“If our GPA and roadmap, which are still being negotiated, do not fall in line, the region shall keep us on our toes until we follow its dictates. Until SADC feels that it has had its way, the region will not accept any proposals that allow Zimbabwe to hold polls anytime this year or in 2012. Any planned polls prior to the full implementation of the GPA will be in violation of SADC dictates and SADC will not sit by and watch its protocols being violated.”

George Mheza, who fought for Zanu (PF) in the war of liberation, is now an outspoken critic of Mugabe. He acknowledged that the President had used his power in the past for good ends, but said his objectives became “appalling” around a decade ago when Mugabe began to use the “issue of land reform as a useful alibi” to disguise the steps he was taking to consolidate his own power. “He is doing the same right now with the Indigenisation issue – now targeting mines and banks,” said Mheza

“Mugabe is the linchpin – if he goes, the system will crumble,” he added. But it seems Mugabe not going anywhere.

Herald

31st May 2011

By Collin Matiza

KIRSTY COVENTRY said Stephen Muzhingi made her proud to be a Zimbabwean while Education, Sport, Arts and Culture Minister David Coltart described his Comrades Marathon success story as a remarkable tale.

Muzhingi powered to an historic achievement of winning the Comrades Marathon for three years in a row in South Africa on Sunday.

Muzhingi (33) became the first man in 23 years to win the Comrades Marathon for three years on the trot with a convincing victory in the 86th edition of the race in Pietermaritzburg. The Zimbabwean runners stole clear with 14km remaining to win the 87km ultra-marathon in 5 hours 32 minutes 45 seconds.
Zimbabwe’s swimming sensation, Olympic Games champion Kirsty Coventry also took her hat off to Muzhingi after Sunday’s race in Pietermaritzburg.
Coventry, who was at the finish line, said on Twitter: “Congratulations Stephen Muzhingi. Hat-trick! You make me proud to be a Zimbabwean!”
Sports Minister David Coltart led the plaudits, describing Muzhingi’s treble as “truly remarkable”.
Coltart is reported to have watched Sunday’s Comrades Marathon on television and posted several Twitter updates during the race.  “Very few people seem to appreciate what a truly remarkable win Stephen Muzhingi has had today,” Coltart said.  “He is a humble man from a poor background who has achieved this magnificent hat-trick without much of the backing that athletes receive elsewhere in the world. “We need to turn out in force when Muzhingi returns so he knows that Zimbabwe is proud and mightily impressed with his achievements.”
On Sunday, Muzhingi once again showed that he was made of steel when he beat South African Fanie Matshipa, who had done a lot of the hard work, pushing the pace in the second half, into second place.
Muzhingi’s countryman, Point Chaza, had broken away early and held a lead of more than seven minutes at the halfway mark, which he crossed in 2:36.19, on record pace.
Chaza, however, faded soon after with Muzhingi and Matshipa storming past with 30km to go. Muzhingi admitted after the race that Chaza had been ordered to set the pace for the rest of the Formula One Bluffs Meat team.
“We sent Point to the front as a ploy, to help set the pace for us,” Muzhingi told reporters after the race on Sunday. “He did a good job, even though it was tough out there.”
Matshipa looked to be in control, but Muzhingi’s experience showed and he pulled clear with 14km remaining to win the 87km ultra-marathon in 5:32.45.
The Zimbabwean had predicted before the race that he would improve Shvetsov’s record for the “up” run, but he realised going up Polly Shortts, with eight kilometres to go, that he would miss the mark.
“I was aiming to run 5:24 and I was working at it,” Muzhingi said. “After halfway I was trying to break away from that guy (Matshipa) but I was in pain.

Muzhingi, who won the “down” run the last two years, secured his maiden victory in the “up” run to become the first athlete to win three titles in succession since South Africa’s Bruce Fordyce bagged his eighth straight win in 1988. Matshipa, who was fifth last year, struggled over Polly Shortts, the last of the race’s five big hills, but held on to cross the line in 5:34.29.
He said he had fallen ill before the race, which affected his performance in the latter stages.
“I tried to catch him (Muzhingi) but I had flu before the race and I had no energy left,” Matshipa said.  “I was determined to push the pace, which I did until just before Polly Shortts, but then I had nothing left.”
Muzhingi said he would have another crack at the record, and was confident he could improve the mark in the next ‘up’ run in 2013.  “When I come here next time I will have a different strategy, perhaps one that will help me break 5:24,” Muzhingi said.  “I know I have it in me to break the record. I want the record and I will get it. I know it.”

http://www.skillsportal.co.za/

Mon, 30 May 2011

By Sylvia Hammond

The UCT Law Faculty and the States in Transition Observatory of IDASA, played host to David Coltart, Zimbabwean Minister for Education, Sport, Arts, and Culture when he addressed the topic Zimbabwe: prospects for and challenges to the Transition.

An international audience of academics, students and invited guests listened to the difficulties faced by an MDC representative in the Zimbabwe cabinet, and the possibilites open to a changing nation.

Coltart stated that the SADC and the three principles were seeking consensus on a “road map” for fresh elections. He expressed the view that all Zimbabwe’s close neighbours had realised the implications of a failed state on their doorstep, and warned that future refugees would not be the same as those who had arrived during the last decade but would come from the poorest section of the population.

He was very complimentary about President Jacob Zuma whom he described as: “a breath of fresh air” stating that he (Zuma) had done everything right, and that the ANC in general were really trying to do the right thing.

Speaking about his portfolio, he explained how he had managed to move from a collapsed education system, with 80,000 teachers on strike, 7,000 schools closed, and textbooks at a ratio of 1:15 pupils, to the present. An amnesty brought 15,000 teachers back and they reached a textbook ratio of 1:1 in 4 areas for primary schools, and by the end of the year they were aiming for 1:1 in 6 core areas for secondary schools.

Although ZANU PF continues to control electronic media, active print media has been established, which releases two independent newspapers daily. He stated that the Constitution-developing process was about half way along its path. Other positive transformations included the opening of health clinics which have enabled the control of cholera.

Mining has grown and the tobacco industry has started to recover, indications that MDC Secretary-General Tendai Biti had managed to stabilise the economy.

The discovery of diamonds however, although it had contributed significantly to state coffers was a mixed blessing as contracts were not drawn up well enough to effectively compensate the state, and the enormous riches were open to exploitation and personal enrichment.

Despite these positives, Coltart identified three major areas of concern: firstly, there were hardliners within the Cabinet, who stand to lose if there is meaningful change, as they will be brought to account for past violence – it is agreed that any investigation of violence should go back to 1965.

Secondly, he noted Western indifference and a lack of finesse in their dealings with Zimbabwe, highlighting the way South Africa had benefitted during its transition, from the financial and moral support of the UK and USA, but both these countries remain sceptical of the Zimbabwean process.

What he has achieved in education through the provision of textbooks had been funded by Germany who provided $18m compared to the US $1m and the UK 1 million pound contributions. He claimed that sanctions were beyond their sell-by date, and he regretted that the UK had not agreed to allow a cricket tour to continue – recalling the South African test team who toured the West Indies in 1991.

Thirdly, SADC weakness was evident, and despite the good works of the South African government, there were other countries that were not representative democracies.

While in South Africa, Coltart will meet with education officials to discuss curriculum revision, and has already received considerable support from teachers and principals. Although the history curriculum is contentious, there is agreement on civic education to reconcile the nation.

When questioned on how he ensured that the German funding was not diverted into private hands, he explained that he set up an Education Transformation Fund, which he chairs, but is managed by UNICEF. It was agreed that the bulk of the funding was to go to textbooks.

A tender process was used through which Zimbabwean and South African publishers benefitted as well as a Zimbabwean distribution company.

Finally, given the amount of work that has to be done on the new Constitution, and a referendum to decide the form of representation (proportion representation or a Westminster system) he does not foresee that an election will take place before 2012, the longer the delay before the election, the greater the benefit for the MDC.

New Zimbabwe.com

30th May 2011

At the finish line … Olympic champion Kirsty Coventry  was with Muzhingi’s son, and the runner’s wife and brother at the race finish line on Sunday

Zimbabwe’s Stephen Muzhingi won the Comrades Marathon for a third time on the trot on Sunday – one of the greatest sporting achievements ever.

Sports Minister David Coltart led the plaudits, describing Muzhingi’s treble as “truly remarkable”.

Olympic champion swimmer Kirsty Coventry, who was at the finishing line, said on Twitter: “Congratulations Stephen Muzhingi. Hat-trick! You make me proud to be a Zimbabwean!”

Muzhingi, 33, became the first man in 23 years to win the world’s oldest and toughest endurance races three successive times with a convincing victory in the 86th edition of the race in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on Sunday.

Muzhingi’s compatriot Point Chaza had broken away early and held a lead of more than seven minutes at the halfway mark, which he crossed in 2:36.19, on record pace.

But Chaza faded soon after with Muzhingi and South Africa’s Fanie Matshipa storming past with 30km to go.

Matshipa looked to be in control, but Muzhingi’s experience showed and he stole clear with 14km remaining to win the 90km ultra-marathon in 5:32.45.

Muzhingi, who won the ‘down’ run the last two years, secured his maiden victory in the ‘up’ run to become the first athlete to win three titles in succession since Bruce Fordyce bagged his eighth straight win in 1988.

Sports Minister David Coltart watched the race on television and posted several Twitter updates during the race.

“Very few people seem to appreciate what a truly remarkable win Stephen Muzhingi has had today,” Coltart said. “He is a humble man from a poor background who has achieved this magnificent hat-trick without much of the backing that athletes receive elsewhere in the world.

“We need to turn out in force when Muzhingi returns so he knows that Zimbabwe is proud and mightily impressed with his achievements.”

Daily News (edited to correct mistakes)

http://www.dailynews.co.zw

By Xolisani Ncube

30 May 2011

A cabinet minister has likened the unilateral push of  hardliners in President Robert Mugabe’s Zanu PF to have elections this year to ruthless colonial leader Ian Smith’s unilateral declaration of independence (UDI) in 1965.

David Coltart, the education minister, said Mugabe and his military backers’ election rally could return Zimbabwe into a pariah state in the same manner Smith did when he broke ranks with Britain under his UDI call.

“If the hardliners’ call for elections this year against the wishes of Sadc and the rest of the world, they will be just acting like Ian Smith who thought that he could declare Zimbabwe an independent country without the consent of other partners,” he said.

Coltart, a top ranking official of Welshman Ncube’s MDC party represented several liberation war heroes who were detained during the 1980s.

He told a public meeting on elections on Thursday night that it was “foolish” and “premature” to talk about elections now because the process of holding free and fair elections was yet to be achieved.

“We have at least ten steps which are outlined in the Global Political Agreement talking about the roadmap to hold free and fair elections and it is unfortunate that we have only completed three of them. So I don’t see any sense in us talking about elections at this time,” he said.

Political analyst Trevor Maisiri told the same meeting that Mugabe’s Zanu PF party was creating its own crisis by attempting to call for elections against the wishes of the region, who were the overseers of the power sharing agreement reached by the three main political parties.

The African Union in June 2008 mandated Sadc with overseeing the formation of a coalition government and creation of conditions for a fresh fre election after rejecting a violent presidential election runoff held the same year.

“Sadc is likely to hold on its stance because they would like to avoid the challenge it faced in 2008,” said Maisiri.

He said that Sadc was likely to take a tough stance against Mugabe if he went ahead with a unilateral call for elections before the adoption of a clear roadmap being supervised by regionally-appointed mediator, South African President Jacob Zuma.

“More so, Sadc is South Africa and in this case South Africa is fighting its legacy in conflict resolution and its glory and position in mediation considering that they have not done much in other missions in Africa,” said Maisiri.

Douglas Mwonzora, the MDC spokesperson said it was “suicidal” for Mugabe to go it alone.

“It is not about fearing Zuma as other people in Zanu PF would by listening to what he advices but it is about respecting him and his position in our case as a guarantor to this GPA. We should not fight against other heads of states,”

“If Mugabe tries to go it alone it will be suicidal and the consequences are so huge such that it will not affect not only Zimbabwe but even other countries close to us,” said Mwonzora.

Maisiri said Zanu PF had realised that South Africa held sway within Sadc hence the moves to frustrate Zuma.

• Celtic win Scottish Cup! Great end to the weekend. http://goo.gl/DO2Nb #
• On the 30th June 1949 then Rhodesia drew with the All Blacks in rugby. Tomorrow Zim's Young Sables take on Japan – long road back begins #
• Excited by the prospect of such a strong Australia A side coming to play cricket in Zim next month – good on ya Aus! http://mcaf.ee/a2i1r #
• Speaking tonight on topic "Elections road map – hopes and fears" New Ambassador Hotel Harare 5.30pm #
• All good wishes to Stephen Muzhingi as he prepares to defend his Comrades Marathon title in South Africa on 29 May 2011 #
• Ratko Mladic's arrest is a reminder to all those guilty of war crimes throughout the world that ultimately past catches up with future #
• Launching Zimbabwe's first national sign language dictionary this morning in Harare. Congrats to the folks at KG VI who made it possible #
• Time that all Zimbabweans rallied around Stephen Muzhingi as he prepares to defend his Comrades Marathon title on the 29th May 2011 #
• Come on Stephen Muzhingi. Last stretch of the Comreades Marathon – Zimbabwe is right behind you rooting you every meter! Go Stephen go. #
• We are hoping that Zimbabwean Stephen Muzhingi not only wins his 3rd Comrades Marathon in a row but also breaks the record. #
• Very frustrating – power cut in Zimbabwe at the crucial stage of the Comrades Marathon so could not watch the final stages Go Stephen! #
• Stephen Muzhingi wins his hat trick – 3 Comrades Marathons in a row!! Well doen Stephen – magnificent result – now one of Zim's greatest!!! #
• Very few people seem to appreciate what a truly remarkable win Stephen Muzhingi has had today. He is a humble man from a poor background #
• Stephen Muzhingi has achieved this magnificent hattrick without much of the backing that athletes receive elsewhere in the world. Makorokoto #
• Zimbabwe Stephen Muzhingi wins Comrades hattrick – first in 23 years – one of Zim's greatest athletes? http://goo.gl/Gf29O #
• We need to turn out in force when Stephen Muzhingi returns so he knows that Zimbabwe is proud and mightily impressed with his achievements #