Zimbabwe economic news: Inflation figures, investment, tele-density
Retuers reports that Zimbabwe's annual inflation slowed further to 3.6 percent year-on-year in August from 4.1 percent in July, quoting the Zimbabwe National Statistical Agency said on Tuesday.
Month-on-month inflation was steady at -0.1 percent, unchanged from July, Zimstats said in a statement.
Foreign investors come to Zimbabwe mining indaba
With the controversial issue of economic empowerment hanging over further developments in Zimbabwe's mining sector it it is understandable why so many came to hear more from the government on the issue.
More than 300 foreign investors are expected to attend Zimbabwe’s second mining indaba which begins in yesterday. About 200 foreign investors were attracted by the first mining indaba held last year.
Hwange to boost coal extraction
Hwange Colliery Company is considering restarting coal extraction at some of its disused mines with approximate reserves of 40 mln tonnes. MD Fred Moyo said that 2 companies, including a South Africa-based French water treatment company, Veolia, have been shortlisted to dewater the underground mines before the actual coal mining begins.
More Zimbabweans have access to phones
Zim Online yesterday reported that tele-density in Zimbabwe has shot up from around 30 percent at the beginning of the year to around 49 percent on the back of expansion programmes by players in the mobile telecommunications sector, figures from the national regulator show.
Also known as the penetration rate, tele-density measures the availability of telephones in a country expressed as a ratio of the number of phones per every 100 people.
Latest figures from the Post and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) show that the country’s total subscriber base has shot up from slightly over three million people at the end of last year to the current 6.47 million. Zimbabwe has three mobile operators namely Econet, Telecel and Net One registered phenomenal growth in their subscriber bases since the beginning of the year.
Harare Central Hospital: Renal unit opens
Harare Central Hospital has reopened its renal unit in a move that is expected to reduce medical costs for people suffering from kidney failures.
The unit offers dialysis services at a cost of $200 a week compared to the $500 charged by private health institutions. Harare Central Hospital’s chief executive, Jealous Nderere, said the hospital has installed 5 dialysis machines, equipment for the second floor theatres and a boiler. PM
Morgan Tsvangirai officially commissioned the theatres, renal unit and intensive care unit.