Zimbabwe economy roundup: Mobile broadband, Zimbabwe platinum mines
NetOne to roll out mobile broadband services
NetOne, the state owned mobile operator, today started an advertising campaign for the coming launch of internet services on its network. The adverts promise NetOne is going to deliver “the world like you've never seen or heard it".
NetOne is the only mobile operator currently not offering mobile broadband. Econet and Africom both launched mobile broadband services in September 2010. Telecel opened mobile broadband to the public this year in February.
There's has been talk since the year started that NetOne is working on a broadband offering to catch up with the other mobile operators. NetOne's network coverage rivals that of Econet, the biggest mobile operator in Zimbabwe by number of subscribers, so introducing internet services on
their network is a big deal.
Zimbabwe platinum mines offer best social investments in SADC
Mines with the best social investment projects in southern Africa are to be found in Zimbabwe, probably because they operate in fear of the country’s government.
This is the view of the chief researcher at the Bench Marks Foundation, David van Wyk, a non- governmental group controlled by the South African Council of Churches. In recent years the institution has researched corporate social responsibility in the region's mining sector.
Speaking at the organisation’s annual general meeting in Johannesburg last week, Van Wyk said the social investment plans of Impala Platinum subsidiary Zimplats’ Ngezi mine, as well as Mimosa – a joint venture between Impala and Aquarius Platinum – were by far the finest examples of best practice.
These mines had intervened to keep neighbouring schools going when the country’s finances collapsed, and workers at these mines are practically 100% literate as opposed to literacy rates of 50% to 60% at South African mines.
“Of all the mines in southern Africa, these two are the best.” This in no way changes the abuses seen elsewhere in Zimbabwe, and in particular those at the infamous Marange diamond field, but it shows what a credible counterweight can do to improve mines' behaviour, Van Wyk said.
Like other platinum groups in Zimbabwe, Impala wants to swap its social projects for indigenisation “credits” when the country starts to enforce its strict empowerment laws.
Van Wyk also said it was striking how close the ties between mining groups and governments officials seem to be, with public servants resigning often to only start serving on the boards of mining companies soon afterwards.
This was particularly so in Botswana, with the government's partnership with De Beers being attacked in a previous report by the institution.
It's also common practice elsewhere in the region, including South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The situation makes it uncertain in whose interests public servants will act if communities should, for instance, complain about a mining project, said Van Wyk.