Maravi

(TALKZIMBABWE) MDC in secret talks with Anglo American

MDC in secret talks with Anglo American
Floyd Nkomo
Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:41:00 +0000

THE Movement for Democratic Change party led by Morgan Tsvangirai and mining giant Anglo American (Anglo) have held secret confidential talks that could reverse the concessions ceded to the Zimbabwean government by Anglo Platinum (a majority-owned subsidiary of Anglo) the Zimbabwe Guardian has learnt.

This news comes on the heels of threats made last month by MDC treasurer general, Roy Bennett to undo deals signed by mining companies and the government of Zimbabwe if the MDC ever gets into power, and calls to companies who have signed such deals to suspend operations in Zimbabwe.

Bennett launched a scathing attack on mining giant Anglo in June saying: “Any company doing business in Zimbabwe is keeping that regime alive. Anglo American is complicit with the regime as whatever they are doing in Zimbabwe has the endorsement of the regime. The money they invest is a lifeline to the politicians and government of Zanu PF.”

Two unnamed senior figures in the MDC-T party told the British business daily newspaper, the Financial Times that the party had held secret discussions with Anglo American, which has a 76 per cent stake in Anglo Platinum.

An MDC party insider was said to have confirmed to the paper that the deals between the MDC and Anglo American “could lead to Anglo Platinum winning back its claims in the Great Dyke, the world’s second richest platinum vein should the MDC win power.”

According to the discussions held between the two entities, the MDC-T party is planning to carry out a mining audit, which will seek to reverse some of the deals entered into by President Robert Mugabe’s government.

This position is consistent with Bennett’s earlier threats to reverse mining deals.

Bennett told Mining Weekly Online in June that those “companies that would have followed good business ethics would be left alone,” adding that the MDC-T party had started engaging with foreign companies operating in the country.

He added: “In some cases, the response has been very good – they agree totally with our view,” but declined to mention the companies the party had approached. It has now come to light that Anglo American is one of those companies Bennett had approached.

The opposition party is also said to be planning to hold an investment conference once the power-sharing arrangement is concluded, according to a report by FT.

Bennett, in June, reported that the MDC-T was preparing the list of both government-linked and private companies that his party would target once in power. Critics say Bennett and other unnamed sources should not express such threats at a time when his party is currently locked in tripartite negotiations with the other MDC formation and the Zanu PF party.

Anglo has earlier indicated that it will continue with its US$400 million mining investment in Zimbabwe, but indicated that they had only started constructing transport and water infrastructure to aid future (not current) mining activities.

Anglo CEO, Cynthia Carroll, earlier this month indicated that the company had to keep investing in the Unki site and in Zimbabwe in order to retain ownership of the platinum asset.

She defended Anglo’s position as the British Government was putting pressure on companies to withdraw from the country. The Foreign Office launched an investigation into Anglo’s dealings with the Government of Zimbabwe. Anglo insisted that its involvement in the country did not break the law.

Carroll said she was not “propping up the Mugabe regime” adding that Anglo American was currently not mining any platinum in Zimbabwe, nor paying any taxes to the Zimbabwe government.

She said: “As we speak, we are developing the infrastructure. We are developing the roads, we are developing water supply and that’s the state of the work that’s going on.

“We are not producing any platinum today, but would expect, if the political environment improves, that we would break ground and start producing in the year 2010.”

Labels: ANGLO-AMERICAN, MDC, ROY BENNETT

posted by MrK @ 3:17 PM