Why Shabanie-Mashava mines should be resuscitated

*THE ACTING SPEAKER:  We have heard what you have said. Let us move on.

HON. HOLDER:  Thank you Mr. Speaker Sir.  I tried to raise that point of order and Hon. Mliswa is only getting it.  I am glad that you mentioned that.

Let me get back to my debate.  My debate is all about Shabani Mine.  Shabanie Mine closed in 2004 and the problem is that if this mine is going to remain closed, it continues to deteriorate.  We have had good rains this year.  The water levels have now since risen and they are rising to a point whereby if that water gets into certain levels, that is the end of that mine.  We will not mine asbestos again.  That mine is actually 1040 metres deep. From 1004, which is over a kilometre deep.  If you look at it, the whole mine is flooded but every month, Shabanie Mine has to pay for electricity which is being used to pump out the water so that when the mine will be resuscitated, we will be able to go in and mine.  We need to know that Shabanie Mine, SMM would produce asbestos fibre and give it to Turnall Asbestos that would produce products.  Those products would be sent to South Africa where SMM would have a warehouse.  They would sell the products and send back the money.  Shabanie Asbestos Sales (SAS) department would market this asbestos.  Once it has marketed the asbestos, it would send the money to SMM.  I do not know what the system is that it is MMCZ which should control most of these sales.

Mr. Speaker Sir, since 2004, there are a number of things that we need to understand and that the mine was put under reconstruction so that it could be resuscitated.  When the reconstruction fell apart, this mine was given to ZMDC and the ZMDC does not have the capacity to mine that mine.  That mine was run by the British for more than 70 years and now we have a local person who was able to run that mine but the biggest problem we had is that, when this mine was taken over, it had a lot of debts.  It had $30 million worth of stocks in stock, it had $30 million that it was owed and the full asset value for the whole mine was $60 million.  That $60 million is what T&N had sold this mine for, but the idea of selling the mine – I have a letter with me here Mr. Speaker:

28th September, 1995.

M. Mawere Esq.
World Bank/IFC
1801 K Street NW
Washington DC 29433

Dear Mr. Mawere

Shabanie and Mashaba Mines (Pvt) Limited

I refer to your letters of 6th and 17th September concerning the above.

Your unsolicited approach appears to be based upon a misunderstanding of this Company’s announced plans to make a number of disposals of non-core activities during the next two years or so.  Nonetheless, I have asked David Carruthers, our Deputy Chairman, to arrange a meeting with you to discuss your interest and the precise nature of your proposal.  Mr. Curruthers will contact you shortly to arrange such a meeting.

Yours Sincerely

C. F. N. Hope
Executive Chairman.

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