Zimplats leases claims for cattle ranching

ZIMBABWE’s platinum giant, Zimplats, is set to lease out some of its mining claims for commercial cattle ranching, according to a request they recently made to the Mhondoro-Ngezi Rural District Council.

According to the request, the local authority is set to benefit through collection of lease rentals.

Mhondoro-Ngezi RDC has since agreed to the deal.

“A request was being sort to lease land for cattle ranching in Chomureza mountain ranch (Portal 7 and 8) to at least three ranchers,” reads the minutes.

“These portals were Zimplats mining claims and the lease rentals are to be paid to council. As the lands committee we recommend that permission be granted to the request.”

The local authority, as part of their agreement, ordered that no permanent structures were to be erected at the cattle ranching site.

The request comes barely a month after Zimplats partnered Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Society with support from the Mines and Lands, Agriculture and Rural Settlement Ministries in the rural capacity building programme.

The programme entailed the creation of livestock incubation centres in Mhondoro (Mashonaland West), Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South, where training in sustainable livestock rearing and crop production was to be undertaken.

Zimplats also made a self-commitment to fund the artificial insemination programme to increase livestock production and improve genetics.

The first phase targets inseminating 6 000 semen straws into a livestock population of 3 600.

This would potentially produce 1 800 bulls and 1 800 heifers.

Once successfully running, the programme is expected to be self-sustaining in the long term.

The insemination programme is also expected to empower communal farmers with better livestock rearing practices so as to ensure sustainability.

The four ordered one of the complainants’ client to hide behind a curtain before they gang-raped the women while using protection. The court further heard that although the women called out for help they were threatened and subdued by the three men and teenager.

The gang also stole four cell-phones before disappearing into the night.

The women reported the matter to the police the next morning leading to the arrest of the four. Mr Trustmore Mukarati prosecuted.