The Sunday Mail
Symatha Mulanda CCOSA Journalism Student
Truth always, truth despite terror, truth however long and hard the road may be, truth must be to a journalist as a gun is to a soldier.
Journalists have a wholesome role in the hearts and minds of a national population because they set the agenda of daily conversation, thus a need for well researched news to establish a good relationship with their sources, readers and building a good name.
To budding and established journalists, the advent of new media technologies is transforming news generation, and fake news is penetrating the media market in a tremendous way. The cardinal rule to curb fake news in this era is through the journalist’s commitment to have exposure, travel and verify their facts thoroughly in an ethical way.
The Christian College of Southern Africa (CCOSA’s) journalism and communication students last month toured the Zimbabwe Platinum Mines’ (Zimplats) Ngezi complex and its Selous Metallurgical Complex (SMC).
There are reports that many ‘seasoned’ media practitioners have been kicked out from their workplaces because of writing fake stories. The reality to all media training institutions and media organisations is, tours are remarkable eye openers that give both seasoned and trainee journalists an opportunity to get to the truth.
Of interest was the fact from Zimplats Head of Corporate Affairs Sibusisiwe Chindove who indicated that her company has been compliant, from inception, to the investment laws of Zimbabwe and sight of the mining complex is testimony to the company’s social and corporate responsibility initiatives too.
“Some say that we declare platinum only when exporting and yet we declare all ten metals that we produce. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) or the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ), and the Mineral Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe (MMCZ) can confirm that we declare all the minerals that we produce” said Chindove.
Zimplats is one of the biggest foreign currency earners in the country. While many know it as a platinum producing giant, through this tour, we learnt that Zimplats is a nickel mining company by volume and a platinum mining company by value.Zimplats has four underground mines named after indigenous trees and animals: Bimha, Ngwarati, Rukodzi and Mupfuti mines.“These indigenous animals and trees were once found in these areas where our mines are today. So acknowledging this fact, we have named mines after either the animal, birds or trees that were prominent or once found there,” added Chindove.
Just like many other mining companies, Zimplats has for the past five years faced some challenges as global mineral prices have been on the decline. To stay afloat, the company has implemented a number of survival strategies that include stringent cost management, a focus on production efficiencies and cash preservation so that it remains sustainable and its employees are not made redundant.
In 2014 Zimplats was not spared from a major challenge, namely the partial collapse of the company’s biggest mine at that time, Bimha Mine.
“The collapse of Bimha mine led to a decline in both volume and revenue. As part of the process of redevelopment of the mine and in order to improve ground stability, we have introduced a new pillar design,” said the company’s spokesperson.
On environmental management and sustainability, Zimplats has yearly audits that confirm that they are operating in a responsible manner in regards to how they protect water bodies and the eco systems. The company recycles 40% of the water that it uses in its production processes.
“We believe in continuous improvements in all our processes, so that each year we improve on what we did the previous year, in all our efforts technology plays a prominent role” she said.
The list of what journalists should do is endless. For one to find the practice interesting, they should have a catalogue of memories, which can only be necessitated by continued tours. It is essential for journalists to embark on field trips to come up with an objective story.
