The Sunday Mail
Africa Moyo recently in VICTORIA FALLS
THE country’s biggest platinum miner Zimplats accounted for 17 percent of the US$3,5 billion exports last year and was duly crowned the overall Best Exporter by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) at the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) annual awards last week.
The company also won the Best Exporter award in the mining sector.
Official statistics indicate that the mining giant exported ore worth US$540 million in 2014. The country’s total mining exports topped US$2,2 billion in the period, implying that Zimplats shipments accounted for a quarter of revenues realised in the sector.
RBZ deputy governor Dr Khupukile Mlambo indicated that Zimplats will get free access to export documentation for the next year for their efforts.
“By the way, this is only accessible when the company continues to be compliant in the 12 months.
“If the company becomes non-compliant and is red-flagged in the system for not receiving proceeds in time, it forfeits the free access because it will fall into the red category. So it needs to be consistent throughout the year,” said Dr Mlambo.
Zimplats will also get immediate direct access to raise CD1 forms from its offices and will no longer have to travel to the bank. The RBZ will install the system at Zimplats’ offices.
In the manufacturing category, Hunyani Paper Mill and Packaging came out tops after accounting for US$10,5 million out of total exports of US$272 million, implying the company single-handedly accounted for 5 percent of exports, despite the myriad of challenges besetting the sector.
Cargo Carriers scooped the services sector prize. The services sector combines transport and tourism industries. The company earned US$50 million in 2014 out of a total US$266 million that was accounted for by the RBZ, representing 20 percent of total earnings in the transport sector.
On the other hand, Metallon Gold, which operates five top mining houses including Mazowe Mine, Redwing Mine and Arcturus Mine, was the Best Exporter in the gold category. Out of the 10 tonnes of gold done by large-scale producers, Metallon contributed three tonnes, representing 30 percent of total primary producers’ output.
Dr Mlambo said the RBZ values gold because it is a major source of liquidity in the country and is also a reserve asset.
The award is given to a company that delivers gold to Fidelity Printers and Refiners, an RBZ arm that buys gold in the country.
The RBZ works closely with the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development in monitoring the production and export of gold.
Companies that deliver gold to Fidelity Printers are by definition exporters since the national sole gold buyer exports on their behalf. In the small scale miners category, a Filabusi based company – ChiKhumbu Mine – were the winners after producing 15kg of gold, representing 5 percent of total deliveries.
There are serious concerns of leakages of gold mainly from the small-scale sector, which accounts for over 370 custom milling plants scattered across the country.
All winners in the various sectors got floating trophies and will have free access to the Reserve Bank’s CD1 form system.
In essence, they are going to access 500 forms, which means they can make 500 shipments without paying for the export documentation.
The awards were presented during the ZNCC presidential and awards dinner in Victoria Falls which was attended by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and several ministers, deputies and Government officials.
