Gents

Whilst debate is raging on the political front, we need to focus also on other possible avenues that can lead to our economic empowerment and economic emancipation. Asifundeni kwezinye izizwe ezifana lathi ukuthi singenzani kwezomnotho. I think the Jews provide the best example. They got to the US and tightened their grip on the New York Stock Exchange. Today these people are the most influential in US policy making through their financial clout. In South Africa it is the same. In Zim think of the likes of Eric Bloch. Think of the former owners of G & D (the Shoe company).
In a nutshell, I have identified a couple of very practical ways that our people can venture into as a way of self-empowerment economically.

1)Investment in shares
A monthly purchase of shares in Zim blue chip companies at US$100 (56 Pounds) over a period of time by our people can result in us becoming majority shareholders in most of these strategic companies. For example, let's say Hunyani Holdings has issued 100 000 shares at Zim$1000 per share. That results in total share capital of Z$100 000 000. Now if we buy up to Z$75 000 000 of that total share capital, we become majority shareholders owning a staggering 75% of the company. We can do this on a number of companies that are listed on the Zim Stock Exchange. Let's say the total capitalisation (all listed shares) of the Zim Stock Exchange is Z$100 Billion, and we buy up to half of that figure, this means out of all economic and financial transactions that occur in Zim, we will be having a 50% share. I can tell you gentlemen at that level of shareholding we would have tightened our grip on the economy of the country.
The question which obviously arises is what are the other benefits of shareholding.

Benefits Of buying shares

* You literally become the owner of the company up to the level of your shareholding
*You can serve as a director in the company
*You have a say in the running of the company
*Gvt has to consult you on policy decisions
*You receive an annual (or biannual) earnings per share (eg if you have 10 000 shares, and the company declares Z$1000 per share, it translates to Z$10 million per year coming to your pockets)
*You also receive dividends per share, which could amount to say Z$5 million using the above example substituting Z$500 Z$1000.
*This is life time investment unless you decide to sell your shareholding.
*You can bequeath your investment to your children(ungabatshiyela ilifa)
*You receive annual financial statements of the company which detail all the transactions during the year.

How & where do I buy these shares?

Gents kindly go to the Zim Stock Exchange website on www.zse.co.zw
You can contact any registered stock broker to do the job for you(note they are all listed on the website)

Any other empowerment avenues?

Yes. You can also invest in real estate portfolios. This is basically buying a portfolio of assets (eg izindlu ezintathu) and renting them out.

Benefits of this?
*The price of your properties appreciates (increases above inflation)
*You derive a monthly rental fees from your tenents
*You become a part owner of your city or town.
*Its a life time investment (uze utshiyele abantwana bakho ilifa)

Ngizoyitshiya lapha lindaba bafowethu sihluze ingqondo.

May i point out that it is crucial that one needs to have a bank account KwaMthwakazi to be able to do these transactions to avoid this Gono induced forex scare.

Kengibuze. Ukuyafunana le kampani zabetshabi, siphonsela khona imali zethu kungcono na kulokubumba awethu?

Bayathatha imali zethu oHunyani labo baqhashise abakibo thina sithela imali kuphela. Angitsho ukuthi imbi imbono yakho, ngiyabuza nje.

Saduva

Hatshi mfowethu ukusebenzisa i Hunyani Holdings is just an example only. Maningi amakhampani a operater eMat'land.Afana labo ZimSun Hotels(Vic Falls Hotel, Elephant hills, Kingdom Hotel etc) agcwele e Victoria Falls. Khumbula Saduva ukuthi i Folosi ise Matebeleland. Abo Wankie Coaliery. Khonamanje i oil le gas have been discovered eLupane. Kufanele sibe ngabokuqala uku invester kuyo iproject leyi. Economic control is the way to go Saduva.

lobengula

ngivumelana nawe mfowethu. nxa singahlangana sibumbe isikhwama noma ikampani ezokwenza lokhu kuyobe kuyingqondo enhle. kumele sikhumbule madoda ukuthi esikhathini esinengi silokukhuluma izinto sibuye sihlehlele emuva singasaqubekeli phambili.

ayikho indlela engcono yokukhulula uMthwakazi ngaphandle kokuthi sibambe iqaza kwezomnotho elizweni.

isibonelo sami yikuthi nxa amadoda elesifiso, singatshaya imali umuntu ngamunye siyihlanganise sibone ukuthi siyihlanye kumakampani amikuhle njalo esizabalenzuzo khona. akukhethelekile ukuthi lenkampani ikuphi, ingaba kwaMthwakazi,ematshoneni, noma ejse, okusalayo yikuthi thina we control that company and dividends are payable to us.

akesizameni madoda, lokhu sihambela muva. we must by all means pool our resources together so that the investment we make will be big enough for us to have a say in the running of the business.

asiyekeleni ukukhuluma siqale ukwenza. nxa ekhona omunye olombono okuthi singayenza kanjani lenkampani ukhululekile ukuthi asicebise.

Bafowethu.

Lezi yizo indaba lapho engibizwa khona ngisukumele phezulu. Mina sengikhale zaze zoma ngibhala eNkundleni ngokuziphakamisa kwesizwe sakithi. Kuyabongeka nxa singayiqala le indaba.

Akubizweni umhlangano loba kuyini. Lokho okuvunyelwane ngumphakathi, lathi lisikhumbule ngoba sikude ngapha e USA.

Ngiyabonga.

Li Zwangendaba.

Lobengula,

Mina ngingomunye mfowethu ohambelana lezinto ozilobele lapha enkundleni.Inkinga yami yikuthi siyehluleka ukuziqoqa thina njenge sizwe senze okuqondileyo

Bengifisa ngoba lami angikho ekhaya ukuthi uluba kuliqiniso ukuthi usekhaya sifome i-company with the blesssings of a lawyer ozayikhokhela wena .Umsebenzi wale nkampani kube yiku-invetsa imali esiyifakayo thina kulezo ndawo ozibonayo njalo owaziyo ukuthi zingasithuthukisa.

Inkinga nje yikwethembana,kodwa mina ngiyathemba siyananzelela ukuthi loba lathi amaNdebele siyifuna imali ubusela lobu basempumalanga buyasiceza.Lokho kuyatshengisa ukuthi engxenye esingakuzama kungaphumelela.banengi abantu bakithi abafisa ukwenza exactly lokho okutshoyo kodwa liyazi umehluko phakathi kokufisa lokwenza.

Singayiqala njani li-company Lobengula?

Sthutha (labanye)

Ngiyabonga mfowethu ngamazwi akho akhuthazayo njalo ngibonga labanye.
If you read my post above very carefully, you will note that we do not at this stage need to form a company to spear head our economic empowerment. We can do so individually though purchasing shares at the stock exchange using existing brokers as i specified in my post. You just need to open a bank account in Zim and you can simply transfer relevant funds (say Z$1million) per month to your broker's account (your broker will open an account for you for this purpose within his brokerage).
Now you simply instruct him (eg. thru e-mail) to purchase shares in Anglo-American or Datlabs or TA Holdings etc, from your funds which you would have logded with him.
The bottom line is that if all of us purchase such shares in large numbers (eg we individually purchase shares in TA Holdings such that when we add up our shares we end up having a 60% ownership of the company at stack)
So like i said, we need to use existing brokers, who will buy shares on our behalf either directly in blue chip companies or through unit trusts.

Iam already using an existing broker for this purpose and the company is doing very well.
Remember this is the best time to buy shares when the prices are so low. When Mugabe goes and the economy stabilises, such shares will become unaffordable to many.
The next phase will be then to look at starting our own unit trust company to manage our massive shares in various companies. But for the time being rather let's tackle the first phase.
I have an existing broker at SAGIT (available at the ZSE website) who is doing very well for me. If interested I can post his (broker) details here for the benefit of Mthwakazians, he can give you guys very good advice and step by step procedures which are very easy (i have already detailed them any way).

bakithi

uqinisile lobengula, kungcono siqale individually ukuze sibone ukuthi kuhamba kanjani. the only problem is that individually we are unlikely to buy a controling interest in a company due to probably lack of resources.

but that can be overcome later if we decide to combine our interest and form a trust that will represent us.

asiyeni madoda

Gazilam

A quick one, tell me do you know Mr P Dube who is based in Maputo? He is a good friend of mine?

Lobengula

ngiyamazi. he's good friend of mine. any message?

Gazilam

Kindly tell him to participate in this forum , we need his expertise. Just tell him I said hie to him , we worked together at KPMG during our articles days.

Lobengula

I total agree with you on the ways amandebele can empower themselves and investing in shares being one of the best.

I think if we chose to empower ourselves through the stock exchange shares route we should start identify compinaies that are worth being investested in i.e. companies that are have potential and were we are assured the highest possible returns.Once we identify the companies lets 3 companies.We invest in those 3 only till such a time we feel we have invested enough in those 3.So that when we decide to form our trust our shares are all under one roof and not scatterd all over,hence making things easier.

Ngiyabonga lelithuba. Abantu abanjengaboLobengula bayisibusiso esilaso njengamandebele. iadvise lombono alawo could take us to new heights. what we could try to have is a forum that's dedicated kwezenotho, then we can advise each other on matters zefinance at all levels. thina esisekhaya we can also help announce amaopportunities esiyabe siwezwa ngapha even from the smallest businesses athengiswayo, njalonjalo. kasizameni.

What would happen if Shonas read this and rush in buying the shares before we do ?
Mind you ngo Thathekile laba bantu.
Khumbulani madoda ukuthi izinto zilunga ngomkhonto

Imbizo

You bring a very good point baba. What it then means is that YOU must not delay any further go now and buy those shares. Start building your portfolio of riches. Not only can you buy shares but you can also buy properties.
Gents, we can pull our cash resources together and invest in properties like houses or shopping malls. Who owns the Nkulumane Shopping Mall? Lets find out and if possible invest in that complex so that eventually we have a controlling interest.
We can do that also to similar strategic assets.

Football teams all over the world (eg Man United, Real Madrid, AC Milan) are now listed on stock exchanges. There is nothing that should stop us from approaching the Highlanders Board of Directors with a proposal to buy a significant stack in the club and have it run on business terms like all other clubs in the world. Kaiser Chiefs in South Africa is now part of Prime Media Group (a Listed company). Look at the professionalism associated with the club.

If we buy a controlling share in bosso, we ensure that it will remain for ever a team owned by and controlled by the Ndebeles. But if we sit back silokhu sizinwaya silandisa okungapheliyo, abeTshabi (othathekile) sizozwa kuthiwa sebethenge iBosso ngezigidi lezigi sisale sikahala izinyembezi bafowethu.
Asisukumeni ngobunengi. Click the mouse and go to the Zim Stock Exchange website and contact a broker immediately , and start investing without delay. OChiyangwa lizozwa kuthiwa sebe thenge iNkulumane SHOPPING Mall thina silokhu sibalisa okungapheliyo.

It has been said by Lobengula..let's act before it's too late because that's reality,oChiyangwa will by everything in our region while we are still dragging,then we will not say we are a free Mthwakazi.Lobengula, l give you all the respect because the above contribution is a big warning to us,it is already happening but we have to act now before it spills out of control,abetshabi are capitilizing in diferent business opportunities in the region.For instance in the tourisms sector,most of those safari lodges kwaBulawayo are under abetshabi,why MaNdebele?
let's act now before ama***** engakathengi ibosso!!
-------------------------------------
Sirumula..mafenya tsila.

Bafowethu
This is indeed a chalenge for us (ie NEE). Let's give each other a target, say by year end, we should all be having a significant shareholding in various strategic companies in Zim. Next year most of us should staart worrying about the performance of our shares in these companies.
Remember you can buy the shares at say Z$1000 per share now. A month later the same shares can be going for say Z$5000 per share. That is a direct appreciation of your shares in value. In other words you have scored a gain of Z$5000-Z$1000 =Z$4000 per share.If you hold say 10 000 shares, that amounts to a capital gain of $4000 x 10 000= $40 000 000.
But remember stock prices can also go the other way round, ie lose value eg buy them at $1000 and 6 month down the line they depreciate to $800 per share. However over time stock markets have been proved to be resilient and robust (ie tend to appreciate in value).
But your brokers will give you all the advice you need on a daily basis. They will send you a daily summary of what's happening in the markets and which shares to buy or sell etc etc.

Nanso ke indaba bafowethu asintshinsheni impondo zethu lezi odadewethu abathanda ukuthi singompondo kayintshintshwa ngoba sihlala siyifake emasokisini imali yethu. Let's make this year 2004, the year of our economic empowerment.

Abafowethu laba abayizikhulu njalo abangosozimali will testify how emabarassing it is ukuthi ubonakale uwedwa uhamba nge BMW X5 abangane bakho bekulandela emuva ngama Datsun 120y noma ama 404 Peugheot. Kuhle si develophe sonke ngobunengi hatshi ukuba yi drop in the ocean.

Bafowethu.

Ngiyalibonga lonke ikakhulu baba Lobhengula, ngoba nsuku zonke ngilokhu ngidobha kancane kancane kwezomnotho, (Economics) into ingingazange ngiyifunde esikolo. Ulungile ngoba uyasivusa isizwe se Nkosi.

Sengikhulume labafowethu engizalwa labo ekhaya, sesiyaqala ukuthenga ama Shares ku Stork ex.

Uyilwile, ubulele, sesiyidla.

Li Zwangendaba.

Gents

As a further addition to our economic empowerment, one area that we also need to focus on is education. Let's not get ourselves tied up in knots complaining about our marginalisation in the education front by virtue of the swarms of Shona locusts invading our schools , colleges and varsities in Mat'land.
Let's rise above all of this clap-trap directed at us by Mgodoyi and beat the system. There are independent Institutes and varsities where our people can enrol without any interference from Mgodoyi. The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants(ACCA) in the UK is one such a body. You study independently with that institute from anywhere in the world and when you qualify, you can practice as an auditor in Zimbabwe or work as a financial manager or financial director or accountant anywhere in the world. There is the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants in the UK which has the same priviledges as those afforded by the ACCA in that you can get into the accountancy profession at what ever level you like. You have the Institute of Chartered Secretaries & Administrators. You can do this any where in the world and you get what ever post you need in the financial world. All these bodies have branches all over the world. There is the Certified Financial Analyst programme which qualifies you to be an investment analyst or investment professional. You have the American Certified public Accountants programme. There is the Chartered accountancy programme available in all major countries. Gents the list is endless. Let's get our hands into the mud and start working. Basically some of us who are overseas can enrol our young brothers(your own brothers) who are based in Mgodoyi and pay for their fees which are usually very cheap from abroad ranging from 20 Pounds to 5O pounds the fees for some of these courses.

Boya benyathi!
Mpongo kaZingelwayo!
Mthiyane!

Limqotho lelo! Ukufunda kukaMthwakazi kungalekelela ekuthuthukiseni ukucabanga kwabaningi, kudedise nolaka oluhaqe abaningi abalobayo lapha enkundleni! Phela ma ungafundile, yonk' into kuwena is solved ngo-laka nodlame. Phela umqondo usuka ubemfushane!

AmaNgisi athi: "Character development is the sole, if not the main aim of education." Babuye njalo bathi : "Books are the most loyal of friends and the most patient of teachers".

Uyabona ke masingaqina kwezemfundo, nendlela esicabanga ngayo izothuthuka. Sizohlukana ne Village approach to politics and begin to see Mthwakazi in terms of the global dictates zamanje. Sizoba ne-confidence to face up to the Phd fellas on the debating table singenakungingiza. Otherwise ma uyisinxadi, uvele uzeyise wena bukhoma, before the other fella even despises you.

At the same time ma ufunda, uyakwazi ukuthola amaphephamvume okuhlala phesheya ungenakwesaba ukuboshwa ngamaphoyisa. Masihlukane nokugeza imizimba yezintothololo (akusho mina bakwethu, kwash' uMgodoyi on his 18th April speech).

Ngiyabonga.

uMntongenakudla kaNgogwane waKwaDlangezwa
Inxangiphilile.
KwelikaMthaniya.

Mtshede

Ngenhlonipho enkulu baba, ake usincede in a very candid and honest way in dealing with the following questions.

1) As a white Ndebele person, kindly tell us where do we as your tribesmen tend to miss the opportunities in general and the economic ones in particular.

2)In your observations in the past number of years, where do we as a people tend to do things wrongly (politically & economically)

3) Economically, how can the Ndebele folks, "get it right".

4) What is essentially different between our(blacks) approach to governance and that of our white colleagues (discount or ignore percived oppression or real oppression)

5) What lessons can you draw to our attention as a tribe that we might not be aware of?
6)Historically what have been our mistakes that we find ourselves steeped in this quagmire?

7) What could we have done better?
8) What could we have done in 1980 or prior to 1980?
9What then is the way forward both economically and politically?
10) These are very genuine questions Mtshede (Dr Robert Moffat's Ndebele name given to him by his friend King Mzilikazi in the 1870s)

11) Because you are a white Ndebele you are obviously sitting in a very good position to understand both sides of the coin(black & white).

12)Do you think the British played a role in ensuring that Mgodoyi wins the election in 1980?
13) Where did Nkomo go wrong from a white perspective?
14) Smith tried in vain to alert Nkomo to his oblivion prior to the election but Nkomo did not listen, had he listened to Smith maybe the Ndebele would be better off today?

Thanking you in advance Mtshede for your counsel on these issues that baffle me.

Lobengula sincere apologies to you for taking some time to respond to the pertinent and searching questions you have asked.

I am going to take some time to reply as fully and capably as I possibly can and thank you very much both for your patience and for the trust you have shown in me in addressing yourself to me here Mashobane.

1) As a white Ndebele person, kindly tell us where do we as your tribesmen tend to miss the opportunities in general and the economic ones in particular.

Unfortunately kaMashobane I believe the sad truth of the world today is that it remains a place where those of us who come from historically deprived oppressed and marginalised backgrounds have to play "catch up" against the heaviest odds and breaking through glass ceilings and all manner of other culturally and racially weighted obstacles.

Thus in answer to your question the best I can say is that for a black man to compete in a white world he has to be not just as good as the next man but better; and for an Ndebele man to compete in a country like Zimbabwe then the position is even less advantageous and the effort required twice as great.

But it can be done.

The likes of Masiyiwa show what can be done with self-belief and determination and character.

Masiyiwa's first investment came as you know from a white man who believed in him.

I wonder if masiyiwa knows what a khiwa is?

Maybe I should write to ask him.


2)In your observations in the past number of years, where do we as a people tend to do things wrongly (politically & economically)

I reiterate it is very difficult for Ndebeles to operate in a rather hostile political world and economic marketplace.

I believe we need unity and coordination as for example Jewish people are often praised for exhibiting solidarity and a commitment to the betterment of theirkith and kin, why cannot the same not be said of Ndebeles?

Pansi na uMona!

Respect success!

Emulate the successful!

Be open to your friends and don't be suspicious of people who offer good things!

(These are all things kaMashobane that you know far better than I....)


3) Economically, how can the Ndebele folks, "get it right".

Firstly to quote Tony Blur, "education education education".

Secondly to paraphrase Inkundla's wise man Bhekuzulu Khumalo, "work hard, work honestly, don't try to take short cuts through unethical grasslands where snakes abound!"

4) What is essentially different between our(blacks) approach to governance and that of our white colleagues (discount or ignore percived oppression or real oppression)

Hmmmm....I like to think that my own fierce opposition to tyrrany has been deeply influenced by Ndebele pride and Ndebele notions of dignity and equality.

I have nothing to teach Ndebeles about opposition to tyrrany: the reverse is the case!

5) What lessons can you draw to our attention as a tribe that we might not be aware of?

We need to be supportive to each other and yet learn from the wider world....

6)Historically what have been our mistakes that we find ourselves steeped in this quagmire?

The "mistake" of Ndebeles is perhaps that like Zulus they were too successful in resisitng colonilaism, it is often said. So for eg it is Xhosa (and especially Fengu) and Shona people who embraced western style education whereas prouder people remained aloof and now have to catch up!

7) What could we have done better?

Nothing.

Ndebeles have survived. This puts them at the head of the game!

8) What could we have done in 1980 or prior to 1980?

A difficult question. Perhpas we can return to this one in a separate thread?

9What then is the way forward both economically and politically?

I think we need to understand that economic progress is clearly linked to political emancipation in a host of ways. Government is the major economic determinant in Africa and we need a Government that is responsive to our agenda for the uplifment of Mthwakazians.

10) These are very genuine questions Mtshede (Dr Robert Moffat's Ndebele name given to him by his friend King Mzilikazi in the 1870s)

I am honoured that you asked these questions but regretful that I do not think I do them justice in reply.

11) Because you are a white Ndebele you are obviously sitting in a very good position to understand both sides of the coin(black & white).

The one thing I know is that a person is a person and a man is a man whatever his skin colour.

I never try to dislike people on account of skin colour.

I often dislike people on account of bad character.

I believe at its highest and best ubuNdeble is synonymous with decency, dignity, bravery, stoicism, honesty.

This is what I believe, what I hope to be true, and what i know to be true.


12)Do you think the British played a role in ensuring that Mgodoyi wins the election in 1980?

KaMashobane my understanding is that the British understood well before the 1980 election that Mugabe would win convincingly due to the saturation of Mashonaland and other areas by ZANLA with its pungwe style of violent politicking.

They did nothing to alert Dr Nkomo or the white community of this and indeed they ignored Dr Nkomo's attempts to call for peaceful free and fair elections.

They climbned into bed with Satan.

13) Where did Nkomo go wrong from a white perspective?

As you know Son of the Son of Mashobane Dr Nkomo was in secret talks with Smith prior to 1980. These talks were abruptly terminated with the Viscount incidents and subsequent retaliation. It is tragically true that the remanants of the Rhodesian airforce were later employed against ZIPRA elements post 1980 elections.


14) Smith tried in vain to alert Nkomo to his oblivion prior to the election but Nkomo did not listen, had he listened to Smith maybe the Ndebele would be better off today?

You and I know Dr Nkomo believed in himself as Father Zimbabwe. He did not want to believe his service would be discounted on ethnic grounds. Could things have gone differently had he and Smith come to terms? I wonder and would be interested in your response.

Thanking you in advance Mtshede for your counsel on these issues that baffle me.

I know you too well to believe you are baffled mfowethu.

Suffice to say I answer your questions to the best of my ability and gladly because I know I am not corresponding with a fool but a man who respects himself and so accords others due respect.

Not every Ndebele accords to your high standards and so your example shines to my tired eyes all the brighter.

You look for wisdom like a wise man.

Others foolishly parade the streets at midday holding candles.

I doubt you know what a khiwa is.

Ngiyabonga mfowethu.

Your kindness and affirmation goes a long way.

Ungadinwa lakusasa.

Lobengula,

Thank you very much for puting up such insight in terms of economic empowerment. I am disappointed though that you don't seem to want to share these opportunities with others but prefer undoda zibonele, kumbe sithi akunkwali yaphandela enye. Or do you lack confidence kunzalo kaMthwakazi ukuthi ingakubonisa izibunu zenyoka njengalokhu okwalapha eZimba. The idea is to make a serous economic impact, that makes you stand counted.

Mina bengibona kanje:

Lina elingaphetsheya, form a global company which you invest in, hire professional people to then do a targeted investment in the country on those areas that will make a difference, now or in the future. You need not only invest in the country but in the region or even abroad. This company can be an offshore company that can operate through a locally registered company, uyazi imthetho yaleli lizwe are designed to exclude certain people, but that will be the work of professionals to manuvre.

Besides, most of these companies are now run ngabetshabi, abontshontshi nje balomuntu phansi. It may be counted as heroism in thier relms to bring such companies down, therefore you need to put enough investment to control and effectively direct what happens not only inside but the outside environment. That is why I do not agree with Hlathi81 uma esithi put your shares in 3 companies, you may need a wide portfolio that the destructive entreprenuers of the east can not easily target. If they do bayabe bayixhophile, you fight for your economic survival with all your might sibone iqhawe impela. But you can only do this if you are in control.

True to some contributions above, abetshabi have bought a lot of businesses in M'tland, but in most case it was just to effectively bring them down for good, transfer the assets to Harare or some such places far away to benefit anyone koMthwakazi. You may underestimate the threat to destroy Mthwakazi economically but open your eyes wide and read between the lines, don't listen to the speech but to its echoes you will know that abetshabi, are not operating without a plan.

Picture This:

bosso wins the league in four consecutive years and its not important news at ZBC, The Herald,Chronicle and disappontingly the then Daily news. All these are run by abetshabi. When they were beaten by Experance there was Jubilation eharare, all papers had it in bold "why should they dwarf Dhembare"

PSL desides to drop 5 teams from the league, why? There were more teams from the south than in the north hence bosso enjoyed its home crowd in at least five away encounters.

Nanko lakho okuyiSporting Lions, enticing our star players in a bid to weaken bosso, which unfortunately they acheived. Even uKapini Harareans were enticing him not to harare but off bosso.

KwaMzilikazi, there was somthing like a committee that looked at things and strategised, I will give you the most trivial yet most effective example; Language. This committee made sure those who joined Mthwakazi became Mthwakazi, oMkatla baba ngoMkandla, oMtlokwa, baba ngoMdlongwa, oShoko baba NgoNcube, oHungwe baba ngoNyoni. NgamaNdebele lawa avela ePitoli labakwa Mambo. Mhlaumbe we need to start something like this, while abetshabi are bombarding us with new local products with shona names we should just give the product a ndebele name and call it by that name kwaMthwakazi, advertise if we have to.

Sengi phambuke kancane ku economic empowerment, ngiyaxolisa.

Bagiya ngokumithisa odadewethu bathi balwi impi.

Bakithi ngiyambonga kakhulu uLobengula ngolwazi lwakhe asichathekela lona lapha. Yiyo impuncuko le Mthwakazi ukungavaleli ulwazi ekhwapheni. Sesizakwenza njalo Lobengula.Sicela kodwa ukuba sicetshiswa ukuthi yiwaphi ama kampani esingaphosela amasenti ethu kuwo. Abanye asikwazi lokubala lawo maphepha ama shares lesilungu sakhona siyaseqa. Mina angazi fokolo ngazi kuphela ukuthi ngifisa ukunotha.

Lobengula I would prefer not to identify the xenophobic likes of Shitishiti as the xenophobic lowest common denominators who under the guise of pride demean the struggle of those who believe in the concept of Mthwakazi as a place where minorities and a majority try to engage and articulate a common program of development and advancement.

I would prefer not to call Shitishit a dog.

But I have been bitten by fleas and I must scratch the itch.

now that gonorea gono has unveile new international money wiring methods of sendind your hard earned hard currency home, is this not an opportunity to come into the main stream of economic activity and carve yourselves niches in the real estate and the equity market.you guys in diaspora you are our salvation, l urge you to get a foothold on the economic front, let us show the shonas its not only them with the sole preserve to have postal addresses in burnside, gunhill , mt pleasnt , msthemhlophe , hiilside and the famous borrowdale brook.lt really makes me feel empty to note that most of the trucks being sent by zimbos in diaspora mostly are owned by guys from bambazonke. it is the same guys who come and clich contracts from bulawayo city council for haulage.this means the money we pay to BCC as rates ends up developing harare becoz the companies contrcted by BCC expatriate their money to harare. this is very sad.yes it might be a continuation of the grand plan, but l totally apportion the blame to our mthwakazi brotheren in diaspora fot not being proactive on the economic front.stop pointing fingers for once and be seen to be doing something to improve our lot.its a shame that opasi they are dominatinjg the commuter taxis in bulawayo. lathi asiwakhipheni ama £2500,00 sithenge amakhanda ezimota, sithene amakhumbi from japan and dubai.as ndebeles bring your brainy heads together in diaspora and start petroleum importing consortium.most of the ndebele owned petrol stations are having operational difficulties because they are the last to get fuel from the privatley owned importing consortiums.abasegoli mayuyu madoda yekelani ukube lokhu lithumeza izigubhu ezingela lutho.lam not criticising you my fellow brothers , what lam,saying is let us open our eyes and see what is happening in zimbabwe. a case in point is one specialist doctor of ndebele origin who joined a predominatly shona pil consortium in uk. upon eunquiring from him as to why he was eating in the same platee with dogs. he was at pains to explain that he did try a number of times to encourage mthwakazians in diaspora to invest in this wortwhile investment, but according to him mthwakazians are too risky evasive they want to walk the down trodden investment path.he even mentioned names.some shonas l know in uk go around picking second hand truck tyres from dunp yard which they then retread in bulawayo making a hefty killing.lastly l want to thank the diaspora mthwakazians who have continued providing food on the table to their extended families, without you gentleman given the high rate of unemployment starvation woould have perished many a families.

ININA

Ahlabe ephukela dadewethu. kanti njalo abadala bathi kalivikwa. when it comes to business thinking we are desperate losers. opasi will dominate us home and away okweGrand plan kwedlula now we are marginalising ourselves. kwakhulunywa ngesupporters committe yeBosso ingaphi? give us to talk ngobukhosi lobuNguni lapho uyabufikemhlolweni but siyizikhothamathe zamashona. icommitte zedynamos sezimi yikho okuphuma amaqembu amabhizimusi abaliswa linina. even lefederalism leyo ekhulunywayo angithi ngamadoda ukuyengana nxa ungelamali uzathi weh! kusabele bani? well amadoda aseGoli azamile ikakhulu kithi esikhalangeni eTjolotjo eTjepfunye kuManzamnyama laphayana sifundile sakhula okwamanje isiphelile iGoli. thina esisemazweni we have failed well khuluma ngamaphathi lobumnandi iNdebele kulapho elikhona.

Mtshede,

This forum is to build for the future, not destroy. If you don't like what I said, attack the idea, hashi ukungithuka.

"Ukubonisa izibunu zenyoka" is a like taking someone to the cleaners, if you did not understand the metaphor, ask! If you like abetshabi so much, I'm sorry, you can go your way angikulandeli. I will not denigrate myself by being drawn into an insulting match.

This is the summary of what I said for your benefit.

1. Share with Mthwakazi in your ivestments not only the idea but practice it. (Do you feel less Mthwakazian because you have pink bums?)

2. Target your investment in order to direct and retain control.

3. Abetshabi have a working plan to destroy Mthwakazi economically and otherwise, if not, they have unity of purpose against Mthwakazi.

4. We have to formulate our own counter measures against this.

Whats xenophobic about that? I gave an example of historic fact with regards to products, I didn't suggest that you should change your identity documents.

I have taken some time to try to respond to your comments in the hope that my embarrassment at my failure to understand your usage and my inability to refrain from personal invective would abate.

Unfortunately my embarrassment has intensified instead.

No judgement matters more than one's self judgement and I believe I have let myself down quite badly.

I suspect from the dignified tenor of your comments you will be the type of person who can forgive my ignorance and unjustified rudeness.

But I am sentencing myself to a vow of silence for the moment.

I am ready to die of shame but would prefer to live as there is work to be done in our common cause and despite my manifest failings I have to do what I can.

My sincere regrets.

l salute your mature stance wakwa mtshede

Inina

Your contribution is noted and well appreciated by us as Mthwakazians, particularly those of us who are passionate about Ndebele Economic Empowerment(NEE). In December 2003, I had a chance to drive around most rural areas in Tsholotsho and Plumtree, let me tell Mthwakazians that the surbuban houses that I saw in those regions built and financed by Mthwakazians in South Africa were an eye opener. Virtually everyvillage boasts a number of expensive properties (you might think you are somewhere in Sandton or Burnside). Now, the guys behind this development are the waiters, taxi operators , security guards , garden workers etc etc. We must remember that the business of transportation is firmly in Mthwakazian hands (particularly SA-Zim routes). Let us build on such successful models and replicate them across our regions in Mat'land.
By the way the race is on for acquisition of shares and equities in listed companies. We have set the guidelines above and hopefully every Mthwakazian is working tirelessly on that.

Mthede

Let me take this opportunity to thank you for your response to my questions above. Not only did you answer them professionally but you did so very honestly and independently. Of particular appreciation is the point you raised about our failure to adpt to change more-so on the education front due to our proud nature.

Let me further point out that Hitshi-hitshi did not say anything whatsoever that was insulting or demeaning or disrespectiful to your good person or to your contribution. No, not at all. He merely responded to MY contribution on economic empowerment and enuciated as he has reiterated above following your unhappiness. Judging by his (HH) obvious intelligence, i think he will readily forgive you for your sins. Mr HH must also bear in mind that Mtshede is a white Ndebele from Mthwakazi hence it is possible that sometimes he misunderstands innocent pronouncements.

Wena Lobengula ukhuluma into elenqondo, uyazi ucabanga njengami, I have always advised people on economic empowerment, just like you said. There is no need to always cry and say we are being oppressed, oppressed by who?. We are oppresing ourselves by being lazy and non productive. Umsebenzi yikuthethis amachona kuphela. What is the benefit of that, instead of working with them and empower ourselves.

I will tell you something, I have worked with a number of them and I have reaped more than they have, why coz I am strategic in my dealing with them. I am venturing into very serious projects, for the benefit of Uzulu and Mthwakazi. I would like to second the idea of buying a lot of these shares. Someone must drive this portfolio now and now not tomorrow. Problem Umtwakazi uthanda ukukhuluma kuphela, lokunata is kadi lokube abe eboaster ukuthi use America, America my foot. If one is in America let them make a difference where they come from, look at Israel, its because of Jews in America. Less mobilise, meet at a central place and form working things. As you know money is not a problem, the problem is to implement the ideas in our minds.

Lobengula I would like to thank you for the kind way you received any sensible things I said and charitably and kindly mediated the foolish thing I said.

May I amplify your explanation of my misunderstanding the comments of Mr Hitshi Hitshi by pointing out that I am not just a white person from Mthwakazi but quite often a STUPID white person from Mthwakazi.

I know stupidity cannot be cured but I hope discourtesy can be forgiven.

And again I would like to apologize.

Mtshede,

Angizange ngikudel' amathambo mfowethu. Libambe lingatshoni we have to succeed in this.

Mgongodo,

Quite honestly, I am thankful that you have managed to take advantage of your opputunities to your benefit, but to use them to deride uMthwakazi for the ills he has suffered as stupidity on their part, I do not agree.

When the farm resettlement was done late 1998, some of those who got them had to approach the authorities in the night to be given those farms thina silayinile lamaform. By the time we went to check the places the boys on the ground bavele basitshela ukuthi ngapho sokugcwele ama "chefu". Would you have had the access to Kangai in the night? You might have ended in custody.

Lets be strategic about everything, we know we are dealing with crookes by heredity. One of Mthwakazi's main weakness is self gratification "ukuziqhaja" When you have acheived something, instead of helping your kinsfolk usuhamba uziqqhenya ngakho, ungancedisi muntu.

Full respect mfowethu.

I won't let myself down again.

And I won't let you down again.

Majaha nabo dade

I have received numerous calls and e-mails from members of this forum on the issue detailed in my posts above relating to the acquistion of shares or stocks in Zim companies by us as Mthwakazians.

Those who want to buy shares can kindly follow the following procedures:

For those who want to buy these shares using ZiM$,
1)Open a bank account with a Zim based bank
(can use an existing family bank account)
2)Deposit your funds in that account
3)Use your Zim home address
4)Through your stock broker, you can then start picking or choosing shares to buy into your portfolio, transferring the funds from your Zim bank account into your brokers account who then uses the funds to pay for the shares on your behalf.
5) Remember your broker will give you full advice on which shares to buy and which ones to sell based on daily analysis and tracking of share performances.
6)For any shares or stocks purchased, a share ownership certificate must be issued and delivered to your home address proclaming your title to the shares , the number of shares you now own in the relevant companies.

Those who want to buy shares directly in foreign currency can also do so. You send your funds directly to your broker into a Zimbabwe Stock Exchange account called Foreign Denominated Account. The broker then utilises your funds from that account to buy shares for you. The advantage of this is that your earnings per share, dividends or share premium profits can then be repatriated back to you in Foreign currency, say in Pound Sterling, or can be deposited for you in your Zim Aaccount. For deatails regarding this scheme kindly refer to Mike Anderson of SAGIT Stock Brokers (Pty) Ltd on sagit@sagit.co.zw Telephone 02634 73 5491. I have made it clear to him that we are an Mthwakazian lot and we need to deal with some one of Ndebele extraction in case he is not there, to which he gladly said his executive director Mr Alfred Mthimkhulu from Byo will be assigned the job of explaining some of these issues in plain simple Ndebele to amajaha lezintombi zakithi.

Nanso ke indaba bafowethu phakamisa ucingo lwakho ngokuphangisa lawe uqale uku invester and build your own portfolio. Now you become the part owner of any company in which you buy shares. You become a shareholder. You get invited to the Annual General Meeting. You begin to choose who becomes the directors of the company. Because the key management of the company eg CEO or MD are elected by the directors, you therefore indirectly select the management because the directors are elected by YOU. You choose who audits the company. You approve where new branches should be opened. What a way of gaining control and influence in companies bafowethu. You can imagine if Mabila holds 12% of Wankie Coaliery Ltd and I hold 15%, Dokotela holds 5% , Cde Potshoza holds say 20%, between our selves we have a stake in that company of 52%. That is a majority ownership of the company and in terms of voting which is determened by YOUR shareholding we literally dictate the policy direction of the company.
Zamani majaha amadala. Asivukeni emaqandeni. Phakamisa ucingo uthinte u Mthimkhulu noma u Mike Anderson ngokutshetsha.

Two questions.

Can an entity or another company own shares in another? Is this feasible with overseas based companies wanting to invest in Zimbabwe?

By broker, do you mean an agency such as Privatisation Agency Zimbabwe? If not why don't the economists like yourself and Mtnongenakudla, and others like Gazi put your heads together and form a Mthwakazian biased agency to help with issues of this nature. Even if it's not an agency of this nature, a Mthwakazi Accountant entity will do. I have always said that we should focus our attention to forming institutions of our own, based on various skills and knowledge we have acquired.

Mjakajaka

No, by a stock broker I mean a private company like SAGIT (Pty) Ltd, registered as a broker with the relevant Stock Exchange, whose function is to sell and buy shares on behalf of persons, companies or other juristic persons (eg trusts, close corporations) in a stock exchange. The privatisation Agency you refer to above unfortunately is not a registered stock broker. it is not registered with the Zim STock exchange as a broker. it is just an arm of the government to facilitate privatisation, which has failed to materialise for all these years anyway.

Yes indeed a company can own shares in another company and become a holding company if possible. Remember in corporate law, there is no distinction between a company and a natural person. They are both persons in law. A company is termed a justic person or a legal persona while a peron is regarded as a natural person. They both have rights and obligations and can sue or be sued in their own right. Where one company owns shares in another company, depending on the degree of shareholding, the relationship is what is refered to as a holding company-subsidiary relationship (eg parent child-relationship). If we as Mthwakazians form our own company to that effect, yes indeed it will be a worth and viable venture or vehicle where we all use it as an investment avenue. Good point baba Mjakajaka. It shows maturity. Let us have consensus on such issues and move forward gents instead of baptising each other with fire daily.

Question: Is the economic state of the country now viable for investment? You know its quite difficult to run business in a higgh inflationary environment, are there any reflections showing stability of our money and what is the buying strength of the people on the ground?
Should we invest externally and wait until the country's economic climate has stabilised, then we can then ship our businesses to mgaxaland?

I'm just looking at a generic view and not specifically on a certain sector. Which sectors seem to be viable for investment?

Eze mali angizazi!

Njengomuntu ongelalwazi leze mali lama shares, this has been an eye-opener for me. Ngithanda ukubona abafakake imibono yabo emthanjeni wezomkhonomi to empower abakithi.

Ekufundeni impendulo ka Mnali uMtshede ngithole an area engifisa layo kukhulunywe ngayo as part of economic empowerment. UMnali ucele enkulumeni ka Tony Blair esithi, "education, education, education." Ngiyawabona amaso okusiza izikolo zakithi. Phambili ngawo. Kungabi yimali kuphela, kodwa asikhuthazeni onhlokozikolo zakithi to utilise the expertise that umntwakazi alayo. Umzekelo: Ngesinye isikhathi uLobengula angadlula esikolo iTsholotsho High akhulume nge buying zama shares and the stock exchange. UMthwakazi is blessed with i personnel in diverse fields, let's utilise that expertise and donate ama free times ethu to empower our people.

Dokotela

There is a golden rule in investment finance which says "buy low , sell high". What it means is that because businesses are cheap to acquire now, then you must go ahead and acquire them urgently. When the situation turns around, you can resell the business at a very high profit. Equally, the shares are very cheap (alele ngophondo) at the Zim Stock Exchange. If you buy the shares now and hold on to them during these bear (distressed) market conditions, you are likely to reap handsome profits when you eventually sell them during a bullish (not to be confused with bullshit) market, ie robust and roaring market.

A typical example is a person who acquired (bought) a house in Burnside in 2001 for Z$2 million. Now this same house can be sold for Z$300 million!!!. If some one decided to keep his Z$2 million locked up in a bank account, that amount would have grown to only Z$40 million assuming an interest rate of 500% annually. Now note the difference between investments in real estates (property) and just putting money in a bank account or under the mattress. The difference is a massive Z$300 million minus Z$40 million = Z$260 million super profit!!!.

The same principle applies to shares, if you acquire them at , say Z$5 million now, three years down the line you could sell the same shares at possibly Z$200 million. Now contrast that with money locked up in a bank account at CABS or Zimbank. There you will be lucky if you get Z$10 million after 3 years.
The example I have used here is very very very practical as those who acquired properties in 2001 could testify. They bought houses at a song , now these houses are going for 100ds of millions of Z$s. Shares have an advantage in that they are pepertual (you can own them for ever), unless if you decide to sell them. During the period that you own them, you get annual earnings per share plus dividends per share.

Nkosi!
Ngiyakuzwa sibili njalo ngivumelana lawe. Ukusa imali ebhanga loba ukuthenga i insurance kwelika Mgax ngalezinsuku, yikuzembela igodi uphila. Engicela ungisize ngakho nanku; how much of the high rate of return on property investment is REAL? Ungathengisa i Burnside yakho oyibethileyo ngayo leyo 200 million, ngapha usuthenga isinkwa nge 1 million, kusizani in a hyperinflationery environment yakwelika Mgax! Sesithiyiwe phela lapha Nkosi!

Nkosi,

Injabulo kuwe mfowethu. Ngiyathokoza ngokuchasisa kwakho. It really means a lot to me.

What you are saying about property investment makes clear sense. Where i need some clarity is on the value of the items after an inflationary effect.

Are you saying that when i sell my shares after 3 years i will be able to buy what i could not buy 3 years ago? If the growth in value of shares is proportional to inflation, are we not merely talking about figures yet the value remains the same? If this is true, would it be worth it to invest there now?

Mabs


Uthi wena:

quote:

---

Engicela ungisize ngakho nanku; how much of the high rate of return on property investment is REAL? Ungathengisa i Burnside yakho oyibethileyo ngayo leyo 300 million, ngapha usuthenga isinkwa nge 1 million, kusizani in a hyperinflationery environment yakwelika Mgax! Sesithiyiwe phela lapha Nkosi!

---

Contrary to your assumption above, the price of bread is currently approximately Z$1000 (equivalent to 1Rand or equal to US 15 cents). Now mathematically, if you sell your Burnside house at Z$300million, that translates to South African Rands R300 000 (ie US$50 000). So the investment is REAL and tangible.

Nkosi!
Kanje lingabantu besamu lina mina ziyalala ungaletha inombolo. Granted,my example was an exhaggerated and a poor one, but kwelami ikhanda i hyperinflation somehow distorts what we see as those high rates of return in numerical terms. Lnxa ngiwaphethe lawo ma million aphelela elimini njenge siwiji!

Ndlovukazi (or Nkosazana Zuma? nk nk nk)

Mabs, your question is very relevant and good. Your concerns about hyperinflation are indeed valid. The fact of the matter is this that hyperinflation erodes the value of your assets(cash) rendering them useless in the long run. Now the question is What can you do to protect your assets against hyperinflation?. Granted, hyperinflation is a financial risk hence it must be managed.
You can effectively manage hyperinflanery risk through HEDGING. The question which arises is: What is hedging? Hedging is nothing more than your very own favourite expression "uthango" (ungeqi uthango!!!). You have identified a specific Risk>>>>>Hyperinflation, now you want to safeguard your assets against it, hence you must build a hedge. If the hyperinflation is hovering around 500%, it means you money will lose value by up to 500% over a period of time. Now, to protect your asset (cash) you must enter into another transaction that will result in gains or yields of say, 500%, hence your position will remain the same , ie you lost 500% through hyperinflation, and you gained 500% through hedging strategies by entering into other transactions that offset your losses. If you hedge and protect your position and go on to reap more and superior profits, you would have done very well for your portfolio.

To use a silly example in illustrating hedging, Themba wants to go to bed with Sihle who is HIV+. The risk for Themba is contracting the dreaded HIV virus. To protect himself then he must hedge by wearing a CONDOM. If on the other hand Sihle is not HIV+ and Themba wants to take a bit of more risk, he can go for big returns (more pleasure) and hedging by what Dokotela will call "WITHDRAWAL" method which carries a high risk of pregnancy. So just like investment, more risk , more returns, less risk, less returns. Obviously the pleasure derived from a condom is less than what one gets via WITHDRAWAL. But please do not ask me whether on both occasions Themba will come right or not. The question of whether or not Sihle derives any value or returns in this whole activity is also beyond my scope(maybe you can tackle that one Mabs).

Dokotela

Uthi wena:

quote:

---

Are you saying that when i sell my shares after 3 years i will be able to buy what i could not buy 3 years ago? If the growth in value of shares is proportional to inflation, are we not merely talking about figures yet the value remains the same? If this is true, would it be worth it to invest there now?

---

Again your question is very good and needs to be answered by emplying a bit of finacial mathematics. To begin with let me state that inflation has a tendency to increase arithmetically (1,2,3,etc) whereas investment returns can increase geometrically (1,7,14,28 etc).
Dok, let us say you have Z$2 million now. Inflation is 600%. Interest rates offered by banks are 600%.
Now , if you bank your money at Zimbank for 1 year you will get exactly Z$14 million at the end of the year. Because inflation is equal to interest rates therefore your position has not changed, in other words if you could have bought a house for Z$2 million at beginning of year, the same house will now cost you Z$14 million at year end.
On the other hand,if you took your Z$2 million, and invested in shares (stocks) at year end , the same shares can be sold for Z$200 million. Your profit (real returns) will be Z$200 million -Z$14 million which equals Z$186 million !!!.

A typical example of the evils of inflation is illustrated below baba Dokotela.

Umfowethu uNdabezinhle was charged Z$300 000, in lobola when the rate of the Rand to the Z$1 was 1Rand to Z$30. That translated to about 10 000 Rand that he was supposed to pay. We accepted the charge on his behalf and left. When we came back to pay the lobola a year later, the rate was 1Rand to Z$1000 !!!. Translating the lobola from Z$ to Rands we discovered that we were just going to pay R300 !!!. Remember you cant charge interest on lobola neither can you alter them because of the new scenario. We felt emabarrassed and gave them R1000 which at least translates to a million Zim$. So majaha lobolanini ngokuphangisa otherwise lizadla mahala.