While urging Zimbabweans to return home, affable Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai on Thursday made light of Wednesday's announcement by Finance Minister Tendai Biti that the country expected to experienced a 4.7% economic growth rate this year.
Speaking at a press conference in Sea Point, Tsvangirai said it was "easy to achieve economic growth after the economy has shrunk by 50% and hit rock bottom."
He said even a small increase in mining, tourism and manufacturing activity would create growth.
However, he said the growth forecast indicated that Zimbabwe was getting back on track and he urged the over four million Zimbabweans who had left home to return and help reconstruct and develop the country so that it could once again be breadbasket of Africa rather than the "basket case".
Tsvangirai is in South Africa on Thursday and Friday in a bid to get his countrymen and women to return home.
Together with a team of government ministers, he has been attending a two-day conference in Franschoek titled 'The Challenges of Economic Reconstruction' organised by the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation and funded by the Royal Danish Embassy.
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With the government delegation he has been holding talks with prominent figures in Zimbabwe's diaspora from business, investment and civil society sectors.
Addressing the press on Thursday evening, he said things had "definitely changed for the better" in Zimbabwe since the signing of the Global Political Agreement (GPA) in September last year.
Schools and hospitals had reopened, hyper inflation had been curbed by doing away with Zimbabwean Dollar, and the economy had stabilised.
He said the inclusive government, which was "stabilising" was doing what it could to provide a positive environment for returning Zimbabweans and it was up to individuals to make use of the new opportunities being created.
He said confidence among foreign investors was slowly increasing and Biti's budget speech this week would further ward off investors fears.
"We're turning a new chapter and that chapter is providing opportunities for Zimbabweans who are probably now living in worse conditions abroad (than they would at home)."
Questioned over his recent boycott of the unity government Cabinet for three weeks in October, he said he did it because the GPA was not being adhered to.
He said the move brought in the SADC mediators who vindicated him and enabled negotiations to take place which have led to subsequent agreements on the implementation of the GPA.
Tsvangirai was also questioned both by the press and later by the public in a subsequent open address over how Zuma's team of negotiators fared compared to Mbeki's much criticised 'quiet democracy' approach, Tsvangirai remained diplomatic.
He said Mbeki and his team were dealing with difficult "substantive issues" whereas Zuma and his team had a much easier time of it as they only had to ensure implementation of the agreements already brokered.
However, he praised Zuma's team for displaying an enthusiasm to get things moving.
Introducing Tsvangirai to the public audience, Institute for Justice and Reconciliation executive director Dr Fanie du Toit waylaid criticism of Tsvangirai being labelled a Zanu-PF collaborator by comparing his ability to look his political foe in the eye and work with him with the aim of brokering a peaceful transition, to that of Nelson Mandela brokering peace with FW de Klerk and the apartheid ministers.
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"While urging Zimbabweans to return home, ..."
Friendly countries do not inflict harm on each other.
The economic sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by UK and USA have brought
economic devastation, widespread starvation of the people, and death to Zimbabwe's
kids.
The country (and citizens) of USA and UK are not friendly to the country (and
citizens) of the land of Zimbabwe.
We declare that Tsvangirai, who would be leader of Zimbabwe, is knowledgeable
about the extraordinary situation and the part played in it by his handlers, the UK and
USA.
The imposition of economic sanction by one state on another is considered a hostile
action that is meant to harm the people of the targetted country. It is therefore
universally recognized as an action that is tantamount to a de facto declaration of war
on the target country.
[Indeed, if the African countries imposed comprehensive and effective economic
sanctions on UK and USA (and any EU countries that may trade with them) USA and
UK will IMMEDIATELY declare a state of war as existing between them and Africa -
and immediately deploy their forces and sabotaging agents accordingly.]
To the thousands of kids of the people of maZimbabwe who have died as a result of
the sanctions imposed by Tsvangirai's UK/US, the affability of Tsvangirai who gave
their killers aid and comfort is of no consequence nor relevance.
To millions of kids whose development has been stunted as a result of the extrem
malnutrition brought about by Tsvangirai's sanction, his affability is no comfort
neither now nor in their bleak future.
Tsvangirai is a citizen of Zimbabwe who has over the years has given aid and comfort
to the enemies of the people of Zimbabwe.
The U.S. constitution defines giving aid and comfort to the enemy as treason.
ndinokukwazisa muzita rechinotunda chameko. instead of talking you you are farting Zanu PF propaganda. I am a mature Zimbabwean and can easily ( without Mugabe's help) distinguish between friends and foes.1) I do not think that a white zimbabwean is an enemyand will not treat them with disregard. I will tell you who the real enemoies to zimbabwe are:
mugabe -( overstaying) and while ovestaying looting the wealthy of the country and depleting this country in every sense of the word. - he created (sic) racism and the brainwashed like you have gone headless ,mindlessly crazy about invaading every faarm there was yet there were loads and loads of unused unoccupied land all around( all that went to his people)
in short- moyo for media repression - gono for printing money and sending people to buy off foreign currency from the black market for Grace and bob i simply do not have time to list the sickos for you cos you wont listen anyway but the you go.
the psychological reality about your lack of reasoning is that you have seen Mugabe ;s portrait evry where for to long and you think he is you father. Kana wasvotwa ndaputsa zamu rameko
Whats wrong with printing money as both a necessary measure of national monetary and fiscal policies? Ever heard of QUANTITATVE EASY? Thats the printing of money, lots of it, to be used as desperate tool to manage an economy that is sliding into the black hole. The chancellor of exchequer in her Majesty's gvt is doing it profusely .... printing and pouring over 80 billion pounds into the UK money supply since the start of summer 2009. Desperate times demand desperate measures, my son. Looks like the future is looking rosier for Great Zimbabwe. Lets all continue to work hard. Gradually we shall catch up with the criminal elements in the midst of all political parties. The name of the game now is the finding a of ways and means of getting all of us accountable for all our actions. Mwari komborera Afrika.
"Whats wrong with printing money as both a necessary measure of national monetary and fiscal policies? .."
Nothing wrong - except if the natives do it.
Indeed, has "moyodewa" wondered where USA got the trillion dollars ($1 trillion = $1,000,000,000,000) it spent this year alone on saving failed US organizations from collapse and "stimulating" its economy?
It prints it.
..
[of course if an African country moves to save a critical locally-owned company from collapse by injecting huge sums of money into it, there would be a huge cry, stink and threats of dire consequences from IMF, World Bank, WTO, local foreign banks, foreign plundering firms (that desire to acquire the failed company cheap/free), and the foreign imperial governments that support those foreign firms. Even the UN and ICC will no be left out of it: They will find reason to indict the leader of that country with crimes against humanity.
There is a saying: "Wajinga ndio waliwao." Check it online.]
""Wajinga ndio waliwao." Check it online"
How to: Type the saying as shown OR Copy and paste the entire saying in your browser/search engine. It is a kiSwahili saying and it is popular enough to be well documented.
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