Volume 1, Issue 1 Newsletter Date

Africa Land of My Birth

By Taderera
A long way we have come. Here is where we are; what then is the direction we are to take into the future? A long way we have come and so much we have learnt in our journey as a people. Once upon a time, there we were, a time that we have since lost memory of, a time when we were kings and queens of the land. No, not in the manner that the kings and queens of this world today conduct themselves, but in a manner that is much more human, a manner which was understood and appreciated by the people. A time when all our peoples needs were met. No one ever went without food, without shelter, no one ever wanted for anything. Being human was a blessing to all creations of the earth. But then, what happened to us? In a twinkle of an eye, all became lost to us. What we now know of ourselves is that which was written and narrated to us by people foreign to us, people of a foreign land. A people that does not hold our best interests at heart, this is what we know now. How can other people ever tell the truth about us? A people so keen on taking even our continent as their own and reducing us to slaves. A people whose hatred of us is driven more by jealousy and greed? How can such a people tell us anything about us; and if we were greater than them and more human and blessed than them, would they ever let that truth out? Rather they decide to keep such truth hidden , a truth they themselves know to be true!. What they have told us about ourselves is that we were just like wild animals when the Egyptian civilization reigned supreme. Were we indeed just like wild animals living with the beasts of the veld? But then it is well known who was a beast of the field when Egypt was the Sun of the world. We were then told that after Egypt there came another civilization, and another, and another. Where we inhabitants of the forests, among wild beasts for all this time? Rome came and collapsed and Britannica arose.

Thoughts of the Future

(continued on p.3)

EDTION

Who is Behind TOTF Bulletin

The concept of Thoughts of the Future (TOTF) Bulletin is a brainchild of progress minded individuals from Africa who met through social media discussions. This is a platform for unbiased fact -based voices that want to express thoughts to produce a positive change in the world in general, and Africa in particular. TOTF Bulletin aims to connect minds from all four corners of the globe, especially people from Africa, for the purpose of raising our awareness of life so that we may shape our future by what we do here and now. Contributions to TOTF Bulletin are open to all. To have your articles published, email them to:

FIRST

totfzim@gmail.com

Special points of interest:

Conscious Living The Time is Now In The Corridors of

Money and

Power
Business Networking Africa Land of My Birth Somewhere in Zimbabwe

Somewhere in Zimbabwe : Keep Smiling

The Time is Now

By Augustine Shamuyarira
It cannot be denied that the scientific advances that have been witnessed in this past century have been unprecedented in the history of discovery and invention. Discoveries in medicine, in information, transport and general production, have far exceeded expectations and they continue to be perfected. Suddenly, the once huge globe has been shrunk down to a tiny village. We have indeed torn the universe apart and revealed unimaginable power from within it. It has been suggested that if humanity was to cease all search for new material knowledge, and focus on using the knowledge that has so far been accumulated on things that are beneficial to man, we could safely go for another hundred years without wanting for new knowledge. What is hard to accept and live with, however, is why this outburst of energy; this creative impetus to bring out the deepest potentialities inherent in the universe; why, this expression of mans relevance on earth as a beneficiary of its gifts and a partaker of its glory; why is it not benefiting the majority of humanity? The ever widening gap between those who have and those in dire need speaks of a civilization in need of direction. The rampant abuse of the same knowledge for the subjugation of those without it, demands attention and calls for a change of heart. There is just no longer any plausible excuse for the flawed and selfish habits that characterize the way human affairs are administered. We stand at a place where two raging seas meet, at a space between the end of night and the beginning of day. We face a unique dilemma as a generation and we have to act decisively. We stand with one half in darkness and the other half in light. The light represents the untapped opportunities and potentialities that exist. The choice is ours to make and it cannot wait. Never has such an opportunity been presented to man in such measure throughout all his history. Some have called this the Century of Light. We have to choose between languishing in darkness and stepping into the light, a light that will inevitably engulf all things and revolutionize our political systems. The darkness of ignorance and fanaticism is waving goodbye and the light of unity and progress beckons with hope.

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T H O U G HT S O F T HE F U T U R E

Africa Land of My Birth

(continued from p.1)
Britannica looked into the wilderness and found us a people not worthy to be a people, but cannibals, naked brutes and savages. Her tears rolled as she felt pity for what she saw before her cannibals. Her children felt the need to take us to civilization enmasse. They brought with them their merciful ropes and ships, dragged and tied us like logs in their ships for transportation to the first world. There, they freed their beasts of burden and unleashed us in their stead. Animals for domestication we became. Wealth they created. May the Lord remember this and wield the rod of our strength. Someone of these civilized people came up with an idea and complained; now this savage people is multiplying in our land. Soon they will become many and outnumber us, lets send them away. At least we can send some away into their jungle Africa. Another one rose and expatiated on that; instead of bringing this people into our land as a beast of labour, we can use him as a beast of labour in his own land. Colonialism was hatched. Both the African, and the African land and its people bled to create wealth for the civilized. way it bled under colonialism. Now, as we continue to live in the later stages of neo colonialism, and have come this far what are we going to do to become masters of our own lives and never to be tricked again, buy the foreign investment lie? Was there no foreign investment under colonialism? Is it not foreign investment that was used to steal our sons and daughters from the land to the land of the wicked? Foreign investment maintains the status quo which was there during colonialism. Foreign investment is part of the equation leading to neo colonialism. Africa, the land of my birth... A long way we have come. Here is where we are; what then is the direction we are to take into the future? A long way we have come and much we have learnt on our journey as a people. What then are we to do from this day onwards?

When consciousness rose amongst our people, we fought against it but the civilized beast could not let go of its free source of livelihood. It transformed itself into another beast identified as neo colonialism. We lived under it and in it, the peoples blood continuously being sucked, the land kept bleeding the same

In the Corridors of Money and Power

By Tichatonga Mwanawevhu
I was one of the lucky ones who went into private sector management at a time many whites were fleeing black rule while the more enterprising were consolidating their wealth and strangle hold on the Zimbabwe economy. Those that stayed were well ensconced and business owners or farmers. The moment exports to Europe and other places were opened up without previous sanction busting, many white farmers went into contract farming for mostly British Supermarkets on fruits and vegetables, then tobacco and grass to the Arab world, rhodes katambora grass mainly, many if not most members of the CFU stopped staple maize production concentrating on the stock feed yellow variety as they milked the quota for beef exports under the LOME convention. Horticulture and flowers to the Holland Europe wholesale markets boomed for them. Affretaire was almost entirely exclusively used for this route. This was truly a golden time for THEM!, and its what MDC-Tsvangirai allege was Khaya where he was raised and got school funding from his parents boss for subservient loyalty. Consequently he was ensconced at Scanlen and Holderness whence his fake meteoric window dressing rise to be partner at 24 in a die rhodie company, his gratitude is still with him and he cannot see the woods for the trees. But I digress. The following is the reality of the early years. Zimbabwe was never the bread basket of Southern Africa. Communal farmers were producing the surplus maize we exported to our neighboring countries because the new ZANU-PF government was prioritizing their production with annual provision of seed maize and fertilizers and the weather was consistent, with droughts coming after every three years or so as opposed to now where weather patterns are more erratic and government is not prioritizing communal farmers as it focuses more on the newly resettled farmers. We are still in transition and that is the simple truth.

great times for all Zimbabweans. Nothing could be further from the truth though understandable, given people like Tendai Biti were students, Morgan was an underground employee on a mine, the likes of Elton Mangoma were window dressers at Hunyani in the early 90s. So in truth it is the whites like Eddie Cross, Roy Bennett, Ian Kay, David Coltart et al that were determining the rhetoric that come out of MDC. The likes of Biti were still living in one of the poorest suburbs in the country. Dzivaresekwa was specifically built as quarters for northern suburbs domestic workers where both his parents worked and he stayed with them in their Boys

(continued on p.5)

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

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Conscious Living - Setting the Base

By Livingstone Bvumbi
The primary goal of this column is to empower us to consciously make decisions that are in our favor by enhancing our ability as a collective to discern right from wrong. The ability to know what is right in a world filled with wrong will allow us to live life the way it was designed for us to live, consciously, therefore the column is rightly named, Conscious Living. When we operate from the same base by having a set way of thinking and assessing ideas and motion to distinguish right from wrong, that will cancel out concepts like opinions, beliefs, assumptions, and theories etc. which are other ways of admitting that we do not know the definite. In this day and time, we have to know the definite and operate from it to avoid all the traps in life that are causes of unnecessary pain and suffering. When we operate from the same base, or utilize the same formula to derive the definite or absolute of everything, we automatically eradicate chaos and confusion in our lives. In order to judge anything accurately, one has to be able to discern right from wrong utilizing facts. To know what is wrong one has to know what is right. Right is that which can be proven and is in harmony with Nature and promotes Life and Peace. The blueprint that shows us what is in agreement with Life and Nature are the laws of nature. These are laws that govern thought and motion to ensure that intelligent motion is perpetual. To fully grasp this concept of right and wrong, we are going to explore where the idea of right and wrong came from in the first place. What is to be shared here regarding the reality of right and wrong is self-evident if one explores the areas and experiences in their own life. There are two forces in existence. Positive is the initiating force that is the generator of all positive thoughts and motion. Negative is the reactionary force which is the generator and conductor of all thoughts and motion that are geared to bring the positive ideas and intelligent motion back to nothing. Positive gave the energy that was in space doing nothing aim, purpose and direction. Creation came out of the want to BE. To stay in existence as something, the positive force behind the intelligent motion we now call creation or Life had ideas formulated and implemented in a manner that is perpetual, or never end-

Peaceful Conscious Living

ing. So ideas that positive put in motion are to add or magnify this want or will to stay in existence forever. This is where right and wrong comes in. All ideas and motion that is in agreement with this will for perpetual intelligent motion known as Creation are right, and everything opposed to it is wrong. Right is a pattern of thought and motion that ensures Life or Creation stays in existence and wrong is the reaction to this pattern working to bring everything back to the state of nothing as it was before Creation, meaning energy or matter having no aim, purpose or direction. Since we are all part of Life, it is a matter of self-preservation that we practice thinking and doing right, by ensuring all our thoughts and motion complements Life or Nature. Doing anything contrary to positive equates to working against self and promoting death, a state of motionlessness. All the dualities in life are manifestations of these two forces, positive and negative i.e. Right or Wrong, Life or Death, Truth or Falsehood, Order or Chaos, Excellent Health or Disease
T H O U G HT S O F T HE F U T U R E

etc. Life is a beautiful expression of infinite possibilities and never-ending growth, which we should promote as intelligent beings. This small writing is to set a base so that we may explore further what Life is and how to live it right, consciously.

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In the Corridors of Money and Power

ment and private sector umbrella organizations like CZI and ZNCC in terms of the way import control was broadly structured much as it was in sanctions busting rhodie days. This is how I met Gideon Gono for the first time and became friendly with him, not friends, but a friendly working relationship as he transacted with other banks the ESAP Funds disbursement as General Manager of the Zimbabwe Development bank. This past is summarized to give you the gist of what was happening and my role in it as a key management operative, albeit at middle management. All of the ESAP money and I mean all of it never benefited blacks except as cheap labour. This is how it was decided how much a company would get and how it was processed. Whites at CZI house at Rotten Row would, in liaison with commercial and merchant banks under the supervision of RBZ under Kombo Moyana presented prior to budget, statistical data of exports and key sectors requirements to exchange control and a criteria would be agreed and CZI would run the industrial and commercial allocation via the various exchange control departments at banks. This would tally with data based on CD1s at Exchange Control Authority at RBZ. So understand that no black firm was processing any CD1 as most blacks were into bottle stores, public transport, taxis, pirate and regulated, bars, shops, clubs etc. Don't get me wrong, well-todo black industrialists had emerged, the likes of Boka, Paweni, Guy Georgias, and George Nyandoro at Art Group. There was also the stationery maker Bosha Enterprises and many others but none were exporters and got currency at the basic requirement level.

NO COMPROMISE WHEN IT COMES TO EMPOWERMENT

(continued from p.3)

Anyway, as I was part of the blacks in middle management and running the show, I can testify that at this time a lot of window dressing blacks, Tsvangirai style, as some would say, were put up and given widespread publicity as they issued press releases etc as directors and chairmen of boards. In hindsight I realize they were mere PROs. The West poured money like crazy into what was dubbed rehabilitation of industry, after many years of war. The reality however, was that many, if not most whites, were taking advantage of the situation and our inexperience through under invoicing on exports and money laundering. Only a fraction of the exports were remitted back to the country, with the rest being deposited in private accounts in Europe where they held dual citizenship. This is why, as they later realized this, the government banned dual citizenship. No blacks were dual citizens at that time, please note. There was an element of disloyalty and contempt of the blacks and their government which only had political power. They had their little rhodie enclaves and country clubs where they were insulated from ordinary Zimbabweans daily runnings. This
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

is the nostalgia they suffer from and MDC-Tsvangirai is complicit on this mass deception of bread basket nonsense. When exactly was Zimbabwe a bread basket? What was it doing or producing or selling to Africans? If someone gives some statistical data you will be embarrassed. MDC-Tsvangirai managed to hood wink the electorate with such blatant lying at the instigation of unrepentant defeated, born and bred racists and their western based racist sympathizers. This is much akin to the Boer authored PROUDLY SOUTH AFRICAN nonsense while the Marikana miners and the majority of blacks are tin shack dwellers. The reality is our independence resulted in whites consolidating their economic strangle-hold while we enjoyed the euphoria of political independence much like the current situation in South Africa. I was responsible for the processing of CD1s and Duty Draw Backs, including Allocation Certificates of forex on the basis of export orders and earnings. I was responsible for all international procurement and sourcing forex per given criteria from all govern-

(continued on p.7)

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Business Networking
By F. Tambudzayi
Emergence and Operations of Black Owned Business in Zimbabwe The wake of a free Zimbabwe from colonial rule paved way for the Black people to own their own businesses. These opportunities came in the form of; a). Existing businesses from some vacating White Rhodesians, who no longer desired to stay in the country. Some were sold in haste while others were passed down to loyal employees and/or associates b). Informal business ventures. These operations were and some still are, entrenched with local traditions, culture and follow a range of informal rules that are based on reputation and social sanctions. Using operating cash for personal expenses, lack of supplies and poor customer service, nepotism, reduction in population, the myth that all things foreign means better and failure to adapt with changes in the economic environment has seen these businesses go out of business. The quality of such systems can be improved through a variety of measures including access to new skills and technologies, improved training standards, provision of basic skills such as literacy and numeracy, improved access of young women to male dominated trades and improved formal recognition of skills acquired in the informal economy. How to Run a Successful Business 1) Plan for success. Analyze every area of your business, from service or product development through to after-sales care. Put together a formal business plan. This should include a statement of your business objectives, a brief history if you are already operating, a description of your product or service, a market analysis and details of your resource and finance needs. Also include sales and profit projections, a cash-flow forecast and a projected balance sheet. 2) Document precisely how you propose to make your money, what it will cost you to produce and deliver the product or service and how much profit you expect to achieve. 3) Set budgets and monitor performance against plan. Keep tight reins on expenditure and reconcile your bank account on a weekly or even daily basis. Pay bills on time. Chase any late payments from your customers with timely reminder letters and, if necessary, follow-up telephone calls. Implement a procedure for handling delinquent accounts, making sure you conform to prevailing legislation. Bank all income straight away. 4) Monitor sales revenues and margins. If sales or margins fall short of expectations, take remedial action and review your profit forecasts. Regularly reassess your break-even point and determine the impact of falling sales or reduced prices. Beware of chasing business by engaging in price wars, because large volumes of low-margin business can have a devastating effect on your bottom line. 5) Evaluate your market. Keep up to

date with changes in your market sector and assess how these impact your business. Watch your competitors and monitor developments in products and technology. Be ready to adapt to market changes. 6) Manage and motivate your employees. If you own a small business, avoid becoming "best buddies" with members of your team. Get the best out of your staff by providing adequate training and development opportunities, and a safe and comfortable environment. 7) Comply with all relevant legislation governing your premises, employees, financial reporting and contracts. Keep up with emerging legislation and regulations, partic-

ularly those specific to the product or service you provide. 8) Conduct ongoing risk assessments and identify areas of vulnerability. Consider political, economic, social and environmental factors that may threaten your business success, and take steps to minimize their impact. Examine operational risks such as product obsolescence or over-reliance on a single sector, supplier or customer and take the required remedial action. 9) Care for your customers. A satisfied customer is an asset to your business, but a dissatisfied client can immeasurably damage your reputation. Imple-

ment first-class after-sales care policies to achieve both repeat business and client recommendations. 10) Avoid complacency. Your sales and profits are on target. Maintain a marketing effort and remain constantly alert to changing opportunities. Be prepared to push your business forward or move it in another direction should the need or opportunity arise. For procedures to start a business in Zimbabwe check out:

http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/ exploreeconomies/zimbabwe/startinga-business

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T H O U G HT S O F T HE F U T U R E

In the Corridors of Money and Power

(continued from p.5)

So this meant when ESAP was prescribed by the Bretton Woods and adopted by government, its thrust was to help bring full capacity utilization and modernization for industrialists and commercial exporters primarily to produce higher quality goods at more competitive costs for the export market. Now understand this, white farmers owned the land and would sale their tobacco, flowers etc. and invest in shares right from Old Mutual, Mashonaland Holdings, Natfoods, Delta Group, Hunyani Group, Tregers Monarch Groups, TA holdings, various mining houses etc., all the listed blue chip companies. Even health care under commercial and industrial medical aid society (CIMAS) was owned and controlled by whites yet as in Old Mutual and others the vast majority of members were blacks mostly using subsidized public hospitals while whites used private medical facilities including overseas treatment; in effect being subsidized by the black majority. So all the ESAP money wittingly or unwittingly ended up benefitting the whites who at the time were colluding in controlling prices from basic commodities to the clothes we wore. In other words through their complete ownership of the means of production, banking etc. and umbrella body, then lily white CZI that had a

regulatory role mandated by RBZ Exchange Control, literally controlled all the funds of ESAP as we brought in literally train loads of machinery from Germany, UK, USA and Europe for their enterprises. I doubt there was then any black owned firm that got a penny of the ESAP funds as they did not meet the criteria and were too inexperienced largely just like their government then, so there was an element of gullibility which sadly is very manifest in MDCTsvangirai in this day and age. I was among some of the first to start mass importations from China and India, mainly industrial chemicals and ink raw materials. The bulk of the money went back to the west in imports of machinery and white corruption using their dual citizenry. That was ESAP 1, ESAP 2 a.k.a ZIMPREST with its RACIST STYLE LAND REFORM was actually abandoned as Mugabe at that time made an executive decision mid stream that whites were benefitting while inflation for the masses was sky rocketing. Every day I was looking at global exchange rates and white industrialists would adjust production costs at the slightest movement by double the percentage points, it was terrible and we were part of it unwittingly as Zimbabweans through our government I will catch up with you on how the likes of Fanuel Muhwati, Xavier Kadhani, Enock Kamushinda, Strive Masiyiwa, Roger Boka, Bernard Mashata Paweni,

Chemist Siziba, etc. JOINED THE ECONOMIC OWNERSHIP BAND WAGON WITH GOVERNMENT POLICY HELP! With the late arrival on the scene of Mutumwa Mawere, James Makamba and many others, including then pretenders Phillip Chiyangwa and his best friend Peter Pamire. Before all this we had the window dressers with titles like Board Chairman with non executive part not being mentioned, then we had MD that reported to chairmen that were most executive. Again the executive was silent to give the impression that the black MD is the ultimate boss which was not the real case. A classic example were the early years of Robbie Mupawose as chairman of Delta but somehow not enjoying the same style of apparent benefits as Pat Rooney, even the likes of Joe Mutizwa only started showing their high executive profiles in recent years, even though there were many of these blacks from mining houses like Rio, Anglo America etc. It was also the norm in other companies like TA, BAT, Blue Ribbon, Natfoods etc.

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1

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Title of Painting: Mother Theresa

About the artist

I'm Lekau Matsena from a township in Tembisa, East Rand, Ekurhuleni. Studied at Johannesburg Art Gallery and Artist Proof Studio. Currently I teach visual arts at Jiyana Secondary School and coordinate art projects focused on the development of young people within my community. I'm a proud owner of an entity called Art.nexus!

Synopsys
My art is inspired by the consciousness of black people in general, regardless of region, country or continent. We find that we are dependant on the so-called investors, imperialists, bosses or the G20. But in reality I don't think the investors can survive a day without the black man or resources from Africa. I'm trying to show the reality by projecting it in my artworks. My work is intended for the lay men on the street to comprehend with ease! They (investors) act like Mother Theresa, while having a knife behind their back!