TINASHE MAKICHI
The Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) has appointed diamond mining expert Mark Mabhudhu as the substantive chief executive as government lays the foundation as it seeks to generate US$1bn from the mineral by 2023, Business Times can report.
The diamond sector is projected to contribute US$1bn under the strategic roadmap to the achievement of a US$12bn mining industry by 2023.
Mabhudhu has over 25 years’ experience in the mining industry where more than 22 years has been focused on diamond mining both in Zimbabwe and internationally, including 11 years with Debswana, the joint venture company between De Beers and the Government of Botswana.
He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in metallurgical engineering, a Master’s in Business Administration, Master of Philosophy in Information and Knowledge Management.
His recent positions include CEO for ZCDC, prior to that, chief operating officer of Marange Resources and director for Vast Resources Marange diamond project.
This is a comeback by Mabhudhu after he was arbitrarily fired under unclear circumstances.
He was handed a retrenchment letter, a day after he had attended a polygraph test whose results he had not been shown.
His appointment comes barely a month after the State-owned diamond producer terminated the contract of acting CEO Roberto De Pretto who had been holding the fort since May 2019 after the sacking of then CEO Moris Mpofu over abuse of office allegations.
Efforts to get a comment from Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando were fruitless as he was not responding to questions sent to him in writing while ZCDC spokesperson Sugar Chagonda said: “I will call back. I am at a workshop.”
The diamond producer has been on the hunt for a new CEO since the sacking of Mpofu.
ZCDC said the sacking of Mpofu and six other senior executives was necessary “in line with the prevailing operating environment and the need to rebuild public and market confidence”.
Established in 2015, ZCDC is a major player in diamond mining and currently has operations in the Chiadzwa area and in Chimanimani in Manicaland .
ZCDC is conducting extensive exploration and evaluation across Zimbabwe.
