Silveira House, Jesuit Social Justice & Development Centre

Silveira House, Jesuit Social Justice & Development Centre Silveira House is a Jesuit, Catholic Church institution that was founded by Fr John Dove SJ in 1964.

Silveira House is a Jesuit Catholic Church institution that was founded by F John Dove, SJ in 1964. It sheltered discussion groups of local Zimbabwean political nationalist leaders to reflect on the crisis of that time. Fr Dove intended to use Silveira House for retreats and spiritual nourishment to people in their civic struggles, but found that he had to begin with the burning need for practical

knowledge and training since the nationalists had requested him to assist them in forming trade unions. Civics, Trade Unionism and Youth training were the first courses to be offered at the centre

After independence the government concentrated most of its efforts on social services delivery such as education and health but no one thought through how such services would be sustained. Silveira House shared this concern with society and began educating those who came to it in sustainable development. Courses offered during this period included Leadership training (which is important for any newly independent country in determining whether the fruits of independence are reaching to the people or not) Civics education, Industrial relations and Training for Transformation (a method of combating apathy and creating awareness). A Research Unit was established in 1988 to gather information relevant to Silveira House work. The institution also approached communities with projects relevant to them such as Advocacy to lobby for change and Agriculture and Nutrition. Over the years Silveira House has grown to be a notable training centre through its activities that are implemented by Community Development Programme, Advocacy and Peace Building Programme, Socio-economic Research and Analysis Programme, and the Technical Vocational Skills and Training Programme.

15/07/2022
01/10/2021

Towards Legal Empowerment of Community Share Ownership Trusts in Zimbabwe: Policy Brief No.2 2021
via Silveira House, Jesuit Social Justice & Development Centre

This policy brief explores issues relating to community share ownership trusts and analyses relevant legislation. Read on to get more on this.

In 2010, the Government of Zimbabwe adopted a watershed economic empowerment policy reform, introducing a variety of schemes that shared economic benefits between private sector companies and communities. Through the Statutory Instrument 116 of 2010 the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment (General) (Amendment) Regulations, 2010 (No. 2), three types of share ownership schemes were introduced. These are; the Employee Share Ownership Scheme, the Management Share Ownership Scheme and the Community Share Ownership Scheme. The schemes were part of an assortment of vehicles for achieving the government’s indigenisation policy, which required that all businesses should have fifty-one percent (51%) of their shareholding under indigenous people. percent (51%) of their shareholding under indigenous people.

The Community Share Ownership Scheme established Community Share Ownership Trusts (CSOTs) as vehicles of community development. The thrust of the CSOTs at inception was to ensure that communities benefit from the exploitation of natural resources within their areas. This would then be used as a measuring tool to assess the extent of compliance with the 51%-49% principle enunciated in the law. Ensuring that communities are direct beneficiaries of natural resources is not only ethical but most importantly brings about sustainable development and social cohesion. However, this principle encountered resistance from the private sector and some international players who viewed themselves as losers in the economic empowerment model.

Since their inception, CSOTs in Zimbabwe have operated with varying degrees of success where mining communities have been the major beneficiaries. However, recent legal and policy reforms in Zimbabwe have proved to be a major threat to the life and welfare of Community Share Ownership Trusts (CSOTs). Specific challenges came in the form of the Finance Act (2018) which repealed some of the 2010 provisions that the Government had introduced through the Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment Act [Chapter 14:33]. This brief explores the development gains of CSOTs in Zimbabwe and recommends ways of legally protecting and empowering them as important vehicles for community economic empowerment.

Read the full brief here (1MB PDF):https://kubatana.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Silveria-House-CSOT-Policy-Brief-2.2021.pdf

01/10/2021


We need unconditional devolution of power and functions to local authorities. Women's Institute for Leadership Development - WILD, Zimbabwe Silveira House, Jesuit Social Justice & Development Centre Zimbabwe Devolution Campaign Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development Gweru United Residents Association Gweru Residents Forum Pact Diakonia Africa

13/01/2020
18/07/2018
26/04/2017
26/04/2017
01/03/2017

The report urges developing countries and international development agencies to rethink their approach to governance, as a key to overcoming challenges related to security, growth, and equity.

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