Australian sanctions list

By Tichaona Sibanda
30 November 2005

Australia has added a further 127 names to a list of people in the Zimbabwe government barred from doing business with Australian firms. News agency reports said the Reserve Bank of Australia issued a revised list of Zimbabwean ministers, headed by Robert Mugabe, with whom Australian firms and individuals are banned from doing business. The statement from the bank read in part; "At the direction of the Australian government, the Reserve Bank has expanded the list of individuals restricted by these financial sanctions to include new members of, and persons associated with, the government of Zimbabwe. All transactions involving the transfer of funds or payments to, by the order of, or on behalf of such persons are prohibited." It is believed many Zanu (PF) officials have children attending university in Australia. Their fees were paid using the Reserve Bank facility. Sources told us Gideon Gono has 3 children in Melbourne - twin daughters named, Pride and Praise and a son named Passion. The Australian sanctions list is interesting in that it includes several prominent white business people who are in business with Zanu PF individuals. One notable exception is Charles Davey, the father of Chelsy, Prince Harry's girlfriend, who is in business with MP Webster Shamu. Notable inclusions are Eric Bloch who is an advisor to Reserve bank governor Gideon Gono. Others on the list are Zed Koudanaris and Tom Brown, directors of Innscor, a listed company on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. Their link is Ray Kaukonde who owns shares in Innscor and is also on its board. Ian Kind the Chief Executive Officer of National Foods is on the list as Kaukonde is on the company’s board of directors.