‘Toxic Zimbabwe politics burn tycoons’

THE incessant attacks on local tycoons Kuda Tagwirei and Billy Rautenbach have once again reinforced the dangers of mixing business with politics and problems associated with Zimbabwe’s political economy, analysts say.
This comes as many watchers of the southern African country also anticipate David Kassel’s Grandwell Holdings to encounter serious difficulties in enforcing its recent Supreme Court ruling over the Mbada Diamonds joint venture.
Francis Mukora, a local economist, said there was always a huge danger or risk for oligarchs who dabble in politics.
“While Tagwirei, Rautenbach and Tafadzwa Musarara could have made their fortune by playing with the ruling elites, there has always been a huge risk that they could be dropped as soon as they are no longer useful to politicians,” he said.
“What most business people fail to understand is that politicians have no permanent friends, only permanent interests,” Mukor