MEDIA, Information and Publicity Minister Webster Shamu has fired a salvo at pirates, declaring 2012 as a "defining year" for piracy. Minister Shamu said this at his Munhumutapa offices after learning that the cancer awareness documentary "The Show Goes On" on the late Tongai Moyo's battle with cancer was being pirated.

"This year we are taking war against piracy to the next level. Our net will catch them all, that is, the pirates and their various syndicates who are fuelling the problem."

Minister Shamu, who is also patron of the Zimbabwe Union of Musicians, said the model of combating piracy they were using had succeeded in other countries, hence the need to implement it in Zimbabwe.

"In 2006, China launched an intensive 100-day intensive crackdown on 537 000 publication markets and street vendors in a blitz spearheaded by 10 government ministries. Three hundred and sixty-eight business licences for audio-visual products were revoked, 8 907 shops were shut down, 4 891 companies closed and 942 illegal websites closed.

"In Zimbabwe we have our own taskforce, which includes the ministries of Media, Information and Publicity; Justice; Legal and Parliamentary Affairs; the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Zimbabwe Union of Musicians, Zimbabwe Music Rights Association, recording companies, ZBC-TV and the print media. There will be no sacred cows."

Minister Shamu also bemoaned the way piracy affected sales of Moyo documentary, whose proceeds were meant for his family.

"Piracy has caused devastating economic loss to the producer of the documentary. Some of the proceeds were to go to the late Dhewa's family.

"Now his mother sick. Such money could have been used for her medication. He also had a large extended family, and piracy has caused untold suffering," Minister Shamu said.

Producer and director of the documentary Mr Abel Dzobo said that he would not be deterred by piracy, and had lined up a lot of projects this year.

"I can never let piracy affect my operations. Evil never endures forever. I have various projects lined up for this year touching on cancer, HIV and Aids and the economy. Among them is ‘Zim's Undiscovered Diamonds', an educational documentary that looks at the impact of lack career guidance in our education system.

"Because students don't know what is required of them, we have not unleashed our Albert Einsteins, Bernard Chidzeros, Moses Chungas or Oliver Mtukudzis," said the young filmmaker.

Presidential spokesman Cde George Charamba said that after routing piracy, the Ministry of Media, Information and Publicity should set up structures to get media products to the people.