Zimbabwe’s Indigenisation Minister told reporters on Monday that if they write good stories about black empowerment he would make sure they were "empowered" too.

Minister Saviour Kasukuwere has been defending Zimbabwe’s new indigenisation regulations, which force white- and foreign-owned companies to hand over a majority shareholding to local blacks.

This may or may not turn out to be a new way of making money for some Zimbabwe journalists.

Several state reporters – like ZBC’s chief correspondent Reuben Barwe – were rewarded with white farms under President Robert Mugabe’s land reform programme.

Kasukuwere said journalists were still writing "hate stories" about Zimbabwe.

The minister did not say exactly how the reporters would be empowered: whether, for example, he would ensure they get shares in companies.

The new law compels foreign-owned companies to hand over 51 percent of their shares to black Zimbabweans.  But with locals required to buy their shares there are fears only well-connected Zanu-PF officials will have access to the large sums needed to do that.

(Edited by Deshnee Subramany)