Corruption at HCC affects Harare Quarry

Harare- CORRUPT activities at Harare City Council (HCC) has spread tentacles to almost all its Strategic Business Units (SBUs) sucking in and affecting Harare Quarry , Express Mail Zim can report.

HCC is the main shareholder at Harare Quarry.

According to Harare Quarry board chairperson Oswell Binha, the entity is operating at a loss and they cant even remit any money to the shareholder as result of discord between management and councillors such that he wants out.

Intrestingly, the dysfunctional entity has the luxury to pay a cumulative monthly figure of US$1 000 to a ‘managing consultant’ Gift Mudzonga who is on full payroll at City Parking as a corporate secretary, a development which smacks of a ‘cannibalistic behaviour’

Mudzonga was seconded to Harare Quarry and according to board resolutions at City Park, he was not entitled to payment of any kind since both entities are owned by HCC.

Binha however told Express Mail Zim Thursday that Chidzonga was not ‘double dipping’ but Harare Quarry was obligated to pay him.

“Mudzonga is not double renumerated.
” He is a consultant we requested to undertake particular responsibilities as the board.

“It is an SBU to SBU arrangement.

” All he gets is an allowance which we gave after we expanded his responsibilities.

“He is not on the HQ payroll. The evidence was submitted to the commision (of Inquiry), its public information now and you can follow it up,” said Binha.

Harare Quarry (HQ) is also under litigation from former employees over non-payment, but have the luxury to hire a ‘consultant’ when the shareholder has literally written off the loss making entity.

Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into the Harare City operations chaired by Retired High Court Judge Justice Cheda on July 8 2024, Binha categorically stated that there is something amiss and “complicated” at the HCC management.

“We are not able to remit anything to the shareholder. We are running at a loss.

“I am so frustrated.” “There are too many competing interests in the city of Harare. ” “Some of the decisions they make on a daily basis are questionable,” he submitted under oath.

He said they have been looking for equipment worth US$1million to have Harare Quarry fully operational.

Binha said councillors and City of Harare management are at loggerheads which makes it difficult for them to revamp Harare Quarry.

He said Harare City Council is not buying quarry from Harare Quarry meaning the city council is buying quarry somewhere even when it has stocks at Harare Quarry.

He said Harare Quarry can easily be turned into the biggest asphalt producer in the country.

“Where are they buying the quarry from and does the supplier follow due proccess in the procurement procedure.

” Corruption is clear there and investigations need to be carried out.

“We pay rates and this is annoying,” fumed a Harare resident who attended the inquiry.

Binha said he doesn’t intend to renew as board chair because of the shareholder (Harare City Council) ‘s strategic failure to equip the quarry plant.

Harare Quarry was established in 1947.

Chief Engineer Roads at Harare City Council Gerald Mutume who also testified on the same day, defended HCC saying the quarry at HQ was sub-standard.

He also said although HCC is supposed to get 40 percent of the annual production of material from Harare Quarry for free and pay anything above 40 percent according to their agreement , they rather prefer to buy from private players.

“We need material from there but they tell us it is not available,” he said.

Mutume said they have rejected some of the products from HQ because of poor material forcing them to buy material from other private players.

“I am not seeing any benefits we are getting from Harare Quarry. Harare Quarry has failed,” he said.

The Commission of Inquiry was established by President Mnangagwa to look at the governance issues at HCC since 2017.

It consists of five members, chaired by retired High Court Judge, Justice Maphios Cheda, and includes Steven Chakaipa, Lucia Gladys Matibenga, Khonzani Ncube and Tafadzwa Hungwe who replaced Norbert Phiri.