Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Source: Coca-Cola unveils US$38m to tackle plastic pollution | Newsday (Business)

BY staff reporter

Zimbabwe is set to benefit from a US$38 million fund by The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) to tackle plastic pollution in Southern, East and Central Africa over three years.

The world is producing 300 million tonnes of plastic every year and TCCC has embarked on a holistic end-to-end strategy over the next three years as part of global efforts in managing and reducing waste under an initiative to achieve a world without waste.

“We have shifted our business priorities to ensure value is added to our plastic bottles so that they don’t end up as waste. We’re investing in innovative design, collection and recycling models and partnership, to turn our bottles into valuable resources that can drive a green economy,” said Bruno Pietracci, president of Coca-Cola Southern and East Africa.

“That is why today we are launching our three-year campaign to accelerate our world without waste vision. Together with our bottling partners, we are investing over US$38 million to stimulate plastic recycling industries across Southern & East Africa and to educate people about what, how, and where to recycle.”

In Zimbabwe, TCCC is part of PetrecoZim (Pvt) Limited, an initiative that was started by major companies in the beverage and allied industries in Zimbabwe in 2011 to address environmental pollution related to PET bottles.

This was in line with concerns that were flagged by the Environmental Management Agency. The disposal of postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate bottles had become a huge problem in the country due to lack of any visible recovery and recycling effort.

The companies behind the initiative include Coca-Cola Central Africa (Pvt) Ltd, Delta Beverages (Pvt) Ltd, MegaPak Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, Dairibord Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, Schweppes Zimbabwe Ltd, Mutare Bottling Company (Pvt) Ltd, Tanganda Tea Company Ltd and Lyons Maid.

These companies use PET packaging in their operations in one way or another as converters, bottlers or brand owners.

Globally, TCCC launched its World Without Waste project and with the primary aim of making its packaging 100% recyclable globally by 2025 and use at least 50% recycled material in its packaging by 2030.

“In 2017, we took a fresh look at the problem of packaging waste — and we did not like what we saw. Plastic bottles, cans, and other containers kept ending up in our oceans and waterways or littering the communities in which we all live and work. While we had made great strides in recyclability — with 87% of our packaging recyclable — we realised we had to do more to make sure our packages actually are collected and recycled,” reads the report.

“So we gathered together and set ambitious goals around a central idea: to make the world’s packaging waste problem a thing of the past. We knew we needed to be ambitious because that is how we have successfully overcome other challenges.”

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Source: Chivayo acquitted of $6 million fraud | Daily News

High Court judge Owen Tagu has acquitted maverick businessman Wicknell Chivayo and his company Intratrek Zimbabwe (Intratrek) of swindling the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) of $5,6 million, and four counts of violating exchange controls and money laundering.

The development also comes as two other judges and a senior ZESA employee Hubert Chiwara had awarded him $25 million in civil damages, emphasised that a criminal case against the self-styled tycoon was weak and his 2015 Gwanda solar contract was above board.

“The exceptions were taken on the basis that even if the facts which are alleged in the charges and the outline of the State case are proven, no criminal offence would have been established. I say so because the reading of the whole outline of the State case shows that this is purely a civil rather than criminal matter,” Tagu said yesterday, before noting the “deficiency of utilising criminal suits to remedy contractual disputes”.

“Any prejudice, which may… have fallen upon ZPC or potentially fall upon it was contemplated by the parties at the time of entering the contract and mitigatory measures were taken to guard against such prejudice,” he said.

“The criminal charges stand on a frail footing and cannot be sustained at law before any court reasonably exercising its legal mind,” Tagu said.

While government entities, particularly the then State Procurement Board, are supposed to have been satisfied with the contractor’s technical and financial capacity before awarding the three-envelope tender, Chivayo and company have, however, come under fire for allegedly seeking to swindle the ZPC.

But under cross-examination from Lewis Uriri last week, company finance director Chiwara stressed that Intratrek had been awarded the 100 megawatt deal as one of the lowest compliant bidder to specification and its partnership with Chint Electric.

“The perpetuation of this criminal case is inherently null and void to the extent that it is ultra vires the supreme law of the land. It seems compelling that having a civil matter determined by the state through the criminal justice system is not only wrong but sets a dangerous precedent if not tamed at it’s inception,” Tagu said, adding the current actions “was a mere witch hunt and a phishing expedition”.

“This approach bears a greater danger of opening every commercial transaction to criminal liability, a situation that may degenerate into chaos if left to prowl freely,” he said.

“No investors would open themselves to the extreme exigencies of having the fate of their investment determined by a criminal court where inter alia the standard of evidence should be beyond reasonable doubt,” Tagu added.

Crucially, the learned judge emphasised fellow High Court judge Tawanda Chitapi’s finding that “no person may be imprisoned merely on the ground of inability to fulfil a contractual obligation”.

This Constitutional provision, Tagu said, establishes protection arising from the doctrine of sanctity of contracts, which Chivayo and Intratrek also enjoy.

“No criminal sanction is capable of execution when it is in violation of the Constitution,” he said.

On Friday, Chivayo’s lawyer Wilson Manase – who also worked with Sylvester Hashiti – said they have always believed “their client was innocent”.

“In contractual matters, remedies are contained in the contract. You cannot criminalise issues, which are contained in civil law. Sincerely, l concur with justice Benjamin Chikowero’s finding that the arrest was to justify and give misplaced noise by the new anti-corruption unit,” he said.

After winning the Chitapi case in December, Chivayo made a public apology about delays in the implementation of the project. “With this development, we remain committed to the execution of the project and feed 100 MW of clean energy into the national grid within the shortest possible time,” he said.

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Source: NSSA slapped for breach of contract | Newsday (News)

BY XOLISANI NCUBE

The National Social Security Authority (NSSA) has been ordered to pay Housing Corporation of Zimbabwe (HCZ) $30 million with interests for breach of contract after the pension fund cancelled a housing deal.

The State-controlled pension manager had accused HCZ representatives Adam Molai, Stephen Duggan and Alec Nyatanga of swindling the public pension fund of $16 million in a botched housing investment deal which NSSA had terminated

But an independent arbitrator Peter Lloyd ruled that NSSA had no case against HCZ and the manner in which it handled the matter was wrong hence, they must compensate the property developer $30 million plus interest and legal fees.

“For all the reasons I make the following award, the respondent (NSSA) shall pay the claimant (HCZ) damages in the sum of $30 million together with interests thereon at the prescribed rate of 5% per annum from the date of partial award,” ruled Lloyd on February 24, 2019.

The housing developer had rushed to the arbitrator after NSSA had terminated the deal alleging that HCZ had failed to deliver within the agreed timeframe.

HCZ has been embroiled in a legal battle with NSSA over breach of contract involving the construction of 8 000 housing units.

NSSA accused HCZ of failing to deliver any completed housing units as required in terms of the agreement.

While the matter was before arbitration, NSSA tried to take $16 million performance bond from Zimnat Lion Insurance alleging that the developer had failed to deliver on time.

But the High Court halted the move with High Court Judge Justice Esther Muremba ruling that the application by HCZ which sought to stop Zimnat from releasing the money to NSSA had merit.

In addition, Justice Muremba prohibited NSSA from writing any further letters of demand for payment to Zimnat until the matter was finalised by the arbitrator.

The dispute arose after HCZ entered into a housing off-take agreement with NSSA on July 14, 2017 which meant that HCZ was to acquire land and construct
8 000 housing units, which would be sold to NSSA, as complete housing units.

The parties agreed on the terms and conditions governing their rights and obligations relating to the acquisition of the land, construction and off-take of the housing units.

One of the conditions was that the developer was to furnish NSSA with an unconditional and irrevocable performance bond of $16 million issued by an insurance company or bank in the form acceptable to NSSA and valid for the duration of the project.

NSSA was supposed to pay an off-take deposit of $16 million to HCZ.

The money was to be channelled towards the purchase of price of the housing units. NSSA paid this deposit to HCZ. The housing project commenced in 2017.

However, claiming breach of contract, NSSA in July this year, wrote a letter of demand to Zimnat demanding payment of the $16 million accusing the housing development firm of failing to deliver its end of the deal in terms of the contract.

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Source: Mwonzora outlaws MDC suspensions, expulsions | Newsday (News)

BY OBEY MANAYITI

MDC secretary-general Douglas Mwonzora has declared null and void any suspensions and expulsions made ahead of the party’s May elective congress.

This means the structures put in place at the 2014 congress, at which he soundly beat party leader Nelson Chamisa for the post of secretary-general and are seen as loyal to him, will be the ones to chose the new leadership of the party.

The opposition party hopes that the election of a new leadership would calm the discord which has held sway since the death of founding president Morgan Tsvangirai in February last year, which led to the rise of
Chamisa.

Mwonzora, who is expected to challenge Chamisa for the position of party president, wrote to all provincial, district and ward chairpersons amid allegations that there were senior officials tampering with the structures to impose their preferred people who will vote at the congress.

“Please, be advised that the national standing committee has directed that after the setting of main congress dates by the national council, no expulsion or suspension of members shall be valid without the specific approval of the standing committee,” the letter, dated March 21, reads.

He also clarified the party’ position on members who stood as independent candidates, that they are not eligible to contest, while those that supported them can stand. In several constituencies, the party lost to Zanu PF after fielding multiple candidates.

“Please, further note that the only people disqualified from contesting congress positions are, (a) those who stood as independents, (b) those who stood as candidates for other political parties.

“Specifically, it was ruled that those who allegedly supported independent candidates or other candidates are not covered by this disqualification,” the letter, which was copied to Chamisa, national chairperson Tabitha Khumalo and organising secretary Amos Chibaya, added.

Canvassing for support has reached fever pitch in the MDC, with the majority openly endorsing Chamisa, although there is fear of another surprise victory for Mwonzora, who will enter the race as an underdog.

Chibaya said preparations for the congress were on course.

“The branch congresses have now been completed and the ward congresses in the 1 958 wards across the country taking place this weekend. By Sunday, 24 March 2019, there will be newly-elected ward executives across the length and breadth of Zimbabwe,” he said.

“District congresses are slated for March 29 to 31, while the provincial congresses will take place from April 7 to 16, 2019, starting with Matabeleland South province.

“The process so far has gone on peacefully and without incident. Notwithstanding misleading Press reports of chaos, our congress is living true to the democratic culture and character as encapsulated in chapter 4 of the MDC constitution.”

Chibaya said the May 24 to 26 congress would prioritise “propositions and not positions”.

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Source: More aid for cyclone victims | Herald (Top Stories)

Herald Reporters
GOVERNMENT and the corporate world have made great strides in assisting the victims of Cyclone Idai through donations and all other forms of assistance.

Through the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, Civil Protection Unit and the Zimbabwe National Water Authority, among other arms, Government played a major role in ensuring victims are airlifted to safe areas and ensuring they access basic needs.

Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to South Africa, Mr David Hamadziripi, yesterday said they were also mobilising resources from across the Limpopo River.

He said they formed a taskforce led by his deputy, Ms Mietani Chauke, to coordinate and mobilise support for Cyclone Idai.

Ambassador Hamadziripi told the South African media: “We have established a team led by Deputy Ambassador Chauke to work in collaboration with a number of stakeholders including Zimbabweans in the Diaspora to mobilise support for the victims of Cyclone Idai. Similar structures have also been put in place at our consulates in Cape Town and in Johannesburg to ensure that this support is well coordinated and is delivered to those in need.”

The Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries in partnership with Proudly Zimbabwean Foundation, yesterday launched the “Chimanimani We Care, Donate a Blanket Campaign” which targets to mobilise 10 000 blankets for the victims.

Waverly Blankets has already handed over 500 blankets.

CZI president Mr Sifelani Jabangwe, said blankets were one of the key requirements by the victims.

“As CZI we have seen that our members have been making different contributions since this tragedy befell us as a nation and various companies have been doing different things but we have now seen that the severity of this disaster is actually worse than we thought.

“All our four chambers, which are Mashonaland, Manicaland, Midlands and Matabeleland, will be drop-off points,” he said.

The UK-based Express Links Money Transfers in collaboration with the Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan yesterday donated goods worth 20 000 RTGS dollars to the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society towards the victims of Cyclone Idai.

Express Links Country Director Mr Abisai Mujere said: “We felt humbled and obliged to participate in relief efforts working in conjunction with the Diaspora Funeral Cash Plan since Zimbabwe is our prime market,” he said.

They donated 2 500kg of mealie-meal, 120 blankets and assorted groceries.

Urban Councils’ Association of Zimbabwe (UCAZ) president and Gweru Mayor Cllr Josiah Makombe yesterday said councils were also chipping in with assistance.

Kadoma will provide a bulldozer and a grader, Harare (three tipper trucks), Chipinge (one tipper truck and a front-end loader), Masvingo (front- end loader), Chinhoyi (bulldozer and tipper truck), Bulawayo (two tipper trucks), Mutare (bulldozer and tipper truck), Gweru (vibratory roller) and Kwekwe (tipper truck).

Harare City parking unit, City Parking and Harare Girls High School yesterday handed an assortment to goods and clothes to Harare Mayor Cllr Herbert Gomba for onward distribution to the cyclone-hit areas.

City Parking donated clothes and groceries to the victims while Harare Girls High donated bags and clothes.

Star FM yesterday also partnered with its radio listeners to donate goods to the victims.

They donated clothes, blankets and groceries which were taken to Mutare by DHL.

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