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OPPOSITION MDC leader Nelson Chamisa has once again claimed, US President Donald Trump is ready to assist Zimbabwe as soon as he assumes the reins of power. In the run-up to last year’s general elections [...]

Source: Why David Coltart supports Chamisa over Mwonzora for MDC president – CNBC Africa

Two days ago- US President Donald Trump extended sanctions on more than a hundred individuals and companies in Zimbabwe over human rights abuses. South Africa has led the call to lift sanction in Zimbabwe which seemingly fell on deaf ears. So what does Zimbabwe have to do to get them lifted and what’s the role of South Africa in stabilising Zimbabwe. CNBC Africa’s Karabo Letlhatlha sat down with David Coltart, former minister and founding member of the official opposition- Movement for Democratic Change.https://www.cnbcafrica.com/videos/…

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POPULAR Bulawayo-based dancehall chanter, Njanji, real name Noah Wambe (30) has been linked to armed robberies targeting illegal foreign currency dealers in the city. A gang armed with guns, machetes and iron bars that allegedly worked with Njanji, trailed osiphatheleni to their homes and robbed them of household property that includes television sets, cellphones and […]

Source: Zim Airways: The untold story | The Herald March 11, 2019

Simba Chikore

Tichaona Zindoga Acting Editor
Former president Robert Mugabe’s son-in-law, Mr Simba Chikore used his family ties to manipulate processes, corrupt people and enter into shady deals involving several stakeholders during his time at the national airliner, Air Zimbabwe, The Herald reveals today.

Mr Chikore, married to Bona Mugabe, was chief operating officer of the flag carrier between October 2016 and November 2017.
During the time, Mr Chikore controversially incorporated Zimbabwe Airways as an alternative, debt-free entity funded by Treasury. The new airline would be owned by an outfit known as Aeronautics Africa Trust registered on November 13, 2017.

The controversial new airline project was consummated by the undertaking to purchase four Boeing 777-200ER aircraft from the Malaysian government and six Embraer-145 aircraft from the United States of America but was saddled from the start with regulatory and technical issues that have seen the planes not flying the country’s flag aloft to this day, with efforts presently underway to salvage the situation.

Operationalisation of Zimbabwe Airways was equally murky, with millions being splurged to conduct daily business, including hiring of staff, without due process while service providers were engaged without going to tender.

The Herald is in possession of unimpeachable evidence of the rot at the national airline in the period between 2016 and 2017 with Mr Chikore, who was the de facto chief executive officer of the new airline.

Throughout his ill-fated tenure, Mr Chikore misrepresented himself as a captain while he was a first officer, which disqualified him from flying, which he did.

He resigned as the Chief Operating Officer following Operation Restore Legacy that swept aside his father-in-law’s lengthy rule.
Sources close to the developments catalogued the malfeasance and how Mr Chikore could have been involved in criminal enterprise. It has also emerged that he, in fact, did not have a contract with Zimbabwe Airways despite the fact that he called himself Chief Executive Officer.

Uncannily, he did not draw a salary from the entity.
“On the 17th of August 2017, Zimbabwe Airways received $1 million from the RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) which, according to the business plan prepared by Baker, Tilly Chartered Accountants, was supposed to help set up the business for six months after which we were to start flying commercially and earning our revenue and the amount of $1 million would be paid back to the RBZ,” said one source.

“With the funds the company purchased furniture and office supplies, desktops, laptops, printers and televisions. The company also used the funds to pay salaries, rentals, security, construction of the airport offices as well as other operational costs. None of the services we engaged went to tender,” the source said.

According to information available, Zimbabwe Airways hired personnel and engaged service providers in the industry outside of Zimbabwe. Some of these service providers were Seabury Solutions Systems (a software company), SITA (a ticketing system vendor), Sigma Aviation Recruitment (to recruit expatriate post holders), Evers Consulting (to do the manuals required to apply for the Air Operators Certificate [AOC]).

Under unclear circumstances, Mr Chikore failed to register the airline for the AOC, which is conducted by the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe, and the failure resulted in future losses as the airline was barred from flying to China and India where it had cargo.

“As the months went on, and we had hired personnel and expatriates, we still did not engage in the process of getting the AOC from the Civil Aviation Authority. The application process has five phases, and phase one states that the entity was to provide the name and credentials of the accountable officer.

“Simba was reluctant to do this. Firstly, he did not have a contract of employment from the company, and, secondly, his credentials stated that he was a first officer, not a captain as he had led all and sundry to believe. Therefore, months went by and he would not initiate the AOC application process.”

According to the source, when Zimbabwe Airways engaged airline insurer Gulf Regent for aircraft handling, health insurance and loss of licence insurance, he allegedly instructed the insurer to open an offshore account, in his name, for him in which any excess amounts would be paid into.

However, the company did not render the services, says their source.
“The employees never received health insurance despite the RBZ paying around $157 000 per quarter for health.
“In addition, the company did not employ any pilots so the Loss of Licence Insurance paid by the RBZ was merely another way in which Simba was externalising Government funds.”

The acquisition and subsequent return of the Malaysian planes underlines everything that was wrong with Mr Chikore’s mis-captaining of the airline as Zimbabwe simply did not have the resources, skills and other necessary infrastructure to operate the B777.

Zimbabwe lacked the necessary capabilities, namely trained engineers to maintain the 777, tooling, spares, hangar space and, of course, the Air Operator’s Certificate required to operate commercially.

Additionally, the 777 needed to have 100 hours of flying time a month to stay maintained, and also that it need to fly every seven days if it wasn’t operating, to keep up with its maintenance. A number of problems presented themselves.
Our sources said: “Zimbabwe did not have any engineers trained to maintain the 777, which meant that we would need to import engineers for this were the aircraft to be delivered to Zimbabwe.

“We did not have any trained pilots to fly the 777 in Zimbabwe, which would mean that we need to import pilots rated on the 777 to fly the aircraft every seven days.

“We did not have any hangar space, the only hangar that would fit the 777 was occupied by Air Zimbabwe’s 767 which is currently undergoing its C-check (a specialised maintenance system).

“We did not have any tools or spares for the 777 (and) we did not have an AOC that would allow for the requirement of the 100 hours a month of flight time required to keep the 777 in good condition.”

However, Mr Chikore reportedly disregarded wise counsel from engineers and, in fact, had not made enough preparations to receive the planes from Malaysia.

Eventually, a decision was made to return the aircraft following consultations between the Ministry of Transport and its legal team, CAAZ and Zimbabwe Airways.

“The minister conceded that he had been ill-advised regarding the aircraft and agreed that we return Z-RGM. The aircraft was returned on May 25,” said the source, adding that Mr Chikore was not consulted as he had travelled abroad.
Repeated efforts to get a comment from Mr Chikore were fruitless by last night.

Government is in the process of cleaning up the mess of Mr Chikore’s controversial tenure and has since disbanded Zim Airways.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructural Development Joel Biggie Matiza last night confirmed that Government was regularising acquisition of the planes.
“The Embrear is on its way, as we speak and will arrive in the next two weeks,” he said.

“Government has also authorised payments of the outstanding amounts,” he added.
Last month, Cabinet approved the regularisation of the acquisition of aircraft bought from Malaysia and make outstanding payments for the Embrear planes acquired in the US are brought to Zimbabwe.

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Source: SA ministers arrive for BNC talks | The Herald March 11, 2019

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo (second from right) welcomes his South African counterpart, International Relations and Cooperation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport last night. Looking on is South Africa’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Mr Mphakama Mbete (left). — Picture by Kudakwashe Hunda

Innocent Ruwende and Zvamaida Murwira
Three South African ministers arrived in the country last night for the third session of the Zimbabwe-South Africa Bi-National Commission, with president Cyril Ramaphosa expected to jet in today. The three are Lindiwe Sisulu (International Relations and Cooperation), Siyabonga Cwele (Home Affairs) and Blade Nzimande (Transport).

Deputy Minister of Social Development Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu arrived earlier during the day.
The South African ministers were received by Foreign Affairs Minister Sibusiso Moyo, Home Affairs Minister Cain Mathema and SA Ambassador to Zimbabwe Mr Mphakama Mbete.

The BNC is expected to deepen bilateral relations and broaden mutually beneficial areas of cooperation in several sectors, making a busy couple of days for the high-level engagement between Zimbabwe and South Africa.

The weekly Cabinet meeting, usually held on Tuesday, will this week take place on Thursday due to commitments by the President and Cabinet regarding the BNC.
This was confirmed by the Office of the President and Cabinet last night.

President Ramaphosa will take part in the BNC Heads of State Summit which he will attend together with his counterpart, President Mnangagwa, tomorrow.

Speaking at the Robert Mugabe International Airport, were the ministers from the two countries had as brief meeting, Minister Moyo said: “This is the third Bi-National Commission between South Africa and Zimbabwe and therefore we have been meeting our colleagues here and I have met my colleague Minister Sisulu. We are expecting to discuss issue of bilateral mutual concern between the two nations’ primarily economic issues and these are the matters of the heart which particularly affect the two nations. It is what we agree that is important, not signing MOUs. You may not sign an MOU but you make serious progress.”

In an ealier interview, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade spokesperson Mr Gideon Gapare had said preparations for the high level meeting were at an advanced stage.

“The ministers from South Africa are coming today, this evening. Other officials from South Africa arrived last week while others landed here in the afternoon. All is now set for the BNC with President Ramaphosa set to come tomorrow (today),” said Mr Gapare.

More South African ministers are expected to arrive in Harare with President Ramaphosa.
Zimbabwe is South Africa’s biggest trading partner.

President Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Ms Khusela Diko, told The Sunday Mail that the relations between the two countries were gaining ground.

“Trade cooperation between the two countries is at a high level to the extent that South African exports to Zimbabwe in 2018 amounted to approximately R30,8 billion (about US$2,1 billion), while imports from Zimbabwe amounted to approximately R3,6 billion (US$250 million), thus placing Zimbabwe among South Africa’s top trading partners on the continent.

“South Africa and Zimbabwe have good bilateral political, economic and social relations underpinned by strong historical ties dating back from the years of the liberation struggle,” she said.

Several agreements covering political, economic, social and cultural relations will be signed this week.
There are expectations the upgrade of Beitbridge Border Post and the revival of the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) will get fresh impetus through bilateral engagements between the two sister republics.

Senior officials from the two countries concluded their two-day marathon discussions on Friday, paving the way for the ministerial session.

During a meeting of senior officials from the two countries on Thursday, Secretary for Foreign Affairs and International Trade Ambassador James Manzou said the BNC would commit the two countries to urgently implement the 45 agreements that have been signed in the previous bilateral engagements.

“The success of our cooperation will not be measured by the number of agreements we sign or the number of decisions that we take. It will be measured by the action we take and the concrete results that can be attributed to it. This means implementation of those agreements and decisions,” he said.

In addition to signing agreements on arts, culture and heritage, women empowerment and youth affairs, the two countries will also zero in on establishing a database for Zimbabwean teachers based in South Africa, compensation of Wenela (Witwatersrand Native Labour Association) claimants as well as cooperation in education, media and information communication technology (ICT).

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