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*Omnia Holdings increases dividend pay out despite setbacks in agriculture division* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/4szj ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ THE diversified company, propelled by its mining sector which is seeing new orders for its regional markets on the back of a rebound in copper and battery metals, achieved robust results and delivered bumper dividends. Omnia Holdings delivered a resilient performance for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025 despite set backs in the agriculture division, which was impacted by currency issues in Zimbabwe, drought in Zambia, and the civil unrest in Mozambique. The diversified company, propelled by its mining sector which is seeing new orders for its regional markets on the back of a rebound in copper and battery metals, achieved robust results and delivered bumper dividends. “The agri business Zambia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique didn’t perform well,” Seelan Gobalsamy, CEO of Omnia told Business Report in an interview. “Zimbabwe had the usual currency issues and a lot of uncertainty (and) we had some regulatory challenges and in Zambia, we saw a massive drought that impacted revenue.” The unrest that rocked Mozambique in 2024 and early into this year also affected Omnia. The company had to send products via Namibia into Zambia as routes through Mozambique were disturbed by the unrest, impacting working capital and profits negatively. With strong performance from Agriculture RSA and mining segment, Omnia’s revenues for the year to the end of March grew 2.7% to R22.82 billion. Mining has emerged as Omnia’s strongest business from an outdoor projective. “There is still a strong demand for metals, you know, the metals that drive that transition to cleaner energy, you know, the battery metals, uranium. So, we are positively disposed to the mining market, and we are winning new customers, renewing new customers,” explained Gobalsamy. Headline earnings per share increased by 1% to 704 cents, while operating profit remained unchanged at R1.7bn despite the inclusion of the Chemicals restructuring costs, along with the impact of severe drought conditions and currency depreciation in Agriculture Rest of Africa. The Mining segment delivered an improved operating margin of 12.4% from 12.1%, supported by strong performance from Mining RSA and Mining International, as well as higher throughput and efficiencies. In the mining sector, sustained demand for critical minerals supporting the global energy transition, underpinned exploration activity and supported positive fundamentals for the explosives market. However, geopolitical tensions and trade policy uncertainty presented ongoing risks. The group had a net cash balance of R1.77bn was down from R2.3bn. The board declared a total dividend of 675 cents per share for the year. This comprises an increased ordinary dividend of 400 cents, from 375 cents the prior year, and a special dividend of 275 cents per share, returning R1.1bn to shareholders. “Despite persistent macroeconomic headwinds, Omnia delivered sustained profitability and continued to create long-term value for shareholders. This performance reflects the strength, quality, and growing diversity of our portfolio, underpinned by a sharpened focus on manufacturing efficiency, supply chain resilience, and customer-driven innovation,” Gobalsamy said “The increased ordinary dividend payout, and special dividend declared is a clear signal of our confidence in the sustainability of our earnings and the successful execution of our growth and diversification strategy.” Looking ahead, Omnia said the outlook for its Agriculture segment remained positive, driven by expected improvements in agronomic conditions across key regions such as the proprietary Nutriology model. Omnia said 2026 will be a significant transition year in which non-core assets and business lines will be sold, capital released and returns improved.
*‘Geo Pomona waste management role is legally invalid’ — claims former Mt Pleasant MP* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/hebh ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ FORMER Mt Pleasant legislator, Fadzayi Mahere has questioned the legitimacy of Geo Pomona’s recent move to assume public waste management responsibilities and directly engage with residents in Harare, describing it as legally invalid. Geo Pomona, whose Netherlands-registered parent company, Geogenix BV, was contracted by the City of Harare (CoH) in 2022 under the then Ministry of Local Government, led by Winston Chitando (now Mines and Mining Minister). The company was registered by Mirel Mërtiri, an Albanian businessman linked to corruption in his home country. Its Executive Chairman and CEO, Delish Nguwaya, is a regular attendee at state functions and is known to be a close associate of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son, Sean Mnangagwa. Nguwaya was previously charged with corruption over Covid-19 procurement contracts involving his company, Drax International, in 2020, but was acquitted by court in September 2023. “They have no legal mandate to independently take over public waste management under our law,” Mahere posted on her X account on Wednesday. Mahere, a constitutional lawyer, argued that Geo Pomona should not impose itself on residents, as their obligations lie with the CoH, not individual households. “They are not a statutory body. At best, if they have a contract with City of Harare, they are the city’s agent. This means that the City of Harare is the principal and public facing party with Geo Pomona working under them as an agent. They cannot do their business independently of the city and force themselves onto people with whom they have no legal relationship.” Mahere questioned Geo Pomona’s authority to bill residents directly, stating that the company lacks the legal basis to do so. “For the avoidance of doubt, they have no right to bill or otherwise engage residents directly absent a valid agreement with individual residents to do so. Only the City of Harare can do that in line with its powers as a local authority under Zimbabwe’s local government laws,” she said. Geo Pomona is set to receive over US$162 million from the CoH over five years, with ratepayers ultimately footing the bill. The 30-year agreement stipulated that Harare must deliver 550 tonnes of waste, or a minimum of 200,750 tonnes per year, resulting in US$8.03 million for the company in the first year. However, due to a shortage of refuse trucks and regular fuel supply issues, the CoH has struggled to meet the agreed tonnage. This has opened doors for Geo Pomona to potentially take control of the entire waste management process, from street sweeping and refuse collection to waste disposal thereby billing residents directly. – _*NewZimbabwe*_
*Police officer arrested for receiving US$40 bribe* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/2j8a ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ A POLICE officer stationed at Zengeza, Harare, landed in the dock after allegedly receiving a US$40 bribe to release a theft suspect. Edson Nangwani was caught red handed with trap money after he was reported to the Police Anti-Corruption Unit (PACU). Nangwani appeared before a Chitungwiza magistrate charged with criminal abuse of office and extortion. He was granted US$100 bail. He is expected back in court in two weeks’ time when he is expected to be furnished with a trial date. Allegations are that on June 7, 2025, a suspect, Tatenda Tichareva was arrested for allegedly possessing a stolen Samsung Galaxy A04E. That same day, the suspect’s friend, Vincent Joni approached the investigating officer (the accused) to seek clarity on the case. “Instead of offering a professional explanation, the accused demanded US$200 in exchange for the suspect’s release and for the matter to be ‘shelved’,” said the State. “The friend reported the bribe demand to the CID Police Anti-Corruption Unit (PACU), triggering a carefully coordinated trap operation. “On the 9th of June 2025, a team of PACU detectives accompanied the friend to ZRP Zengeza, where the accused contacted the suspect’s friend and directed him to Office G13, and later to Office G16 for the transaction.” The court heard, under surveillance, the friend handed over US$40 in marked trap money:1 x US$20 (Serial: PH50115833C) 2 x US$10 (Serials: PK45658296B & PB36416637E) the accused received the cash inside Office G16, unaware he was being watched by detectives. Moments later, Nangwani was caught red-handed with the trap money in his left hand and immediately arrested.
*Passerby bites off builder’s lip for greeting him* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/icx0 ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ A MAN from Chirundu in Mashonaland West has appeared in court for biting off another man’s lower lip for greeting him. Accused person, Joel Kwenda was arraigned before the Karoi Magistrates’ Court facing assault charges. He was convicted of the crime and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment of which nine months were suspended for five years. A further nine months were set aside on condition offender performs community service. Prosecutors told the court that on June 1, 2025, at around 10am, at the Roman Catholic Church the victim was plastering a house when the offender passed by the site. The victim greeted Kwenda, who curtly responded saying he didn’t want to befriend him and victim thought he was joking. The offender became angry and started chasing the victim before assaulting him with clenched fists. As if that wasn’t enough, Kwenda dug his teeth into complainant’s lower lip and removed a chunk of flesh.
*Harare councillors fight undervaluation of land compensated to Chiyangwa’s Pinnacle Holdings* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/5359 ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ HARARE City Council risks losing thousands of dollars in land value if the municipality complies with the government directive to compensate Pinnacle Holdings with tracts of stands. The Minister of Local Government and Public Works, Daniel Garwe, recently wrote a directive to Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume instructing the City Council to allocate land to Pinnacle Holdings as compensation for property acquired by the government. Pinnacle Holdings is owned by businessman Philip Chiyangwa, who is also a ZANU PF member. The directive sparked a heated debate in a recent Council meeting, with Ward 16 Denford Ngadziore expressing concern that the council might part with the land at a value lower than its actual price. “The report is saying US$5 per square metre. So my argument is, in Malbereign and around Harare, we are selling at US$20 per square metre, whilst on the other side, it is going for US$5 per square metre. “We cannot transfer land whose value we do not know. We are not transferring tomatoes; this is land we are talking about,” said Ngadziore. The proposed compensation has angered residents, with associations labelling the move as unconstitutional and tantamount to government interference in the affairs of the local authority. As a result, residents are calling for the compensation to Pinnacle Holdings to be halted. Several stands have been earmarked for compensation, subject to the Council’s approval. However, anomalies have been raised regarding some of the stands. Adonia Shoko raised a red flag over stands in Kuwadzana, stating that some individuals already hold offer letters for the land. Kudzai Kadzombe also raised a similar concern regarding land identified as part of the compensation to Pinnacle Holdings. “I have a personal interest because, as Councillor of Ward 41, we have already raised this issue. We have a piece of land in Bluffhill which is on that list, but residents had already submitted a petition and begun mobilising to build a council school,” said Kadzombe. The HCC Finance Committee is set to deliberate on Garwe’s directive and conduct due diligence on the anomalies raised in the meeting. However, Mafume bluntly told the Council that those aggrieved should consider mounting a legal challenge. “Anyone who feels aggrieved or has their property rights affected by the letter is advised to make a beeline to their lawyers,” said Mafume. – _*NewZimbabwe*_
*Fugitive cop who flogged suspect to death arrested, appears in court* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/6kiy ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ A RUWA police officer, Constable Prince Ndavambi (39) has been charged with murder following his arrest, nearly two weeks on the run. Accused person assaulted Blessed Believe Juruvenge (30) in police custody leading to his death. Ndavambi was a fugitive of the law since May 28, 2025, when the victim was declared dead. He was only arrested on June 10 and appeared in court the day after. The murder followed Juruvenge’s arrest on May 27, 2025, after an altercation with a fellow resident, Mwazha/Maphosa, who reported him for assault and theft. Upon detention, the now deceased was told by Ndavambi that he would return home in a coffin. In a statement, the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said, Ndavambi allegedly tortured the now deceased using a hoe handle before placing him in a cell. “Allegations are that on the 27th of May 2025, the accused arrested a man in connection with assault and theft and took him to ZRP Ruwa. While in custody, it is alleged that the accused assaulted the suspect with a hoe handle before detaining him in the cells. “Later that evening, the suspect’s condition reportedly deteriorated. He was taken to Ruwa Rehabilitation Clinic, where he died the following day,” said NPAZ. Ndavambi was granted US$400 bail and remanded to July 2, 2025.
*Zimbabwe names more illicit drinks* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/4psp ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ The Government has announced a sweeping ban on a range of dangerous alcoholic beverages through Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 62 of 2025, invoking the Harmful Liquids Act to combat the growing threat of illicit brews to public health. The move, announced by the Minister of Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage, Kazembe Kazembe, comes after years of concern over unregulated alcohol production and its devastating effects on communities across Zimbabwe. Among the banned beverages are brands such as Challenge, Kitoko, and Ranger, which are reportedly supplied by a company operating along Manchester Road in Harare. These concoctions are typically sold in 200ml, 500ml, and 750ml containers and are widely consumed due to their affordability. Also on the list are Tumbwa and Musombodhiya, which have gained infamy over the years as potent and dangerous brews often linked to serious health complications. Kabisa and Magic Moments, believed to be distributed by a company along Coventry Road, have also been outlawed, as have Happy Cheers, Stallion, and Tambirani. Authorities believe that some Asian business operators are behind the production and distribution networks of these harmful drinks. The beverages are often manufactured in unsanitary, unlicensed facilities and contain harmful substances such as industrial chemicals, which pose severe health risks, including organ damage, poisoning, and even death. Minister Kazembe said the Government could not remain passive in the face of the escalating public health crisis brought on by these illicit alcohols. “The Government cannot stand by as these harmful brews continue to wreak havoc in our communities. This measure is necessary to safeguard public health and uphold the integrity of our society,” he said. Statutory Instrument No. 62 of 2025 prohibits not only the production and sale of these concoctions but also their possession and consumption. The law provides for strict penalties for violators, and enforcement agencies have been mandated to clamp down on operations linked to illicit liquor. Police and municipal authorities have already begun raids on known suppliers, while community leaders have been urged to support the effort by reporting illegal activities and educating residents about the dangers of unregulated alcohol. For years, illicit brews have flooded urban and rural areas alike, drawing consumers with their low cost and high alcohol content. However, the health implications have been devastating, with hospitals frequently reporting cases of poisoning, addiction, and fatalities linked to their consumption. The Ministry of Health and Child Care has also voiced its support for the ban, describing it as a critical intervention to protect vulnerable populations. Health officials say that these drinks are not only toxic but have become a public safety hazard, particularly among youths and low-income earners who are most likely to consume them. The ban marks a decisive step by the Government in cleaning up the beverage industry and sending a clear message that public health cannot be sacrificed for profit. Law enforcement authorities, supported by local councils and public health officials, are expected to intensify efforts to ensure full compliance with the new regulations. As operations to remove the banned products from the market continue, citizens have been encouraged to consume only properly certified and regulated alcoholic products. – _*ZimPapers*_
*Former Agriculture deputy minister claims Zanu PF rivals are targeting him for successive election defeats* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/0un4 ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ FORMER Deputy Minister of Agriculture Douglas Karoro has said political rivals Takesure Chikwamba and Charles Mutukudzi are behind allegations that he stole fertiliser from the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) mainly because he has beaten them thrice in the Zanu PF party’s primary elections. Karoro spoke following Mutukudzi’s appearance as a State witness in a case he is facing charges of diverting agricultural inputs. He said Mutukudzi and Chikwamba were bitter that they had failed to unseat him in 2015, 2018 and 2023 when he won the election while on remand as a result of the case. The primaries sought a candidate from Mbire constituency to represent Zanu PF in Parliamentary elections. At the time the allegations arose, Chikwamba was the party’s District Coordinating Committee (DCC) Chairperson while Mutukudzi was his deputy. Mutukudzi told the court that he was informed by a certain Zanu PF leader of ‘suspicious’ trucks, allegedly linked to Karoro, that were loading fertiliser at GMB Mushumbi depot. He said he then proceeded, with the blessing of Chikwamba, to file a report with the police. Chikwamba accompanied him. Mutukudzi admitted that he lost thrice to Karoro in the race to represent Mbire in Parliament but said he was not bitter. He said it was just human nature to want to win. “It is human nature to want to win every election,” said Mutukudzi, to which Karoro’s lawyer Admire Rubaya further asked if he was happy with the defeat. Rubaya questioned why malpractices at GMB would be reported to him if he was neither a government official nor an interested party. The matter continues on Friday before Regional Magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
*Teen sentenced to life for killing aunt in cold blood before violating her corpse* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/6itb ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ HIGH Court judge, Justice Munamato Mutevedzi has expressed concern over some cases judges preside over further noting that crimes that are being committed around Zimbabwe may suggest that the world is coming to an end. The judge also said court officials would require psychological support for them to cope with things they hear in court everyday. Mutevedzi said this while handing down sentence against one Tapiwa Mereka (19) at the Gweru High Court. Mereka was found guilty of the gruesome murder of his mother’s sister Mary Mereka on January 27, 2023, and also raping her lifeless body. Mutevedzi said Mereka deserved capital sentence adding that he is fortunate that death penalty had been scrapped. “If it is true that on some day God will destroy the world, then that time is nigh. Some of the crimes that we preside over suggest that Armageddon is imminent. “Tapiwa Mereka (the offender) has a head but it is doubtful that he has a brain inside it. If he does, then his mind is so perverted and depraved that he should not be living amongst human beings. “The crime that he committed is unconscionable and would possibly win an Oscar award for horror movies. “Every one of us who took part in the trial would be thinking about this for a long time to come. “It lays bare, the oft-repeated myth that judges are inanimate. “The reality is that judicial officers and other court officials who work in the criminal courts and hear these horrific stories almost on a daily basis may suffer what is called vicarious trauma. “They all may end up requiring therapy in one form or another,” Mutevedzi said. The court heard Mereka had plotted to rape and kill his aunt for a long time. In his warned and cautioned statement accused person admitted that he always admired her and wanted to sleep with her. He was biding his time and waiting for an opportune moment to strike. He said the idea became maddening some three days before the murder and could not shake off the desire and lust to have sexual intercourse with his aunt. He convinced himself to carry out the satanic idea on the fateful morning. “I do admit to the allegations levelled against me. The deceased was my aunt but I had quite some time admiring her and I wished that I have some time to rape her. “I also had the intention to kill her. I had no valid reason but I just felt that I have to kill her. “So, when I was with her in the field weeding together with her I then got the chance and took an axe which was in the field and struck her three times on the head whilst she was not expecting it. “After striking her she fell down. I removed her pant and had sexual intercourse with her. “After I finished I dressed her and took the axe and threw it outside the field and went to Sebakwe River with the intention to stay there,” Mereka admitted. The teenager said at the time the time of the sex, the deceased was still alive although in a vegetative state. Mutevedzi said even imagining that his victim was dead by the time he committed the abomination, his actions would have amounted to the crime of violating a dead body in contravention of section 111 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He said in other jurisdictions, it would have been the crime of necrophilia, which criminalises any sexual attraction to a dead person. The judge said this aggravates Mereka’s situation. “Having found that the murder is aggravated there cannot be escaping the severest punishment. “Before the abolition of the penalty of death from our statute books this was a case that would have undoubtedly attracted capital punishment. “Needless to state, that option is no longer available. The only two choices which the court has are sentencing the offender either to life imprisonment or to a determinate term of not less than 20 years.” “What is worse is that he said he was prepared to kill for no reason. He is, therefore, a dangerous individual whom the court cannot risk letting back into society. “He may kill again— for nothing else other than his enjoyment. “He appears worse than a robber who kills for financial gain because it is possible to resist that more than a desire that one cannot explain. “It is like the offender gets possessed by some irresistible spirit. Given the above, our hands are, therefore, tied. It is difficult to empathise with the offender. “If he could be so sadistic as to easily kill his own mother and still find sexual gratification from her in that state of helplessness, we shudder to think what he could possibly do to a stranger or to children. “He is someone whose soul must be left to God to correct. As a court, we can do no more than administer justice. “We will permanently remove him from society and confine him to the secure walls of a prison. “Accordingly, the offender is sentenced to life imprisonment,” the judge ruled. – _*NewZimbabwe*_
*Harare’s roads patched with soil as city council fails to procure tar for over a year* https://thevoiceonlinenews.com/ov34 ___________________________________ `June 13, 2025` ___________________________________ > *Follow The Voice Online News WhatsApp channel:* https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaPRQqTHrDZdGRK5yH43 ___________________________________ > *Share The Voice Online News WhatsApp group link:* https://chat.whatsapp.com/DjU5F7Goh3M6M4XSkg81Gx ___________________________________ > *To advertise with The Voice Online News, talk to us here:* https://wa.me/message/PLR6ANGW2RX4I1 ___________________________________ CITY of Harare (CoH) has been without tar for over a year, with its workers resorting to using soil and rubble to patch roads in the capital—another sign of deteriorating basic service delivery. CoH has been struggling to maintain road networks in residential areas, with blame being apportioned to the Zimbabwe National Road Administration (ZINARA) for disbursing insufficient funds to the local authority. The majority of roads in Harare are riddled with potholes, with council, on numerous occasions, spotted using soil and rubble to give a semblance of road maintenance. Recently, during a full council meeting at the Town House, it emerged that CoH has not managed to buy tar, a key component in road construction. Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume attributed this to the local authority’s garnished accounts, before criticising Town House officials for failing to acquire basic supplies. “Right now, I have messages from every government office in town. When they say the road is bad, people are going to pour dust. Everywhere, dust is being poured. We have money from City Parking and ZINARA that is being garnished in our bank accounts without buying tar. “Look at the embarrassment—the whole town is dusty. This is because we are patching potholes using dust,” said Mafume. CoH receives remittances from its subsidiary, City Parking, and from ZINARA, which are supposed to be channelled towards road maintenance. The city’s procurement department has blamed the slow approval of purchases by the Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (PRAZ). Harare Councillor Denford Ngadziore accused officials of dishonesty, stating that they face no hurdles when purchasing vehicles and other luxury perks. “The challenge at the city council is that there is a cartel or a system that has to be broken. If we do not do that, we will not succeed. “The management at one time bought themselves vehicles without any challenges. The challenge is, if we do not break that [system], we will remain in one place,” said Ngadziore. – _*NewZimbabwe*_