PROMINENT lawyer Gerald Mlotshwa, has been appointed for the second time this year to a government-affiliated entity, the Mauritian-based coke-making firm, ZimCoke.
BY BUSINESS REPORTER
Mlotshwa is President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s son-in-law.
According to State-controlled media, Zimcoke took over a coke oven within the defunct Ziscosteel in a US$133 million deal viewed as the first step towards revitalisation of the steel giant.
The two companies signed an agreement of sale in 2017 where ZimCoke bought Zisco’s coke-making assets consisting of the plant and machinery, land, buildings and associated coal-handling and wagons infrastructure.
Earlier this year, Mlotshwa was appointed chairperson of the Sports and Recreation Commission, the country’s sports regulatory body.
“Nine individuals have been appointed at this time and may be joined by additional members early in 2020. The nine individuals, named below, represent prominent Zimbabweans and also include the depth and breadth of expertise necessary to help guide and advise the company as it conducts operations necessary to bring back into production the 160 coke ovens that formerly comprised the Coke Division of Zisco Steel Limited,” reads part of the statement,” ZimCoke said in a statement.
The firm was recently formed to produce coke and related products in Zimbabwe with the board being appointed to give effect to that mandate.
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The nine-member team, apart from Mlotshwa, include Nick Ncube who will serve as chairman of the board, Derek Scott, Philemon Nhachi, Emma Fundira, Eddie Cross, Lillian Mbayiwa, Michael Moore and Valentine Mushayakarara. Ncube is a former Ministry of Finance and Economic Development permanent secretary and deputy governor for the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe; Fundira sits on the board of Delta Corporation Limited; Mushayakarara sits on the board of Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe; Cross is on the Monetary Policy Committee; and Mbayiwa is group marketing executive at Old Mutual Zimbabwe.
Mlotshwa’s appointment has raised fears of nepotism.
ZimCoke said it was the intention of the board to appoint Scott, the former Global CEO of Fosbel, the chief executive officer of ZimCoke on completion of certain regulatory processes.
The company stated that a local Zimbabwean will understudy Scott.
“Scott comes to the company with over 35 years’ experience at an international level in both the steel and the coke industries.”
