BY HARRIET CHIKANDIWA
AUTOMOTIVE firm Croco Motors officials yesterday told Parliament that they were still owed $1,67 million by government for seven ministerial vehicles they delivered to government in 2017. The Toyota Land Cruiser vehicles in question were delivered to ministers in 2017, but the date was not made known to the Public Accounts Committee chaired by Harare East legislator Tendai Biti.
Company official Leslie Chingwena told the committee that different vehicles were delivered, but the money has not been paid to date.
“The amount you are owed and the cost of each car do not tally. Therefore, we request tender documents, proof of supply and the actual payment of the vehicles,” Biti said.
Chingwena then responded: “Different vehicles were supplied and they were of different value. We supplied all the seven requested vehicles, but some of the vehicles have not been paid for. The government owes us.”
Meanwhile, the government — through the Public Service ministry, has pledged that no one will die of hunger as the country faces drought in two consecutive years.
Appearing before the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare chaired by Emma Ncube on the food distribution programme, Public Service minister Paul Mavima said his ministry would do an assessment on whether or not there will be a national deficit and will put in place mitigation measures.
He said: “The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment, conducted in the second quarter, also comes in handy providing levels of food insecurity in the rural district. ZimVAC survey also monitors issues of chronic malnutrition in areas that are traditionally foods secure.”
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Mavima added that it was government’s responsibility to provide social protection to citizens, adding that free food assistance would go to the elderly, chronically ill and child-headed families.
He said government welcomed support from international donors to complement its efforts and they would continue supporting the Grain Marketing Board to purchase grain locally.
