Delta Corporation and Harare City Council are embroiled in a contentious rental dispute, with the council’s Audit Committee chairperson, Blessing Duma, alleging that the municipality has not received any payment from the beverages giant for leasing its brewery, despite claims that Delta pays an annual rent of around US$500,000.
Testifying before the Commission of Inquiry into Harare City Council operations since 2017, this week, Duma claimed the municipality has not received a cent from Delta who are renting a brewery from the council.
Duma said the rent paid by Delta, who are renting council brewery, has not been accounted for.
The five member commission headed by retired Justice Maphios Cheda, appointed in May by President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has unmasked corruption controversies at the Harare City Council.
“We haven’t seen anything,” Duma said when asked about where the rentals from a council brewery that is being rented by Delta are going.
Evidence leader Thabani Mpofu stated that the Harare City Council is allegedly renting out a brewery to Delta Corporation for approximately US$500,000 per year, but the funds are not being properly accounted for.
Duma admitted that he was unaware of the exact amount paid by Delta and where the funds were being allocated.
In an interview, Delta public relations officer Patricia Murambinda said they were up to date with rentals for the brewery.
“We are up to date with rentals for Harare brewery. In fact, we had to pay rentals in advance last month to facilitate the use of the funds for the refurbishing of Rufaro Stadium.
“This can be verified with the City of Harare and His Worship The Mayor Councillor Jacob Mafume and Mr Obey Shava, the Chairman of Rufaro Marketing,” She said.
The lack of transparency has raised concerns, particularly given the city’s struggles with inadequate service delivery, including water provision and road maintenance.
Residents have been vocal about corruption within the council, frequent sewer bursts, and the neglect of public facilities such as stadiums and halls.
Mayor Mafume has also previously expressed concerns about the unclear terms of the lease agreement between the council and Delta Corporation, Zimbabwe’s largest beverages manufacturer, which produces a range of products including lager beers, sorghum beers, soft drinks, spirits, and wines.
The issue of Rufaro Marketing is linked to massive corruption involving the non remittance of funds. Between November 2022 and now, the commission was told that Rufaro Marketing only remitted US$60 000 in the form of US$7 000, US$21 000, and US$32 000.
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