ZIMBABWE’s TRANSPORT Minister Obert Mpofu’s business empire in Hwange has crumbled after several of his operations in the mining town either closed down or relocated to Victoria Falls.
Mpofu’s Minus restaurant, Matetsi meats butchery, KST Bypass fuel service station all leased from Hwange Colliery Company (HCC), KoMpofu sports bar and KoMpofu butchery at Mpumalanga high density suburb in Hwange closed last month.
The Minus restaurant and Matetsi meats butchery reportedly owe the HCC a substantial amount of money in outstanding rentals, although the figure could not be independently verified by Southern Eye.
The HCC estates board, which leases the coal mining company’s properties could not be reached for comment to confirm the outstanding monies as the estates manager, a Mr Mapanga was repeatedly said to be out of office since Tuesday.
When contacted for comment on Wednesday this week, a Mr Sibanda, who was said to be Mapanga’s deputy,also refused to shed light on the issue.
But Mpofu yesterday confirmed the collapse of his businesses operatons in Hwange saying the HCC rentals were unsustainable.
The minister said he had relocated his butchery and restaurant together with his employees to Victoria Falls.
“We relocated the restaurant and butchery to Victoria Falls because rentals charged by the HCC were unsustainable. The employees have also been transferred to Victoria Falls,” he said.
“As for the fuel service station, we did not close it but rather it is undergoing renovations to accommodate huge fuel tanks.”
However, Mpofu refused to be drawn to comment on allegations that his companies owed the HCC thousands of dollars in unpaid rentals.
The closure of Mpofu’s Hwange companies came less than a month after the former Mines minister was dragged to the Labour Court by security guards at his Moya Security firm over salary arrears.
Moya Security had reportedly ignored a court order to pay the security guards outstanding salaries in four-monthly instalments from May 30.
In recent past, Mpofu has been accused by workers at his several businesses of failing to pay salaries on time.
His financial institution, Allied Bank, surrendered its operating licence in January this year due to lack of capital.