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Impeccable sources revealed that Telecel Zimbabwe, which is now run by expatriates, has been awarding tenders to foreign companies, among them Cosira Group and ACT, which are South African.
The Cosira Group is one of South Africa’s largest privately owned structural steel companies.
Sources told this paper that the rollout director, an expatriate, Mr Mohamed Abdelkawy, has been awarding the tenders to the South African companies, including some smaller South African companies, at the expense of the locals.

It is understood that Cosira Group and ACT are paid US$65 000 for the erection of towers for base stations.
However, the two South African companies then sub-contract local companies to do the very work they are paid for and pay the local contractors US$15 000.
At times the locals are not even paid the paltry US$15 000 on time.

Sources revealed that steel towers that can be sourced locally are being imported into the country from South Africa.
This development flies in the face of the current indigenisation regulations that stipulate that a portion of procurement deals must be reserved to locals.
Companies such as Murray & Roberts and Hogarths and Zeco in Bulawayo are able to manufacture the steel towers that are being imported.
“The total cost of a complete base station is US$140 000. Under Telecel’s rollout programme, 200 sites countrywide are being set up. That is US$28 million in total and the locals are not benefiting anything from it.

“On the contrary, the US$28 million that is being paid to the South African companies is money that has been generated from Zimbabweans locally who are accessing telecommunication services from Telecel.
“Why should Zimbabwean companies be sub-contracted and scramble for a share of US$3 million while the US$25 million is taken out of the country by foreign companies?

“We are not sure what Government policy on indigenisation of tenders is and the issue at Telecel needs to be addressed as soon as possible,” explained the source.
There is an outcry at Telecel Zimbabwe that Mr Abdelkawy is an architect, but he is supervising qualified engineers.
“The situation at Telecel is a joke. We are expanding the network to the tune of US$28 million then we have an architect from Egypt supervising Zimbabwean engineers with degrees. He is not even fit for that role,” said a source.

Allegations of racism have also taken centre stage at Telecel, particularly in the finance department, which is also allegedly denying locals payments due for the work they have completed.
Telecel Zimbabwe’s chief executive officer is a foreigner, including the chief finance officer, chief technical officer, chief commercial officer, including the rollout director.
This paper can confirm that another position of senior manager operations and maintenance is being created for another expatriate (Mr Simon Payne) who was picked up on Friday morning by immigration officials for deportation as he had been working in the country without a work permit.
The post was advertised in the Press last week as a way of legitimising his appointment while there are a number experienced engineers in the country who can perform the same duties.-The Sunday Mail