Harare defends purchase of luxury cars

Harare City Council acting town clerk Josephine Ncube yesterday defended the executive's decision to buy 18 top-of-the-range luxury vehicles without going to tender, saying their Chinese funding partners in the $144 million Morton Jaffray Waterworks project wanted to avoid dealing with suppliers on the European Union sanctions list.

Residents have also threatened to boycott payment of council rates demanding transparency in the administration of the loan facility provided by China Exim Bank.

Addressing members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Environment, Ncube said: "On vehicles, there was a provision of $8 million for the purchase of various equipment including motor vehicles and other equipment to capacitate the City of Harare and that they would be purchased locally from a system agreed to by the contractor and ourselves."

Ncube also revealed that the $144 million loan facility was not enough to address the city's water woes, adding that at least $2,5 billion was required to adequately resolve the crisis.