News / National
Mliswa tackles business tycoon Billy Rautenbach
04 Jun 2019 at 15:30hrs | Views
Norton legislator Temba Mliswa is headed for a faceoff with millionaire Billy Rautenbach over accusations that the business tycoon wants to evict members of the Joshua Nkomo Housing Cooperative from their land.
The desperate members wrote to Mliswa seeking his assistance to block the businessman from evicting them from their land in Harare.
According to the letter, the cooperative members who were settled on the land in 2000 said they were told last year by Local Government Minister July Moyo that their settlement was illegal as the land belonged to Rautenbach.
The business man, the cooperative members said, then went on to demand from them US$85 per square metre, 15 percent VAT and 2 percent tax in order to regularise their stay. They were given up to the end of May to make the payments.
Mliswa, responding to the pleas, said he was not scared to face the business mogul with various business interests in the country and political connections high up in the presidium.
"You see, this is an item sent to me of what Billy Rautenbach is doing to the ordinary person. This is why I represent the people and have their concerns addressed. All I ask Zim, is that you pray for me as the fight against corruption is serious, it's not a small task," said Mliswa.
"I'm stepping on a number of toes and they don't like it. I'll not quit however and with your prayers we'll overcome. This is a fight to the bitter end and God forbid if the worst came to the worst this is my contribution to the good of Zimbabwe."
Mliswa early this year hogged the limelight after accusing Vice President Kembo Mohadi of corruption. In response, Mohadi denied the allegations and slapped Mliswa with a defamation law suit.
The desperate members wrote to Mliswa seeking his assistance to block the businessman from evicting them from their land in Harare.
According to the letter, the cooperative members who were settled on the land in 2000 said they were told last year by Local Government Minister July Moyo that their settlement was illegal as the land belonged to Rautenbach.
The business man, the cooperative members said, then went on to demand from them US$85 per square metre, 15 percent VAT and 2 percent tax in order to regularise their stay. They were given up to the end of May to make the payments.
"You see, this is an item sent to me of what Billy Rautenbach is doing to the ordinary person. This is why I represent the people and have their concerns addressed. All I ask Zim, is that you pray for me as the fight against corruption is serious, it's not a small task," said Mliswa.
"I'm stepping on a number of toes and they don't like it. I'll not quit however and with your prayers we'll overcome. This is a fight to the bitter end and God forbid if the worst came to the worst this is my contribution to the good of Zimbabwe."
Mliswa early this year hogged the limelight after accusing Vice President Kembo Mohadi of corruption. In response, Mohadi denied the allegations and slapped Mliswa with a defamation law suit.
Source - Byo24News
