News / National
Grace Mugabe's son sucked into a mine wrangle
04 Oct 2013 at 02:49hrs | Views
FIRST Lady Grace Mugabe's son Rusell Goreraza has been sucked into a wrangle over the ownership of Tolrose Gold Mine in Kadoma after buying shares from one of the mine's warring parties, prominent businessman Patterson Timba.
Timba and Jameson Rushwaya have been embroiled in a protracted legal wrangle over the ownership of the mine which is still pending at the High Court.
However, Goreraza - Grace's son from a previous marriage - allegedly stormed the mine at Eiffel Flats in the gold mining town on Monday, armed with letters showing that he had taken over ownership of the company.
He is reported to have declared he now had a controlling stake in the business and allegedly deployed his security guards to take charge of the mine.
One of the letters Goreraza is reported to have produced was signed by Timba on behalf of his company, Swimming Pool and Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd declaring that it had "sold its interests in Telrose Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Glencain Mine) in Eiffel Flats, Kadoma to Boulware Consulting (Pvt) Ltd in terms of the subscription of shares agreement".
A search at the Company Registry Deeds Office in Harare by our sister paper NewsDay, yesterday showed that Goreraza, whose address was given as 108 Nursery Road, Mount Pleasant, and Gladys Chiedza Chiwaya of 120 Coronation Avenue in Greendale, are the two directors of Boulware Consulting which was formed among other things to "purchase, take on lease or otherwise acquire mining rights and metalliferous land and any interest therein".
Goreraza is reported to have produced a letter dated September 23 ref TN/yn signed by Atherstone and Cook law firm and copied to Timba confirming the development.
"This letter serves to confirm that Swimming Pool&Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd has sold its interests in Tolrose Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Glencain Mine) in Eiffel Flats, Kadoma to Boulware Consulting (Pvt) Ltd as of April 24," part of the letter Goreraza reportedly handed to the workers' union officials and to Rushwaya.
Contacted for comment, Timba yesterday said: "Isn't you have the papers. Go ahead and write. What do you need from me. I'm busy. I'm in a meeting."
The workers' union confirmed meeting Goreraza and his team at the union offices on Monday.
National Mine Workers' Union of Zimbabwe president Tinashe Mugwira said on Wednesday that Goreraza told the workers that "all wage and salary negotiations would now be done through his new management which will be in place from next Wednesday after he showed us an agreement entered between him and Timba over Tolrose".
He said his union was worried the disputes were now affecting the welfare of the 350 workers at the mine.
"Tolrose employs 325 full time workers and these boardroom squabbles are now beginning to worry us because they threaten the few jobs which are available," he said.
"We just want to appeal to those involved in the dispute to settle them in the boardroom and try by all means to avoid affecting the worker.
"Those squabbles are not ours, but they affect us."
Rushwaya confirmed the development and said "business should be conducted in a legal and transparent manner so that we can grow our economy".
Contacted for comment, Goreraza refused to comment on the matter, referring NewsDay to its sources and the workers who allege to have met him.
"I have no comment on that matter, go and get you facts right first then come back and speak to me about that letter you are talking about," he said.
Timba and Jameson Rushwaya have been embroiled in a protracted legal wrangle over the ownership of the mine which is still pending at the High Court.
However, Goreraza - Grace's son from a previous marriage - allegedly stormed the mine at Eiffel Flats in the gold mining town on Monday, armed with letters showing that he had taken over ownership of the company.
He is reported to have declared he now had a controlling stake in the business and allegedly deployed his security guards to take charge of the mine.
One of the letters Goreraza is reported to have produced was signed by Timba on behalf of his company, Swimming Pool and Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd declaring that it had "sold its interests in Telrose Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Glencain Mine) in Eiffel Flats, Kadoma to Boulware Consulting (Pvt) Ltd in terms of the subscription of shares agreement".
A search at the Company Registry Deeds Office in Harare by our sister paper NewsDay, yesterday showed that Goreraza, whose address was given as 108 Nursery Road, Mount Pleasant, and Gladys Chiedza Chiwaya of 120 Coronation Avenue in Greendale, are the two directors of Boulware Consulting which was formed among other things to "purchase, take on lease or otherwise acquire mining rights and metalliferous land and any interest therein".
Goreraza is reported to have produced a letter dated September 23 ref TN/yn signed by Atherstone and Cook law firm and copied to Timba confirming the development.
"This letter serves to confirm that Swimming Pool&Underwater Repair Company (Pvt) Ltd has sold its interests in Tolrose Investments (Pvt) Ltd (Glencain Mine) in Eiffel Flats, Kadoma to Boulware Consulting (Pvt) Ltd as of April 24," part of the letter Goreraza reportedly handed to the workers' union officials and to Rushwaya.
Contacted for comment, Timba yesterday said: "Isn't you have the papers. Go ahead and write. What do you need from me. I'm busy. I'm in a meeting."
The workers' union confirmed meeting Goreraza and his team at the union offices on Monday.
National Mine Workers' Union of Zimbabwe president Tinashe Mugwira said on Wednesday that Goreraza told the workers that "all wage and salary negotiations would now be done through his new management which will be in place from next Wednesday after he showed us an agreement entered between him and Timba over Tolrose".
He said his union was worried the disputes were now affecting the welfare of the 350 workers at the mine.
"Tolrose employs 325 full time workers and these boardroom squabbles are now beginning to worry us because they threaten the few jobs which are available," he said.
"We just want to appeal to those involved in the dispute to settle them in the boardroom and try by all means to avoid affecting the worker.
"Those squabbles are not ours, but they affect us."
Rushwaya confirmed the development and said "business should be conducted in a legal and transparent manner so that we can grow our economy".
Contacted for comment, Goreraza refused to comment on the matter, referring NewsDay to its sources and the workers who allege to have met him.
"I have no comment on that matter, go and get you facts right first then come back and speak to me about that letter you are talking about," he said.
Source - Southern Eye
