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Takunda Maodza Harare Bureau
BUSINESSMAN Conrad “Billy” Rautenbach yesterday branded Zanu-PF politician Cde Temba Mliswa an “extortionist” who victimised him on many occasions leading to the premature death of their relationship.The politician yesterday said he would today go public to clarify his position on revelations by our Harare Bureau on the nature of his relationship with Rautenbach.
Cde Mliswa’s multi-million business ties with Rautenbach through the Chisumbanje ethanol plant, Unki Platinum Mine and Hwange Colliery have been strained after the Zanu-PF Mashonaland West provincial chairman demanded at least $165 million as consultancy fees after he linked the businessman with senior ruling party politicians to expand his empire.
The politician wanted Rautenbach to pay him $100 million for the role he played in an Unki Mine deal and $65 million for his involvement at Chisumbanje where Green Fuel is producing ethanol.
Cde Mliswa was for a while paid $10 for every tonne of coal mined at Hwange and $5 per tonne of coke. A tonne of coal costs no less than $100.
The coal and coke payments were stopped abruptly, creating animosity between Cde Mliswa and Rautenbach.
Yesterday Rautenbach claimed victimisation by Cde Mliswa.
“Mliswa victimised us on many fronts. He approached us in the capacity of an investment consultant but when we realised that he was not sincere in his approach to business and had extortionist tendencies we immediately cut ties with him and directed all communication through our lawyers. His submissions pertaining to our various projects are baseless falsehoods,” he said.
The messy deal sucked in Zanu-PF secretary for administration Cde Didymus Mutasa, Deputy Lands Minister and Politburo member Cde Tendai Savanhu, and former Zanu-PF chair for Manicaland province Cde Basil Nyabadza as mediators.
Deputy Minister Savanhu — a former Hwange chairman — was mum on the matter yesterday when our Harare Bureau sought his comment having attempted and failed to get it on Sunday.
“I am not better placed to comment at the moment. I will respond to The Herald at an appropriate time giving the correct thing,” he said.
Minister Mutasa has said he was aware of a disagreement over the ethanol project but was not involved in any way while Cde Nyabadza said Cde Mliswa had a penchant for starting “bush fires and I do not know which bush fire he has started now”.
Cde Mliswa is scheduled to address a press conference this morning giving his side of the story.
But in an interview with our Harare Bureau on Sunday he accused Rautenbach of being “a criminal” who crookedly uses the country’s natural resources for personal benefit.
“I took him to every high-ranking official he knows today in government. I was part and parcel of it. He said my shares cannot be made public because I am a Zanu-PF politician and he will not get funding. He used to pay me. He has stopped and I took the legal route.
“He then confronted high-ranking officials in government for me to withdraw my papers. I took him to Chisumbanje on a helicopter. What did he think I was doing in that helicopter risking my life? It was not a free ride,” Cde Mliswa said.
He said he linked Rautenbach to his uncle Cde Mutasa and Mines and Mining Development Minister Dr Obert Mpofu.
Letters between Cde Mliswa’s lawyers and Rautenbach’s legal represtatives directly name Minister Mutasa, Deputy Minister Savanhu and Cde Nyabadza.
A letter dated April 14, 2010 to Rautenbach’s lawyers says, “. . . we advise that whereas your client has acknowledged his liability to our client (Cde Mliswa) through a mediator, Mr Tendai Savanhu, no precise figures (of what is owed) has been forthcoming.”
Another missive, on June 4, 2010, states: “We advise that during the ensuing period your client (Mr Rautenbach) held a discussion with Mr Basil Nyabadza as well as the Honorable Minister Mutasa regarding our client’s claims. There then followed a meeting on or about 13 May where the aforementioned persons, excluding your client, were present as was our client and the writer (lawyer).
“Your client, despite being invited to the meeting, declined to attend. We are aware that communication has been made to your client by Mr Nyabadza in an attempt to mediate this dispute to the satisfaction of all parties concerned. It appears, to our client, at least, that your client is in no hurry to resolve the dispute.”
Online Reporter