Another issue is that the aircrafts that have been bought have not taken to the skies-yes, they have not started flying and they are parked there; they are gobbling money in insurance. They are not making any profit for Zimbabwe Airways or for the Zimbabwean Government.
Another issue Mr. Speaker is that Air Zimbabwe has retrenched people ever since I think 2005 and the people have not been paid their dues. We know that there are people, I think about 170 workers who have been arrested for picketing at the airport because they are said to be a public nuisance. Those are people some of whom have worked for Air Zimbabwe for 28 years or 30 years and they have not been given their terminal benefits.
The last one Mr. Speaker is, why the Zimbabwe Airways attracted a lot of interest is because initially when that deal was consummated, Government said there was a group of Zimbabweans in the diaspora who had come together and wanted to help the Zimbabwean Government. It was that group of people in the diaspora who had bought the aircrafts. So, what the Minister is telling us now is a change that it is the Zimbabwean Government because initially we were told that it was a group of good Zimbabweans in the diaspora who wanted to buy aircrafts and the Zimbabwean Government was facilitating but now we hear that it is the Zimbabwean Government which has bought the aircrafts. But, even if it was the Zimbabwean Government, I want the Minister to give me an understanding of why it was such priority to buy aircrafts and then put them into Air Zimbabwe knowing very well that the capacity to run an airline is not resident at Air Zimbabwe.
There is no one with capacity and the facts speak for themselves. Air Zimbabwe has been bailed out by Treasury, Hon. Chinamasa is here – they have been given $250 million and I think that it was in 2010 that they were given I think $200 million and six months later, they were in debt. The reason they cannot pay salaries regularly is because they are in debt. I do not know what inspired the Minister to want to buy aircraft for an organisation which is perennially unable to run its affairs.
HON. ZINDI: Thank you Hon. Speaker. Perhaps, it may sound like a repetition but sometimes repetition is emphasis and also to clear the fears that the public have. I must explain myself so that you will understand and allow me to express myself.
What I am saying is, could the Minister further explain so then we understand the reasons exactly why this Zimbabwe Airways had to be created secretly without having to come and explain to Parliament the reasons behind the creation or the establishment of that airways. It is even confusing me because you cannot tell the difference between Air Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Airways. So, having established a new company in order to make sure that they run away from the debt incurred by Air Zimbabwe, was it not prudent to come and inform Parliament in order to allay the fears that the public do have or suspicion that the public has other than having to be asked by Parliament to come and explain. Was it not prudent?
Further to that, I hear reading through the print media that one of the aircrafts or all of them are here, is actually number plated as RGM and whatever other numbers. Could the Minister clarify that?
THE ACTING SPEAKER: Order Hon. Member, a question was raised and the Minister stood up and answered that in this House.
HON. ZINDI: Okay, I withdraw on that one but the first one still stands. Thank you Hon. Speaker.
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