Telecel gets temporary reprieve

High Court Judge Nicholas Mathonsi today gave Telecel Zimbabwe a temporary reprieve to continue operating until its case is finalised. Telecel’s licence was cancelled by the Postal and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) on 28 April and the mobile telephone operator, the third largest in the country, was given 30 days to wind up its operations and 60 days to decommission its equipment. Telecel was accused of failing to meet the ownership levels required by the act which says locals must own at least 51 percent. Currently locals own 40 percent.  Telecel has vowed to fight its case while it workers have appealed to the government to save the company which they said employs about 1 000 workers. Some reports say the mobile operator is being victimised because of its links to expelled former Vice President Joice Mujuru but President Robert Mugabe’s nephew Patrick Zhuwao is also part of the Empowerment Corporation which holds the 40 percent local ownership.

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