The firm won a 2012 tender to supply 40 motorised graders worth $8 million to the Zimbabwe National Roads Authority (Zinara). While the rural district councils who got the equipment protested that they were ‘snow graders’ not fit for purpose, Zinara went and procured a further 40 graders through Univern for another $8 million, this time without going to tender.
At the time, Zinara justified not going to tender, saying the second purchase “used the results of the first tender and Zinara merely had to rise on the first tender.”
Univern/SRTC was to strike an even more lucrative deal with Zinara, this time for vehicle licencing software valued at $54 million in 2013, also without going through tender.
According to the AG, the cost of the software was not stated upfront, but the agreement would see Zinara pay Univern 18.5 percent of total revenue collected through the system for 10 years.
By December 2013, Univern had been paid almost 40 percent of the software cost, getting $21 million as commission, with nine more years to go.
This year, Zinara has said it expects vehicle licence revenue to reach $200 million, from which Univern can expect to pocket $37 million, which adds up to more than $300 million for the duration of the contract.
Zinara management made an undertaking to the AG to negotiate with Univern for the reduction of the commission percentage, with a committee having been set to pursue this task.
Zinara did not respond to questions last month asking whether the Univern commission had been reduced.
Univern also partners Zinara in the administration of about 20 toll gates, another contract the company got without going through tender.
In January, transport minister Gumbo voiced concern over Univern.
‘Government is gravely concerned at the intricate contractual relationship that now exists between Zinara and Univern,” Gumbo told Zinara management.
Univern Enterprises is a Zimbabwean-registered firm, which sometimes trades as Southern Region Trading Company (SRTC). A check with the companies registry in Harare showed that SRTC is not registered, but the company name was reserved by Univern’s owners.
The company’s directors are listed as Laurence Neil and Sherice Sher, who have been directors since inception in 1996, as well as Musekiwa Kumbula (since 2005). Company chief executive, Serge Levy, was appointed director in 2014.
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