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Godfrey Ncube, the controversial man at the centre of the Petrotrade corruption storm is being implicated in shenanigans that caught the interest of Spiked Online Media.
Ncube joined the then National Oil Company of Zimbabwe (Noczim) as a security officer after having served in the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP). His highest qualification to date is a diploma in human resources yet he was promoted to be acting CEO of such a strategic company.
By the time he left ZRP to join Noczim, he had risen to the rank of Sergeant. According to documents in our possession, he acquired his ordinary level qualifications through correspondence in multiple sittings. When Noczim was unbundled, he applied for the job of operations manager in Petrotrade and failed the psychometric tests (copy of results attached).
Through his covert manipulations of ministry officials, he was appointed Acting Chief Executive Officer for Petrotrade after he led spirited persecution of the then Acting CEO, Tanaka Sikwila. Godfrey accused Tanaka Sikwila of conflict of interest in running a logistics company that was delivering Petrotrade fuel. It later emerged that it was merely a turf war between the two as he also introduced his own preferred company, Family Choice.
Through his security company Giant Security, he claimed to be offering escort services for fuel and this is how he managed to cover up so many fuel losses.
The recent training on victimization and abuse conducted by Zimbabwe Women’s Lawyers (ZWALA) again brought to the fore issues that Godfrey had swept under the carpet through the aid of Ministry Officials who conducted a sham forensic audit outside the office of the Auditor-General.
Godfrey has allegedly been offering some unqualified female officers higher grades in exchange for sexual favours. In a recent report, one girl was reportedly saved from his jaws when she screamed for help after he had called her to his office under the guise of routine reporting.
In a related case, the Finance and Management Accountant is also accused of the same sexual abuse. These issues were raised in a strongly worded anonymous letter which was delivered to the Ministry and subsequently to the board when it was appointed.
However, it is reported that Godfrey Ncube enjoys cordial relations with Ms. Getrude Mharabada who has served as the Ministry’s representative of the Petrotrade and also is fronting for the Director of Petroleum, Col. Mudzinganya.
It is believed that Mudzinganyama and Mharabada have been misinforming both the Minister and Permanent Secretary about the goings-on at Petrotrade. The two reportedly stand to benefit financially from the mooted sale of Petrotrade to IPG of Kuwait. In fact, Godfrey Ncube has on many occasions, with the aid of Gertrude Mharabada tried to mislead the Board into believing that IPG is the preferred partner for Government.
It is through the aid of these two ministry officials that Godfrey Ncube has managed to survive this long at the helm of the troubled institution.
However, because there was no Board, the two could not cause Godfrey to be appointed substantive CEO because of his lack of qualifications. However, upon the appointment of the now-suspended board, Mharabada wanted the Board to appoint Ncube automatically on the basis that he had been acting. When the Board refused, this is what triggered the fallout as Mharabada and Mudzinganyama started a crusade to discredit every move by the Board. Ncube is due to retire in August 2022, but the duo wants him to continue beyond retirement age as their preferred gatekeeper.
Corruption and Mismanagement
During Ncube’s tenure, the company has lost fuel through fictitious losses being explained as evaporation and normal losses. Industry-standard is 0.5% of the total volume as a maximum allowable standard. However, Ncube had put in place a standard of 1%, which was operational during his tenure. Attempts by the now-suspended board to align this to the industry standards have been resisted by Ncube.
Ncube reportedly misrepresented to Cabinet that his manager friends were at the Directorship level and hence they deserved to get service vehicles. This was actually not the case but was an attempt by Ncube to muzzle some of the managers who had been raising alarm over the failing business.
In September 2020, Godfrey Ncube is reported to have tried to inflate the cash cover for a Stanbic facility that had been approved through NOIC by over ZWL$150, 000, 000. This failed to take off when the Legal and Corporate Services Manager questioned the details around the transaction. It was only then that the Acting Finance Manager, Dakarai Mukuku raised alarm. Ncube, had already positioned himself for self-enrichment. It was only then that a report was done by the Internal Audit Manager, and was submitted to the Chairman of the Audit Committee of the now-suspended Board, Mrs. Ferida Matambo. Out of fear for her job, since Mrs. Matambo is with the Public Service, she did not act on this serious fraud. How much more has been lost in this manner?
When contacted for comment, Mr. Ncube could not accept or deny the allegations.