- The Gwanda solar plant project in Zimbabwe has received US 14m from African Transmission Corporation (ATC) Holdings.
- The funding provided is for the first 10MW under a phased construction model.
- The project was first awarded to Wicknell ‘Jimmy Choo’ Chivayo, MD of Intratek in 2012.
- It was also awarded South Africa’s former Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko in July this year without any tender process.
According to local newspaper, The Herald, financing from ATC represents a new impetus on the Gwanda Solar Project which has been marred by a contractual dispute between the parties and a lack of funding.
The Gwanda project developers, Intratrek Zimbabwe, said that progress on the Centragrid project attested to ATC’s capability to also progress Gwanda, which will be developed in phases.
“The 10MW, upon commissioning, would act as successful precedent upon which financing for the balance of 90MW would be mobilised,”said Intratrek.
Pic: Former Eskom acting chief executive Matshela Koko
Image: Esa Alexander
South Africa’s former Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko was awarded the same contract in July to build a 100MW solar power plant in Gwanda, Matabeleland South without any tender process. Koko has told Zimbabwean state media outlet The Sunday Mail at the timethat the project could be expected to feed into the national grid within the next 12 months.
“The project will create approximately 1 000 direct and indirect jobs,” said Koko. He said the he had assembled a team of energy experts and investors from different parts of the world to embark on the project. “Our partners will be on site in August to complete the detailed design for the power plant. We believe our team is competent and second to none and will deliver the project without fail,” he added.
Koko is part of a corrupt cabal who systematically plundered the South African state energy utility by feeding confidential company information to third parties in order for them to exploit business opportunities with the utility. Read more.
Pic: Wicknell Chivayo pictured with his Jimmy Choo shoes. Chivayo and his company Intratek won a tender to construct the 100Mw Gwanda Solar Project in Zimbabwe.
• He was advanced US 5.6 million for the project’s pre-commencement works and has nothing to show for it. Credit: Wicknall Chivayo
The Gwanda Project is not new to controversy, it was first awarded to Wicknell Chivayo and his company Intratek in 2012. He was advanced US 5.6 million for the project’s pre-commencement works and has nothing to show for it. Read more.
Author: Bryan Groenendaal
