The
officials
questioned
Helcraw’s
capacity,
referencing
its
failed
bid
to
supply
water
meters
in
a
US$2
million
tender
in
2023.
According
to
an
unnamed
government
official
who
spoke
to The
Independent,
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects
was
chosen
to
establish
a
new
water
treatment
plant
and
supply
water
meters
in
partnership
with
Chinese
firm
Hangzhou
Laison
Technology.
Said
the
official:
A
series
of
meetings
have
been
held
to
discuss
the
agreement
between
the
government
and
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects.On
January
12,
city
officials,
including
acting
water
director
Richard
Kunyadini
attended
a
meeting
at
Makombe
Building.The
meeting
emphasised
on
the
need
to
first
conduct
a
due
diligence
on
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects,
focusing
on
whether
they
have
capacity
to
fund
the
project.It
was
centred
on
privatisation
of
water
and
sewer
services
and
introducing
Helcraw
who
had
signed
a
Memorandum
of
Understanding
as
the
chosen
investor
without
having
gone
through
any
tender
process.The
meeting
focused
on
a
number
of
issues
that
include
whether
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects
had
the
financial
and
technical
capacity
to
roll
out
the
massive
project.Officials
also
questioned
whether
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects
had
presented
the
proof
of
funding
to
finance
the
project.More
importantly,
the
meeting
questioned
why
a
project
of
this
scope
could
be
awarded
without
first
conducting
due
diligence
on
Helcraw
Electrical
Projects.
Helcraw
is
expected
to
supply
prepaid
meters
for
350,000
properties
at
a
cost
of
US$96
million
and
replace
a
100-kilometre
pipe
network
valued
at
US$23
million.
When
contacted
for
a
comment
by
The
Independent,
Jere
requested
a
meeting
next
week,
stating
he
could
not
share
such
details
over
the
phone.
Kunyadini,
who
also
attended
the
meeting,
referred
The
Independent’s
questions
to
Mayor
Jacob
Mafume.
Mafume,
who
was
in
Russia
at
the
time,
said
no
one
questioned
the
deal
when
it
was
signed
last
week.
He
was
among
the
officials
who
attended
the
signing
ceremony.