via Blending case hearing date set | The Herald October 27, 2014
The case in which a Harare resident is challenging the mandatory blending of petrol with ethanol to levels beyond E10 will be heard at the Constitutional Court on November 8. Government introduced mandatory blending ratios of E15 on November 30 last year and wanted the ratios increased to E20 by March this year. But Tabani Mpofu took the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (Zera), Energy and Power Development Minister Dzikamai Mavhaire and Green Fuels to court over the issue.
He filed the application at the Constitutional Court last December challenging Green Fuel’s monopoly and blending ratios.
Highly-placed sources in the AG’s office recently confirmed that the case has been set down for hearing early next month.
Mr Mpofu who is being represented by his lawyer Mr Tendai Biti of Biti Law Chambers is arguing the monopoly and blending ratios do not guarantee fair competition and are not in the interest of motorists.
The blending started with 5 percent ethanol and 95 percent unleaded petrol on August 15, following the issuance of an ethanol production (mandatory blending) licence to Green Fuel on August 5.
COMMENTS
Half the consumption – we have to import more fuel to get the same mileage – at increased cost and damage to vehicles. Why go we go this route? Let people have a choice and in any case anti-competition monopolistic policy.
Zera will not win this law suit because the facts are well documented internationally on how to go about this blending beyond E10 to avoid damage to the current European and Japanese cars.I really hope that they lose this case with heavy costs because they just want to make profit at the expense of our vehicles.
All our neighbouring countries are sticking to E10.This is because they listen to their people before implementing new policies.As a nation we are not yet prepared for higher blending mixtures because the cars we have are designed for pure fuel and E10 without modification.These so- called conversion kits do not change the internal engine design of the present vehicles we have on our roads.
I hope that Mr Biti gets all the relevant facts from our neighbours like S Africa,Malawi,Mozambique and Zambia.