Nssa ‘cannot locate’ its US$3,4m piece of land

Source: Nssa ‘cannot locate’ its US$3,4m piece of land – Sunday News Jun 25, 2017

Harare Bureau
THE National Social Security Authority “cannot locate” a US$3,4 million piece of land in Chegutu that it bought using pensioners’ money.

In her report on state enterprises and parastatals for the financial year ended 31 December, 2016, Auditor-General Mrs Mildred Chiri said Nssa bought land in Chegutu’s Hintonville Extension and then claimed it could not find it.

“There was no evidence of a written handover takeover between new executives and their predecessors. Handover takeover should have been documented and agreed between the concerned officers. As an example, land in Chegutu, Hintonville Extension valued at US$3 419 000 was written off in the year ended December 31, 2016 as the authority could not locate the land.”

Mrs Chiri also noted that Nssa had several investments that had been lying idle “for a significant period of time”.

The properties include the Dr Joshua Nkomo-initiated Ekusileni Medical Centre, National Blankets, Woodlands Town House, and number 8 Helens Drive in Harare. Meanwhile, the audit said the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission did not have title deeds for three houses valued at US$2,4 million allocated to its employees.

“The commission had no title deeds for the houses or any other documentary evidence that proved ownership. The houses were directly allocated to the commission’s employees. Upon enquiry, I was advised that the matter was under police investigation and as a result I was not able to verify ownership of these houses. The commission may have no legal recourse in the event of a legal dispute over ownership of the houses.”

In response Zacc said it was making follow-ups on the title deeds. Zacc was also prejudiced of US$400 000 after it bought its Mt Pleasant offices for US$1 680 000 instead of US$1 200 000. Mrs Chiri also pointed out flouting of tender procedures when the Central Mechanical Equipment Depot procured one million litres of fuel without going to tender; while TIMB incurred costs amounting to US$7 million without State Procurement Board approval. She went on, “The National Railways of Zimbabwe bought goods worth US$1,4 million that were not delivered, some of these date back as far as 2011.”