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FULL TEXT: DIDG Optimistic NRZ Deal Will Be Concluded Within Six Months

4 years agoFri, 24 May 2019 02:24:45 GMT
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FULL TEXT: DIDG Optimistic NRZ Deal Will Be Concluded Within Six Months

Diaspora Infrastructure Development Group (DIDG), a consortium of investors, partnered South Africa’s Transnet in 2017 and won the $400 million tender to revive the National Railways of Zimbabwe. Below are excerpts from an interview between NewsDay (ND) reporter Mthandazo Nyoni and DIDG executive chairman Donovan Chimhandamba (DC) to understand why the deal’s takeoff was delayed. 

ND: What is your comment on Transport minister Joel Biggie Matiza’s statement that the deal has hit a funding snag?

While it is important to note that the framework agreement (FA) was seen as essential by the parties, it is not a generic construct of the Zimbabwe National Procurement Act (SPB/PRAZ) and Ministry of Finance Joint Venture Act process and thus does not encumber the actual tender award to the DIDG-Transnet Consortium, it is a holding agreement which provides the “framework” within which the parties sought to work to accomplish a set of itemised activities within agreed timeframes.

In view of the activities that are still outstanding under the FA, Transnet-DIDG Consortium requested and obtained approval for the extension of the agreement for a further period of six months, which is up to August 14 2019, to enable the parties to conclude the required activities and ensure that all project agreements are in place.

ND: Why has it taken so long for the deal to be concluded?

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DC: There are regulatory approvals that are required for government entities such as Transnet that they need to obtain and such processes have prescribed Acts and timelines that they actually have to follow. Large complex deals of this nature must follow due process which itself necessarily takes time. Tied into this are all the other transaction agreements we need to conclude which the legal teams are finalising.

ND: Are you optimistic that the deal would be concluded within six months extension period that have been given?

DC: We remain positive and optimistic that we will close the transaction and we are on the ground to cover the gaps.

More: NewsDay

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