Minister of ICT, Postal & Courier Services Supa Mandiwanzira has hit back at what he termed Econet‘s “highly political and defamatory” statement. Mandiwanzira urged the company to stick to business and not to interfere in politics.
Mandiwanzira also aked Econet to come clean to its customers on why they implemented much higher tariffs than those on the directive. Mandiwanzira said:
It may also be in their best interests to explain to their subscribers why their new tariffs were far higher than the floor price which they claim to have been complying to.
Mandiwanzira also claimed that Econet was actively leading and pushing for higher data prices because they had loans from European banks which were now due.
Econet must accept that they took the lead in determining the recent price hikes and records of meetings show. In fact, had it not been for Potraz, Econet wanted to charge far much more than the tariffs they eventually implemented before the ministry intervened. Documentary evidence is available to prove this.
….the company must take responsibility for its active role in seeking to draw more revenue from its subscribers, details of which are now public knowledge.It is also on record that Econet top management have been to my office, not only once, pleading that I do not approve proposals to decrease tariffs and that they be increased instead because their business was suffering and on the verge of being called out by European Banks from which they have received loans.
Read the full statement here
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