EMMB Africa — touted as one the best training institutes
for earth-moving equipment operators — has been awarded a Government contract
to train hundreds of children of war veterans, charging $2 000 fees per head
when it does not have a single fully-functional machine, The Herald can reveal.
Government, through the War Veterans’ Fund, pays money
directly to EMMB Africa for training of interested children of war veterans,
but the intended beneficiaries have cried foul over the quality of training
which has seen a lesson running for less than 10 minutes.
Recently, EMMB Africa was awarded a contract to train the
children, but the unavailability of adequate earth-moving machinery for
training has compromised the quality of education.
At times the trainees are taken to third parties carrying
out construction work as far as Norton, just to have a feel of earth-moving
equipment as part of the lessons. An investigation has shown that the company
only owns an old model dozer machine and a folklift which is defective and
appears to be on display at its stand at the Harare Exhibition Park.
Government might be losing thousands of dollars to the
company and its associate PATAB Driving School, which are proving to be
incapacitated to train the ballooning number of trainees with limited
resources.
The company is paid through the War Veterans’ Fund, which
is under the Ministry of Defence and War Veterans.
EMMB and PATAB institutions, which were recommended by the
Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association to train
their members in earth-moving machines and Class Two driving lessons, continues
to recruit hundreds of trainees and receive thousands of dollars from the
Government amid reports they were failing to adequately equip them with the
necessary skills.
Most trainees at PATAB Driving School, which is a sister
company to EMMB, said the training school had reneged on its undertaking to
offer 30-minute lessons for prospective Class-Two drivers, resulting in the
institution training people for less than 10 minutes.
Allegations have also been raised that the institution
resorts to paying $200 bribes to Vehicle Inspectorate Department (VID)
officials to facilitate easy issuance of licences to their “half-baked”
trainees.
“Students were told that they will do 30 minutes for
driving lessons at PATAB Driving School, but now they are told their fees have
been eroded by inflation and it is now equivalent to 10 or less minutes of
practical lessons. What is surprising most of us is that Government would have
paid these institutions in time, but because they recruit too many people, they
end up failing to meet the demands and in turn produce half-baked drivers, yet
they would have used the money,” the student said.
Another trainee who refused to be named said because the
institution does not have the requisite machinery and equipment, trainees are
now forced to spend more than a month for a course which is supposed to last
two weeks.
The trainees said this will end up in them living in
unconducive boarding environments where they would at times get one meal a day.
Another one concurred with her counterpart and said EMMB does not have enough
machines to train the trainees.
“EMMB does not have enough machines to train a huge number
of students within a short space of time.
“On one occasion, I remember we went to Norton for our
practical lessons, we were supposed to operate a dozer and EMMB has an old one
which does not even function well,” the trainee said.
“In Norton, we were then shown a bulldozer, and only made
to lay our hands on it for less than 10 minutes per person and we were told
that was enough and we were ready to go. But honestly, we did not learn
anything.
“We learnt later that EMMB did not own the dozer, but had
made a deal with the person operating it on that particular day to train us
even without the approval of the owner.”
“I also was trained to operate a forklift, grader and a
front loader, and it took me close to six weeks despite being told that it
would take me only two weeks.
“The problem is the institution has no machines which can
cater for a huge number of students.”
Some trainees, mostly form Masholand East, have since
written to the Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans Association (ZNLWVA)
and Government through their organisation, seeking an urgent intervention to
their plights. They are seeking an investigation into the allegations and have
since engaged the Department of War Veterans.
ZNLWVA national spokesperson Cde Douglas Mahiya confirmed
receiving a request from Children of Zimbabwe National Liberation War Veterans
Association to investigate issues suspected to be taking place at the said
institutions.
“I received a complaint regarding children doing
earthmoving machine training at EMMB and those taking driving lessons at PATAB
Driving School, in Harare. We were asked to investigate issues associated with
corrupt activities and ill-treatment of these children by the institutions. We
will urgently look into the matter, we are going to carry out investigations
and get to the bottom of it as soon as possible,” Cde Mahiya said.
Owner of EMMB and PATAB Driving School Mr John Manjengwa
could not deny or confirm having inadequate earthmoving equipment.
He also denied corruptly engaging VID officers on issuance
of licences. “I am a law-abiding citizen who does not engage in corrupt
activities. I simply offer lessons to trainees until they are capable of driving
and operating machines.”
He also challenged Government to timeously pay for the
courses to avoid erosion of the funds by inflation.
“Government has not been paying the fees in time. By the
time the money reflects in our account, it would have already been eroded by
inflation.
“That compromises the quality of services we offer,” he
said. Herald
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