Jetex helped
Air Zimbabwe to remove its 14-member crew that had been grounded in Goma after
landing during the conflict between DRC soldiers and M23 in May this year.
In the summons,
the company cited Air Zimbabwe as the defendant.
Jetex, a
company duly registered in terms of the laws of South Africa, is being
represented by Gumbo-Venge Law Attorneys.
According to
the summons, Jetex is seeking to recover US$210 000 advanced to Air Zimbabwe on
various occasions as per its requests communicated through chief executive
Edmund Makona and his counterpart Matipedza Karase from May 8 to 25 this year.
The Air
Zimbabwe aircraft and 14 crew members were grounded in the DRC after landing in
Goma and failing to operate or make its way back to Zimbabwe.
Jetex submitted
that during that period, Air Zimbabwe had leased its aircraft, a Boeing
767-200ER to Mont Gabaon Airlines, which lease was cancelled by the national
airliner after the aircraft was grounded in Goma.
It was
submitted that during the same period, Air Zimbabwe then sought financial
assistance from Jetex.
The details of
the financial requests were that Jetex would cater for the crew’s food and
accommodation expenses to the tune of US$83 300 for the 17 days the aircraft
was grounded in Goma.
Air Zimbabwe
reportedly requested Jetex to pay the per diems to the crew on a daily basis,
amounting to US$47 600 for the period the aircraft was grounded.
Additionally,
the airliner reportedly requested Jetex to cater for its aircraft’s handling,
bus, logistics and maintenance fees amounting to US$34 000.
Jetex was also
requested to pay Air Zimbabwe aircraft parking fees in DRC amounting to US$11
700 and paid the requested sums based on the national airliner’s promise to
settle the debt on the jet’s arrival in Zimbabwe.
It was
submitted that the debt remain due, but Air Zimbabwe has neglected to pay
despite demand.
Jetex submitted
that on a separate occasion around May 2024, Air Zimbabwe further requested it
to assist with effecting payment to its pilots to be flown to Brussels in
Belgium for a training programme.
In that regard,
Jetex made another payment of US$11 000 and the amount is due for payment, but
Air Zimbabwe neglected to pay the debt despite demand from the debtor.
It was also
submitted that in another incident, Air Zimbabwe requested Jetex to advance it
with the sum of US$22 400 for fuel and the plaintiff provided the assistance
based on the parties’ working relationship, trusting that the debtor would
repay on time.
Air Zimbabwe
again failed to repay despite the amount being due, with the debt ballooning to
US$210 000, leading to the current lawsuit.
Jetex submitted
that Air Zimbabwe had no grounds for withholding the money hence it was seeking
the court's intervention in the recovery of the amount plus interest at the
prescribed rate from the date of issuance of the summons to the date of full
and final settlement of the debt.
Jetex also
wants an order that Air Zimbabwe pays the costs of suit on an attorney-client
scale. Newsday
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