FUNDS earmarked for Lupane State University (LSU)’s livestock project may have been diverted or looted, an audit report by the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) has shown.
In 2022, LSU embarked on a cattle-rearing project, buying Nguni heifers from Michview Enterprises.
Zimdef was funding the project.
“A few out of 60 Nguni bulling heifers purchased from Michview Enterprises last year have been delivered to date,” the Zimdef report dated March 17 read in part.
“Of the 14 delivered, eight were cows and one was a calf instead of the heifers specified. Furthermore, there was no contract signed between the university and Michview Enterprises detailing terms and conditions.
“... According to the source, the supplier is still sourcing the cattle.”
The report said the LSU goat project was facing collapse.
“Three hundred and eighteen (318) goats were recorded as dead, 13 missing and 20 stolen,” the report said.
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“With the look of things, the university has failed to give back to the community anything since most of the goats have died. This has prompted Lupane community to write to Praz [Procurement Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe] so that they probe the procurement malpractices at LSU.”
It added: “The delivery costs were also overstated. Further audit enquiry revealed that the four pond liners were possibly overpriced.
“The invoice used to pay showed that each pond liner cost US$1 675, whereas an invoice obtained by audit from the same supplier showed that each cost US$890.
“The university could have been overcharged by US$3 140.”
Three Zimdef officials reportedly visited the university to conduct the audit.
LSU spokesperson Zwelithini Dlamini declined to comment on the matter.
