Maropafadzo Energy, a fuel company operating in Norton, recently found itself in legal trouble due to unauthorized dealings in petroleum products.
The company was arraigned before the Norton Magistrates Court on charges related to selling fuel without the necessary license.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), on February 28, 2024, an official from the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) visited Maropafadzo Energy’s premises along South Road in Norton.
During the inspection, the ZERA official observed an employee at the service station selling both petrol and diesel to customers.
The official introduced himself and requested the company’s ZERA retail license. However, Maropafadzo Energy failed to provide the required license.
The ZERA official then issued a Notice to the service station, instructing them to produce the ZERA retail license either at the nearest ZERA offices or the nearest police station by March 11, 2024. The company did not comply within the stipulated timeframe.
On March 13, 2024, the ZERA official, accompanied by the police, revisited the service station.
To their dismay, Maropafadzo Energy continued its operations, selling petroleum products to the public without proper authorization.
As a consequence, the service station was prohibited from operating until it rectified its operations per ZERA requirements.
During the inspection, authorities seized 218 litres of petrol and 4,764 litres of diesel from the service station as evidence of illegal activity.
The Norton Magistrates Court found Maropafadzo Energy guilty of dealing in petroleum products without a license and imposed a fine of US$600 on the company as a penalty for its actions.
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Petroleum Dealer Fined US$600 For Operating Without A Permit

A Bulawayo fuel service station, Meizon Petroleum, was on Thursday arraigned before Magistrate Nomagugu Maphosa for selling contaminated diesel.
The fuel retailer, represented by Rangarirai Levison, pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined US$300 by the magistrate.
The court heard that on 19 September 2022, Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) inspectors visited the Meizon Petroleum fuel station to verify whether its fuel met set standards.
They extracted a sample from the diesel pump and tested it in the laboratory with the results revealing that the fuel was contaminated. The lawyer, Levison, said:
<blockquote>
We did not know that we sold contaminated diesel fuel. The company is small, it does not have any of the machines for testing fuel before purchasing it and in Zimbabwe, there are no retailers selling these testing machines.
</blockquote>
In May 2022, motorists alleged that a fuel service station at Lupane centre was allegedly selling petrol contaminated with water.
ZERA chief executive Addington Mazambane urged motorists to quickly report all cases of suspected fuel contamination so that the authorities can investigate and institute corrective measures.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Fuel Service Station Fined US$300 Over Contaminated Diesel

Redan Kerosine (Pvt) Limited (RKL) has filed opposition papers to a lawsuit by Alex Park homeowners seeking to block its plans to construct a service station in the area.
This comes after Alex Park residents took RKL, Mark Campbell Hounsell, City of Harare (CoH), CoH Department of Works, and town planner a Mr Mudzengerere to court on 04 August.
In the court papers, Hounsell is cited by Alex Park residents to be the one to have sold the property to RKL, a local energy firm, where the proposed service station will be built.
The residents argue that the potential development infringes on the “environmental rights” of the residents that include the right to due process and accountable town planning procedures.
They also accused CoH, CoH Department of Works and Mudzengerere of actively obstructing their rights to fair and reasonable administrative conduct by failing to follow peremptory provisions of the Regional Town and Country Planning Act.
Elena Gonye is the first applicant of 49 of the Alex Park residents who brought the initial lawsuit to the High Court.
Gonye resides close to the proposed development.
In the notice of opposition dated August 17, 2023, RKL director Lindsay Eleanor Earle disputed that the due processes were not followed. Said Earle:
<blockquote>
Other than the first applicant, Elena Gonye, no evidence has been placed before the court regarding the basis of interests of the other 48 applicants in the development at the corner of Swan Drive and Churchill Avenue.
There is no evidence that any of the 48 applicants resident in the area are affected by this development.
They have not disclosed the addresses where they live and how they would be affected by this particular development.
There is no evidence placed before the court showing why they claim they ought to have been served individually with the notice of the application by the second respondent (Hounsell).
</blockquote>
She further argued that not all the applicants own or live in the properties to the proposed development.
The Alex Park residents who spoke to <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/thestandard/business/article/200015848/redan-alex-park-residents-feud-takes-new-twist">The Standard</a> said that they were not furnished with a copy of the change of use from residential to commercial.
However, according to the notice of opposition, RKL stated that Christopher and Mary English, Edward Mapokotera and Overbrook Investments gave special consent for the property development.
All of these people are directly impacted by the development.
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New Redan Service Station Irks Alex Park Residents

A four-member armed gang robbed FSI Service Station in Gweru along the Harare-Bulawayo Highway of US$1 200, cellphones, and a laptop among other gadgets.
Police said the robbery incident occurred on 12 March around 9 PM.
ZRP spokesperson in Midlands Province, Inspector Emmanuel Mahoko, said the suspects parked their vehicle a few meters from the garage.
One of the suspects went to the service station holding a jerry can pretending to be a customer who wanted to buy fuel. Said Insp Mahoko:
<blockquote>
Two fuel attendants, Allan Jila (38) and Mlungisi Kasunzuma were on duty at the filling station.
An unknown male adult parked a silver Honda Fit and requested to buy fuel using a jerry can after giving the impression that the vehicle had run out of fuel.
</blockquote>
Insp Mahoko said the suspect then produced a pistol and force-marched the employees into the office.
The other three suspects swiftly disembarked from the vehicle and joined him. Added Insp Mahoko:
<blockquote>
They demanded keys to the safe that they were given and they opened the safe and took US$1 206 cash.
They also searched the employees and took their cellphones and an HP laptop before speeding off in the same vehicle.
</blockquote>
Police are appealing for information that may lead to the arrest of the suspects. Said Insp Mahoko:
<blockquote>
We are appealing to members of the public who might have information that might lead to the arrest of these suspects to approach any nearest police station.
We also urge people who operate businesses to consider putting water-tight security systems to safeguard their investments.
</blockquote>
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