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THE battle between the First Family and Nestlé Zimbabwe thickened on Friday after the company turned away about 20 000 litres of milk from Gushungo Dairy Estate.
First Lady, Grace Mugabe owns the farm, after seizing it from a former white commercial farmer at the height of the controversial land reform programme.
Nestlé was one of the farm’s biggest customers.
The company was however forced to cut ties with Gushungo Dairy Estate two weeks ago.
This was after human rights groups protested against the company’s dealings with President Robert Mugabe, who they say masterminded the land invasions that have contributed to the food insecurity in Zimbabwe.
Before severing ties with Gushungo Dairy Estate, the farm was supplying between 10% and 15% of Nestlé’s milk after most of its traditional suppliers went out of business.
Sources said a tanker with the milk arrived at the company’s Southerton depot in Harare in the morning but spent the whole day outside the premises after management refused to accept it.
Zanu PF youths, led by Tongai, brother of Minister of Youth Development, Indigenisation and Empowerment Saviour Kasukuwere, are reported to have later visited the depot to try and force management to accept the milk.
Sources said Kasukuwere arrived at the depot with five other youths and held a meeting with management.
Nestlé Financial Director Farai Munetsi would not disclose details of the meeting.
He said the decision to stop accepting milk from the Gushungo Estate was a decision in the “public domain” but refused to comment further.
Munetsi referred The Standard to the Nestlé Group Global corporate communications team, which he said had the mandate to comment on all matters from the press. Despite assurances from Munetsi, Nestlé’s communications office had not responded by the time of going to press.
Over the last few weeks, activists have been up in arms against Nestlé for purchasing milk from Gushungo Dairy Estate.
BY BERTHA SHOKO AND JENNIFER DUBE
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