Norilsk Nickel’s web of lies and deceit

Senior executives at Norilsk Nickel International stopped at nothing to milk Tati Nickel mine and other subsidiaries around the world millions of Pula in a greedy scheme to enrich themselves, Botswana Guardian has investigated.
At the centre of the recent controversy is the donation of the P8 million [$1.2 million] Mobile Telemedicine Unit (MTU) truck by Norilsk Nickel [through Tati Nickel mine] to the Ministry of Health in 2011.
While on the surface the donation appeared to be an innocent corporate social investment initiative, according to sources within the nickel company it was nothing but money making scheme that has left the government with good for nothing multi-million dollar equipment. Since the donation was presented amid fanfare to the Ministry of Health two years ago at an event that was attended by the minister of Health Dr. John Seakgosing, the mobile unit hasn’t been used. The unit currently lies idle at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in Francistown, Botswana Guardian has established. The MTU truck was supposed to provide clinical health care assistance to hundreds of North East residents in remote areas who are unable to access health care services.
The truck carries the equipment required to provide basic health case as well as carry out mass screenings for diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, cancer and many others. Fitted inside the truck is an X-ray machine, electrocardiograph (ECG) machine and other medical equipment.
On top of the truck is a satellite dish supposedly using Russian satellites to send and receive medical data linking it with health experts hundreds of miles away. It has since emerged that the Botswana government has been donated a dummy. This week Botswana Guardian reveals that the company that was engaged to supply the mobile truck is a pocket company set up by some influential executives of the company to milk millions from Norilsk subsidiaries, in particular Tati Nickel. The names of the direct beneficiaries of the company have been withheld.

Procurement
The decision to procure the expensive MTU truck, according to sources, was an extremely contentious one. Former Tati Nickel board chair Roman Panov is alleged to have championed the procurement of the truck, insisting that the company should buy from Russil Global and its affiliated companies only, something that has since raised suspicion.
The then Tati Nickel acting Managing Director Bogdan Kuzhel and members of Tati Nickel board were allegedly forced to fork out millions of Pula from Tati Nickel to purchase the unit against his will, Botswana Guardian can reveal on good authority. Sources allege that the purchase of the truck was not budgeted for, something that worried the officials at the mine. Further tender processes appeared to have not been followed in settling for Russil Global. Further, investigations by this newspaper show that Russil Global is a Cyprus registered company that does not have any business portfolio.
It appears that the company has supplied MTU trucks in Botswana and South Africa. In 2011 Norilsk Nickel donated a similar MTU truck to Nkandla – South African president Jacob Zuma’s home village in Kwa Zulu Natal. The handover ceremony was attended by Zuma and top executive of Norilsk Nickel executives. Botswana Guardian can reveal that the MTU truck in Nkadla has also not been working for more than a year now, raising speculation that the company may have also donated sub-standard equipment to the village.
Inflated prices
Botswana Guardian  revealed this week that the cost of a single mobile telemedicine truck is nowhere near P8 million. The cost of a single truck including the shipping of the truck according to a specialist in the mobile telemedicine equipment in Australia is around $350 000 (P 2.7 million). “It was clear that some of the company executives raked millions of dollars from the sale,” said a source at Tati Nickel mine. In addition, Tati Nickel paid Russil Global more than 100,000 US dollars to train the 11 MoH staff.  Documents seen by this newspaper show that Russil is not certified to offer training on the use of the MTU.  The company allegedly teamed up with another South African company that is also not certified to offer training on MTU.
Company nowhere to be found
Reliable sources this week told Botswana Guardian that repeated efforts by Tati Nickel to contact Russil Global have not been successful. “We have made efforts to ask them to repair the vehicle but we have not been able to establish the company’s whereabouts. It appears that they don’t have any officers in Cyprus let alone in Russia,” said an inside source this week. Roman Panov, the man who introduced the company to Tati Nickel mine, resigned from the company few months ago. With the company a nowhere to be found Tati Nickel, is said to be contemplating maintaining the multimillion Pula unit. This week Tati Nickel management was at pains to explain why the donation to the MoH was malfunctional. Tebogo Rapitsenyane. Tati Nickel Public Relations manager confirmed that the MTU truck was not working due to mechanical and satellite connectivity problems. “The satellite at the base station is not connected to communicate with the truck, and we have made all efforts to get the contractor (Russil Global) who was in charge to put the MTU in operational mode but to no avail,’’ said RapitsenyaneHe said that the issue has been handed over to Norilsk Nickel offices in Moscow and the legal team is taking care of it. Asked if the truck was not under guarantee, TNMC public relations manager said that it had one year guarantee which has expired.
MoH officials in darkness
While Botswana Guardian findings have revealed that the MTU truck donated to MoH has not been used since 2011 and kept in Francistown, MoH spokesperson Doreen Motshegwa said in fact it was being used in the northern parts of the country. This is false. Botswana Guardian team on Wednesday this week inspected the truck at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital and found that it was not in good condition. Sources have also confirmed that the truck has not been operating ever since it was donated. 
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