HARARE – Lawyers for Zimbabwean billionaire Simon Rudland have issued an urgent demand to the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation to retract a “defamatory” article accusing him of financing violent protests aimed at overthrowing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s government.
The ZBC was given two days to retract the article under threat of legal action.
Rudland’s lawyer Norman Chimuka of Chimuka Mafunga Commercial Attorneys wrote to ZBC CEO Sugar Chagonda on Tuesday demanding “a full, unconditional, and unreserved withdrawal” of the article along with “an expression of regret” over the statements made about Rudland.
The ZBC article, published on March 10 and titled “Kasukuwere, Mambondiyani plot violent protest using Biti’s forum, ZINASU and bloggers as fronts,” alleged that Rudland was “the major sponsor of these machinations” and had “wired substantial amounts of money to bankroll the demonstrations, with more expected from his foreign networks.”
The article named Rudland alongside self-exiled former cabinet minister Saviour Kasukuwere and activist Danmore Mambondiyani, accusing the three of attempting to “orchestrate violent mass protests aimed at effecting unconstitutional regime change.” This would be achieved, the article claimed, through supporting the Constitutional Defenders Forum, a new organisation led by former finance minister Tendai Biti which is resisting moves to extend President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s term by two years.
Rudland’s lawyers said the statements were understood by any reasonable reader to mean that Rudland was “financing plans to violently and unconstitutionally overthrow an elected government,” amounting to an imputation of treason. The lawyers said ZBC published the article “without contacting our client for verification as required by professional and responsible journalism.”
“The article falsely imputes treasonous actions to our client while relying on and hiding behind unverified sources,” the letter states.
The lawyers warned that if ZBC fails to retract the article, Rudland will seek an injunction and damages “without further notice.”
Born in Harare in 1971, Rudland is one of Zimbabwe’s wealthiest businessmen, with a portfolio valued at more than US$1 billion spanning tobacco, mining, construction, logistics, agriculture and manufacturing across the region.
He co-founded Gold Leaf Tobacco Corporation (GLTC) with business partner Yakub Mahomed, building it into one of Southern Africa’s largest cigarette manufacturers and distributors under the Rudland & George (RG) brand.
His Cut Rag Processors (CRP) factory – a US$120 million facility in Harare’s Aspindale industrial area fitted with German and Italian technology – is designed to transform Zimbabwe’s raw tobacco into value-added cut rag for export to Asian and regional markets. 
Rudland co-founded Pioneer Transport in 1995 alongside his brother Hamish, a logistics company that later expanded into Pioneer Corporation Africa (PCA) through acquisitions including Unifreight, owners of Swift Transport, Bulwark and Clan. 
He owns farms, mines in Zimbabwe and the Democratic Republic of Congo, a logistics company and a bus company.  His companies employ more than 10,000 people across the region. 
The Rudland brothers have also been active investors on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, acquiring stakes in the financial and reinsurance group Zimre through their investment vehicle Day River Corporation and in agricultural company CFI Holdings.
In 2019, Rudland survived an assassination attempt when he was shot three times outside the Fair Trade Independent Tobacco Association offices in Johannesburg. No-one was ever charged.
Sources familiar with the latest matter say the campaign against Rudland may have been triggered after individuals allegedly aligned with Zanu PF attempted to solicit financial support from him. When he reportedly declined, the online campaign followed. 
Rudland has denied the latest accusations outright. His lawyers say the allegations “falsely and maliciously accuse him of sponsoring a sedition and insurrection against an elected government.”
ZBC had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication. – ZimLive
