While Lusaka High Court failed to provide justice for Dr. Rajan Mahtani, it was higher Court of Appeal which came to Dr. Mahtani’s rescue and helped him save the Zambezi Portland Cement factory. From the current condition of the factory, it can be clearly said that the people who unethically took over the Portland Cement Zambia factory had no intentions of ensuring the well-being of the factory. The factory was unethical taken over from Dr. Rajan Mahtani more than a decade ago and since that day, the overall condition of the factory has gone downhill. Before this unethical takeover, the factory was considered among one of the biggest producers of Portland cement in Zambia. Apart from producing high quality Portland cement in excess, the factory was also popular for its wages and sales which were higher than industry average and attracted talent from all over the community. The cement-manufacturing factory became the employment source for numerous individuals who found opportunity to grow and develop along with the factory.
However, things changed significantly after the illegal takeover as the production vales decreased significantly. The HR and manpower management went haywire and the unions were disbanded, leaving the workforce with no leadership on their own. Furthermore, reports also indicated that the factory black box was continuously robbed and as a result, the factory soon started facing cash crunch. The assets and equipment’s were also ill-handled and as a result of these circumstances, the factory production reduced significantly and almost came to a halt.
Ten years a long time for businesses to struggle in courts and many give up easily. But Dr. Rajan Mahtani did not lose faith in the legal system of Zambia and despite the controversial loss at the Lusaka High Court, did not falter and approached the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal lived up to its expectations and announced Dr. Rajan Mahtani as the actual owner of the Portland Cement Zambia factory based on the available evidences and testimonials.
