A South African-registered aviation services company has filed a lawsuit against Air Zimbabwe (UM, Harare International) seeking to recover USD210,000 it says was advanced to the struggling national airline after one of its aircraft and crew were stranded in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) earlier this year, reports Harare-based daily NewsDay Zimbabwe.
Citing the summons, the newspaper reported that Jetex (Private) Ltd said it provided financial assistance in May 2025 after Air Zimbabwe’s B767-200ER and 14 crew members were grounded in the DRC in January 2025 after fighting erupted in Goma between DRC soldiers and M23 rebels. At the time, Air Zimbabwe was wet-leasing the aircraft to DRC startup Mont Gabaon Airlines (Goma), but the contract was cancelled after the aircraft was grounded.
The company alleges it paid for the crew’s food, accommodation, per diems, handling, maintenance, logistics, and parking fees on the airline’s request, with the promise of repayment once the aircraft returned to Zimbabwe.
According to ADS-B data, B767-200ER Z-WPF (msn 24867) has been parked at Harare International since June 28, 2025. It had operated in the DRC on behalf of Mont Gabaon between September 1, 2024, and January 1, 2025, when it was ferried from Goma via Kinshasa N'Djili to Harare.
Jetex submitted that on a separate occasion around May 2024, Air Zimbabwe had requested that it cover pilot training costs in Brussels and advanced funds for fuel at Air Zimbabwe’s request, but the carrier has failed to reimburse the amounts despite repeated demands.
Represented by Harare-based Gumbo-Venge Law Attorneys, Jetex is asking for a court order to force Air Zimbabwe to settle the debt with interest and pay legal costs.
Air Zimbabwe has not yet publicly responded to the lawsuit.
ch-aviation has contacted the airline and Jetex's attorneys for comment.
