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Oliver Kazunga , Senior Business Reporter
THE recently constituted Affirmative Action Group (AAG) Bulawayo Chapter, has reaffirmed commitment to forge ahead with initiatives aimed at promoting broad-based economic empowerment in the city and supporting the National Development Strategy 1.
The National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), is an economic blueprint which charts policies, institutional reforms and national priorities needed from 2021-2025 from the country to achieve an upper middle-income economy under Vision 2030.
In an interview after paying a courtesy call to the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube early this week, AAG Bulawayo Chapter executive members said they held a lengthy discussion on various economic issues.
The chapter’s executive was accompanied by AAG national vice president Mr Mabutho Moyo and the national executive member responsible for business liaison, Mr Emmanuel Sunduza.
“We also need to find ways on how to have local industries or entrepreneurs benefiting from both Government tenders and city council tenders. Devolution must not be political only, it must also be economical, benefits must track down to everyone.
“The whole idea of NDS1 is that everyone must participate. One thing that we are saying to the local entrepreneurs is that no opportunities will knock at your door for you so everyone must be proactive and participate in these opportunities,” AAG Bulawayo provincial advisor, Mr Reggie Shoko said.
“It’s almost a year the Rent Board has not had a board for almost a year now so rent disputes where are they dealt with, we need to fast track such issues.”
The chapter’s provincial chairman, Mr Bukhosi Ncube said their meeting touched on issues driven by the Second Republic’s vision of an upper middle-class economy by 2030.
AAG is an economic empowerment lobby which strives to promote the interests of indigenous businesses, particularly the youths in agriculture, mining, manufacturing and tourism, among other sectors.
“As AAG, we are into unlocking opportunities for the indigenous businesses which are mainly for the youths because we believe that we are the future of our country and complementing the NDS1,” he said.
“We also touched on issues of rentals because the businesses that we run you find that landlords are wantonly increasing rentals of which that then suppresses business growth and development and thus crippling its sustenance.
“We want to engage property owners that it’s not only the Government or city council with the responsibility of ensuring that our city and business premises are kept clean but they can’t just be collecting rent without sprucing up the premises.
“For the investors to be lured it’s also the town that has to have a good look, so we did touch on that with the Minister. We want to engage the property owners to say paint your buildings or we engage the council that if you don’t paint your building, the council will paint it for you and then charge on your rates.”
During their engagement with the Minister, he said the Bulawayo City Council tendering system came under the spotlight.
“Of late, they (BCC) have told us that our people are not registering their companies and thus they cannot bid for tenders at city council. What we are saying is we want to encourage our own people to register and be able to go and tender so that we can verify if what council is saying is factual,” he said.
Mr Ncube said they also indicated to the Minister on the need for the city to have properly erected vending stalls as part of an empowerment initiative to vendors in the city.
AAG Bulawayo Chapter vice chairman Mr Brian Samuriwo who is also into mining said for Zimbabwe to achieve the US$12 billion mining economy by 2023, under NDS1, there is need to review multiple taxes charged in the mining sector. He said various tax regimes and lack of mechanisation impede productivity in the mining sector.
Mr Albert Mavhunga who heads the chapter’s agriculture committee, implored the Government to avail urban land for youthful entrepreneurs to embark on agricultural projects.
“Agriculture is an integral part of our economy and pivotal to resuscitation of industry hence we implore the Government to unveil urban land for entrepreneurs to embark on agricultural projects.
“There is a lot of idle land surrounding the city which the ministries of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, and the Local Government and Public Works can provide to the youths. On the other hand, the Ministry of Finance and Economic
Development should fund these start-ups so we can feed into NDS1 while empowering the masses,” he said.
In a separate interview, Minister Ncube said: “We discussed on what they presented to my office, what they think need to be addressed within the province regards economic empowerment and contribution to NDS1.
“It was quite a fruitful meeting and I strongly believe if supported, they will achieve a lot.” — @okazunga
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