Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe Zimpapers Business Hub
THE City of Bulawayo has granted Terrace Africa Pvt Ltd a development permit to establish a multi-million-dollar shopping mall at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds, with no objections raised by neighbouring property owners or adverse comments received from municipal departments, paving the way for the next phase of the commercial development.
The approval represents a significant regulatory milestone for the proposed Fairgrounds Retail Centre and provides greater certainty for the investor. However, construction remains subject to full compliance with all municipal requirements and conditions attached to the permit.
According to a council report, Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube advised councillors on 14 August that the local authority had received an application from Terrace Africa on 17 June 2025 seeking permission to establish the shopping mall. “The application had been advertised and adjacent property owners notified,” said Mr Dube. “No objections had been received. It had also been circulated to municipal departments and no adverse comments had been received.”
The development permit is subject to compliance with conditions set by the Town Planning Section, the Director of Water and Sanitation, Health Services, Housing and Community Services, as well as other applicable municipal by-laws and regulatory requirements.
Council said a site inspection carried out on 12 August 2026 established that construction of the shopping mall had not yet commenced, with the property still at the site-clearing stage. “The property was zoned commercial,” said Council.The development follows the laying of the foundation stone for the Fairgrounds Retail Centre by Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu in April, marking another step forward in the project’s progression towards full-scale construction.
Terrace Africa intends to develop a modern retail complex comparable in scale and design to Harare’s Greenfields Retail Centre, which was recently commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
The development is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.
The proposed mall is expected to introduce a permanent retail component to the ZITF precinct, complementing its long-established role as Zimbabwe’s premier exhibition, conference and business destination.
Its strategic location could provide retailers, food outlets, financial institutions and a range of service providers with access to substantial visitor traffic generated by the annual Zimbabwe
International Trade Fair and numerous other events hosted at the exhibition grounds throughout the year.
For Bulawayo, the investment comes at a time when the city is seeking to attract private sector capital, expand its commercial property portfolio and strengthen economic activity. The development is also expected to create employment opportunities during both the construction and operational phases, while stimulating downstream business activity in related sectors.
The project aligns with the Government’s Vision 2030 agenda, which prioritises infrastructure development, investment promotion and inclusive economic growth as key drivers of national transformation.
It is also expected to contribute to the broader modernisation and redevelopment of the ZITF precinct, strengthening its position as a commercial and investment hub while reinforcing
Bulawayo’s role as a regional centre for trade, commerce and industry.
With the public consultation process completed without objections, municipal departments having raised no adverse comments and the site already zoned for commercial use, the Fairgrounds Retail Centre has cleared a significant planning hurdle and moved a step closer to implementation.
