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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Beitbridge Rural District Council has been primed for massive economic growth and is working on attracting investors to exploit their Special Economic Zone status.
The move follows the designation of the Mtetengwe area as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) by the Government on Tuesday.
Mtetengwe is located some 30 km west of the border town along the Beitbridge to Bulawayo highway.
In an extraordinary gazette on Tuesday, the government said the area had been proclaimed in line with the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (ZIDA) Act.
“Designation of Special economic zone…. It is hereby notified that the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency, in terms of section 31 of the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency Act (Chapter 14:38), has declared the area specified below to be a special economic zone with effect from 18 December 2023…”, reads part of the gazette.
“This covers a certain piece of land situated in the district of Beitbridge measuring five thousand, one hundred and sixty-three (5 163) hectares within Mtetengwe Communal lands, under the Beitbridge Rural District Council.
“A map of the area covered by the special economic zone will be available for inspection and the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency officer in Harare between 8 am and 4 pm between Mondays and Fridays other than public holidays”.
Council chief executive officer Mr Peter Moyo said yesterday that the area had a lot of investment opportunities in livestock production, citrus production, retail, warehousing, packaging, and horticulture among others.
He said there were also coal deposits in the area where further explorations and quality tests were underway.
Mr Moyo said they had already started planning a major project to transform the district’s economic growth.
“We are already planning on a missive plan to drive investment in the area, which has not only fertile lands for horticulture but is strategically located closer to markets in the town some 30 km along the Beitbridge to Bulawayo commercial road,” said Mr Moyo.
“The SEZ status is a welcome development in our district as we walk through the road to economic transformation. We have a lot of opportunities in Beitbridge awaiting exploitation”.
He said the local authority has, among other things, resolved to expeditiously process business proposals from investors to reduce the red tape that frustrates economic growth.
The official said they expected to have a lot of companies setting shop in the district under the SEZ facility.
Mr Moyo said the local authority takes issues of economic development seriously and that they were ready to approve the projects in the shortest possible time.
“We are better positioned as a district due to our location in the regional and international trade corridor,” he added. [email protected]
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu