Boost for Mat’land as investor courts VP Mohadi

Robin Muchetu

VICE President Kembo Mohadi yesterday met with a delegation of investors in Bulawayo to discuss investment opportunities in the Matabeleland region.

During his engagement, he stated that the Government was committed to enhancing the ease of doing and will look into the proposals tabled, which are set to bring significant development.

The investor delegation from MAEC 87 International is keen to unlock more opportunities through a loan and a grant, which will see the three provinces of Matabeleland, Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South directly benefiting with the rest of the country reaping spin-offs from the venture once approved.

Emerging from the closed-door meeting with the investors, VP Mohadi, without delving much into the details, gave a brief of their private discussions.

“We had an engagement with investors that are interested in funding the development of the corridor, the Trans Limpopo Corridor from Beitbridge up to Victoria Falls hence we had the three Ministers of State for Matabeleland South, Minister of State for Bulawayo Metropolitan and the Minister of State as represent for Matabeleland North,” said VP Mohadi.

“We deliberated on that. They (investors) have a fund that they think they can advance to us. But there are certain technicalities that we have discovered of how we would have wanted it done”.

As the Second Republic focuses on transforming the economy towards Vision 2030, the Trans-Limpopo Spatial Development Corridor, a development initiative that is aimed at unlocking economic potential between Zimbabwe and South Africa, is one of the prime areas of interest.

It also seeks to ensure that the two countries engage and deliberate to improve the livelihoods of people positively.

VP Mohadi highlighted that the investment opportunities will further be analysed before a decision to bring them on board is made.

“So, we have adjourned and we have said to the Reserve Bank Governor and the funders themselves, the people advancing the loan, go and sit down and come and give us a position tomorrow (today) as to which is the legal or the right way to do this,” he said.

The investors pitched their proposals including funding modalities before the VP, Ministers of State for the three provinces where development will take place, the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe representative and other key representatives to this initiative.