Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe [email protected]
BULAWAYO’S industrial and commercial revival is gathering momentum, with Government today assessing three major projects expected to strengthen the city’s manufacturing, retail and employment base.
Special Advisor to the President Dr Joram Gumbo is scheduled to tour the projects, including the proposed multi-million-dollar Fairgrounds Retail Centre at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds, the Bulawayo Textile Manufacturing Centre and Delta Corporation’s new US$35 million brewhouse.
The projects span key sectors of the local economy and underline renewed investment activity in a city whose industrial base has declined significantly over the past two decades.
The Fairgrounds Retail Centre, being developed by Terrace Africa Pvt Ltd recently secured a development permit from the Bulawayo City Council, clearing a key regulatory hurdle for the commercial project.
The approval gives the investor greater certainty and paves the way for the next phase of development at the ZITF grounds.
Meanwhile, the proposed Bulawayo Textile Manufacturing Centre is being developed as part of Government’s efforts to strengthen small and medium enterprises and support the city’s re-industrialisation agenda.
The Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the city council in 2024 to facilitate establishment of the centre.
The project is expected to provide production capacity and opportunities for women-led enterprises, supporting employment creation, improved livelihoods and export growth.
The investment drive is also being reinforced by Delta Corporation’s US$35 million brewhouse project.
The group already operates the Belmont Lager Brewery and Chibuku Super plant in Fairbridge.
The new investment is expected to create hundreds of jobs while stimulating activity across the wider supply chain and contributing revenue to the national fiscus.
The projects come as several companies in Bulawayo’s Belmont industrial area increase capacity, refurbish facilities and invest in new infrastructure.
Government has in recent years placed emphasis on improving the ease of doing business, supporting local production and driving re-industrialisation as part of efforts to achieve the country’s broader economic development objectives.
The visit by Dr Gumbo provides an opportunity for Government to assess the progress of projects spanning retail, manufacturing and agro-industrial value chains, while identifying bottlenecks that could affect their completion and economic impact.
The combined investments also reinforce the potential for Bulawayo to rebuild its position as a major industrial and commercial hub, with new capital supporting production, employment and economic activity.
