adminFOR many years, Ms Precious Sibanda (42), a widowed mother of three has been operating a kitchen at Lupane Business Centre.
Her customers are workers from the centre and some visitors but she is unhappy about the low business.
“Since the centre was granted provincial capital status, I am still struggling for survival. When I heard the news about Lupane being granted the provincial capital status, I thought business would flourish, but nothing has changed. We are struggling for survival. My only source of income is from selling isitshwala, reed mats and brooms, but the business is very low. Surely there is no progress. On a good day I take home $5,” said Ms Sibanda.
Lupane is the provincial capital for Matabeleland North. However, the infrastructure at the place is so poor as to make it unfit to be a provincial capital. When the centre was designated to be the provincial capital in 1999, the Government made an undertaking to develop the centre. The community embraced the promise with much anticipation for a business boom.
Indeed a considerable amount of work has been done building the government complex, augmenting water supply and building Lupane State University. A few heads of government ministries have successfully relocated from Bulawayo to Lupane, as part of efforts to show the Government’s commitment to making it a real provincial capital.
The Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, Cde Cain Mathema operates from there. His predecessor, Cde Thokozile Mathuthu, then Governor and Resident Minister was the first top provincial government representative to operate from there.
The Government complex, to house the resident minister’s office and other provincial heads is not yet complete. Development of infrastructure has been slow because of lack of money. This has meant that Lupane remains a growth point. Matabeleland North is the only province whose capital is not a town.
Inadequate water supply, lack of proper infrastructure, absence of electricity and poor road networks are still synonymous with the provincial capital. Cde Mathema said developments are moving on well, though at a snail pace due to unavailability of funds.
“Construction of the government offices and other developmental projects are going on well though at a slow pace due to the unavailability of funds. The Bubi-Lupane Dam is expected to be commissioned soon as the installation of the purification plant is done,” said Cde Mathema.
Lupane is located in a province endowed with abundant natural resources such as coal, coal bed methane gas, hardwood timber and wildlife. Ms Beauty Ndlovu, a vegetable vendor, complained about the slow progress in the construction of the Lupane State University. She said if the local university was completed, the centre would attract more people and investment in the rovince would flourish.
“We are now pinning our hopes for the opening of the university. More people will come at the centre if the university is opened and people like us who survive on vending and other informal trades might experience a boom.
“Government should expedite the construction of the university for the benefit of the local community. Though developments at the centre are moving at a slow pace we hope the opening of the university would become the nerve centre for development and will attract many investments and create employment for our jobless children,” said Ms Ndlovu.
A prominent Lupane businessman, Mr Alfred Dhliwayo said: “The centre has potential if the Government finishes a number of projects such as the completion of the local university, the Elitsheni Government Complex, Lupane provincial hospital and the Bubi-Lupane Dam. These projects form the nerve centre which would ensure development in the province. At the moment there is no much business, so we have since closed some of our shops,” said Mr Dhliwayo
Matabeleland North Provincial Administrator, Ms Latiso Dlamini said many projects at Lupane were hampered by lack of funding.
“Many of the projects in the province have failed to be completed on time due to lack of funding and there is a need to source enough funds to complete some of the Government projects. The Elitsheni Government Complex is not yet connected with water and electricity. Many Government workers have no accommodation,” she said. Kusile District Administrator, Mr Christopher Chuma feels that the completion of work on the university would be the key to stimulating growth of Lupane. “The poor funding for the completion of the local State university is the major missing link for a business boom at the centre. Once the university is finished and opened, a number of business opportunities are going to open up in this area. When the university starts operating, we are going to witness a boom in business and an upsurge in investment at the centre”, said Chuma. Lupane State University is operating from rented premises in Bulawayo, about 120 kilometres away. It was inaugurated in October 2004 and not much progress had been made in the construction of the university at its campus due to lack of funding.
The university has a bias towards agricultural degree programmes such as livestock production and wildlife management, soil engineering and veterinary medicine. This is expected to give impetus for development and technological research which will assist the agricultural and wildlife industries in the province which hosts the country’s top tourist destination, Victoria Falls.
The university public relations officer, Mr Zwelithini Dlamini bemoaned the slow progress in the completion of the building of the institution.
He said the institution’s bias towards agricultural sciences would help spearhead the exploitation of the natural resources in the province through the provision of expertise and research to investors in timber processing and mining.
“The university will be the nerve centre for every business development in the area. The university is located in a province endowed with a lot of untapped natural resources such as the hardwood timber, coal and methane gas.
“We expect the opening up of the university to create thousands of jobs for the local people and many investment opportunities in the retail and hospitality industry will be attracted as soon as the university starts operating in the area. However, we are worried about the poor funding which is delaying the completion of the university,” said Mr Dlamini.
Online Reporter