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The National Social Security Authority says demand for office space at its 140-room Beitbridge Hotel is on the rise.
NSSA has an existing contract with the Rainbow Tourism Group for Beitbridge Hotel but other suitors are said to be interested in leasing part of the hotel.
“We are receiving interest from other investors and business people who want office space at the hotel,” said NSSA general manager James Matiza.
He, however, could not release the details of the potential suitors but said business is brisk in Beitbridge hence the interest from the business community.
“We are considering a firm proposal from business people who want to work with the RTG at the hotel,” said Matiza.
He said NSSA was considering approaching RTG with the proposal but the tourism and hospitality group is reluctant to share the property.
NSSA is awaiting a permanent Certificate of Occupation from Beitbridge Town Council for the hotel.
Matiza said the authority had submitted all the paperwork required to regularise occupation of the property.
“We are working on an official date of opening which will be in July,” said Matiza.
The town council’s engineers are currently assessing the architectural designs and the report compiled by NSSA’s newly-appointed architect, Arthur Matondo, before authorisation to operate the hotel is granted.
The delay in receiving the permanent Certificate of Occupation from Beitbridge Town Council was caused by differences between NSSA and the architect for the project, Daniel Mandishona.
Mandishona held on to the architectural drawings until he had received outstanding fees.
An arbitrator throughout Mandishona’s claim for $1.7 million paving way for the authority to regularise its occupation of the hotel.
NSSA cancelled the management contract at the advice of the State Procurement Board because of potential conflict of interest where Mandishona was the architect and project manager.
The SPB argued that Mandishona could not supervise himself.
Online Reporter