Govt to decongest complex

place, a Cabinet minister has said.
Small to Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni expressed the need for entrepreneurs to operate in a safe environment.
She said this while touring the complex, which recently caught fire and furniture and equipment worth thousands of dollars was destroyed.

“There is need to relieve the space from congestion since this might have contributed to the fire,” she said. “The complex has around 1 500 to 2 000 entrepreneurs working when it is supposed to house 400. There is need to allocate a new space for the entrepreneurs to do business in a safe area which is less congested.”
The minister, however, could not disclose where they will relocate the entrepreneurs.

She said SMEs’ should have insurance policies to ensure their workplaces were protected.
“It’s time we have a strict code of conduct, no smoking in the complex and electric gadgets must be treated with caution. Again, to protect our goods, entrepreneurs’ should have insurance policies,” she said.
Minister Nyoni urged the entrepreneurs to form clusters to ease congestion.

“Currently there is training in different centres around the country, there can be more clusters like this one,” she said.
The Glen View Furniture Complex Board chairman, Mr Samuel Muzamindo, said congestion was one of their major challenges.
“We are appealing to banks and other stakeholders to assist in decongesting the complex as well as develop infrastructure since bad weather is affecting business, especially the rains.

“Government has identified a place for business people here at the complex, this will be of great relief,” he said
Mr Muzamindo added: “Government could assist by organising workshops for entrepreneurs’ within Sadc to interchange ideas for marketing within the region.”

He encouraged banks to consider the SMEs’ board to be responsible for the security when giving loans.
“This is because most people here do not have collateral to make them eligible for loans yet banks need security,” he added.