In the past few years, entrepreneurs and businesses from the two provinces were lumped together with those from Bulawayo during a joint regional awards ceremony held in Bulawayo.
ZNCC regional manager Mr Bulisani Ncube said now that the chamber had fully-fledged offices in Victoria Falls for Matabeleland North and Gwanda to service Matabeleland South, it had decided that each province should hold its own business awards ceremony.
“The awards ceremony for Matabeleland North will be on the 16th of this month in Victoria Falls while that for Matabeleland South will be held at the end of January,” he said.
Mr Ncube said winners from each category of the two inaugural ceremonies would qualify to compete for regional awards and the event will be in Bulawayo in March.
The winners are expected to be rewarded for their efforts in 13 categories that include Exporter of the Year in sectors that include mining, agriculture and manufacturing, Tour operator of the Year, Businesswoman of the Year, Businessman of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Best Corporate social responsibility and Best HIV/AIDS programme at the workplace.
Mr Ncube said preparations for the Victoria Falls event were well on course adding that ZNCC was happy with the sponsorship the chamber had so far received from stakeholders.
“We are happy with the progress we have made in preparation for the event. The selection process of nominees is complete; the venue for the function has been secured and the date has been confirmed. The criteria for the selection process considered aspects such as good corporate citizenry and the ability to meet statutory obligations such as payment of corporate tax.
“We are also happy even in terms of sponsorship that we have received from banks and Old Mutual.
“The guest speaker at the awards ceremony will be a senior official from CABS so that he speaks about the loans they are offering which range between $5 000 and $50 000,” he said



