Matabeleland North key to economic growth

MATABELELAND North is strategic to the country’s economic growth due to its mandate to produce electricity and coking coal, which is critical in iron and steel production.

Coal manufacturing companies in Matabeleland North are the producers of the best coking coal in southern Africa and the country exports the product across Southern Africa.

Engaging with delegates who attended the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) Media Indaba in Bulawayo yesterday, Zanu-PF spokesperson, Ambassador Christopher Mutsvangwa, said although he was not scheduled to speak, he felt compelled to respond to a participant who had raised concern that Matabeleland North had dilapidated roads.

He said with the country’s development trajectory, it was important to revive an efficient transport network in Matabeleland North.

“It is true that Matabeleland North is not having roads but to pick your minds on very important developments that are happening in Matabeleland North. It makes it imperative that the roads and not just the roads but railways come back,” he said.

“When the first railway line came into the country from Cape Town it went to Matabeleland North to Hwange, then afterwards, the railway line passed to Bulawayo headed to Harare.

“This highlights the importance of Matabeleland North in Zimbabwe because that is the source and the most reliable source of electricity to Zimbabwe. Even now with climate change, it is best in Africa and has the highest quality in terms of coke.”

Amb Mutsvangwa said for Zimbabwe to develop the country has to focus on Matabeleland North and unlock more of its opportunities.

“Without Matabeleland North, forget about the development of Zimbabwe. We must understand where we went wrong was this lack of recognition on why the colonial railway line was built in a certain manner,” he said.

Amb Mutsvangwa said the Second Republic was focused on driving private sector-led economic growth in which Matabeleland North will claim its strategic position to the development of Zimbabwe.

He said in the coming months Chinese Tsingshan Group Holdings is expected to commence steel manufacturing at its Manhize plant in Mvuma, which will increase the need for power generation.

“In the next three, four to five months we are going to start producing steel at a world-class scale at Manhize. What does that mean for Matabeleland North? It’s two things, coal power stations will need to be built to support the steel plants,” said Amb Mutsvangwa.

“That has to go to 5 000MW as we would be producing up to 10 million tonnes in the next five years. What does it mean for Matabeleland North? Already the coking coal that is needed for the steel plant is being produced in Matabeleland North.

“The roads that are being damaged now it’s because a lot of trucks that are coming from South Africa are going to Hwange to carry coking coal to Hwange. We are exporting coking coal to South Africa.”

He said the projects that are being implemented will require new infrastructure development.

Amb Mutsvangwa said private sector-led investment projects might result in Government surpassing the 2030 target.

“But a development agenda is coming that rapidly changes things within a short space of time that existing infrastructure is not coping. But the beauty about these things like the steel plant in Manhize is a private sector money,” he said.

“This is the biggest company in the world producing steel, it is the biggest company in the world producing nickel, it is also the biggest company in the world-electric batteries. This is the scale of companies that the President is bringing to this country – world-class companies with capacity of global class, working on Zimbabwean resources.” -@nqotshili