Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu [email protected]
INDUSTRY and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Ndlovu has challenged businesses and investors in Matabeleland South province to match their economic footprint with meaningful community development, calling for greater support for locally owned enterprises and stronger corporate social responsibility.
Addressing the business community and other stakeholders during a recent meeting in Gwanda, Minister Ndlovu, who is also Zanu-PF Matabeleland South provincial chairman, called for integration of value chains to meet market requirements and enhance production, thereby boosting the economy.
He said players in the business community have to identify business opportunities and gaps within the market and then come up with solutions to address them.
“We’ve a lot of business opportunities, which we can tap into here in Matabeleland South but we’re not utilising these opportunities but we’re waiting for investors. When we look at farming, we’ve stock-feed manufacturers that have invaded the province yet we don’t have manufacturers locally yet we’re a cattle region,” he said.
“We’re just waiting for investors instead of developing our own economy as a province.
“Another concerning issue is that we continue to work in silos across the value chain. If we can integrate our supply chain then we can grow the province’s GDP. If we integrate the supply chain then we will be guaranteed to reach markets faster. Coordination and information sharing will also shorten product development and delivery cycles,” said Minister Ndlovu.
He said this will also help to save time, which is crucial in business, ensure customer satisfaction through order fulfilment accuracy, product quality and responsive service.
Minister Ndlovu further noted that the Government has created a conducive business environment for investors as part of efforts to grow the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He said the Government has identified key sectors and put in place measures and policies to facilitate the growth of the sectors. Minister Ndlovu said among the expectations from investors is that they play a part in developing the country and not only benefit from resources.
“Any national investor, domestic or international, is looking at Zimbabwe as an interesting case study. There are not many countries that will double their GDP in less than 10 years but we’ve seen that happening here in Zimbabwe. “In 2017, when President Mnangagwa came into power, our GDP was sitting at between US$19 and US$21 billion. It’s now sitting at US$55 billion as of the end of 2025. We’re anticipating that by the end of 2026 we will be approaching US$57 billion.
“The question is what are the key drivers of this and one of them is the mining sector. My appeal to the miners and all other business people is that you ensure that your businesses grow with the communities where you are operating. We need initiatives where big mining companies will make resolutions that they won’t import protective clothing but will empower local companies to produce the protective clothing locally,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu said the country had been importing most of the explosives being used in the mining industry but now investments have been made into manufacturing of the explosives but no single investor has set up in Matabeleland South, which is one of the biggest users of the explosives.
He called on entrepreneurs to utilise viable markets such as manufacturing and assembling hammer mills and bore mills, which are being used by small to medium-scale miners.
–@DubeMatutu
