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Opinion John Moyo
The key to the resuscitation of the Matabeleland economy is not dependent on foreign investment but on the people of Matabeleland. The business community in Bulawayo, which is the commercial and industrial hub of this region, has to adapt and wake up to the reality that the whites, who were the architects and strategists in almost every business activity in the past, are now history.
What the people of Matabeleland should realise is that the hundreds of factories which closed are a gaping opportunity for them to step in. The politics of segregation and discrimination were buried on 22 December 1987, when the two major political entities of that era, namely Zanu-PF and PF-Zapu signed the Unity Accord which saw the ending of hostilities which had polarised the two major tribes of Zimbabwe. That, on its own should have given the Matabeleland population the cue to move forward and refocus their political and economic priorities.
That agreement broke the dominance of whites on the blacks which was based on divisive policies which ensured their control and grip on the economic fortunes of the region. The mind games were so manipulative to the extent of even naming provinces along tribal end ethnic groupings. The advent of independence after many years of believing that only a white person could run a factory and blacks could only operate bottle stores and small community grocery shops saw the emergence of consortiums with the likes of Strive Masiiwa, Philip Chiyangwa at the helm of major operations which the local populace could, previously not associate with a son of the soil.
The people in Harare were quick to put aside their social and political differences and came together in pursuance of one common goal; making money. It is very true that in order to make any progress in life, people have to position and focus themselves to do just that, move forward and not keep reviewing past mistakes and events.
The first principle which needs to be inculcated in the young people of Matabeleland is that there is no easy way out or up in life. The youth, who are the cornerstone of any economic revival need to be given an initiative to self generate and create their own means of survival. Very few young people apply the life skills they are taught at high school and tertiary institutions. For instance, some young people do not understand why they are taught complex mathematical theories at school.
The aptitude that one attains after learning to solve such theories is very useful when it comes to quick and creative thinking in life. Now, with the calibre of school-leavers crossing our borders to go and engage in menial jobs in South African, one can be forgiven to think that there is a major problem with parents in this part of the country when it comes to inspiring and grooming youngsters to take up roles in life.
The youth in Matabeleland have been misled into thinking that Bulawayo is dead economically. But one has to take a cursory glance at the number of foreigners, especially of African and Asian origin who are coming into the same “dead” city and making fortunes out of simple but effective industrial and commercial undertakings.
These people are coming from countries with high levels of employment but, after noticing the potential market and opportunities in places like Matabeleland, where the locals wait for an employer to come and rescue them from their deprivation, they (foreigners) step in. The people of Matabeleland need to realise that, there is no miracle to economic prosperity; the key lies with them.
Also, Matabeleland has to discard the notion that in order to run factories and other commercial enterprises one has to have loads and loads of cash. Although it is a fact that money is a requirement, it is also much more important that the money finds people who are prepared and ready to go.
The fact is it is not everyone who is going to run a taxi as is the case right now, where you find hundreds of metered taxis and commuter buses parked with no clientele to service because of the saturated supply of taxis which now seem to outnumber the people who need their service.
The people of Matabeleland need to think outside the box. Gone are the days when a person who owned a car or a pick-up truck would just drive to the nearest commuter pick-up point and within seconds line their pockets with cash. There is required a total shift, a complete re-think on the means of making a living in Bulawayo and its environs.
The city needs visionaries who can appreciate and comprehend the meaning and application of the policy of indigenisation. There is a need to learn from how Japan rose from the ashes of World War Two and went on to become one of the leading economies in the world.
Bulawayo has to make a plan, and that plan should in retrospect, check how the former company directors did what they did to make this city the industrial hub that it was. The whites formed partnerships, consortiums, syndicates which became so powerful to even challenge multinational operations which eventually bought into these syndicates after realising the competitive threat they posed. The key here is in addressing an administrative problem which is eluding the people of Bulawayo.
As long as the Ncubes, Ndlovus and Moyos are scattered all over the city each with their own taxi cab calling it by some strange name, the economic revival of this town will take ages. If for instance, these guys were to form a consortium and come on the taxi cab front as one entity providing an excellent service, they would have one name which in turn could turn out to be their brand name. This in turn would give opportunity to other business people to establish and concentrate on different ventures, like supplying or manufacturing stationery, car parts, and even human capital to this huge taxi company. In this case, you will find the now defunct employment agencies springing back to life.
There is huge potential in this city which requires men and women who will rid themselves of the cry-baby mentality and stop listening to unprogressive media which are out to blame government for the economic woes of Bulawayo. The hundreds of companies which were closed are an opportunity for the thousands of graduates, some of whom have majored in economic and engineering sciences, to apply their skills and become the lifeline for this city.
President Mugabe is on record as saying that even if you are given a fancy title or a big name in an organisation, you are still an employee. The CEOs and GMs of this city should have by now mastered and learnt where and how the companies which they once headed sourced their raw materials, how it was processed into a finished product and finally marketed and sold.
These companies should never have been shut down in the first place. The entrance of cheap imports mainly from China should not be a threat where proper marketing strategies are used. Without proper publicity, how will people know, for example that a company manufactures quality footwear which is stronger and more durable than company B’s which are mainly imported from the Far East.
It appears Bulawayo companies had for a long time enjoyed a monopoly and had failed to see beyond the borders that their market was fast dwindling. The revival of industry in Bulawayo is possible without foreign involvement. All that it requires are people who are focused and willing to work with each other with no selfish interests at play.
Online Reporter