Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
VICE-PRESIDENT Kembo Mohadi has urged entrepreneurs in Matabeleland South to form consortiums to exploit various investment opportunities in the province as opposed to waiting for external investors.
Speaking recently during a traditional thanksgiving ceremony in the Dula area of Umzingwane District, VP Mohadi said the province was endowed with vast natural resources, which hold the key to eradicating poverty in communities if fully utilised.
Matabeleland South has minerals, good soils, water bodies, solar energy and vegetation among other resources, which can be turned into “gold”.
He said each citizen has to bear in mind that they have a role to play in building the nation and be part of the transformative agenda.
“As Matabeleland South, we are endowed with natural resources, which are our God-given treasure.
Let’s use them for our benefit and enrichment,” said VP Mohadi.
“Let’s not be onlookers of those people who come from elsewhere and exploit our resources. Let’s form consortiums so that we can drive investment.
“Without us taking the lead, no one will come and develop our region. I call upon each person, young and old, to take heed of my call and play a part in developing the province. To the youths, instead of being comfortable with idleness, let’s invest our time and minds in developing high-impact projects,” he said.
Vice-President Mohadi said taking a lead in developing the local economy was in line with President Mnangagwa’s philosophy: “Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo/Nyika inovakwa nevene bayo.”
He also reiterated the Government’s desire to see communities being empowered through their locally available resources and challenged locals to continue working hard.
4VP Mohadi said there is a need for communities to come together, formulate more efficient development strategies and embrace unity.
“For us to realise significant development as a nation we have to be united at the grassroots level,” he said.
“This unity will then scale up to the district, then provincial and lastly, national level. No one but ourselves is going to develop our province and the nation for the betterment of our people and generations to come.
“The work and investment, which we will do today will have far-reaching effects that will benefit future generations. We will be remembered as people who set the pace for economic transformation,” said the Vice-President.
He paid tribute to the role being played by development partners in developing communities and emphasised the need to actively engage the communities to know their expectations, needs and concerns.
VP Mohadi said investors have to ensure that they do not only benefit while leaving communities disadvantaged and at a loss. He said the operations of investors have to leave communities better off.
“When investors move into an area with a project, we expect locals to benefit from jobs. We expect locals to acquire skills and knowledge. When investors leave, we expect communities to count their gains rather than their losses,” he said.
“It’s unfortunate that we have received some reports of investors who come in just to exploit natural resources and cause severe damage to roads and other infrastructure.
“As Government, we have put in place measures to guard against such harmful activities and to ensure communities and their natural resources are protected,” said VP Mohadi. — @DubeMatutu
