Online Reporter
Judith Phiri [email protected]
CAROUSEL factory, a manufacturing division of Edgars Stores Limited, has grown in leaps and bound following interventions ordered by President Mnangagwa during his visit last year that have resulted in increased production volumes.
The President toured the company’s retooled plant, which cost approximately US$1,2 million in investment to evaluate its production capacity and industrial growth that defines Bulawayo’s status as the country’s industrial hub.
Giving an update to the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube on Tuesday, Carousel managing director Mr Menfree Tanyanyiwa said since the President’s visit last year, the company had realised substantial positive spin-offs.
“One of the major challenges we had was around power supply, when the President came to tour last year. I am pleased to say that he then directed that we be given access to as much power as we needed to ensure that production is sustained.
“I think within a week, we had a dedicated line here and it’s important to give flowers where they are due and say that since then we really have not had any power cut of note,” he said.
“If it is a power cut, then one knows that it probably is a fault that someone is working on and very often power is restored within a minimum period that one could really claim not to be disruptive to production.”
He said they were now able to produce 24/7 if they wanted to be able to go that route.
Mr Tanyanyiwa said the only challenge currently was around water supply which does come, but sometimes the pressure would be very low.
“We have had conversations with the Mayor around this. There is a time when Presidential Affairs and Devolution Permanent Secretary Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti was here during the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) 2026, he invited the Mayor to come along.
“We did highlight that issue to him and we were assured that something was going to be worked on, I’m not sure how far along the line that is. Having said that, I must also still say that I do not think that it’s a problem that I would say is stopping production,” he added.
He said they were utilising the two boreholes they have and have put in place a small water purification plant because they need fresh water, to mitigate the problem around water supply while the Bulawayo City Council is still sorting the pressure issue.
Mr Tanyanyiwa said fresh water was critical for their wet processing and pressing activities.
After touring, Minister Ncube commended the increased production volumes at the plant attributing it to President Mnangagwa’s interventions.
“It is so exciting and we really appreciate the commitment by the management and by the workforce in general. If you remember very well, we visited this factory last year with the Head of State, President Mnangagwa and they made a presentation to him.
“I’m so happy that the management is so excited and they really appreciate the interventions ordered by the President for this factory, he actually turned the tables because they are aiming at producing close to 100 000 units a month,” she said.
“If we could have more factories operating this way we would have created more jobs for our people. I am happy for Carousel for the job well done. There are a lot of changes compared to what we saw last year.”
She commended the automation and computerisation at the factory, with cutting edge designing and production among other processes.
