Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
Industry and Commerce Minister, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni has said they were going to work tirelessly to ensure Bulawayo regains its status of being the country’s industrial hub due to its strategic location.
The city, which used to be the country’s industrial hub, witnessed a number of companies closing while others relocated to other towns and cities like Harare during the past ten years.
The city’s industries used to employ thousands of workers in the different sectors of the economy that include clothing, textiles, engineering, iron and steel as well as food manufacturing.
At a Private Sector Interface Breakfast Meeting, the Minister told captains of industry in Bulawayo that the Second Republic has mandated her Ministry to facilitate accelerated industrialisation countrywide.
“Bulawayo is the second largest which boasts sectors such as packaging, leather, pharmaceuticals, textiles and clothing, iron and steel, and engineering, among others. The City hosts the Premier event of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, which attracts tourists from all over.
“In this regard, we need to work together to bring glory by targeting the re-opening of closed factories. Our focus should see us bring on board investments into the manufacturing sector. The commerce sector also has a pivotal role to play in setting up the attendant physical and soft infrastructure,” she said.
She said in line with the Whole of Government Approach, the local universities through the innovation hubs should leap-frog and industry should forge partnerships with these entities.
Minister Nyoni said the industrial sector has the potential to reclaim its position as the leading sector in driving economic growth and development because of the strong linkages of the sector with all the other sectors of the economy namely, agriculture, mining and services.
“My Ministry will therefore continue to put in place and effect viable policies that promote industrial development and growth. It is the Government’s firm belief that the Zimbabwean economy, driven by private sector expansion, will fully recover its strength and dynamism.
“We want to have a roadmap to attract the appropriate entities. I therefore appeal to you to seize the opportunities that are abundant here in Bulawayo. His Excellency, the President always says “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo, Ilizwe lakhiwa, libuswe, likhulekelwe ngabanikazi balo,” she said.
“I, therefore, urge you to leverage Bulawayo’s status as a transport and logistics hub, connecting to South Africa, Botswana and Zambia via Beitbridge, Plumtree and Victoria Falls, respectively. Bulawayo, therefore, has a great potential to benefit from the Africa Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).”
The Minister said they intend to craft a new industrial policy to guide development of the sector, which will include reviving ailing enterprises.
She said the current policy, the Zimbabwe National Industrial Development Policy, expires in December and will be replaced by the new one, and called the captains of industry to avail their contributions.
Bulawayo Minister for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Judith Ncube said they were looking forward to working with Minister Nyoni in their endeavour to upscale the re-establishment of Bulawayo’s status as the industrial hub of Zimbabwe.
Captains of industry representative bodies such as the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI), Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) and the Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs among others said communication and continuous engagement between businesses and the Ministry was vital.
Bongani Ndlovu