Sanctions busters: Indigenous-owned construction companies show resilience

THREE years before illegal sanctions were imposed on Zimbabwe by the United States and its Western allies, small indigenous companies at that time were still finding their feet in the construction industry, which was dominated by well-established companies.

Little did the owners know that they would one day be counted among businesspeople who have persevered in the face of the illegal embargo.

Zimbabwe was yoked under illegal sanctions at the turn of the millennium as punishment after the country embarked on the historic Land Reform Programme to empower thousands of indigenous citizens who previously did not own land.

Since then the country has not been allowed to compete on an equal footing in world markets as direct investments in capital projects by international lenders and banks have been blocked in a bid to cripple the economy.

Amid efforts to cripple the economy by Western powers, successful stories continue to emerge from resilient and innovative businesses that are helping the Government grow the economy, create employment and redirect Zimbabwe on a path to prosperity.

“The first house that I developed is in Cowdray Park and it was built in year 2000. I bought a stand and developed it, then sold it for a profit.

“I then kept doing the same thing, buying one stand at a time, building a house and re-selling,” said Hawkflight Enterprises proprietor, Mr Mngane Ncube.

“With time I was able to build a portfolio from which I had the base to formally register a company and as they say the rest is history.”

Today, Mr Ncube owns a vast portfolio that ranges from construction, retail and mining ventures.

He said operating in an economy saddled by the harsh effects of sanctions is not easy but businesspeople like him will continue working hard to make the country great again.

“It’s important to plough back profits that we make from our businesses back into our economy in order to grow our GDP (gross domestic product) instead of taking those profits and investing in the economies of the same people that imposed sanctions on us,” said Mr Ncube.

“Our construction business employs over 150 workers, almost the same number as the retail side of the business and in mining we have over 100 workers. Sanctions have a profound effect on the economy and the livelihoods of the people but we have to find ways of beating them so that the country can prosper,” added Mr Ncube.

Property developer, Mr Cris Mtungwazi of TCI International Private Limited, also hailed the Government for empowering indigenous-owned businesses in one of its crucial projects — the Emergency Road Rehabilitation Programme (ERRP).

ERRP stands as a crucial initiative for restoring one of Zimbabwe’s most vital assets — its roads.

“We are happy the Government took a deliberate bias towards black-owned companies during the ERRP project.

“Some of our companies have grown so much that they can compete regionally despite operating in a difficult environment when the country is under sanctions,” said Mr Mtungwazi.

“When the country was placed under sanctions, roads still had to be constructed and black-owned companies stepped up and did the work.

“Major construction projects had to be done and we are still there to do those projects.”