Online Reporter
Herald Reporter
The economy is undergoing a silent construction boom on the back of increased business activity occasioned by the Second Republic’s emphasis and deliberate strategies to grow the economy, industry players have noted.
The growth, said the players, is, however, not getting deserved attention as focus remains trained on project completion while spinoffs go on unnoticed.
Since his inauguration in 2017, President Mnangagwa has emphasised the need to grow the economy and has, along the way, implemented practical steps anchored on the “Zimbabwe is open for business” strategy meant to attract Foreign Direct Investment in the country and drive the economy towards upper middle-income status by 2030.
As a result, several capital-intensive projects are taking shape, and construction companies are lurching onto the infrastructure development activity, with different start-ups and operations taking advantage.
In separate interviews, players attested to increased business activity and a favourable business environment, which they say is also playing a huge role in reducing unemployment.
Laid-Back Engineering managing director Mr Tapfuma Gurajena said construction is an economic industry thermometer which gives an indicator of the state of the economy and the outlook has been positive since the coming on board of the Second Republic.
“For us as a company, the most important thing is the Government’s trust and confidence in a local company; that is why you have seen that in most of the contracts we get, we finish the job ahead of the stipulated time,” said Mr Gurajena.
“As a company, the challenge is on us to deliver the same quality as multinationals and indeed,, we are delivering at the requisite quality, and through the opportunities we are getting, our status has been elevated. Our company has also witnessed rapid growth.”
Megabreeze Sales Executive Mr Evans Shonhera, a supplier of personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers in the construction and mining sectors, has commended President Mnangagwa for prioritising local companies in the construction industry.
Mr Shonhera said the policy has supported business growth and helped strengthen local supply chains, adding that PPE used by workers is increasingly being sourced within the country.
“We commend President Mnangagwa for putting local companies at the centre of the construction sector,” said Mr Shonhera.
“This approach has helped our industry grow, because the equipment workers need is now being procured locally.
“When procurement goes to local suppliers, it strengthens production capacity, creates jobs, and ensures timely delivery of PPE to the sites,” said Mr Shonhera.
Digmate Engineering director Mrs Roseline Mawaro commended the Government for prioritising the growth of local entities.
She also implored colleagues in the construction sector not to betray Government’s trust by doing substandard jobs, and counselled start-ups to take jobs they have the capacity to do.
“Government has done well in employing local companies; I am happy they are giving a livelihood to their own entrepreneurs.
“The advantage of trusting a local company like us is that the proceeds accruing from these contracts will be reinvested locally as opposed to foreign repatriation,” said Mrs Mawaro.
