TransLimpopo Initiative working on finalising work plan draft

Oliver Kazunga Business Reporter
THE TransLimpopo Spatial Development Initiative is expected in the next two weeks to come up with a final draft of a work plan for attracting investment in the Matabeleland region. The initiative was mooted in 2001 when South Africa and Zimbabwe signed a bilateral economic pact to increase investment in Matabeleland.

Over the years, there has been slow implementation of programmes that promote the spatial development concept as the idea has been downplayed by almost all stakeholders who could benefit from it.

Co-chairperson of the TransLimpopo Spatial Development Initiative Mr Obert Sibanda told Business Chronicle yesterday that their technical team was working on finalising a draft work plan for the concept.

“Our technical team is working on finalising the draft work plan, which I am told will be ready in the next two weeks. If finalised the final draft work plan will have to be approved by the joint executive committee paving way for progress with regards to investment promotion,” he said.

He said the work plan looks at identifying and consolidating investment opportunities in the region.
“We are looking at the economic plans that we have in the region. We have asked each province for example, Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South province to identify potential projects.”

The stakeholders are expected to negotiate for possible joint ventures in line with the identified investment projects.
He said some of the identified potential projects in Matabeleland North include coal and coal-bed methane gas while Matabeleland South had a lot of feedlots, irrigation schemes and tourism enterprises that were not being made use of.

“For Bulawayo, we are saying do we need to package green projects or revive the same ailing industries. We have also been asking ourselves how we can change the business model. It is my personal view that we need to come up with a Special Economic Zone status for Bulawayo looking at how China has developed through Special Economic Zones. Government should not shy away from the concept,” said Mr Sibanda.
In 2004, stakeholders in the TransLimpopo Spatial Development Initiative came up with a road map to attract investment in Matabeleland region but this was being reviewed in line with the socio-economic changes the country has experienced over the years.