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Nqobile Tshili Chronicle Correspondent
THE contractors of Egodini Mall want the project to be granted national project status amid plans for construction works to start in four months’ time. Responding to emailed questions, one of Terracotta Trading Private Limited (TTPL) directors, Thulani Moyo, said the project had the potential to transform the country.

“As this project will not be benefiting Bulawayo alone, we will seek national project status for it. We will therefore approach the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development in this regard. We will also engage the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe in relation to the FDI aspects of this project because it is bringing in much needed foreign currency. Through local procurement we hope to retain as much of this foreign currency as is possible in the country, thereby contributing to the broader national interest,” said Moyo.

He said by September their teams should be working on site.

Moyo said their entire professional team, particularly architects, surveyors and engineers have continuously been working on site over the last three years gathering data for planning purposes.

“We are now mobilising for site establishment in the coming four months,” he said.

Moyo appealed to residents to be patient with his company saying once everything was in place, the project would change the face of Bulawayo.

“This project is very important for Bulawayo. We have an unparalleled track record having developed more than 50 shopping centres in South Africa creating jobs and changing the lives of many South Africans. As developers, we are committed to investing over $50m into this project and the people of Bulawayo, while other bidders were only prepared to invest no more than $3m. This is our contribution to making Zim-Asset a reality for the City of Bulawayo,” said Moyo.

He said the TTPL would not only employ Bulawayo residents but contract local companies during the construction process.

Moyo said they have already created work for many Bulawayo based companies that ordinarily would not have had the opportunity to work on a project of that magnitude.

“Locally we have a number aggregates, cement, bricks and paint manufacturers. Most importantly there will be numerous job opportunities both during and after construction,” he said.

Moyo said some of the delays they encountered were caused by the 2013 elections which saw new councillors coming in and wanting to acquaint themselves with the project.

He added that Town Clerk Middleton Nyoni’s death last year was also a setback.