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There are strong indications that the long awaited $60 million Egodini Mall and Intermodal Public Transport Hub will soon take off. The South African contractor, Terracotta Private Limited which will undertake the work, has started shortlisting local companies that are likely to participate in the project.

Officials from the company were last week in the country to discuss with local contractors and Bulawayo City Council officials the evaluation criteria for qualifying firms and tender submission procedures under Phase One of the project.

Terracotta official, Mr Sikelela Mhlanga, said his company was keen to work with local contractors but said only those companies that have the capacity to undertake the work will be engaged. He said those that want to participate in the project should demonstrate quality workmanship and professionalism.

The local companies have been given up to December 1 to submit their bids to participate in this project which is expected to change the face of Bulawayo.

The project is expected to create thousands of jobs during construction and after completion.

The contractor has pledged to source the bulk of the required materials locally in order to empower local companies. Bulawayo residents are looking forward to the implementation of this project which, as already stated, will create thousands of jobs during construction and on completion.

The project will be one of the biggest projects to be implemented in Bulawayo since independence and will have a huge impact on the retail and transport sectors. The completion of the project will greatly improve the city’s public transport system while providing facilities for a wide range of retail activities as well as entertainment.

The Bulawayo business community should not be found wanting when it comes to fully utilising the Egodini Mall facilities. The company will provide the facilities and the business community should use the facilities to create wealth. Bulawayo which used to be the country’s industrial hub is slowly regaining its status as evidenced by such developments.

Government has already demonstrated its commitment to ensuring that Bulawayo retains its status as the country’s industrial hub hence it is prioritising the city when it comes to allocation of resources to revive industries. Early this year Government released $20 million to capacitate three Bulawayo-based companies to manufacture equipment for small-scale miners.

The money was meant to fund the companies’ retooling to enable them to produce equipment for small-scale miners. The capital injection obviously created jobs for Bulawayo residents who were employed directly by these companies as well as downstream industries.

Bulawayo in the past witnessed a flight of companies due to water shortages but following the good rains this year, all the city’s supply dams are full and as such there is adequate water for both industrial and domestic use. Companies therefore have every reason to invest in the City of Kings given its strategic position regionally.