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The buy Zimbabwe campaign is now in overdrive and what is needed is for the producers of products to meet local demand. Many companies have been complaining that Zimbabweans have a penchant for buying imports which in most cases are inferior to locally produced products. The story is however different for the mining sector because local industry is failing to meet its demand.

Addressing delegates at the just ended Mine Entra Expo in Bulawayo, Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha said local industry was failing to meet demand of the growing mining sector thereby forcing the sector to import most of its equipment. “We can’t say to the mining sector buy locally when we are not producing what the sector requires,” said Minister Bimha.

He said the mining sector as one of the leading and fastest growing economic sectors could stimulate economic growth through local procurement.

The challenge to the local industry, Minister Bimha said, was to produce products that are required by the mining industry.

He said Zimbabwe had the potential to manufacture all the equipment required by the mining sector and even produce for export.

Minister Bimha said buying local products will go a long way in creating jobs as well as increasing capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector. The mining sector, he said, had therefore availed opportunities for the local manufacturers and engineers.

Minister Bimha said the mining sector had set itself a target of buying 45 percent of their requirements locally but sadly only 11 percent was produced locally. It is therefore important for those involved in the manufacture of mining equipment to engage the mining sector so that they are able to produce what the sector requires thereby cutting down on imports.

Recently manufacturers such as Quest Motors called on the government to take the lead in consuming local products. Quest Motors says a single order for vehicles from state-owned institutions would help revive more than 10 local companies and in the process ensure that the government meets objectives set out in its economic blueprint, Zim-Asset.

The companies said it was a pity Zimbabwe was exporting its labour and resources to neighbouring countries such as South Africa. We have said it before that the Zimbabwean economy cannot be sustained by retailing imported goods.

The solution to turning around the economy is therefore to boost manufacturing. We totally agree with Minister Bimha that we cannot ask companies to buy locally when what they want is not being produced locally.

The challenge to the manufacturing industry is to strive to meet the demands of all sectors of the economy so that Zimbabwean companies and individuals can consume locally produced products as opposed to imports.