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Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko chats with one of the staffers

Kiyapili Sibanda, Business Reporter
LEADING regional automotive spare parts dealer, Motovac Group, opened its second branch in Bulawayo yesterday impacting positively on efforts to restore the city to Zimbabwe’s industrial hub status.

The automotive spare parts venture, which is jointly owned by Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko’s family and the Patel family of Botswana, has so far created more than 30 jobs following the commissioning of the business’ second branch.

Motovac set up its first base in Zimbabwe in September 2016 when it launched its first outlet at No 128B Corner 13th Avenue and Fife Street in Bulawayo.

In an interview on the sidelines of the official opening of the second branch, Motovac director Mr Siqokoqela Mphoko said:

“We are excited about opening this branch and Bulawayo is home to some of us and when given a chance to invest, we do it to create more jobs in the city.

The premises where we have opened used to accommodate OK Zimbabwe and we saw an opportunity,” he said.

Mr Mphoko said the location of their branch was ideal for their customers particularly from the western areas of the city such as Makokoba, Emakhandeni, Gwabalanda, Cowdray Park, Mpopoma, Entumbane and Mzilikazi, among others.

The new outlet is situated at corner Herbert Chitepo Street/4th Avenue. The automotive spare parts retailer, which is headquartered in Botswana, offers 60 000 product lines from different manufacturers.

The range of products that include body panels, filters, bearings, suspension parts, lamps and accessories are now available in Zimbabwe.

Mr Mphoko said the establishment of the new branch has created an additional 18 new jobs to complement employment creation that arose from the other 18 people including women employed at the firm’s first outlet.

He said they strive to bring excellence by ensuring that as Motovac they supply the market with genuine spare parts and products that are tested for quality at the points of manufacturing by Bureau Veritas.

“We strive for excellence; we only sell genuine spare parts and our parts have warranties and guarantees. We don’t use runners, we have a whole value added chain which benefits from our business. The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) will benefit when we pay Value Added Tax (VAT) and our duties,” said Mr Mphoko.

Motovac is one of the largest importers and distributors of automotive spare parts in Botswana with 18 branches in the neighbouring country.

The company has 12 branches in Namibia and two in Mozambique.

Meanwhile, plans are already in the pipeline for Motovac to expand its branch network towards the northern region of Zimbabwe and by end of 2018, the automotive spare parts retailer should have opened its first branch in Harare.

Motovac is one of the biggest importers and distributors of automotive spare parts in Botswana.

The firm has 12 branches in Namibia and two in Mozambique and also offers a wide range of vehicle spare parts and quality customer service to the wholesale, retail and government markets.

It started business in 1983 in Lobatse, Botswana, with a handful of employees and now boasts of more than 400 workers with operations spread all over Botswana and partner companies in South Africa, Namibia and the United Kingdom. — @Kiyaz_Cool..