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Nqobile Bhebhe, [email protected]

TAPPING into successful investment initiatives by the original Bulawayo Business Development Committee (BBDC) and the quest to lure fresh investments into the city, Bulawayo City Council has mooted the rival of BBDC.

The transformation of Bulawayo’s economy is critical in the broader development of Zimbabwe as espoused under the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025), which builds momentum towards realising an upper middle-income economy vision by 2030.

Once a thriving industrial hub of Zimbabwe with extensive infrastructure in industries such as textile, leather, meat processing plants, pharmaceuticals, allied products as well as cement products, among others, Bulawayo is focused on reclaiming its past glory.

Despite the setback experienced in recent years, surviving Bulawayo firms have exhibited persistence and resilience evidenced by the recent positive growth.

Several Bulawayo firms have shown signs of recovery.

Some have already begun exports and are repositioning themselves as regional players supplying goods to the communities of neighbouring countries within the Southern African Development Community (Sadc) and Africa at large.

Notable firms that have withstood economic shocks and are on the mend include Tregers Group, PPC Zimbabwe, Datlabs, United Refineries Limited, General Beltings, Arenel, National Foods, Zimplow and Blue Ribbon, among others.

To that end, the revival of BBDC which was first established in April 1997 and comprised 20 members drawn from the private and public sectors and prominent individuals committed to the development of Bulawayo is critical.

According to the local authority, the key objectives of the Committee were the identification of development and investment opportunities in the city, the codification of special benefits, attractions and opportunities for prospective developers and investors and the dissemination of awareness to stimulate and motivate development and investment in the city.

Another objective was the compilation of a comprehensive database of all information likely to be required and sought by investors, participation in local and international investment conferences, seminars and trade missions organised by the government and various trade promotion bodies.

In January, the town clerk, Mr Christopher Dube told the General Purposes committee that in February 2019, in response to the numerous calls, an internal memorandum was circulated to management expressing the intention to resuscitate BBDC.

Departments were requested to suggest names of at least six persons, who could be approached to be part of the BBDC.

Mr Dube said the suggested candidates were expected to have vast experience and expertise in any cross-sectional area such as industry, commerce, finance, legal and medical fraternities, dealing with people with disability, as well as committed to the development of Bulawayo.

In response to the request to submit names of persons to be approached to be part of the BBDC, Departments submitted names and six persons agreed to be part of the Committee.

The new Committee managed to have two meetings but stopped during the Covid-19 period.

Mr Dube said the city mayor, Councillor David Coltart had been approached by a group of business persons requesting to be part of the BBDC.
City Council management met the group and explained how the previous Committee used to operate.

“The new group had also managed to hold its first meeting where a number of issues were discussed,” reads part of the latest council minutes.

Mr Dube said the task at hand was to develop the new Terms of Reference (ToR) for BBDC, taking into account changes in the socio-economic environment.

“Furthermore, incorporate and constitute the new group and other interested persons into the BBDC. The new members of the BBDC should have vast experience and expertise in any cross-sectional area such as industry, commerce, finance, legal and medical fraternities, dealing with people with disability, as well as committed to the development of Bulawayo.”

In 1998, the old committee spearheaded the launch of the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust Limited company at Ascot in Bulawayo and in the same year it was involved in the mobilisation of $135 million dollars for the construction of a lodge by the Cresta Group of hotels.

A year later, The Trans-Limpopo SDI was launched at the Matopos Ingwe lodge.

Bulawayo is one of the areas that the Government designated for the implementation of SEZs initiative to restore the city’s former glory as the country’s industrial hub.

In its 2023 fourth-quarter report, the Zimbabwe Investment and Development Agency (Zida) notes that Bulawayo’s Belmont, Donnington, Kelvin and Westondale designated as an SEZ has four licensed investors.

Three of the zones, Arenel (Private) Limited, Shepco BMA Fastening (Private) Limited and Eagletron International (Private) Limited are operational.

Chingases Zimbabwe Private Limited is non-operational.