Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter
INFRASTRUCTURE Development Bank of Zimbabwe (IDBZ) chief executive officer, Mr Thomas Zondo Sakala, has revealed that Bulawayo construction firms lost out from getting tenders for the construction of the Bulawayo Students
Accommodation Complex Project (BSAC) near the National University of Science and Technology (Nust) due to hesitation to participate in the tender bidding process.
Nust
Speaking during the inaugural Africa Infrastructure and Built Environment Conference and Expo, AfriConfex 2022 in Bulawayo last Friday, Mr Sakala said infrastructure was a critical enabler in any economy and the sector always offers an opportunity for local contractors to participate.
He was responding to concerns by local contractors that foreign firms are winning tenders for massive projects at the expense of local companies.
“I can confess that the student’s complex is being built by a Chinese firm.
Before the project began, I came to Bulawayo and spoke to some people I thought had influence in the community and alerted them that there is going to be a huge project and it would be good for contractors from this region to take part,” said Mr Sakala.
“I said the region needs to come together and set up consortiums and bid for the project. The initial expression of interest had 16 bidders and 14 submitted. And after the evaluation the Chinese firm was picked. At some point, we will give a detailed report on how local contractors lost out and pick out lessons from it.”
The IDBZ chief executive officer said at the moment they were receiving bids for Lupane State University accommodation complex construction but would not give the number of bids received to date.
Lupane-State-University
During the conference, local contractors expressed concern that foreign companies are dominating most capital-intensive projects and called for equitable distribution of projects.
Others indicated that they are held back from bidding for tenders due to lack of equipment.
However, local businessmen with interest in the construction sector, Mr Obert Sibanda, said although most local contractors lack suitable equipment, that should not be the reason for not participating in tender processes.