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Hon Nyoni Sithembiso

Oliver Kazunga Senior Business Reporter
THE government will soon invite foreign investors to partner Small and Medium Enterprises in different sectors to promote economic empowerment and growth, a Cabinet Minister, said yesterday. Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni said the initiative to bring in foreign investors was in line with the Indigenisation and Economic programme.

“Towards the end of May the government through my ministry will invite investors from India and South Africa that SMEs in the country can partner with in different sectors of the economy.

“Before the investors come, it is important that SMEs in Bulawayo and the country at large get organised,” she said while addressing SMEs at a meeting in Bulawayo.
“The partnership with foreign investors is meant to promote growth and development of SMEs businesses in sectors such as manufacturing, flea market, carpentry and engineering in line with the Indigenisation programme.”

The indigenisation programme, Minister Nyoni said, was not about extorting other people’s assets as might be perceived, but to empower indigenous entrepreneurs including SMEs.

She hailed Bulawayo for having better organised flea markets compared to other parts of the country adding that the traders in the city should brace to partner the foreign investors.

“I am told traders at Fort 11 flea market bought that complex and I hope you have plans to develop it and as the foreign investors are prepared to enter into partnership with you, this is the opportunity to develop it the Chinese style (storey complex),” she said adding that a flea market should end up being developed into a mall.

She said her ministry was in discussion with the Ministry of Local Government to formalise vendors of different products such as fruit and vegetables so that their operations are legalised.

Nyoni told Business Chronicle she had been briefed of the $100,000 state-of-the-art woodwork equipment donated by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) about two years ago that was lying idle at Sizinda Vocational Training Centre in Bulawayo.

“I have been briefed about that equipment at Sizinda and I have asked the Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs to give us a write-up so that we take the matter from there. As of now I cannot give you a comment in that regard,” she said.

The woodwork technology was donated by the ILO to benefit the local community including students at vocational centres and entrepreneurs but the equipment still lies idle as the Bulawayo City Council wants the workplace where the technology would be installed to be identified through a tender system.

The Bulawayo SMEs Chamber has said ILO recently threatened to repossess the equipment and donate it to stakeholders in Mashonaland East as it has been lying idle for long.

The donated technology includes equipment for designing and cutting planks into different sizes.