Andile Tshuma, Business Reporter
BULAWAYO businessman Mr Raj Modi is set to hold a business expo aimed at reviving industries in the city.
The business expo will be run by the Modi Family Trust.
Mr Modi said the expo would be held soon after the President’s inauguration.
He said a number of businesses in the city had come forward and expressed interest in the initiative.
“This is part of our efforts to revive industries in Bulawayo. We are trying to have a platform where we can meet and deliberate on issues affecting us as business people in Bulawayo and we hope that after such consultations, a clear roadmap on the way forward can be seen,” said Mr Modi.
He said the expo would enable business people to have constructive dialogue, which was necessary for the development of Bulawayo.
“We also need to discuss and embrace new technologies and industries. We cannot pin hopes on old industries just for the sake of it. We need to live in the present and think of the future. To achieve the first step, we need to sit down as Bulawayo,” said Mr Modi.
“This expo will be open to all manufacturers — small scale and large scale. Let’s make Bulawayo great again! The future of the city lies in our hands and greatness can be achieved with unity of purpose.”
Mr Modi said the expo would target manufacturers who have the capacity to turn around the fortunes of the city although plans were underway to open up the expo to other service providers or businesses in future.
He said he was contemplating making the expo an annual event as it gathers momentum and attracts more business people.
Mr Modi recently set up a $100 000 revolving fund for Bulawayo small enterprises.
The fund, which is run by the Modi Family Trust, seeks to empower small business owners, particularly young people from Bulawayo, with seed capital for various business ventures.
Interested business people are invited to draft business proposals and submit them at the Modi complex in Bellevue suburb.