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Charity Ruzvidzo Business Reporter
AN additional 16 registration centres have been set up in Bulawayo to register Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the city. The registration exercise in Bulawayo started early this month with five centres created in areas that include Emganwini, Hope Centre and Cold Storage Centre old complex in Belmont.

The registration process will see operations of SMEs and informal traders being formalised, thus boosting the sector’s contribution to economic growth.

The main registration centre is at St Georges Building at the intersection of 10th Avenue and Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street.

Bulawayo Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises provincial chairperson Energy Majazi said they had increased the registration centres in order to reach out to more people.

“Our aim is to have a centre in all the 29 wards. We’ve added 16 more centres to the five that we had set up when the registration exercise began,” he said.

Majazi said SMEs will be registered at specified places on given dates.

“We’ll be registering and sensitising SMEs of this formalisation process at the National Railways of Zimbabwe old administration on January 21, at Davis Hall on January 20, at City Hall on January 23, at Pumula East shops on January 28.

“Next month, we will be registering at McDonald Hall on February 2, at Old Pumula Hall on February 13, Njube Hall on February 18, New Magwegwe Hall on February 20, at Beit Hall on February 20,” he said.

SMEs will also be registered at Mabutweni Hall on February 27, at Cowdray Park on March 4, Nkulumane Hall on March 6, Nketa 8 Hall on March 11, at Entumbane Hall on March 13, at Tshabalala Hall on March 17 and Mpopoma Hall on March 30.

Majazi said the response from SMEs was impressive.

“We’re yet to gather the statistics of registered people but the response we’ve been getting from SMEs at the workshops we’ve held so far is very good,” he said.