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Sikhulekelani Moyo [email protected]

The small and medium (SMEs) sector in Bulawayo has applauded the Zimbabwe Industrial Reconstruction and Growth Plan (ZIRGP) (2024-2025), saying that its focus on promoting SMEs by addressing challenges like market linkages and reducing the cost of doing business is crucial for the nation’s development.

The transitional ZIRGP 2024-2025 focuses on growth opportunities in the industrial and commercial sectors, to reduce the import bill and facilitate local production.

It also recognises underlying policy issues that need to be addressed during the process leading to the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2) and it is aligned to Sustainable Development Goals, Africa Union Agenda 2063, COMESA Industrialisation Strategy (2017-2026), and SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap (2015-2063) aspirations.

Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs coordinator Mr Nketa Mangoye Dlamini said the ZIRGP 2024-2025 is one of the best economic strategies from content to implementation.

He said the challenges have been identified sufficiently with more focus needed to deal with issues to do with business morality and ethics.

“This is one of the best economic strategies from content to implementation. It talks of promoting SME linkages, reducing costs of doing business, strengthening value chains, amongst other issues,” said Mr Dlamini.

“This is crucial for the development of the nation. The focus on markets like SADC, AfCFTA, and COMESA is strategic, as it has the potential to open doors for companies in the country.”

The plan speaks to the need to promote ease of doing business, formalisation of the informal sector, provision of decent workspace, promote the growth of the manufacturing sector, market linkages, and import substitution.

Mr Dlamini said local authorities need to be encouraged to review licensing and levies so that they promote economic development.

He said it is necessary to review the Shop Licensing Act and the Factories Act so that their contents are in line with the ZIRGP framework.

“We need to make the formalisation process cheap and user-friendly. It should not be a barrier to individuals. We could adopt the strategy of making the companies’ registration cheap, and then more people can formalise the entities. The nation can then benefit from the increased taxation base,” said Mr Dlamini.

“The policy emphasises the need for local authorities to provide operating space and set up industrial parks. This needs to be well coordinated and enforced.

“I would recommend that every local authority have an economic development section, department, or division fully manned by competent economic or business development officers.”

He added that the Government should set targets for local authorities so that the rate of industrialisation is monitored.

“Adequate funding for the development of import substitution businesses is crucial,” he said.

In human resource development, Mr Dlamini there is a need to properly focus on capacity building and enhancement of local skills so that we effectively tackle import substitution.

In a foreword in the ZIRGP document, Industry and Commerce Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said the operationalisation of the strategies and policies outlined in the ZIRGP will be implemented through sub-sector/industry-specific production and investment plans, which will be supported by a package of industry-specific incentives.

He said these sub-sectors have already been identified as the anchor industries where the value chains have national comparative advantage and which have the maximum potential to contribute to manufacturing value-added growth and contribute meaningfully to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.

“The successful implementation of the 2024-2025 is dependent upon the collaboration of all stakeholders to achieve its objectives,” said Minister Ndlovu.

“The importance of ongoing and constructive engagement between Government, business, and labour cannot be overstated to achieve industrialisation objectives outlined in this plan.”

“The importance of ongoing and constructive engagement between Government, business, and labour cannot be overstated to achieve industrialisation objectives outlined in this plan.”

@SikhulekelaniM1