The Sunday News
Roberta Katunga, Senior Business Reporter
THE Municipality of Gwanda is offering incentives to businesses looking into investing in the mining town with up to 25 percent discount on land value as efforts to revive and grow the town increase, an official said.
In an interview, the town’s Mayor, Councillor Knowledge Ndlovu, said in order to develop the town which is driven by gold mining and livestock farming, it was imperative for the local authority to offer serious investors incentives.
“As a town we have competitive incentives in place that include a 25 percent discount on land value, an additional 10 percent discount on outright payment on land value as well as 100 percent removal of water development levies if construction is done within 12 months from date of purchase of land,” said Clr Ndlovu.
He said Gwanda did not want to lose out on investment and continue to be stagnant when other towns were growing hence the new policy thrust adopted by the municipality of driving investment. He said as a Region 5 area, the municipality was encouraging peri-urban farming, revealing that at the moment all areas in the town needed boosting.
“There is a lot of infrastructure in the region that needs to be revived and developed. There is a canning facility in West Nicholson that requires investment to be revived. We are also looking at investments into the gold mining sector with a special focus on value addition,” Mr Ndlovu said.
He said the town has enough land if people want to develop.
Meanwhile, Mr Ndlovu revealed that he would be leading a business delegation of about 50 people drawn from different sectors which include hospitality and agro-processing to the business gala in Bulawayo spearheaded by Zimbabwe-born SA businessman Mr Justice Maphosa.
The business gala will be held on 25 August and will be attended by businesspeople from South Africa, Government officials and local businesses.
“We targeted people from all spheres from the town as this is an opportunity that signals growth and partnership with established businesses from both Zimbabwe and South Africa,” said Mr Ndlovu.
Speaking on the business gala, Big Time Group of Companies Group chief executive officer Mr Maphosa said they were targeting organised business groups from different sectors and producers of raw materials as they were bringing in from South Africa processors and other investors interested in partnerships. Mr Maphosa said most businesses in the country had a system in place but were just short of capital which the investors can bring in.
“These partnerships are like brother to brother engagements as we share the same vision of integrated business,” he said.
Mr Maphosa said the Gwanda Gospel Festival which is the precursor to Big Time Group of Companies involvement in the country, had spurred growth in Gwanda’s hospitality sector with three bed and breakfast facilities set up as a result of the inaugural show last year.
He said involvement of businesspeople in such events helps resuscitate businesses and sectors like hospitality and tourism can grow as a result.
“When such events are held, there is money exchanging hands, people drive from all over and garages benefit from the fuel they sell, people selling different wares and those who provide services like catering and accommodation also benefit,” he said.
On Gwanda as an investment destination, Mr Maphosa said there were a lot of opportunities for investment in the town. He said there was a gap as Gwanda has no proper conference facilities, hotels, restaurants and lodges.
