The Sunday News
THE Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) Matabeleland Chapter awarded outstanding businesses and businesspeople at a glamorous occasion where foreign companies were challenged to desist from bringing finished goods into the country but make synergies with locals in setting up companies and create jobs.
Guest of honour at the awards ceremony held in Bulawayo on Friday last week, Steward Bank chief executive officer, Mr Kwanele Ngwenya, bemoaned that Bulawayo and the country as a whole, had become a dumping ground for finished goods produced from neighbouring countries.
“We appreciate that we don’t operate in isolation. There are businesses that are coming from other parts of the country and we appreciate that we need support to rebuild this economy in this region but we can’t have a situation where companies like from South Africa come to set up warehouses here. If these South African companies want to do business with us let them come and set up industries and employ locals,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He urged the investors to create industries in partnership with local investors.
“Every time I travel to Beitbridge there are big trucks with goods from South Africa that are coming to offload goods for sale. They must come and set up business and form partnerships with the local business. Let’s encourage investments not people coming with truckloads of goods and going back,” said Mr Ngwenya at the occasion whose theme was, “Excellence, Integrity and Innovation, The Key to a Sustainable Economy.”
Mr Ngwenya urged local companies also to be innovative and survive in this highly competitive environment.
He said companies that had managed to survive were those that were innovative.
Meanwhile, JR Goddard Contracting proprietor, Mr Jim Goddard, was crowned the ZNCC Matabeleland Chapter 2014 Businessman of the Year after shrugging off stiff competition from Mr John Chingonzoh of Winnerman Group who became the 1st runner-up and DSK Electrical Wholesalers’ Mr Worthwhile Mugabe who was the 2nd runner-up.
Mrs Flattela Nleya of Touch of Wealth also stole the limelight at the event after she scooped the coveted 2014 Businesswoman of The Year award.
Her competitors Mrs Cecelia Dubiwa of Motsamai Lodge and Mrs Sharon Stead of Camp Amalinda were crowned 1st and 2nd runners-up respectively.
Mr Dumisani Kodzai of Dickies Restaurant won the Small and Medium Entrepreneur Of the Year award after overcoming his competitors Mr Kalumbu Mbeve of Shepco who became the 1st runner-up and Mr Jackson Saungweme of Wiltshare Explosives who scooped the 2nd runner-up prize.
Mr Mngane Ncube of Hawkflight Construction proved his mettle after he scooped the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Mr Charles Chakanya of Zambezi Explorer and Mr Steve Jacobs of Hydramac were crowned the first and second runners-up respectively in the category.
OTHER WINNERS
Manager Of The Year: Mr Jonathan Hudson
(Victoria Falls Safari Lodge)
Rural Business Person of the Year: Mr Eggs Asima (Mandanda Investments)
Corporate Social Responsibility: Holiday Inn
Best HIV/AIDS Awareness Programmes at the Work Place: National Foods
Exporter of the Year in Agriculture: Bulawayo Abattoirs
Exporter of the Year in Tourism: Laserline Trophy.
Exporter of the Year in Manufacturing: Portland Holdings.
