The Sunday News
A PENTECOSTAL church has taken over industrial premises in Bulawayo where a timber processing company used to operate.
Jubilee Restoration Centre Church has taken over the industrial premises along Josiah Chinamano Road in Belmont industrial area where a local timber processing company, Teak Africa Timber, used to operate.
The company used to process hardwoods, mainly teak and mukwa.
The company also used to produce rough sawn timber, flooring, decking and furniture.
In an interview, Jubilee Restoration Centre Church official, Mr Tendai Petros, confirmed that they were renting the premises.
“Yes, we are using these premises for our church services,” said Mr Petros.
He said people should not complain that churches were taking over the Bulawayo industry as many other factories were empty.
“This building has been lying idle for a long time and that’s why we rented it. People always complain when something good happens but if we had turned these premises into a night club no one was going to complain. Why? It’s a spiritual thing. The reason why we called this Restoration Centre is that we want to restore production in these industries,” said the church official.
When contacted for comment, the company managing the property, John Pocock & Company, confirmed that they were leasing the premises to a church after the previous company moved out.
“Yes, we are renting out part of the premises to a church. The space was too big for industry and that’s why we had to put a church there,” said the official.
“Initially we did not want to put the church there and we discussed this with the owner of the property but the problem is that it was empty for over two years and we had no option but to put anyone available. We have, however, leased the property to the church on a short period because we believe the industry is going to recover soon and re-occupy the premises,” said the management.
Efforts to get a comment from Teak Africa Timber management were fruitless.
Bulawayo was once a hub for industry but many companies closed down due to a myriad of challenges such as shortage of working capital.
Churches are said to be among institutions that are taking some of the former industrial sites.
Other churches that have taken over buildings of companies in Bulawayo include United Family International Church along Josiah Chinamano Road in Belmont and 15th Avenue.
The church took over a building of one of the city’s biggest textile companies, Textile Mills.
The company employed hundreds of workers when it was in operation, but now it has been converted into a church with a capacity of 3 000 people.
Another Pentecostal church, the Revelation Church of God — at Kelvin industrial area — reportedly took over the premises of a wholesaler, Goveya Enterprises.
A shop along 14th Avenue was converted to a worship place by Cenacle of the Holy Spirit Church.
