The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa last week approved the operationalisation of Sunway City Technology Park as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) as the Government moves to expedite efforts to attract investors in its bid to turnaround the country’s economy.
Industry and Commerce Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu told Sunday News Business that the Government was making efforts to open up the six zones, which it designated as SEZs.
“Sunway City in Harare was approved this week by the President because they (Zimbabwe Special Economic Zones Authority — Zimseza) were slow (to facilitate the process) so I had to push things to move really fast . . . ,” he said.
Sunway City SEZ comprises of 87,1 hectares and is strategically located 17km east of Harare Central Business District (CBD) en-route to the port of Beira in Mozambique. The development of the Sunway City Integrated Park envisages the creation of modern all-inclusive business, commercial, industrial, residential and entertainment complexes designed, built and managed to world class standards incorporating the use of cutting edge technologies and management systems.
Minister Ndlovu said there are a number of investors that have expressed interests to move into zones designated as SEZs.
“There are some companies that are slowly tapping in, that applied as individual companies but in the zones themselves we are now going to start having companies move in because we now need Zimseza as well as local authorities to put in basic infrastructure, which is water utilities and electricity. So once that is there then we can really expect companies to move in,” he said.
The other zones, which were designated as SEZs are Beitbridge, Victoria Falls, Bulawayo (Umvumela/ Belmont/Kelvin/Donnington corridor) and Mutare.
“There are companies that applied and were awarded (SEZ status) such as Pepsi and Surewin (Pvt Ltd), it’s quite a number that have been awarded SEZ status. They applied individually not to operate in a special SEZ (area) but as companies they were awarded SEZ status,” said Minister Ndlovu.
According to a Government Gazette published late last year, the nine companies include Surewin Pvt Ltd; Iron Steel Company of Zimbabwe; Afrochine Pvt Ltd, Southpole Consulting Pvt Ltd; Lentsloane Pvt Ltd; Tradekings Zimbabwe Pvt Ltd; Ecosoft Pvt Ltd; Nkonyeni Agriculture Pvt Ltd and Bernard Development Corporation Pvt Ltd.
This follows the gazetting of Statutory Instrument (SI) 154 of 2018 which was gazetted on August 17, 2018 that effectively brought SEZs into operation. SI-154 stipulated the fees for every application for a developer, operator or investment, permit or licence.
