The Sunday News
Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
THE reconstruction of business enterprises in Bulawayo that were destroyed during the violent protests in January 2019 is nearing completion with two of the shops already having been handed over to their owners.
Two premises are also set to be completed in the coming weeks and handed over to their owners as Government fulfils its promise to spearhead their reconstruction and ensure that residents get services from supermarkets in their vicinity.
Only Choppies Pumula East is still pending but Government has assured the nation that contractors will soon be moving onsite.
Construction workers repairing Choppies Supermaket at Entumbane. The supermarket and adjacent shops were destroyed by rioters in 2019
During the destructive protests targeting cities, Bulawayo suffered the most damages. Businesses in the city lost goods and property worth millions of dollars after violent protesters went on a looting spree and in some cases torched the buildings after looting.
Supermarkets, service stations, butcheries, pharmacies, bottle stores and bars were targeted. Some motorists had their vehicles set on fire. In addition, some Zanu-PF officials also had their properties at home attacked.
Hooligans, mostly marauding youths, barricaded streets using drums, trolleys, burning tyres and stones during a three-day nationwide stay away called by the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) and civil society organisations aligned to opposition political parties.
After the riots, Government set up a $30 million fund to help businesses that suffered during the riots and at least 21 businesses from the city benefited from the fund to restock and repair premises. The security forces were also engaged in reconstructing the destroyed buildings.
Sunday News last week visited some of the premises in the city to assess progress of the reconstruction and found out that Entumbane Choppies near the complex was still undergoing construction work, with security forces putting final touches.
Nyandeni Shopping Centre (Mabhodoko) in New Magwegwe and Mountain View shops in Lobengula West were completed and handed over to their owners last year.
Choppies Lobengula has been completed but not yet handed over to the owners, hence is still closed. Construction workers at Entumbane Choppies said they were hopeful that construction work will be completed by end of this month.
In an interview with Sunday News, Secretary for Provincial Affairs and Devolution in Bulawayo, Mr Paul Nyoni revealed that all was going accordingly for the completion of all the set works.
“We are happy with the reconstruction work on those shops, with two already having been handed over and the other two also set to be completed and handed over soon,” said Mr Nyoni.
The reconstructed supermarket at Lobengula West is now fully operational after Government’s efforts to fund the reconstruction of shops affected by the riots
Bulawayo Metropolitan Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Cde Judith Ncube said her office was overwhelmed with the unity shown by residents in the city in the reconstruction of the shops.
She said she was especially excited that the community was showing that humility still existed in the city. “We are very happy that at least it shows that we are still very much united as a community.
The pace at which these shops were reconstructed shows that if we put our heads together as a community anything is possible in fostering development.
“We know that so far we have one project pending in Pumula East and I would like to assure the owner, Mrs Malunga that we will be soon moving on site to resume the reconstruction works, our only challenge was that the uniformed forces had to move to other urgent national issues but they will be coming back as all the necessary payments have been made for the purchase of the required equipment and material,” said Minister Ncube.
