Private companies seek to take over BCC farms

Vusumuzi Dube, Online News Editor
A NUMBER of organisations and individuals have made bids to take over the Bulawayo City Council’s two farms, Aisleby and Goodhope, a move aimed at turning around the prospects of some of the local authority’s entities.

It has since emerged that the local authority, through their City of Kings Business Ventures, have since September 2018 been receiving various proposals from different companies to lease Aisleby and Goodhope farms.\

However, these expression of interests could not be entertained, according to a council confidential report.

“Council Farms could not be leased out because they belonged to the people of Bulawayo, and were therefore treated as a legacy for the people of Bulawayo.”

The local authority has since decided to handle the different expression of interests which have seen a couple being put forward for possible consideration, in order to revive prospects at these farms.

One of the projects that has since been considered for possible partnership is one that was made by Dem Group that is interested in recycling waste and producing energy at the farms.

“Their proposed investment was pegged at Euro 482 070 000 (US$509 625 121) consisting of stages for offices and training, land for pilot projects, cyber training room, furniture, equipment, machinery, insurance, technology transfer, and other related costs.

“The Dem Group of Companies had indicated that they would need six hectares of land for an initial investment and trial run, but had not indicated how much land would be required for the expansion project.

This seemed to be a good project for the city,” reads a council report to the business and investment committee.

According to the report, the local authority has since authorised an engagement meeting between the City of Kings Management Committee, representatives from Council’s Engineering Services Department and representatives from Dem Group in order for members to have an appreciation and better understanding of the proposal.

City of Kings Business Ventures and Council officials have further been given the greenlight to reach an understanding with the potential investors and sign Memorandum of Undertaking if deemed fit.

“Council was only utilising the sewer system for water but there was potential to branch into gas, fertiliser and to even generate electricity from the sewer treatment works.

Council had been advertising gas recycling through expressions of interest adverts and at the ZITF as this could be a solution to the City’s energy problems.

“This organisation could be engaged with the assistance of the Engineering Services Department to see how best the project could be implemented.

The lease could only be applied to the treatment works area which was shared with the Engineering Department,” reads the report.

The local authority have also given the greenlight to a partnership between BCC and Amakhosi Studios and Kids and Teens, represented by renowned playwright, Mr Cont Mhlanga for a number of activities that they intended to carry out at Aisleby and Goodhope farms as part of their Production for KeYona Television.

“The City of Bulawayo, at the Hlanganani Expo of 2019, and at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show of 2019, had introduced the concept of Agriculture Tourism at Aisleby and Goodhope Farms.

The reason for introducing this concept was to support the Education 5.0 Goal and also to generate income for the Strategic Business Units.

“Amakhosi Studios and Kids and Teens, represented by Mr Cont Mhlanga would like to introduce these activities at the farms as part of their production.

The intended programmes were: The Shameless Trail Game Show – with a calf price at stake, the Horse Back Show, the Birds View Show, among others,” reads the report.

The local authority endorsed the proposal as it was felt that it would promote the City of Kings’ farms publicity.