Council pledges 1,4ha of land for SMEs workspaces

THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has pledged to avail about 1,4 hectares of land for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) workspaces.

Bulawayo City Council (BCC)

The city’s principal town planner, Mr Wisdom Siziba, revealed the plan during a SMEs workspace engagement meeting with the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, which was held in Bulawayo on Monday.

Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small, and Medium Enterprises Development Dr Sithembiso Nyoni addresses stakeholders at a meeting in Bulawayo on Monday

He said the local authority was keen on partnerships with interested Government and private sector players in developing the proposed industrial spaces.

The pledge comes at a time when stakeholders have stressed the need for authorities to provide adequate working spaces for budding businesses so as to unlock their full economic potential.

Over and above this plan, Mr Siziba said the council has been working with other private and public sector partners in establishing marketplaces in different suburbs including the one under construction in Nkulumane.

“The council is considering availing of 1,4 hectares of land to cater for SMEs so that when we come together, we then partner through the ministry and we should be able to provide workspace for people,” he said.

Bulawayo City Council Director of Town Planning Mr Wisdom Siziba addressing stakeholders during the City of Bulawayo consultative meeting with Bus operators at Tower block yesterday. Flanking him are Bulawayo City Council corporate Communications Officer Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya and Director of Health Services Dr Edwin Sibanda….

“Those places should be in the industrial areas but within walkable distance from their residential areas.”

To make the proposed workspaces more comfortable for users, Mr Siziba said the city council, in partnership with the National Social Security Authority (NSSA), and other stakeholders, has installed solar-powered boreholes in marketplaces such as the Highlanders market and Nkulumane Sokusile.

In her remarks, Minister Nyoni said provision of adequate workspace to SMEs was not the duty of the ministry alone and urged increased stakeholder collaboration to provide solid support for small businesses.

“The ministry has done well in promoting the SMEs in terms of funding, training, and finding markets for them but what made us come here is because of the need for a decent workspace. Unfortunately, the workspace provision is not the mandate of the ministry alone,” said Dr Nyoni.

“Where we are working very closely with the local authorities there is a lot that has been done and we want to thank you BCC a lot because there are 140 flea markets and that is organisation. So, our SMEs are housed there.

“BCC said there is a lot that has been provided on the workspace of SMEs and the problem now is a reinforcement of what has been planned and what has been done.”

Dr Nyoni said local authorities need to reinforce their own laws as people shun spaces provided for them and choose to be crowded in the city centre, which has caused congestion.

Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association executive director, Mr Michael Ndiweni, said traders shun the established marketplaces because there are no activities in those places.

Mr Michael Ndiweni

He said big shops and banks have no interest in establishing outlets in townships due to high rates by property owners, which resulted in many shopping centres being dysfunctional.

“We are appealing to the Government to engage property owners to lower their rates so that banks and big shops will establish their outlets in townships, which will create activity and lure traders to those areas hence decongesting the city,” said Mr Ndiweni.

Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Judith Ncube, said the available land is becoming smaller as the population continues to grow.

Minister Judith Ncube

“BCC is here with us today because as a local authority, they have the mandate to provide space for SMEs,” she said.

“SMEs have been identified as a catalyst for economic growth in our country as they are major source for economic activities, income generation and employment for our people.” —chronicle