Investors eye Zim rural areas

INVESTORS from South Africa arrived in the country yesterday targeting to invest in the agriculture and beverages industries with a bias towards rural areas.

The investors from Kwasizabantu, Mission South Africa arrived yesterday afternoon to start works on several projects similar to those they have across the Limpopo.

A senior official from Kwasizabantu, Mr Louis Englebrecht said they have found the business environment in Zimbabwe very conducive.

“We are delighted to be here, primarily to continue with the works we have been doing in South Africa,” he said.

He said the company has always been interested in investing in the Zimbabwe and with the inception of the Second Republic, the environment is now ideal for them to come in.

“Now we are seeing the doors opening and it is indeed the right time to set shop in Zimbabwe, we are really delighted with the opportunities in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Englebrecht.

The company produces energy drinks and carbonated ones including flavours of naartjie, litchi and lemon, plus sparkling water.

South African investor Mr Louis Englebrecht being welcomed by businessman Mr Paul Tungwarara
at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare on Saturday “We want to go to rural areas and show them how to work with their hands, our aim is to create employment and demonstrate that rural areas can be modernised,” he added.

This dovetails with President Mnangagwa’s thrust of modernising and industralising rural areas towards Vision 2030 to become an upper middle class economy.

Special presidential investment advisor Mr Paul Tungwarara who received the investors at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport said he hopes the investors will set shop in Zimbabwe.

“They are coming to invest in Zimbabwe, I have seen what they have done in South Africa, they have turned rural areas into cities, what we have seen is that they have the largest beverage company in South Africa and we want them to spread into Zimbabwe,” said Mr Tungwarara.

Asked about the progress at the Cybercity where he brought investors Mr Tungwarara said the ball is now in the responsible ministry’s hands.

“I understand that there is something at the site but I don’t know much because it is now in the hands of the ministry in charge. My role is to bring in investors, as for what they do after other relevant authorities take over,” said Mr Tungwarara.-Herald.co.zw