Lupane University gets land in Victoria Falls
KUSILE Rural District Council ( RDC) has announced plans to partner with Lupane State University’s Faculty of Commerce, in a move that will speed up the industrialisation of Jotsholo Business Centre and establish it as a town which will be the council’s headquarters in the long term.
In an interview with Sunday News, Kusile RDC chief executive officer Mr Christopher Chuma said they planned on partnering LSU for the development of Jotsholo and they had already pegged land for the university.
“We have set aside land for LSU at Jotsholo Business Centre where the Faculty of Commerce will be able to do their various projects. It is a strategic move for us as we want to take advantage of the influx of a number of major projects in the area to construct new residential areas and attract more people to settle in Jotsholo,” said Mr Chuma.
Mr Chuma revealed that the plans for industrialisation were at an advanced stage and they were still waiting for LSU’s response to the council’s proposal.
“We are in the process of finalising the deal with the university, we have done our part and we are now waiting for the response so that we get on with the next step,” he said.
Meanwhile, LSU has also acquired land from the Victoria Falls Municipality to build a satellite campus in the resort town.
The development will come as a relief to students from Hwange district which covers Hwange and Victoria Falls towns as well as surrounding areas that have over the years clamoured for a college in the resort town.
Local tourism companies were importing labour because most locals lack the requisite qualifications. Victoria Falls Town Clerk Mr Ronnie Dube said council availed 20 000 square metres of land to LSU.
“The council resolved to give some land to LSU in the spirit of promoting higher education and training in Matabeleland North in particular and Zimbabwe in general,” he said.
LSU director of marketing and communication Mr Zwelithini Dlamini said the land will be used build a campus for the Faculty of Commerce.