SA investor targets Mwenezi
A SOUTH AFRICAN investor has expressed interest in cattle ranching, tourism development and power generation in Mwenezi.
Speaking during a familiarisation tour of Manyuchi Dam last weekend, businessman Mr Lourensama Botha, who was accompanied by Masvingo Minister of State Ezra Chadzamira, said he was charmed by vast investment opportunities in Mwenezi.
Mr Botha said the familiarisation tour was a precursor to the start of real investment in Mwenezi with all his planned projects set to be anchored on the idle Manyuchi.
He said the 319 million cubic metres dam presented opportunities for tourism, power generation, irrigation and fisheries.
He pledged to immediately start engaging the provincial leadership here over the projects.
Mr Botha said he had a biased interest in cattle ranching and wildlife breeding with existing projects in Matabeleland South.
“I have an appreciation of the potential that this dam (Manyuchi) can have,” he said.
“I will sit down with my team back in South Africa and see how we can bring in money into Zimbabwe for investment. The money is there, but it is too early to mention figures.
“I am already into cattle ranching and would want to look into that opportunity if I can get enough land around this dam. We want idle land where villagers will not be moved.”
Mr Botha assured the provincial leadership that once certain modalities have been completed, it would not take long to start the projects.
“We cannot pre-empt what we are going to do,” he said.
“We have a consortium which is eager to put its money in Zimbabwe and the earlier important modalities are finalised by Government and Mwenezi RDC, the better.
“We want to know the size of the land that we will work on and there is a potential of power generation at the dam.”
Zimbabwe National Water Authority catchment manager Mr Stanley Nazombe said there was vast potential at Manyuchi Dam though Government controlled only 30 percent of water in the reservoir.
“The dam has a capacity of 319 million cubic metres with potential to irrigate about 10 000 hectares of land,” he said.
“At the moment the water in the dam is underutilised and we would be happy if we can have investors who can use the water. As Government, we only control 30 percent, but there is no activity at the moment while Tongaat Hulett which has rights to 70 percent only uses 33 percent to irrigate its Mwenezana Sugarcane Estate.”
Cde Chadzamira welcomed Mr Botha’s plans, saying Masvingo province was open for business, assuring investors that their money would be safe.
“President Mnangagwa seeks to create wealth for communities and we look at resources which can help local people lead normal lives, in sync with the concept of devolution,” he said.
“The new dispensation is targeting a middle-income economy in Zimbabwe by 2030 and through effective use resources like Manyuchi Dam and that target is achievable.”
Mwenezi West National Assembly member, Cde Priscilla Moyo hailed Mr Botha for showing interest in investing in her constituency, but underscored the need for investors to give time frames within which they expected the initiative to take place.