Zimbabwe exports projected to clock US$14bn annually by 2030 ‘Transformer thieves are Zesa workers’
ZIMBABWE’S exports are projected to clock US$14 billion annually by 2030 from US$4 billion in 2018 riding on the successful implementation of the ongoing comprehensive economic reform agenda by Government.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Dr Sibusiso Moyo, said this yesterday while addressing delegates to the 2019 ZimTrade Exporters’ Conference that is underway in Bulawayo. President Mnangagwa officially opened the conference, which is being hosted by Bulawayo for the first time under the theme: “Rethink, Reform and Export”.
“We intend to increase the annual exports from around US$4 billion in 2018 to US$7 billion by 2023 and to U$14 billion by 2030. These are minimum thresholds and, there, we call this 7/14 targets, which is what will guide all industrialists and exporters and everybody as we move on,” he said.
“Focus will be put on enhancing participation in programmes and initiatives aimed at promoting and facilitating trade under bilateral and regional and multi-lateral arrangements.
“This is intended to ensure that Zimbabwe takes full advantage of trade preferences and opportunities availed by our membership to trading blocs such to Sadc, Comesa, the AfCFTA, ACP-EU and WTO.”
Dr Moyo said generating more exports requires aggressive efforts and called on producers to play their part. He said the prevailing macro-economic challenges could be reversed if the country increases its export earnings.
“Total export earnings of US$4 billion annually as recorded in 2018 cannot sustain economy development trajectory that we envisage towards Vision 2030. The country needs to increase value added exports and companies need to be supported and to be innovative everywhere possible to competitively produce for exports,” he ZESA workers have a hand in the rampant vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure, which has cost the country millions of dollars and led to disruption of efficient power transmission across the country, President Mnangagwa said yesterday.
The power utility needs at least US$40 million to replace more than 4 000 transformers, which have been vandalised across the country. It has also lost up to 1 000km of power lines to cable thieves, according to recent reports.
Responding to a question on the matter during a plenary session at the on-going 2019 ZimTrade Annual Exporters’ Conference in Bulawayo, the President said Government was disturbed by reports of power transmission disruptions linked to vandalism of electricity infrastructure and the attendant negative impact on ordinary people and business operations.
“We are convinced that those who steal transformers either work for Zesa or are related to Zesa workers because you need some degree of information and technology to steal these transformers, and you must know that there is some danger involved,” said President Mnangagwa.
said.
e minister also stressed the need to inculcate an export culture among the country’s enterprises with focus on diversifying the export base. He said Government was determined to reform its operations hence the crafting of the National Export Strategy Policy (2019-2023) and the Zimbabwe National Trade Policy (2019-2023).
The two policies were officially launched by President Mnangagwa yesterday and draw inspiration from the Zimbabwe National Industrialisation Development Policy by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, which
“Transformers are being stolen countrywide and we need to find a way to stop this stealing.”
President Mnangagwa said Government has come up with propositions on how to tackle the issue of transformers at two levels.
First, he said the Ministry of ICT, Postal and Courier Services has been tasked to develop applications or technology to protect the transformers. This includes exploring avenues of using technology devices such as drones to monitor electricity infrastructure.
The President said research was also being done on the usage of modern transformers in advanced economies that cannot be vandalised, which could be embraced locally.
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa said there was a need to amend the laws and come up with deterrent sentences against those who vandalise electricity infrastructure.
He challenged Zesa to explain public concerns over delays in repair of transformers that would be taken away from communities for repair and maintenance but take longer to be reinstalled. President Mnangagwa said he will be officiating at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) graduation today where he has been briefed that the university will showcase a new
also seeks to advance the export led-economic transformation.
Although Zimbabwe is at its lowest ebb in terms of exports, Dr Moyo said it was encouraging that the country ranks third in Sadc in terms of revenue generated from exports, which indicates room for improvement and international appetite for the country’s products.
He challenged producers to expand export market access beyond South Africa as was the case in the early 1990s by taping into opportunities across the globe.
This requires action from all stakeholders to transformer model that he hoped would assist the country in view of the vandalism problem.
Zesa has been experiencing increased incidents of vandalism, some of which had claimed lives as thieves attempt to drain transformer oil or cut copper cable conductors. The trend has further crippled Zesa operations at a time the country has suffered reduced power generation capacity at the Kariba Hydro-plant linked to drought and ageing infrastructure at the main thermal stations.
Recently, Cabinet also expressed concern over vandalism of Zesa infrastructure and put into spotlight the effectiveness of the 10-year mandatory sentence for those convicted with some stakeholders suggesting a 20-year sentence.
It is believed that those vandalising Zesa infrastructure are finding a ready market locally and outside the country for transformer oil and copper cables sold as scrap.
The copper cables are being smuggled mainly to South Africa where there is a ready market for them hence vandals are even risking their lives to cut the cables.
Many cases of vandals being electrocuted while cutting live wires have been reported but this has not deterred the vandals.
buttress Government efforts on the re-engagement front meant to eradicate barriers to exports, he said.
“Government and business alike, we all need to rethink the way we do things, self-introspect and address areas where we are found wanting,” said Dr Moyo.
During the conference, Special Advisor to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ambassador Stuart Comberbach, gave a brief highlight of the significance of the Zimbabwe National Trade Policy and the National Export Strategy.