Story by Yolanda Moyo
BULAWAYO’S metal fabrication sector is booming, with micro-enterprises emerging as key drivers of growth, boosting local gross domestic product through home-grown ingenuity.
What started as a modest operation in a backyard workshop has blossomed into a thriving medium-sized enterprise, a testament to the resilience and entrepreneurial spirit of Bulawayo’s metal fabrication sector.
Lubinda Mathe recalls the humble beginnings of his business.
“I started with a few basic tools and a dream. The initial challenges were immense. Access to capital, skilled labour, and a steady market were constant hurdles. I moved into factory shells formalised my business and here l am today, I have graduated into a medium enterprise, employing over 20 people and supplying various sectors, including construction, agriculture, and mining. I have managed to register with PPRAZ and even supply government entities and this has kept me running for the past years,” he narrates.
Lovemore’s journey mirrors the growth trajectory of many micro-enterprises in Bulawayo’s metal fabrication industry, a sector that is quietly contributing a unique spark to the city’s industrial landscape.
“The growth of micro-enterprises in this sector is commendable. I have been in the business for the past 30 years and have managed to grow from being a small business to someone who is now supplying people as far as Lupane. These businesses are also creating employment opportunities for local youths and helping them gain skills in metal fabrication,” said a micro-metal fabricator.
“By focusing on niche markets and building strong customer relationships, we have managed to sustain our business. We are filling a gap in the market and providing essential goods and services some of the challenges that we adore facing are constant power cuts and raw materials as sometimes we have to buy from South Africa. This then sometimes becomes costly for us,” noted another.
According to the Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs, the metal fabrication sector, dominated by micro-enterprises has shown remarkable resilience in the face of economic challenges, contributing significantly to the province’s gross domestic product (GDP).
“The cottage industry demonstrates the entrepreneurial spirit of our people and their ability to create value from limited resources. When you look at the quality, it is high quality and what is needed is a strategy to harness this industry into a structured business. What is needed are industrial parks to be developed in the residential areas to enable the sector to work from a sustainable environment. We need a concerted effort to create better factory space to the metal fabrication sector,” highlighted Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs Programmes Coordinator, Mr Nketa Dlamini.
The metal fabrication sector’s contribution to the economy extends beyond direct employment as it has a ripple effect, supporting other industries such as transport, construction and agriculture.
