Story by Mercy Bofu-Matinha
THE government is set to introduce seven indices, including production, employment creation, tourism development and poverty reduction, to rate provincial performance in driving the devolution agenda and improving the Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The establishment of Zimbabwe Zhongxin Chrome Smelting Company in Mashava area of Masvingo, producing ferrochrome, has brought so hope to small-scale miners in the area.
The company, which is now focusing on expanding operations through establishing a third furnace, has employed nearly 200 workers.
“I want to thank the government for ensuring the establishment of this company. I started working here in 2023 and since then, I have been able to look after my family. This company is not only benefitting us as workers, but also chrome miners around this area who used to transport their chrome to Kwekwe for smelting,” an employee at Zimbabwe Zhongxin Chrome Smelting Company, Kholwani Mutisi said.
“Since we started production in 2024, we have been operating with two furnaces, and we are happy that production has been going according to plan. As of now, we are operating with one furnace as theother furnace is undergoing an upgrade, but we are also looking at the addition of furnace number three, which will bring employment opportunities to about 100 people,” the company’s general manager, Xue Zhong noted.
Another impactful project in Masvingo is the Great Zimbabwe mini-hydro power plant at Mutirikwi dam, which is producing five megawatts of electricity feeding into the national grid.
“As a province, we are happy with this development. We have a lot of dam water here, hence several Hydro-power plants are to be established. Soon, we will see the expansion of this project, again at Tugwi Mukosi, we have another hydro-power plant currently being established, anticipated to produce 15 MW,” Masvingo Province’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa said.
“We are glad as Great Zimbabwe Hydro-power Company to say this is one of the projects that supports NDSs of the government in terms of making use of the resources that we have.This project operates 24 hours a day, producing 5 MW, which we feed into the national grid. This project releases water into the river and downstream, there are other locations which we have identified, probably now at the primary level to increase the capacity,” Great Zimbabwe Hydro-power station’s site manager, Engineer Austen Chiboora said.
The Permanent Secretary for Presidential Affairs and Devolution in the Office of the President, Engineer Tafadzwa Muguti, toured the two projects where he called upon the provincial leadership to be ready for more investment opportunities.
“What we are witnessing today is the fulfilment of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s promises to ensure development. The time to roll up our sleeves is now as Zimbabweans, we want serious investments in our provinces, and most of all we want skills transfer especially from companies like the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Chrome Smelting Company.
“After visiting the Zimbabwe Zhongxin Chrome Smelting Company and the Great Zimbabwe Hydro-power all I can say is we are in the right direction and the broader vision is to ensure all the provinces which are attracting a lot of mining and industrial activities should also have alternative power,” he said.
Earlier on, Engineer Muguti addressed a joint Provincial Development Committee and Provincial Coordinating Committee meeting where he revealed the importance of the government working together with the ruling ZANU PF party in driving the devolution agenda.
“We are going to use indices to measure the performance of provinces in driving the devolution agenda and improve provincial GDPs. The seven indices will including provincial production, employment creation, tourism development and poverty reduction among others hence it is very important for the government to work with the party leadership to ensure development in communities.”
Masvingo Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Ezra Chadzamira, concurred with ZANU PF Masvingo Provincial Chairperson, Cde Robson Mavhenyengwa, that government and the ruling party are the vanguard of socio-economic transformation.
“As government, we continue to work with the party towards ensuring inclusive development, modernisation and industrialisation. Development in our communities must be people-oriented, hence we say both the party and government are the vanguard of socio-economic transformation,” Honourable Chadzamira said.
“As a party, we are ready to support all the development programmes that are being implemented in our communities. We are ready to take part because we have seen that the developments are transforming our lives,” Senator Mavhenyengwa added.
Masvingo province is targeting an eight billion United States dollar economy by 2030.
