China taking over Bulawayo

It is now like old news that most companies and industries are shutting down in Bulawayo for the reasons which are not very clear. It is a problem to the rest of the Bulawayans who are affected by this as many get retrenched, forced into early retirement and others lose their jobs just like that.This goes on to affect their families as they will be breadwinners so the families suffer.

In the recently shut down down Kalbro company (which dealt with, upholstry, carpeting, car ports, blinds, curtaining etc), a Chinese shop is opening. The shop will be selling clothing, kitchen wear and other products like that.
Also there is a rumor that the whole space around Lobengula street to Egodini has bee to sold to a China company that will open China City, i resemblance of the one in South Africa.

Do you think that this is a good move to have Chinese taking over our city, can that be called good business?

Can Labour Market enhance investments prospects in a country?

Labor market information is critical in enhancing the country’s investment prospects, a Cabinet Minister said

Labour and Social Services Minister Paurina Mpariwa told participants at a workshop on labour market information systems that the availability of information about occupations and labour market trends could compel investors to consider Zimbabwe and most other African countries as important investment destinations.

“For investors and employers to make investment decisions they need information about the size of the labour force, the skills and qualifications, the output of training institutions, the age distribution and many other aspects,” she said.

Labour market information (LMI) services, Minister Mpariwa said, were important in analysing employment data such as registration, live registers, existing vacancies, placements and employer information in order to arrive at meaningful labour market signals.Economists say the phenomenon of globalisation was placing much emphasis on the importance of efficient labour market systems for nations to effectively compete in the international socio-economic value chains.They also suggested that as African countries devolved towards establishing a socio-economically integrated region, it was important for current labour market information to be known.

Do you think such a development can boost the African economies, lets discuss??

Lifestyle Holdings expands

Lifestyle Holdings has introduced a TN Virtual Mart  where it will deliver groceries to its clientele’s door steps.TN Mart sells food and non-food items. Foods items include mealie meal, cooking oil, non alcoholic beverages, teas and coffees, milk, breakfast cereals, biscuits and sweets, etc.Non-food items include washing powders and soaps, health and beauty products, toiletries, travel goods, kitchenware, stationery and polishers.

Lifestyle Holdings chief executive officer Tawanda Nyambirai told NewsDay Business yesterday that the development had been inspired by the demand of services by TN Mart customers.

He said to date 33 000 applications had been received with 7 000 coming from the Warren Park area.

In a statement over the weekend, TN Mart said the Virtual Mart was an exciting and convenient way of purchasing groceries.

The group recently expanded its product offering by launching a retail brand, TN Mart, and a fast-food chain, TN Grill.The group entered into a 12-year lease agreement with Rufaro Marketing for its former beerhalls which it intends to use to further expand its retail offering
.
It is quite encouraging that other companies are doing good in Zimbabwe though others are not, does this mean for those that are not doing good something or someone is putting them at disadvantage, or they are just failing on their own?

Business oportunity at Trade fair

All is set for the 54th edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo with a number of exhibitors and visitors already in the city ahead of the premier trade showcase which starts tomorrow.

The ZITF which ends on Saturday will run under the theme “Building Value, Enhancing Growth” and will be officially opened by Malawian President Joyce Banda on Friday.The Malawian President will have the opportunity to tour the stands accompanied by her host, President Mugabe before she officially opens the show.

Sixteen countries are expected to exhibit, with Ghana coming in as a new entrant, and Tanzania is making a comeback after a few years without taking part at the fair.

 Some of the foreign nations that are exhibiting include Zambia, Egypt, China, SA and Brazil. Iran which was part of the exhibiting countries last year is not represented this year.

It is a business opportunity for all business people ad they can get a opportunity to engage into business with foreign companies. Do you think this event can boost the economy of Bulawayo,? lets discuss

NSSA Hotel finished in Beightbridge

THE multi-million dollar hotel being built in Beitbridge by the National Social Security Authority (NSSA) in partnership with Rainbow Tourism Group is is now complete.

 

An estimated $25 million has so far been spent on the project that started in 2009.

“The greatest challenge has been for the contractor to bring in an adequately experienced labour force to carry out the works and to keep to the planned or scheduled work programme.

“The contractor has also been unable to fund the works in advance, relying on NSSA to finance   materials and payment of service providers,” said NSSA.

 

Construction giant Costain has built the three-star hotel.The authority entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with RTG to operate the hotel once it was complete.

It is hoped that the project would create jobs once complete as professionals are engaged in running the hotel.

 

The double-storey hotel has 150 rooms comprising single and double rooms as well as executive, diplomatic and presidential suites.The hotel also has a casino, gym and a swimming pool.

In line with keeping abreast with international trends, the hotel is the first almost totally non-smoking hotel in the country.

Provision has also been made for two banks to offer a banking service within the hotel.

 

This is a ghood move by NSSA to grow in the business field, but my question is who is going to benefit much from this project considering that NSSA is an organisation that works with the public?

YET ANOTHER COMPANY CLOSED IN BULAWAYO

Many companies have been shutting down in Bulawayo which made the Industrial site in ruins. Kalbro is one of the companies which was doing good businesswomen and had offices in town and in the Industrial site. It specialized in carpet making and fitting, canvas products, carports, blinds and many other products of the sort. The company kept on expanding and doing good in business until the 2000 period up to period before its  closure.

In 2002 the company saw the  retrenchment of hundreds of workers leaving most families in hunger considering that the retrenched workers were breadwinners in their families. The situation got worse in the 2005-2008 period where it closed all  its offices and was left with the town offices only. Most workers left without being retrenched or fired because it was no use to be in the comfort and the company could not provide much for them. They left without without theirs packages and the company could not do much because it was facing monetary challenges. The company MD Mr Mithal could not do much for them since the big guys in the company had left for Europe. The situation never got any better and the few remaining workers just hung on with the hopes that things will get better and they could go for months without any pay. 

  This went on until last week when the company officially shut down and workers were sent away with nothing, they were just promised by  word of mouth that they will get them

  

What worries me much is that most of the workers were elderly people who could do with the pension funds, but now they were sent home empty handed, im just wondering what would happen to them and their families. My question is why did the company owners lose interest in reviving the company after 2008, was it due to political reasons or the fear for indeginisation? If most companies do likewise how would the Bulawayo industry look like and what would happen too workers and their employees???

Datlabs has launched a new Camphor cream product

LEADING pharmaceutical company, Datlabs  has launched a new Camphor cream product called CamphaCare. 

 the new Zimbabwean Camphor cream which will reduce unemployment and boost economic growth and will be exported to neighbouring countries so as to reduce the high trade deficit being experienced by the nation.

 The Bulawayo factory has the capacity to produce 500 000 jars of Camphor cream every month with a market worth $10 million hence we urge our retail partners to take a share of the new product.

.

Datlabs brand manager, Mrs Grace Mazinyani, said the thrust of introducing a new product was to give consumers a lotion that provides superior skin moisturisation and nourishment.

“We noted that consumers are dissatisfied with stringent lotions that make their skin look dry and cracked after application.

“Prior to the launch we conducted surveys, in which consumers complimented the new product for its elongated skin moisturising and nourishing effect"

Mrs Mazinyani said over the next six months, teams will be conducting massive sampling activities on the new product, offering consumers the opportunity to try out the new product.

Datlabs is a pharmaceutical and personal care company which has ties with the South African pharmaceutical company, Adcock Ingram, which manufactures and distributes an extensive range of pharmaceutical and personal care products.
 CAN YOU IMAGINE IF MOST OF BULAWAYO COMPANIES WERE DOING LIKEWISE, WOULDNT BULAWAYO BE FAR BY NOW? WHAT AND WHERE IS THE PROBLEM IN THE FIRST PLACE?