News / Local
Potential investors tour the city's water infrastructure
24 Apr 2013 at 10:21hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo City Council on Tuesday took scores of potential investors on a tour of its water infrastructure.
Council is seeking private partners for projects worth up to $1 billion for its water and water waste management master plan.
The plan is designed to rehabilitate the city's ageing water and sewer reticulation system and would be carried out over a period of 20 years.
The investors were part of a delegation that attended the two-day Zimbabwe Water Resources and Infrastructure Investment Summit, which ended yesterday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Exhibition Centre.
The delegation toured the Thorngrove sewer plant and the Criterion waterworks, which are both, dilapidated.
In interviews after the tour, delegates expressed confidence in the projects' capacity to bring a handsome return on their money.
"Bulawayo is a city that is being run very well. I am confident that it will soon be a prime investment destination because of the massive water projects it is undertaking. The system of checks and balances that bring transparency and accountability, that the city has adopted is quite advanced.
On paper the projects are viable. We might invest after doing a feasibility study" said a South African investor.
Another potential investor said council figures for possible returns on the projects were attractive.
"At a glance, they look feasible. I need to talk to my bosses back home and it is possible that we may take on a chunk of the projects on offer," said the investor who also preferred anonymity.
Council's financial director Mr Kimpton Ndimande said it was too early to assess the fruits of the summit and tour.
"We have lucrative projects and we are optimistic that we will soon find partners to take them on. However, for today it is too early to assess success. We are inviting those who were not able to attend the summit to visit the city and see for themselves the vast opportunities that lie in investing in our water master plan," said Mr Ndimande.
The summit was organised by MN Capital of South Africa, which co-hosted the event with council.
Council is seeking private partners for projects worth up to $1 billion for its water and water waste management master plan.
The plan is designed to rehabilitate the city's ageing water and sewer reticulation system and would be carried out over a period of 20 years.
The investors were part of a delegation that attended the two-day Zimbabwe Water Resources and Infrastructure Investment Summit, which ended yesterday at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair Exhibition Centre.
The delegation toured the Thorngrove sewer plant and the Criterion waterworks, which are both, dilapidated.
In interviews after the tour, delegates expressed confidence in the projects' capacity to bring a handsome return on their money.
"Bulawayo is a city that is being run very well. I am confident that it will soon be a prime investment destination because of the massive water projects it is undertaking. The system of checks and balances that bring transparency and accountability, that the city has adopted is quite advanced.
On paper the projects are viable. We might invest after doing a feasibility study" said a South African investor.
Another potential investor said council figures for possible returns on the projects were attractive.
"At a glance, they look feasible. I need to talk to my bosses back home and it is possible that we may take on a chunk of the projects on offer," said the investor who also preferred anonymity.
Council's financial director Mr Kimpton Ndimande said it was too early to assess the fruits of the summit and tour.
"We have lucrative projects and we are optimistic that we will soon find partners to take them on. However, for today it is too early to assess success. We are inviting those who were not able to attend the summit to visit the city and see for themselves the vast opportunities that lie in investing in our water master plan," said Mr Ndimande.
The summit was organised by MN Capital of South Africa, which co-hosted the event with council.
Source - TC
