Liquor and Food outlets the only investments for Gwanda

Staff Reporter

The small mining town of Gwanda seems to be only attracting investments into beer drinking spots and food outlets.

The town meant to be the Provincial Capital of Matebeleland South has over the years not been able to attract any industrial or major commercial investment besides its location in the middle of heavy mining, agriculture and government administration.

In recent days anyone opening a meaningful business venture in Gwanda thinks of a liquor outlet, food outlet or a hardware shop over and above flee market or spaza shop operated like retail shops.

The last time that Gwanda Town had an industrial investment was when Delta Beverages then trading as Matebeleland Breweries operated a brewery in the town brewing the now out of market Thabani Beer. The plant closed its operations in 1993 relocating the brewery to Bulawayo's Fairdridge industrial area.

The town was also once the pride of the country when there was Lemco in near by West Nicholson. Lemco was manufacturing tinned beef which was a favourite in the European market. The company also closed operations in the early 90s and the plant has since worn out.

In recent years all the beef, gold, cement and chrome produced in the district finds its way out of Gwanda in its raw state for processing in "bigger" cities like Bulawayo and Harare. Gwanda looks like a very attractive industrial hub as it has a very good transport network both rail and road and has a very reliable water supply. The recent expansions of the town's boundaries also make it a very good investment place with lots of land available for any size of investment.

Gwanda Town has as of 2013 disputed population census results a population of about 16 000 people. Estimates however put the figure around 25 000 with an unemployment level of well over 85%. Most of the people in the town are occupied in informal trading and illegal gold panning. Because of the gold panning there is a huge flow of money in the informal sector of Gwanda and resulting in opportunistic investment into liquor and food outlets.

As of today Gwanda has about 40 liquor outlets congested in a very small area with some spaced barely 3 metres of the other. In the town CBD there is about 10 liquor outlets with the latest "acquisition" being a new garden along the busy main Bulawayo Beitbridge highway.

Pakama business centre has also about 10 liquor outlets all very close to each other. Spitzkop business areas have over 5 liquor outlets. The old location of Marriage has no less than 6 drinking outlets also in very close proximity to each other. There is several other liquor outlets some operating from government premises and some operating illegally in prostitution infested "guest houses" and "lodges".

With liquor readily available in every corner of the town and liquid cash in the hands of the gold panners known as oTsheketsha, cases of violent crimes and prostitution are on an uncontrollable rise in the town. There have been numerous complaints from residents on the influx of commercial sex workers emigrating into the town some from as far afield as Harare in chase of the cash possessed revellers of the small town.

Presenting the 2014 budget for council, Finance and Licensing Committee Chairman Councillor Johane Ncube said the town council also had a desire to diversify the town's economy away from the traditional agricultural and mining sectors so that rapid growth is achieved and employment created for the local population.

"In this regard, council shall be encouraging investment in other sectors which have hitherto been ignored," said Clr Ncube.

It is certainly hoped that Gwanda through its Economic Development Committee and office will in the new year be able to attract worth while investment to the town instead of more and more liquor outlets. Could the sprouting of the liquor outlets be a confirmation of Gwanda as being a beer loving town? For a provincial capital a lot is expected from the town in industrial and commercial investments.