EXCLUSIVE: 'Rainbow hotel lied about Bulwayo's capacity'

The Construction Industry Federation for Zimbabwe(CIFOZ)  has responded to a statement by the Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel manager Innocent Kufa that Bulawayo companies do not have the required expertise to renovate the hotel.

In an interview with the local press recently Kufa said, "There is no single contractor in Bulawayo who has done a three storey building over the past 20 years. We looked but couldn't find one.

We ended up giving the tender to a Bulawayo based person who owns Creative Concepts who then subcontracted other companies. We agreed with the contractor that we will buy raw materials from South Africa."

CIFOZ has disputed the remarks saying they have members who are capable of doing the work.

"We as an organization are able to provide a list of companies that are qualified to do the different works to any aspiring client whose works are certified by their expertise," CIFOZ said in a statement.

"We, therefore, would like to advise the office of the General Manager of Rainbow hotel that engagement with the professionals in the industry will assist his organization to realize quality professional works undertaken that they require as it is also our core function to educate clients. whose knowledge of the built environment which is so diverse and complicated, is limited on the right of partners for their intended projects.

"We call upon all organizations and persons requiring assistance and guidance with our industry to call us instead of making unfounded assumptions based on pure ignorance."

In the same interview, Kufa said for waterproofing, they had to contract a Harare based company as there was no company in Bulawayo that had the required expertise.

"For waterproofing, we gave the tender to a Khumalo who is based in Harare because there was no-one in Bulawayo recommendable to do the job."

A Bulawayo based company Engineered Waterproofing Systems (EWS) said it has the capacity and proven track record to deliver proper services to the hotel.

"We have been in this business in Bulawayo for over 25 years and consider ourselves one of the leading waterproofing companies in Zimbabwe."EWS's Brian Macklin said.

"We were the first company to import torch-on type waterproofing membranes. I ask where did Mr Innocent Kufa and his maintenance team look for waterproofing contractors? We have submitted quotations and had meetings at the Rainbow Hotel for the past 4 years regarding the 2512 sqm of waterproofing that needed doing on the building."