War vets get 5ha for small businesses

Land developer Eddies Pfugari Properties (Pvt) Ltd has made five hectares of land in Whitecliffe available to war veterans to establish small businesses, as part of its empowerment initiatives. The site, located along the Harare–Bulawayo Road, is expected to accommodate around 500 beneficiaries engaged in various small-scale enterprises.

Company director Edward Nyanyiwa (Jnr) confirmed that the land is ready for occupation, highlighting his personal connection to the cause. "I am a veteran, but from South Africa where I grew up. My father is Zimbabwean, making me also Zimbabwean. During the liberation struggle, I fought on the South African front. In South Africa, I have seen that veterans who liberated the nation must be empowered," he said.

Nyanyiwa expressed concern over the lack of empowerment support for war veterans residing at Whitecliffe Farm, an area developed by his company. "Some veterans have benefited from other Government streams, some have land, but others are not earning enough from the land they occupy. I then saw it fit to empower our war veterans. For us to be free, to call it Zimbabwe, they played a crucial role — they liberated us. Some are still crippled today because of their service and sacrifice," he said.

The initiative is aligned with Zimbabwe's Vision 2030 and complements efforts by President Emmerson Mnangagwa. "We decided to partner with the war veterans. We came up with small SMEs on that land. Whatever ideas they bring to the table, we are amenable to them and ready to do business with them. The war veterans are coming up with structures to operationalise the agreement. As Pfugari, we are eager to support them since war veterans are a very important pillar in this nation," Nyanyiwa added.

Secretary for War Veterans in Zvimba East Constituency, Elishah Marisa, welcomed the development, confirming that structures were being put in place to implement the project. "We are looking at how we can put the idea into motion. We want to set up structures that accommodate many people and at the same time not inconvenience those already on the ground," he said. Engagements with local members in Whitecliffe are ongoing to accelerate the process.

The development follows Cabinet's 33rd session approval of the "User Pays Principle" for compensating landowners whose properties are used for housing projects. Under this model, 11,000 beneficiaries will pay full development costs, including land value, servicing, and related expenses, with the Government facilitating negotiations between landowners and residents to enable direct purchase agreements over a specified period.