BY METHEMBE SIBANDA/ REX MPHISA GOVERNMENT has challenged the tourism and hospitality sector to exploit opportunities offered by the Great Limpopo River.
The call was made by Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry minister Mangaliso Ndlovu when he officially opened the Beitbridge Business Expo on Saturday.
He also asked other businesses to take advantage of Beitbridge’s fast development and export zone status and set up companies in the border town.
“The large figures of the transient population should translate into economic sense for the residents of the town,” Ndlovu said.
“I am informed that at its peak before the COVID-19 scourge, there was between 10 000-15 000 daily transient population, 100 buses, 800 trucks and 1 500 small vehicles passing through Beitbridge. These are good numbers in business, there is no doubt.”
The expo is modelled along the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair and this year attracted exhibitors from South Africa and locally from as far afield as Harare. The expo ran under the theme, Beitbridge 24/7.
The expo is a brainchild of a group of businesspeople chaired by Anna Muleya. She said: “This is only our second edition, but there is need now for us to find a bigger venue. We note that businesses are excited and the next edition should even be more improved since we take all criticisms seriously.”
Muleya appealed to the government to allow companies in Beitbridge to operate 24 hours to service users of the Beitbridge Border Post.
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Town clerk Loud Ramakgapola said: “We are excited that we have finally caught the eyes of some exhibitors like the National University of Science and Technology and the Midlands State University who have said they will set up shop here.”
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