eBusiness Weekly
Walter Nyamukondiwa
Platinum giant Zimplats has channelled over $43 million to local enterprises — mostly in Mashonaland West province — as part of its local supplier development programme in support of the country’s industrialisation agenda.
This accounted for about 67 percent of Zimplats’ total spend this year on supplies with the remainder being imports.
At least 20 local companies including Turf Brick Moulding Company, Central African Forge, Allied Engineering, Telstone Trading and Dostaro Investments have been supplying goods and services to the mining giant.
In a recent brief to Mashonaland West Provincial Affairs Minister Mary Mliswa-Chikoka, Zimplats managing director Stanley Segula, said the programme is part of the indigenisation programme.
“The other 31 percent we are looking at local enterprises development and at the moment we have about 20 of those outfits in and around Mashonaland West province,” he said.
“We have spent about $43 million so far in 2018. This is a significant amount going towards empowerment of communities which we have run. One other drive is industrialisation where we are trying to substitute imports with local industries.”
Zimplats is also pursuing manufacturing of things such as explosives used in their mining operations.
Some of the companies engaged by Zimplats supply steel balls, protective clothing, bricks and silica among others.
“In terms of industrialisation and import substitution, we are pursuing a number of areas including localising of explosive manufacturing and supply of support elements. We have made significant progress in that regard,” he said.
Zimplats has also helped to set up the Mhondoro-Ngezi-Chegutu-Zvimba Community Share Ownership Trust with 10 percent equity stake being processed.
Minister Mliswa commended Zimplats for the Community Share Ownership Trust saying it has made significant impact of the Mhondoro—Ngezi, Chegutu and Zvimba.
“We would like to thank Zimplats for what they are doing in the community and what they are doing in terms of complying with Government’s thrust,” he said.
“Zimplats is one of the biggest contributors in terms of tax and they have won several awards. It shows that they are working well with the Government and we say well done.”
The platinum giants have contributed about $131 million in taxes for the 2018 financial year.
Indications are more local companies are likely to benefit from operations of the platinum giant into the future.
