George Maponga — A team of executives from top South African firm Mohammed Investments yesterday flew into Masvingo on an investment scouting mission, as the province's profile as a leading investment destination continues to grow buoyed by low-hanging fruits in mining and agriculture.
Mohammed Investments senior officials are on a Masvingo Province investment visit organised by Masvingo-based firm Marisa Worldwide International directed by Mr Tasunungurwa Marisa.
The delegation was led by one of the firm's directors.
The visit by Mohammed Investments' representatives to Masvingo comes as the province is eyeing to ramp up its provincial gross domestic product in sync with Vision 2030.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) Ambassador to Zimbabwe Dr Jassim Mohamed al Qasemi was also in the province on a three-day trip to scout for investment opportunities.
Masvingo Province is home to more than 30 minerals, with gold and diamonds being the most lucrative minerals that are found in abundance in the province.
The province also boasts the highest dam density in Zimbabwe which, coupled with abundant fertile agricultural land, makes it ideal for irrigation development to create greenbelts.
Yesterday, Mr Mohammed and his team toured mining ventures operated by Marisa Worldwide International in the mineral-rich Mashava and Bondolfi areas before visiting Lake Mutirikwi Dam where a private company, Great Zimbabwe Hydro Power Company, is building a 5MW mini-hydro power plant.
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Speaking at the end of the one-day tour by Mohammed Investments, an excited Mr Marisa said his firm was happy to help the province unlock vast economic opportunities in spheres such as mining and tourism that he says will engender socio-economic transformation as Masvingo joins the rest of the nation on the road to becoming an upper middle-income society by 2030.
"I am representing Marisa Worldwide (International) and Marisa Transport and am very happy to host a team of South African billionaires who have flown into Masvingo to scout for investment opportunities in areas such as mining," he said.
"We have not yet done the paperwork as of now, but everything is on course and we are excited that our great province is getting attention in the eyes of investors and our own Masvingo Airport is receiving air traffic, which dovetails with our President's vision that Zimbabwe is open for business and the open skies policy by Government.
"I am also happy that as Marisa Worldwide International we are spearheading efforts to grow the provincial economy through exploitation of our God-given resources which dovetails with what President Mnangagwa is always saying that,"Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo".
The Mohammed Investments delegation flew out of Masvingo back to South Africa late in the afternoon, capping a promising day for the province that is intensifying efforts to attract investment as it eyes a provincial GDP of US$8 billion by 2030.
Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira has said the envisaged expansion in the province's GDP will be undergirded by the mining and agricultural sectors.
