Beitbridge Expo pushes for showground construction

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

The Beitbridge Business Expo has set plans in motion to construct a show ground in Beitbridge in line with the town’s transformation into a medium city.

A number of fundraising initiative are being rolled out to ensure the dream becomes a reality.

In general terms, a show ground is an area where assorted events are held including agriculture shows and related business events are held.

At the moment, such events have been confined mainly at the Dulivhadzimu Stadium.

Beitbridge Business Expo Chairperson Dr Anna Muleya said this year they were holding an expo and business awards as a way of fundraising and mobilising resources to construct the show ground.

She said while the business was mobilising the resources, the Beitbridge Municipality was working on the necessary processes to avail land for the project.

Dr Muleya said the expo and business awards will be held at the Zebra Hilltop Lodge, 50km west of the border town along the road leading to Bulawayo on March 25.

“This year,we are having the Beitbridge corporate and people’s choice awards which are being organised by the Beitbridge Expo committee,” she said.

“We are doing this as part of our fundraising initiative to construct Beitbridge show grounds. All the proceeds from this event will be channelled towards that cause.

“The municipality is doing their best on that front and they have promised us something in terms of the land by the beginning of April this year. Our town is growing rapidly, so, we need to make all the necessary facilities available.”

She said the awards will also promote competitiveness in the town and professionalism.

This year, the organisation will be awarding the companies performed well in in business last year.

Dr Muleya said they had appointed a team of independent adjudicators to help in selecting the winners based on various categories including online voting by members of the community.

“We have 20 categories and some will be voted by the people while the others will be judged by the panel. On the day there will be entertainment from the Travellers Band and our local star Badilah.

In terms of preparations, we have covered a lot of ground and we are now working on the final logistical issues,” she said.

Dr Muleya said to promote community development within the town they were going to reward those businesses which have done well in terms of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The town has an estimated population of more than 70 000 and has investment opportunities in education (primary, secondary and tertiary), imports and exports, manufacturing, car rentals, travel consultants, accommodation, packaging, transport and logistics among others.