New town on the cards for Mvuma-Chivhu-Manhize

Africa's largest iron and steel plant, Manhize Dinson Iron and Steel Plant in Zimbabwe - — **Dinson Iron and Steel complex**

Plans for the development of a new town between Mvuma-Chivhu and Manhize in the Midlands Province where the US$1.5 billion integrated iron and steel plant being constructed in Mvuma by Chinese firm Dinson Iron and Steel Company have been approved by Government.

The new town will be established for about 30 000 residents and the site plan will be made public soon, according to reports.

In an interview on the sidelines of a tour of the construction site by industrialists and banks on Friday, project director Wilfred Motsi said:

“We are working closely with the Government, especially the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works, who are working on the plan for the development of the new town. The site plan has been approved.

“We should start construction and we need stakeholders such as industrialists and banks to come on board so that we can develop the new city.”

Motsi said Disco owns part of the land on which the new city would be developed while the other belongs to Chirumhanzu Rural District Council.

Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries chief operating officer Dosman Mangisi said:

“The physical planning department in the Ministry of Local Government has since visited the site and approved the new town plans. Zimbabwe will never be the same again.

“Looking into this big picture, you need to picture Redcliff town which was born out of Ziscosteel, but this new town will actually be threefold.

“In fact, it will be a big city and we will have banks, schools, recreational facilities, hospitals, and a lot of companies including industries around steel mining.”

Chakunda Garainashe, representing POSB Bank said:

“We are seeing a lot of potential for us as a bank and we want to be actively involved in the development and growth of this town because there is a huge opportunity for everyone.

“We have a whole new town to be constructed and our focus is to bank all Disco’s stakeholders, and this company will create value chain benefits and stakeholders will benefit.”

The Manhize Iron and Steel Plant is expected to be one of the largest steel plants in Africa.