Rising cement shortages spell trouble for Zim’s bu...

Rising cement shortages spell trouble for Zim’s building industry

Zim Now Writers

The Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association has lamented cement shortages and price hikes which has resulted in low production.

The increase had been credited to maintenance issues face by cement manufacturers and the increase in demand.

The price of cement was pegged at around US$9 which has risen to US$20.

Speaking to Zim Now, ZBCA president, Petros Kagwere said the price hikes have negatively affected their businesses as they are paying more for cement.

“The current situation is not ideal for us at all, our work is disturbed. We hope the government will find a solution soon.

Prime Bricks, a local company which sells building materials, construction services and precast concrete products said they have also been affected as they have low production at work.

“The effects of the hikes are visible, we now have low production and as for today, we had no production at all.

“Government should reduce import duty so that companies can import cement until things are back to normal,” the company said.

Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister, Roy Bhila said government has issued an import licence to some cement manufacturers for the meantime until their production issues have been fixed.

“Two of our leading cement producers in Lafarge and Sino are having problems with production issues, hence we have given them import licences to ensure that we have no shortages while they are attending to their situation.

“I can tell you that the situation will be back to normal within the next two weeks.

“Zimbabwe’s combined annual production capacity stands at 2.6 tonnes while demand has been steady rising over the years due to the construction boom currently underway,” Bhila said.

Cement importers are required to have an import licence failure of which attracts a Level 12 fine of US$2 000 on the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority scale.

A contractor who lives in Chitungwiza, Stanley Gororo decried the obtaining high cost of cement, saying this has led to them losing jobs as less and less people can build given the prohibitive cost of cement.

“We used to get it for US$10 to US$13 but the current price is prohibitive. If they had made it around US$15, it would had been better. Shelter is one of the most important human needs but at this rate it means we are losing it.

“If you build such a house, you cannot sell it because of the cost of building it.

“This also pushes up the price of bricks as well as builders. The situation is unbearable and might force people to build small cottages mabhoisikaya which will eventually be demolished.

“If government cannot subsidise the price of cement, then let us be allowed to import cement duty-free,” Gororo fumed.

He added that builders are no longer getting contracts which also means their assistants have no jobs. The whole line, such as brick moulding, timber, roofing materials also suffer as employers are also forced to cut staff.