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Justin Mutenda : Features Correspondent

Having set targets as outlined in the Zim-Asset policy document and the 10-Point Plan, Zimbabwe is set for a bright and prosperous era. The people have gone with the plans. It was time for local companies to take up the initiative for the documents to reach fruition. All in the name of turning around Zimbabwe’s economy.Zim-Asset has four clusters; namely, Food Security and Nutrition, Social Services and Poverty Eradication, Infrastructure and Utilities and Value Addition and Benefaction.

Apart from these clusters, Government also targets to create 2, 2 million new jobs by 2018.

The endeavour to turnaround the country’s economy has seen the private sector complementing Government efforts to achieve these objectives.

One such company is Mr T35, a local firm that specialises in rebuilding Mazda T35 trucks and buses.

Mr T35 is the only Zimbabwean company specialising in Mazda T35s.

The indigenous company is also involved in value addition rebuilding new trucks and buses using scrap metal.

T35 is an Indian made vehicle popular in Zimbabwe because of its robust performance and invincibility.

In the past, the car was supplied locally by Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries despite the high demand.

Established from humble beginnings seven years ago as a backyard business, Mr T35 has grown to claim a stake in the motor industry.

It is targeting at employing more than 2 thousand people.

Mr T35 general manager Mr Martin Beula said the company aims at empowering low level academics in the motor engineering industry.

He said the company is on the cusp of transforming the industry as part of its contribution towards the success of Zim-Asset.

“As Mr T35 we believe that it is everyone’s task to ensure that Zim-Asset is a success,” he said. “We empower employees and so far we have provided residential stands to 18 of our senior employees.”

Management at Mr T35 has assisted the employees obtain Class 2 Drivers’ Licences.

“We believe that this is the kind of empowerment skills that we should give to our employees.

“Apart from that, we also provide attachment opportunities to several students from polytechnics and we always give them good recommendation wherever they go.”

He said there was strong belief in Zimbabweans.

“In line with Zim-Asset, I can say we are doing our best to ensure that it’s a success,” he said.

The company, in its endeavour to ensure value addition, buys non-running Mazda T35 tucks and mini buses for refurbishment.

“The Willowvale Mazda Motor Industries made about 18 thousand of these T35 trucks and only 50 percent are moving. It is our task to ensure that the other 50 percent are back on the road,” Mr Beula said.

He said the agrarian revolution has seen a huge demand for the T35 trucks.

“About 99 percent of the farmers have benefited from our trucks.”

The company has clinched a multi-million dollar franchise from the T35 Indian manufacturer to be the sole supplier of the vehicle in Southern Africa.

This will see the company supplying Mazda T35 trucks and buses to such countries as Mozambique, Zambia and Congo among others.

The brand has actually proved to be a popular brand.

As part of the deal, the Indian company has agreed to establish a world class T35 assembling plant in Zimbabwe.

The Indian manufacturers are targeting at supplying 8 000 T35 buses and trucks annually.

Mr Beula said the Indian deal would be operational in the next few months and has several downstream benefits to Zimbabwe’s economy.

“It has always been our vision to be an assembler for Mazda T35 trucks and buses and we are happy that Government is supporting our vision.

“The Indian manufacturers identified us to be the sole dealers, distributors and assemblers of T35 trucks and buses in the SADC region.”

He said the manufacturers would provide 8 000 knocked down kits for Mazda T35 buses and trucks per year.

“This means 8 000 jobs for drivers and more jobs are going to be created in the assembling unit.

“We are happy that Government and other stakeholders are working on our Mazda assembling proposal.”

Mr T35 have been sponsoring the world’s welterweight boxing champion Charles Manyuchi.

“We are also involved in sporting projects in the country. We started sponsoring Manyuchi from scratch and now he is a world champion.

“We are however appealing to Government to assist us in becoming one of the biggest companies in the country.”

According to the Industrial Development Corporation there is a need to develop a local motor industry development policy that would guide the revival of the once vibrant industry.

The IDC also notes that the demand for new vehicles for the local market was estimated at 35 thousand in 1997 with the effective demand being 25 thousand, of which 18 thousand were supplied by the four main assembly plants at WMMI; Quest; WH Dahmer and Deven Engineering.

The demand for new vehicles has contracted to an estimated 6 thousand in 2011.

The local industry is thus securing a lower base of below 33 percent of a contracting new market.

It further notes that another factor impacting the local industry price competitiveness was the South African Motor Industry Development Policy Program.

Through this program the South African government was subsidizing its vehicle exports to a point whereby South African vehicles are retailing at a lower price in Zimbabwe than in their home territory.

Zimbabwe’s 1986 motor development strategy, the Vertically Integrated Companies (VIC) policy had not been revived or replaced after its expiry.

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