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Blessings Chidakwa Herald Reporter

The abandoned Golden Quarry and former dumpsite in Harare is being reclaimed for upmarket apartments, a five-star hotel, amusement and theme parks, and shopping malls, with an access bridge across Samora Machel Avenue West linking it to the Museum of African Liberation and the National Heroes Acre on the cards.

Speaking on Monday during the official evaluation, inspection and endorsement of the Golden Quarry reclamation efforts, Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu said funding for the construction of the shopping mall had been secured.

“This coming week the Institute of African Knowledge is likely to start the construction of a shopping mall. They have found a partner there,” said Minister Ndlovu.

“In the near future again a five-star hotel will be constructed. There will be cable car linking this place with our National Heroes Acre.

“Somebody coming here will come out with the full picture of not only how Zimbabwe was liberated, but also the rest of the continent. So, these are major tourism facilities that are coming here in Harare and we are quite grateful about that.”

Minister Ndlovu said there was also possibilities of having recreational facilities in the Museum of African Liberation.

“I came here to appreciate the project and familiarise myself with the massive reclamation that is taking place. We know that this place used to be a Harare dumpsite up to 1995 and we are reclaiming it.

“We believe that within central Harare, this is going to be one of the major tourism attractions and we are there to support.

“We are quite sure that as we are led by our President going to the COP26 Glasgow Climate Summit, these are some of the stories we would want to share with the world that, as Zimbabweans, we are leading in taking care of our environment as well as being responsible global citizens in terms of climate change mitigation,” he said.

Minister Ndlovu expressed gratitude to Instak for having decided to embark on the route of reclamation, one of the biggest reclamation projects in the world, of a former dumpsite.

“I am quite satisfied with the project and l must just say, here it is business unusual. They have been able to do away with the bureaucracy, including issues that would have taken years.

1. “We are working closely with the Institute of African Knowledge and will be increasing our participation moving forward. Our Environmental Management Agency, National Parks and Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, are actively involved,” he said.