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Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Government has commended work being done by Norton-based Chinese tile manufacturer, Sunny Yi Feng, which has already started exporting some of its products.

The firm started making tiles on May 12 and is producing between 30 000 and 35 000 square metres of tiles per day, 70 percent of which are exported to several countries in the SADC region.

Yesterday, ministers of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Monica Mutsvangwa; Industry and Commerce Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu and Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Ziyambi Ziyambi toured the company.

They were accompanied by Secretary for Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Mr Nick Mangwana.

“In three months (they started manufacturing), they have started producing for export and it’s just wonderful to see products going to South Africa, to Zambia and that product is coming from Zimbabwe,” said Minister Mutsvangwa.

“That is a good response to our President’s call that ‘Zimbabwe is Open for Business’. This is the kind of investment that we need that has downstream benefits for our people. I am also happy that we have seen our young women, our young mothers being employed and I am happy that they can now look after their children and after their families.”

Minister Mutsvangwa commended the long-standing relations between China and Zimbabwe, which she said dated back to the days of the liberation

struggle when Beijing funded material support for liberation movements in the country “at a huge price for them but at no cost to us”.

“Our special relationship was epitomised by the events of July 2008 when China used its veto block UN sanctions against Zimbabwe. China has contributed a lot to the development of Zimbabwe including the construction of the National Sports Stadium, Kariba South Power Station, the Victoria Falls International Airport and expansion of Hwange 7 and 8, and even our new Parliament building,” she said.

Sunny Yi Feng vice managing director Mr William Gung said they had invested US$50 million for the first line of production.

“In the first line of production, we produce between 30 000 and 35 000 square metres of tiles per day and we export 70 percent of that to South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.

“Up to this moment including everything on this land and on the vessel (coming into the country) we have invested US$50 million,” said Mr Gung.

He added that they would also produce fertilisers from coal and other by-products from their operations.

Mr William added that the company plans to construct accommodation for its workers.

“Now we are trying to get some more land from the Government so that we can build house for the workers here at the factory,” he added.