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Business Reporter
A SOUTH African company, Mashana Business Enterprises — whose representatives met President Mnangagwa at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland last year — has approached Government with a US$327 million investment kit for waste management.

The group’s representatives held meetings with Government and yesterday met stakeholders in the waste management sector among them the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing and the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) among others.

The South African firm presented financing models of its preference, among them a 100 percent company financing plan on condition that it will be able to repatriate the investment when the need to arises.

The firm also expressed willingness to partner either Government or local authorities.

The plant the investor proposed to install turns waste into products such as active charcoal for industries, charcoal for households, organic fertiliser, biochar fertiliser and animal feedstock.

Mashana representative, Takalani Swanepoel said the firm was eager to invest and make Zimbabwe clean.

“We as Mashana want to clean Zimbabwe,” said Swanepoel.

“We want to make Zimbabwe’s environment zero tolerant to waste. We have many ways to do it and we are the only company in South Africa with this type of technology which we want to bring here,” she said.

Speaking after the meeting Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister July Moyo — in a speech read on his behalf by his deputy Jennifer Mhlanga — said the investment comes at an opportune moment when Zimbabwe is scouting for investment.

At the same time, the country has had to contend with cholera and typhoid outbreaks.

“Mashana Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd in partnership with Mashana Business Enterprises (SA) has approached us at an opportune time in response to our plea for investors to partner in complementing Government efforts to address the current challenges that the country is facing,” said Minister Moyo.

“I am informed them that the proposed “Turnkey total waste management” project will see a total capital injection of US$327 million and will be preceded by a demo project which will cost a figure of US$30 million.

“The project will use technology that will clean our environment of biomass waste and produce 100 percent ozone friendly, zero percent carbon-dioxide fuel product that everyone can use everyday.

“The overall products of the plant include: diesel, petrol and kerosene; activated charcoal for industries; charcoal for household cooking and industries; organic fertiliser; biochar fertiliser; and animal feedstock,” he said.

Minister Moyo said: “I urge all local authorities to harness this opportunity presented to us by Mashana,” he said.