Published: 07 August 2017

HIGH rentals have been cited as one of the negative factors that repel potential investors resulting in a high number of vacant properties in major cities.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce, Chiratidzo Mabuwa, said this in Bulawayo last week when she toured a number of industries.

She said the issue on high rentals being charged by property owners has been brought to her ministry by several businesses.

"The issue of high rentals on company premises has been brought to my attention during this tour. As we see these shells that are not being used in Bulawayo, it is not that Bulawayo industries are dead. The industries are squashed elsewhere and the industrial buildings are left vacant," said the Deputy Minister.

"I was told that there is a missing link and the owners of the buildings most of them are foreign based. They have left some people to look after their buildings. I am not sure if it is the owners who are putting those high charges on rentals or it is the middle people who are adding their own."

In Bulawayo several business premises are deserted.  High rentals are forcing businesspeople to set up offices on the outskirts of the city centre while some have relocated to nearby residential areas such as Suburbs, Northend and Famona. Deputy Minister Mabuwa told Business Chronicle that high rentals were discouraging economic growth, adding they conflict with the ease of doing business programme spearheaded by the Government.

She said the rent board would have to look at the issue and make sure that rentals were charged at a reasonable rate.

"I will leave this issue to our technical unit, the rent board to come in and investigate it to make sure that rentals are being offered at a reasonable price," said Deputy Minister Mabuwa.

She said high rentals should be addressed soon so that they do not derail the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) programme model as Bulawayo has been granted the status.

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Mabuwa said she was impressed by the improvement of Bulawayo industries. 
- the herald