Diaspora Matters

Question for financial experts.What is the value of your rural home? The answer is it depends…depends largely on your mindset….its all in your head. If you view rural land as a place of witches…then its value is zero! If you view it as an investment place then its intrinsic value is extremely high.

Lets look at examples
If you opt to go to your rural area and rent out your home in Glenview for $300 per month then your rural home is as good as your urban one for a specific period of time.

If you decide to build a home in Seke and rent out your Avonlea flat for $600 per month then your Seke home is as good as your flat. Your rural home is worth  $60.000 because its allowing you to earn $600…at the end of the month you have earned $600.

So the value is in your mindset…your rural land can earn you as much as you want depending on how you view investment.

Dear forumite, get land, land and land nomatter where….do not look down upon land.

Setting up a diaspora village
Do you have access to rural land? Located near urban areas like Domboshava, Musana, Seke, Chihota, Musami? Diaspora and local tourism is on the up…international tourist arrivals is on the up. All of these people need variety….they want the African or Bhundu experience which is why they go to Vic Falls, Hwange, Masvingo, Mana Pools, Gonarezhou and others. There is nothing interesting for them in staying at Hotel Miekles, Rainbow or others….they have better experiences in their home countries.

Our tourism sector does not have options…for most diasporans they started touring Vic Falls, Nyanga, Masvingo from primary schools. There is nothing new in Vic Falls perhaps the carnival that was added in recent years?

So in comes an opportunity for innovative entrepreneurs to develop cultural villages…places where tourists learn about Shona, Ndebele and Tonga cultures…learn the mbira and marimba instruments. A place that allows tourists to have an authentic African experience..a place where they can live for a while vachienda kumombe,kunoraura,kufudza mombe,kutswa,kuenda kunhimbe,kurima negejo.

How many parents from the diaspora would not love to have their kids get kufudza mombe experience? Of course done not as a chore but a great learning experience?

Sounds utopic? Check out The Boma at Vic falls where tourists play drums, drink chikokiyana…there is even a sangoma who is often consulted by foreign tourists. Visit The famous Carnivore in Kenya and check out the many tourists at the place eating game meat.

We go back to our initial question…what is the value of your rural land? Zero if its a place of backward folks, the uneducated. It can be completely useless..a place that makes you angry!

But if you wear a different hat, your land can be extremely valuable…can be equal or more to your Borrowdale mansion, can be equal or more to your London flat…the value is in your mindset…your ability to innovate and earn money from it.

Harare’s housing backlog stands at 500.000 with more people being added to the list every month. Options for town planners to solve the housing problem includes expansion of the city and also trying out other areas such as Norton, Ruwa, Chitungwiza, Nyabira and the proposed new city centre in Mt Hampden. What is the missing link in the options for town planners? The option is Melfort which is situated 34 kilometers from the city centre. Melfort is closer to Harare than Norton and the area has massive potential. The completion of the dualisation of the Mutare Road up to the tollgate means travelling to Melfort is now faster. A 10 minute drive from the area and you will already be in Ruwa. Full dualisation up to Melfort expected before year end as construction is underway. The proximity to the Harare-Mutare Railway line means that in future passenger trains will help in the transportation of goods and passengers.

Already some have acquired a lot of land in the area especially Hararians as land is still cheaper when compared to the city. So great investment opportunities for diasporans to buy large tracts of land and develop housing units for sale. Develop garden flats, build shopping malls and related infrastructure. For those interested in tourism, they can be inspired by many conference centres near the place and if agriculture is your area of interest then get large tracts of land for market gardening.

So get organised think big investment and get yourself a piece of Melfort which is likely to surpass Norton in the coming few years. Make inquiries with the Goromonzi Rura District Council and find out availability and costs of land there. With the city afflicted by all sorts of inconveniences such as traffic congestion, pollution and general decay-most people are going to rush for new areas which are close to the city. We believe Mefort offers the best real estate opportunity than any other area close to Harare.

Wish you the best.

Meanwhile our Business Opportunities for Zimbabweans 2018 Edition is still available for sale and is now costing $10 a copy, you will also get a copy of our 2019 Edition which is coming out at the end of the month. Get in touch with our Forum Coordinator on +263774081808.

For most people in Lesotho, Swaziland, Botswana and Zimbabwe when it comes to buying cars, Durban is one of the cheapest options. There is a lot of variety of Ex Japanese cars for sale and their prices  are cheaper when compared to others. For Zimbabweans they have the option of Musina car dealers but Durban still remains a better option.

Mode of Payment

Most people interested in purchasing second hand cars travel with cash which is usually in USD and this cash unfortunately attracts a lot of robbers based in the coastal city and therefore when travelling to Durban, you are always a target especially when you travel from car sale to car sale looking at various car models.

Latest stories from Durban

This is just one of the many stories shared by our members on our group. A man from Zimbabwe traveled to Durban with $40.000 cash  intending to purchase 2 minibuses in Durban. After arriving safely in the coastal city, he concluded a vehicle purchase deal with a reputable car dealer and then left the city having paid all monies.

Trouble however started for him when he reached Beitbridge waiting for his car but he was told that the vehicle carrier had been involved in an accident. He was advised to come back to Durban and claim his refund-this he did and upon getting his refund, a few metres from the premises of the car dealer…he was robbed by 2 gun wielding robbers!

In other cases people encounter excuses from car dealers, told to come back and collect their monies and like the case above-robbed of their cash refund by robbers with guns.

So be careful when buying second hand Ex Jap Cars in South Africa. Whenever you are asked to come and collect a refund in cash, rather ask them to do a wire transfer or get another car as you are most likely going to fall prey to robbers in a fraudulent scheme involving car dealers and robbers. Hundreds of people are being duped this way per month-dont fall victim!

Entrepreneurs should always be up to date with business trends. Your ability to know what is shaping the business landscape means you develop a competitive advantage over others who are unaware. Below we share an important report which you need to download and keep a copy for future reference. Most of the information in the report is for the developed world but will be experienced in the next few years on the continent.

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Entrepreneurs should always come up with solutions to problems. At the centre of the election dispute in Zimbabwe was the issue of evidence of alleged electoral malpractices. So how can this be solved by entrepreneurs? We go the technology route, we go the Big Data way. Political parties in future elections are urged to adopt technological systems that allow them to capture election results and publish them in real time. An opportunity is presented to entrepreneurs to develop mobile apps that are used by all poll agents to upload election results as soon as vote counting is complete.

We look forward to young entrepreneurs developing mobile apps and selling it to various political parties across the world. This will help solve unnecessary electoral processes delays and also save money. No more fulcrums, V11 or V23 form disputes in future elections so go for it ZBIN Members…great opportunity on your hands.

The future is business

Now that elections are past us, we await the setting up of a competent cabinet team that is business focused. Serious policy makers who will transform Zimbabwe so that it can be a middle income country by 2030. Policy makers who will take advantage of one of the best human capitals on the continent. Our country has great potential-a lot of natural resources, great weather, friendly and hard working people. We need to tap into the skills that we have with some dotted across the globe.

Zimbos are leading great institutions across the globe and we need to find innovative ways to tap into their wealth of knowledge and skills. Diasporans do not necessarily need to leave their bases but can contribute if we create room for them. For instance the Ministry of Finance can have a board of experts from across the world who contribute to the development of the country through virtual participation in boards. The Ministry of SMEs can tap into the expertise of Zimbabweans working for big institutions such as UN, World Bank, IMF, Econet, BBC and Vodacom.

The current approach of having ministers working alone means they are losing out of world class experience which is freely available. Zimbabweans across the globe will not ask for stipends or travel allowances. They will participate out of patriotism, the need to develop their country. Ministries therefore need to identify world class skills they need and then invite Zimbos from across the globe to participate in advisory councils. We recommend every ministry to have an advisory council made up of some of the best brains from the country. A ministers role is to facilitate and harness expertise from these learned sons and daughters of the soil.

The SME Ministry 

During inauguration, the president mentioned strengthening of the SME framework. We are looking forward to a robust framework that will help transform the economy by bringing local investor friendly policies and programs. This framework should come after wide consultations with all stakeholders. Do not come with half baked frameworks drafted by a few people who may not have the necessary expertise and exposure. The SME sector has been the bedrock of the economy accounting for 60% of the Gross Domestic Product. With more than 5.6 million people employed, the sector is the second highest in the world so lets have the second best SME framework in the world. In future other countries should come to Zimbabwe for case studies!

The disbandment of the Ministry of SMEs did not yield the results desired because it meant putting more focus on international investment and big corporates. The focus on big corporates was good but should not have been at the expense of the largest sector in the country and the world. We are therefore looking forward to its revival and a strong team coming up to steer the sector to greater heights. The SME Ministry needs to work hand in glove with international NGOs working in the country which have been doing great work. Do learn from them about their approaches in the development of a world class SME framework.

Personal Investment Decisions

According to our opportunities identification toolkit, a new government means new opportunities! Follow government policies, check out how these policies are implemented and follow the money. The government sets the agenda for business opportunities and you should have your own business plan that monitors developments in the economy and government policies.

With our forum sharing a record number of free business posts, what have you identified? Do not just read the posts but develop a business plan. It does not need to be detailed but a one page business plan articulating what you would like to do is good for starters. Worried about capital? Capital should not be a stumbling block to the development of your business plan as there are various options such as partnerships, crowdfunding and government funds. Have your plan of your vision and finish last with capital options. We are getting a lot of inquiries from diasporans and foreigners interested in partnerships. We however cannot refer them to people with just ideas, you need solid plans and its better if you have small successful projects that need to be scaled up.

We have also published a book on Business Opportunities, do you have a copy yet? The book details opportunities in Agriculture, Services sector, Mining, Women and Youths. We have not just listed opportunities but went the extra length of detailing them and showing others who are successful. Interested in buying from China? There is a step by step process. Interested in doing business in Malawi? There is a brilliant write up. Interested in setting up a chicken layers project? Our Agriculture section shows you a great success story. The book contains skills that you need to invest and many more.

We have just completed the SA Business Opportunities and we are confident that its the best entrepreneurship book on the continent. Although the target market is South Africa, the book contains an enormous collection of stories and resources that will inspire everyone across the globe. The book is coming free of charge to those who got the Zimbabwe Book.

So do not be left out, join our platforms such as Whatsapp which provide helpful information and they cover Poultry, Mining, Construction, Transport, Online Forex Trading, Bitcoin, Education, Tapestry, Regional Opportunities and more. We have more than 8.000 members on the group. To join send an app to +263774081808, +263776196313 and +263772215695. We have full time Administrators who ensure that our groups are clean and stick to business discussions. Be inspired and join others providing mentorship support and resources.

Our Facebook platforms have the Zim Business Ideas and Network group with close to 38.000 members with the focus being business discussions and sharing of ideas and it is the leading forum for business networking. Our South Africa Business Ideas and Network has 10.000 members with 100 new members being added everyday.

So do not be left out, find out how other entrepreneurs are doing it…the failures and successes which is crucial on your business journey. Avoid costly mistakes and know the direction opportunities are flowing.

We wish you well on your business opportunities journey.

The interest in farming by youths in South Africa is at an all time high. This is encouraging as some explore farming as an alternative to seeking formal jobs. A lot of farming activity is already underway especially in provinces such as Limpopo, KZN and Mpumalanga. The question on the minds of most people interested in getting land is ‘How do you get land?’ Below we feature some answers from our members on land access.

Question: How do I get land access to state land? 

Siya Try the Department of Land Reform.

Tinoda You must have a proper business plan.

Mpho Have a business plan and visit the land departments, but expect slow progress due to corruption.

Mthembeni Have you identified the land you would like to acquire for farming?

Mthingeni Identify the farm which is for sale. Go to the Department of Land Reform. The department will assist. If you have many cattle you stand a good chance and might contribute close to nothing.

Terence The current process is that land is advertised by DRDLR through the local newspapers and all those that qualify need to apply. A committee called DBSC will shortlist then interviews are conducted. The successful candidate will then be awarded the rights to utilise the land in question.

Piet  Visit district office of Dpartment of Rural Development and Land Reform get more direct information . The administrator of District Land reform committee (DLRC) can assist you. They will explain about sub commitee known as Beneficiary selection committee terms of reference.

Terence Just as Bhekathina says…. Go to your district office and at that office ask about the process on leasing of land and if their DLRC (District Land Reform Committee) chaired by farmers is operational. This committee is in charge of land allocation issues.

Thabo Meantime whilst waiting for land from DLRC, go to local chiefs and get a 1 ha or 2ha piece of land and start your operations there.

Thuso  Department of Rural Development and Land Reform. But you gonna wait for a very long time. Ask me. I’m still waiting after 6 years

Lebo  You need serious connections to own a piece of land and if you don’t have connections just be ready for the long haul. There is a long list of people who never farmed before and those who are serious about farming awaiting just to face the panel or the board that decide whether you qualify or not. Iam sorry about the weak system where the monied are given first preference over those who are more capable.

We bring you our August 2018 newsletter for your viewing pleasure. The newsletter targets our subscribers and followers in Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

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Our forum has not been active of late and we would like to apologize to our regular followers. We have been busy putting together probably Africa’s best entrepreneurship book. Working closely with more than 1000 entrepreneurs-It is an early Xmas gift for every entrepreneur in South Africa.

Back to Zimbabwe, we have held peaceful elections and thought all was in order, unfortunately some hiccups came along the way. We however  remain hopeful that our political leaders will find common ground and work for the betterment of the country. We need to uplift our country in terms of economic, social and political development. We are already behind and need to catch up fast, there is no time to waste.

We remain positive that a solution will be found sooner rather than later.

So assuming there is an all clear signal given by investors and the international community, which areas are Zimbos going to be spending money on?

Here are our top areas

Every new money making project usually lasts up to 6 months before floodgates are opened with competition joining. So what are the areas that are flooded?

1. Transport: Kombis, Buses and Mshikashikas.
2. Cross Borders: Import of goods for resale.
3. Poultry: Rearing broilers and layers.
4. Mining: Small scale chrome and gold mining.
5. Farming: Tobacco farming

One area which most are ignoring is the entertainment sector. The growth in population in all urban areas should have spurred investment into amusement parks targeting kids amusement but what is the current status? An unbelievable gap which the diaspora community can fill in most urban areas especially in Harare, Chitungwiza, Mutare, Gweru and Bulawayo. For prices on the cost of equipment, you can visit the website link below:

https://www.alibaba.com/showroom/amusement-park-equipment.html

Space Walk

Flight Simulator

Our July 2018 newsletter is out and you can download your copy on this site. The newsletter is targeted at small business owners in Southern Africa and is distributed to more than 10.000 subscribers.

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