Wednesday, 20 December 2023, marked a significant milestone with the inaugural launch of the Southern Africa Development Community Marketing Association (SADCMA). This event unfolded at the distinguished premises of the Angolan Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the vibrant city of Luanda.

The SADC Business Council supported the event, and its Chairman, Mr. Vicente Soares, gave the opening speech. Distinguished founding members from various regions enriched the occasion with insightful speeches and compelling presentations. These included Rui Matata Manuel from Angola, Darlington Letala from Zimbabwe, Abasha Tjipetekera from Namibia, Toucy Tjijombo and Gorata Ogotseng from Botswana, Danilo Nhantumbo from Mozambique, and Malcolm Green from South Africa.

The event drew a distinguished audience, reflecting the high-level engagement that characterizes the SADCMA. Notably, diplomatic representatives from the Nambian, Zambian and Zimbabwean Embassies underscored the gravity of this momentous occasion for marketing professionals across the Southern Africa Region.

The fundamental aim of SADCMA is to establish a vibrant marketing community that, through the cultivation of unity among professionals, produces the exchange of ideas, knowledge sharing, and implementation of best practices. This collective endeavor is geared towards fostering a sense of togetherness and camaraderie while also providing a platform for disseminating valuable insights and expertise. Through its initiatives, the Association seeks to elevate marketing standards in Southern Africa, positioning the region as a hub of marketing excellence.

The association is dedicated to promoting innovation within the marketing field. By staying at the forefront of emerging trends, technologies, and consumer behavior, it endeavors to equip its members with the tools and insights necessary to navigate the ever-evolving marketing landscape successfully. Through its commitment to excellence, innovation, and collaboration, SADCMA seeks to shape and redefine the marketing landscape in the region, empowering marketers to thrive and make a positive impact on businesses and communities alike.

Learn more: https://sadcmarketingassociation.org/

Balancing budgets post the Covid-19 pandemic has been a delicate and complex matter for many countries around the globe and Zimbabwe has not been spared. Many countries have been exposed to climate change shocks, the Ukraine/Russia War and the volatile global mineral prices.

Looking at the 2023 National Budget, a number of new taxes have been proposed to augment the budget and have drawn sharp criticism from analysts on social media. The proposed wealth tax on residential properties above $100k that now attract 1% in taxes has been a hot topic.

For balance—wealth distribution not bad especially in a country with a widening gap between the rich and poor. Therefore on paper, a welcome move—the wealthy should pay their share in national development. However this will automatically increase the cost of doing business and impacting on the nation’s competitive advantage on the investment front.

Increased rentals and a determining factor on those choosing whether to invest in real estate in Zimbabwe versus other countries in the region. We could witness capital flight on the real estate sector. We hope a thorough cost benefit analysis survey has been conducted.

Increasing tollgate fees helps in revenue collection but increments of 100% and above do send wrong signals on inflation—we are fast depreciating the greenback and the economy will follow suit and increasing the cost of doing business. Perhaps staggered increases? But then this depends on the urgency of plugging the budget deficit.

Our main concern is how have we performed over the past 11 months? A simple budget versus actual performance so as to get a clearer picture for analysis and planning purposes.

Anyway it is what it is, and comply Zimbabweans have to do with local laws and regulations.

We have a few areas we think should be considered in future as alternatives for raising revenue.

Peri-urban Land: There is need to regularize state land around urban areas so that the government is involved in the sale of the land and provision of amenities. A lot of state land is being illegally sold in what has become known as Sabhuku Deals. Millions of dollars exchanging hands between Sabhukus, land barons and buyers. Nothing gets into the coffers of government in areas such as Seke, Goromonzi and Domboshava. There is need for a comprehensive survey on the value of the land sold, and still to be sold.

Melfort Smart City: We have previously covered the boundless opportunities that exist in Melfot especially when it’s converted as a smart city. Our proposal was to invite land developers who can service up to 10,000 residential stands and then sell them to decongest Harare. Most diasporans are in need of land and would have been the first to pay cash up-front. Follow the model around the country and service up to 100,000 residential and commercial stands. A good cash cow where the government simply avails land and coordinate organised development.

Of course our 2 main proposals are land based but we also add strong engagement with the diaspora who are expected to remit a total of $2.4 billion by the end of 2024. What have we done to engage and attract investment? What incentives have we crafted for them to consider home investment?