“Hats Off to Him”: Zimbabwe’s Richest Man Steps In to Help SA Returnees, Sparking Mix Reactions
- Econet founder Strive Masiyiwa directed his companies to create jobs for thousands of Zimbabweans returning from South Africa
- Econet Tech City, an 800-acre hub near Harare’s main airport, is expected to generate more than 20,000 jobs once complete
- EcoCash plans to recruit 15,000 new agents by Christmas, with each agent supporting at least two additional jobs
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Zimbabwean billionaire Strive Masiyiwa is putting the weight of his business empire behind efforts to support compatriots returning from South Africa. The Econet founder has instructed his companies to accelerate job creation plans, placing one of Zimbabwe’s most powerful corporate groups at the centre of the country’s response to a growing returnee crisis.
According to reports, Econet Zimbabwe chief executive Douglas Mboweni confirmed that senior management had held multiple meetings with Masiyiwa to work out how the group could contribute meaningfully. Rather than building new programmes from scratch, the company chose to fast-track initiatives already in progress, with employment at the heart of the strategy.
Econet Tech City could be a game changer
One of the most significant opportunities on the table is Econet Tech City, a sprawling technology and industrial hub being developed on an 800-acre site near Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare. The project is expected to attract around 300 companies and create more than 20,000 jobs at full capacity.
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EcoCash targets 15,000 new agents by Christmas
The most immediate opportunity, however, may come through EcoCash. The mobile-money platform plans to bring on 15,000 new agents before the end of the year. Mboweni noted that each agent typically supports at least two jobs, meaning the recruitment drive could generate a substantial number of income opportunities across Zimbabwe’s informal economy.
For returnees with backgrounds in retail, sales or small business, becoming an EcoCash agent offers a relatively low barrier to re-entry into the economy.
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Social media reacts
Reactions from the report varied.
Nopopo Popla asked:
“What was he doing all along?”
Davìd Sithole said:
“Only Shona people are working.”
Maphosa Mthokozisi noted:
“That's good for the citizens.”
Ngaware Malunga wrote:
Hats off to Mr Strive Masiyiwa and the Econet Team. Indeed, you have led by example from beyond the border, prompting Zim's business community to follow.”
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Source: Briefly News
