LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – His Majesty King Mswati III visited three giant Zambian companies trading in the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone on Sunday afternoon and was highly impressed.
This is an incentivized investment area, commonly referred to as a special economic zone (SEZ). Eswatini has also designated similar spaces.
The three companies visited by His Majesty are Big Tree Beverages, TradeKings Group and Twyford.
The Big Tree Beverages is a subsidiary company of TradeKings Group, a wholly Zambian-owned company established in 1995.
Trade Kings Group is a wholly Zambian-owned business, specialising in the creation and manufacture of innovative laundry and cleaning products, delicious sweets, confectionary, snacks, biscuits and reinventing both traditional and exciting new beverages.
It has invested over 250 million dollars (approximately E4.7 billion) and hired over 16,000 employees.
Twyford is a Chinese-led company specialising in the production of tiles of all kinds. It also sells its products across the Southern Africa Development Community and has indicated interest in establishing a branch in Eswatini.
His Majesty the King thanked President Hakainde Hichilema for allowing him to pay a visit to the Special Economic Zone, or Industrial Park, that is reserved for the establishment of all sorts of companies.
His Majesty thanked the companies for having shown interest and invested in Zambia, thereby creating jobs for the citizens.
He said he was impressed not just by the state-of-the-art equipment installed there but also by their first-world-standard products, which are also sold beyond the borders of Zambia.
“We say well done, and we have been pleased to move around in these facilities. In order to be successful, such facilities require a lot of commitment from all involved, including the workers, so that they can be in a position to meet their targets and objectives,” he said.
His Majesty said visiting the companies gave him and his entourage, which included Inkhosikati Make LaMagongo, Commerce, Industry and Trade Minister Manqoba Khumalo and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Thulisile Dlamini, the opportunity to see what is being produced in Zambia.
“Now that we know what sorts of goods these companies produce, it has given us insight and when we get back home, we will see what we may require or buy from Zambia,” the King said.
In fact, in his deliberations during the tour of the companies, His Majesty the King encouraged the companies to consider opening their branches in the Kingdom as well.
E11.3 Bn INVESTMENT ATTRACTED TO SEZs
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – The Zambian Special Economic Zone, situated south of Lusaka, has attracted over E11.3 billion worth of investment.
This is according to Maxwell Zulu, the head of planning and compliance at the Lusaka-South Multi-Facility Economic Zone Limited.
He said more than US$600 million has gone into the investment, which currently provides more than 18000 jobs, while the completion of the factories currently under construction is expected to add over 15,000 more jobs.
Zulu explained that there were 21 companies operating in the economic zone, while 27 more were setting up. Zulu said 70 per cent of the companies were local and the rest international.
He said the SEZ became operational in 2015, with the first company starting to operate in 2017 after being attracted by the incentives the SEZ offers.
“We have tax incentives that allow companies to import machinery duty-free, and if an investor is exporting, the first 10 years the profits from the export will be zero-rated,” he explained.
He further revealed that from year 12 on, only 35 per cent of the profits are taxed, followed by 13 to 15 years, when 75 per cent is taxable. After 15 years, they are taxed on the full profits.
Zulu said they have accelerated depreciation on equipment and enjoy certain rebates on corporate tax
KING GIVES HOPE TO EMASWATI IN ZAMBIA
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – There are a large number of emaSwati training to become doctors in Zambia and they have been given hope of jobs when they return home.
His Majesty the King said the health sector strategy is targeted at not only increasing the number of health facilities but also localising all specialised medical services.
He shared that two major health projects are in the planning stage and these include a referral hospital and a centre for disease control.
“These facilities will need your expertise,” he said, much to the applause of the medical students who met the king on Sunday evening at the Paj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
The students had an opportunity to introduce themselves to His Majesty the King and Inkhosikati LaMagongo, who are in the country on a state visit.
“I am here after opening two major health facilities. We don’t just want more; we want bigger and better facilities that offer the specialised treatment that is currently being sought outside the country. This is why we are in the design phase of the planned referral hospital to be built in the country,” he said.
His Majesty said this facility would need the expertise of the students, whom he urged to specialise in various parts of their profession.
He also revealed that the country was in talks to develop a centre for disease control (CDC) with the assistance of the American government.
“I’ve come here shortly after opening two health facilities. We are at the design stage of constructing a specialised referral Hospital. We want all cases to be treated there without referral to other countries. Extensive research to make it one of the best in the world is ongoing,” he said.
He emphasised that for the specialised hospital, the country would need highly qualified nurses and doctors.
The King also noted that diseases were becoming more complicated, which required tapping into technology to overcome them.
“We are also looking at developing a centre for disease control. We have met Americans sent by USA President Joe Biden and entered into agreements with PEPFAR on this centre. It needs analysts and scientists.
These days, there is a review of how COVID-19 came about, which is intensive research work.”
The king added that Africa has numerous diseases, but interventions have been belated, urging the students to turn this around by intensifying research on solutions as part of their studies.
The king was informed that there are about 120 emaSwati studying in Zambia, with over 90 per cent enrolled in medicine courses.
About 75 of the students were present to meet the king, and their representative expressed excitement and appreciation to him for taking time off his busy schedule to see them. A few of those present on the night are working in Zambia.
The students assured the king of their commitment to doing well in their studies and returning home to help improve the lives of emaSwati through their expertise.
His Majesty then called upon the students to leave a good legacy for the benefit of future students in the country through respect and discipline. He said the country’s president has good things to say about emaSwati and this should be maintained as the two countries continue to strengthen their relationship.
“To those working here, we trust you are carrying out your roles very well and cooperating with the people of Zambia.
The exposure you are gaining helps you develop various expertise that will be put to good use.
“To those who have become related to the Zambians, represent us well to encourage more relations between nations. Once married in another country, you need to adapt to their way of life.
“Wherever you are, let your work and respect speak for you. We applaud the Zambian people for welcoming and treating you well,” he said.
KING AND I PREACHING PEACE, STABILITY– ZAMBIA PRESIDENT
NDOLA, ZAMBIA – President Hakainde Hichilema has said that together with His Majesty King Mswati III, they are singing the same song of peace, security and stability.
These elements, he said, are absolutely essential as a platform and as a condition precedent to the achievement of economic and social development.
“We have sung this song on all platforms and in all societies we interact with on a regular basis. And I repeat that message today, Your Majesty, that we shall continue to work together to promote peace, security and stability in our countries, the region and the continent.
“We do so because this is the time to use the resources and technical capabilities that we have to engage in economic and social advancement and to create jobs for our largely young population.”
“Sometimes they get anxious, sometimes impatient, but it is what we are doing here today: propelling, supporting the business investments and sharing ideas that would see us creating the jobs that we desire for our people,” he said.
President Hichilema said in Zambia they have passed through a stage where they have begun to make Zambians believe that they can enjoy the highest standard of living by doing no work, just sitting, and money would fall not in small portions but in sacks, which was a negation of logic.
He said that was not possible.
“I visited you, Your Majesty, in Eswatini; your people work hard. We are encouraging the same for our people here because there is no other way than by working hard and intelligently.
“We once placed an order with a neighbouring country, which I will not mention unless I get misinterpreted, for a certain product that had run out. They delivered the product, but when we traced it back, we discovered that it was sourced from Eswatini, yet it was as if they had it. It pained us because you know that the cost we paid was higher than buying it from sources,” he said.
The president said events like the international trade fair present opportunities for one to discover who produces what so that in the future they know exactly where to source or place their orders.
“Your Majesty, as we continue to cooperate between the two countries and do more transactions, we will create the necessary jobs our people so desire.
“You may have been born into a leadership position, Your Majesty, and some of us were elected into it, but we have one converging point, which is the point of serving our people,” the president said.
President Hichilema further challenged those who organise the international trade fair to ensure that it is hosted throughout the year.
“It is possible today with the advent of technology. We no longer need to wait for the year to know who produces what; we can have online fairs throughout the year, from January to December. It is possible,” he said.
The president thanked His Majesty the King for accepting his invitation to come and be the guest of honour at the Zambia International Trade Fair in 2023.
He said that as someone who is relevantly new in office, he was ready to learn from the wisdom of His Majesty, who has been in power since the tender age of 18.
