Strive Masiyiwa directs Econet to create jobs for Zimbabwe returnees

Strive Masiyiwa has instructed Econet to accelerate existing projects to create employment opportunities for Zimbabweans returning from South Africa, the company said.

What the company plans to do

According to Econet Zimbabwe chief executive Douglas Mboweni, management has held several meetings with Masiyiwa to determine how the group can contribute to the national response. Rather than launching a new programme, the group will speed up and scale projects already under way, with job creation a central aim.

Tech City and construction jobs

One major opportunity is Econet Tech City, a planned technology and industrial hub on an 800-acre site near Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport being developed by Econet InfraCo. The project is expected to attract about 300 companies and ultimately create more than 20,000 jobs once fully developed. In the short term, accelerating construction phases could provide employment sooner as the development moves forward.

Agriculture and AgriTech

Econet also intends to expand its AgriTech operations, including agricultural projects producing fruit for export to China. The company said these agricultural activities could create hundreds of jobs.

EcoCash agent recruitment

EcoCash, Econet’s mobile-money business, plans to recruit 15,000 new agents by Christmas, Mboweni said. He added that each new agent typically supports at least two jobs, meaning the agent expansion could generate a significant number of income opportunities through the broader EcoCash network.

Responding to a pressing challenge

The company framed the push as a response to the challenge of absorbing large numbers of returnees from South Africa into an economy with limited formal employment. The government had called on the private sector to play a greater role in creating opportunities, and Econet’s stepped-up effort places the group at the centre of that response, the company said.