Africa-Press – Eswatini. Easy Buy Mbabane has employed 40 people with more employment growth to be realised in the future.
This was highlighted by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo at the opening ceremony of Easy Buy supermarket in Mbabane yesterday.
He highlighted that the supermarket was owned by a foreign investor from Bangladesh, Swazi Bangla Investment, who had also invested in other business ventures since 1998.
“The group of companies include an energy sector venture, the restaurant business, which is the Tandoori Chain and The Kitchen, fashion industry mainly Century Fashion, Menzclub and Cat’s Eye and lastly the wholesale and retail business which is Wholmart and Easy Buy,” said the minister.
Khumalo explained that overall, the group of companies had provided employment to more than 300 people in their different businesses.
“The employment opportunities that have been availed by the businesses have assisted workers to have a decent life and be able to provide for their families’ needs,” he said.
Khumalo added that government highly appreciated such positive contributions to the economy and urged other businesses to match what this group of companies had done.
“I have been informed that even during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic no workers were retrenched or laid off, but they were all maintained as to ensure that their livelihoods were not affected,” said the minister.
He added that government would ensure that such businesses get the support deserve by improving the ease of doing business. “As we continue to strive for a conducive business environment, we are cognisant of the fact that the business community also has a role to play with regards to ensuring the forging of alliances with businesses in the same value-chain,” said Khumalo.
development
Minister of Sports,Culture and Youth Affairs Harries Bulunga said as an out-going member of Parliament for Mbabane East, he was happy with the development and infrastructure the capital city had accomplished.
“Such advancements and growth in the city will allow us to maintain the standard of Mbabane as the capital city of the country,” stated the minister.
Bulunga added that the growth in business for Swazi Bangla Investment was helping to address the issue of youth unemployment, which was prevalent in the country. “The supermarket has employed many of young people and is continuing to create more job opportunities for young people in the country,” he said.
Easy Buy Supermarket Operations Manager, Nkosingiphile Ndlovu, said the main aim of the business was to create jobs for the youth.
Easy Buy CEO Ashraful Alam Chow Dhuri said they had been investing in the country since 1998 which had made Eswatini feel much like home as they continued to work. He added that he had been to many countries in Southern Africa, however, no place was like Eswatini.
“When I compare Eswatini with other countries in the sub-Saharan region, Eswatini is heaven,” said the CEO. He added that they worked tirelessly to ensure that Easy Buy reached the standard of the bigger but foreign brands. “With this supermarket, we wanted to create a brand that was local and homemade,” said Dhuri.
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