Harare, (New Ziana) – The US$3.6 billion Industrial Park in Beitbridge, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa commissioned in February this year, is expected to employ at least 10 000 people once fully operational, the government has said.
Chinese company Xinganglian is constructing the project, known as the Palm River Energy Metallurgical Industrial Park, which currently employs 800 people and is anchored in the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which prioritises industrialisation, job creation, and energy security.
“The project, which was commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in February 2025, covers over 5 000 hectares in a Special Economic Zone. It is being implemented in five phases over a 12-year period,” read part of a statement posted on the NDS1 X handle.
According to the statement, the massive industrial complex will integrate mining, coking, green power generation, and advanced smelting technology.
It will produce a wide range of products including ferrochrome, coke, and stainless steel, positioning Zimbabwe as a key player in regional and global mineral value chains.
Central to the development is a power plant with a projected capacity of up to 1 200 megawatts, which will use a hybrid system combining thermal power, waste heat recovery, and photovoltaic technology with the energy produced powering the industrial park and also feeding into the national grid.
In addition to boosting industrial capacity, the project has partnered with local institutions such as the Harare Institute of Technology to train workers in specialised fields including metallurgy, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.
China has been a consistent development partner for Zimbabwe, supporting major projects such as the Hwange Thermal Power Station Units 7 and 8 expansion, construction of the New Parliament Building in Mt Hampden, and upgrades to the country’s airports.
Government officials said the Beitbridge Industrial Park was another milestone in strengthening Zimbabwe–China relations and advancing Harare’s vision of becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030.
New Ziana
