By Panashe Divine Karidzagundi
BEITBRIDGE youths have been urged to embrace formal business practices, unity, and productivity as key drivers of economic development.
This call was made during the “Youth Defining Tomorrow” First-Quarter Summit held last Saturday in Beitbridge.
Running under the theme “Organising for Impact: Formalising the Beitbridge Economic Bloc,” the summit brought together government officials, youth organisations, and development stakeholders to promote structured economic participation among young people.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Matabeleland South, Albert Nguluvhe, challenged youths to shift from informal and unproductive activities towards value creation.
“Beitbridge youths should produce their own products. The border post should not be used as an escape gate. Youths must be united and formalised. My office is ready to assist them throughout,” said Nguluvhe.
Nguluvhe also raised concern over rising cases of child marriages in the district, describing the trend as “embarrassing” and calling on young people to prioritise self-respect and personal development.
“Youths must respect themselves before they start thinking about marriages,” he said.
Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) Provincial Manager Godwin Mazarire said registering youth associations is important to improve coordination and access to opportunities.
“As Zimbabwe Youth Council, we are mandated by the ZYC Act to coordinate youth activities. We are here to encourage and capacitate youth associations on the importance of registration as we move towards Vision 2030,” said Mazarire.
Mazarire said that formal organisation enables government and stakeholders to better tailor empowerment programmes.
“Once youths are organised, we know where to find them and can align programmes to meet their needs. Our goal is to ensure young people participate meaningfully in national development,” he said.
District Development Economist Gugu Moyo mentioned the economic benefits of formalising businesses, noting that it opens doors to funding, tenders, and long-term growth.
“It is not even an expensive process to formalize a business, but the returns are significant. With proper documentation like tax clearance, young entrepreneurs can access lucrative opportunities in both private and public sectors,” she said.
Moyo also called for a mindset shift among youths who grew up in an informal economy.
“We now need to move away from survivalist hustling and embrace structured entrepreneurship. Formalisation creates credit histories and business credibility that can support future growth,” she added.
Speaking at the same event, Knowledge Khumalo from the Women’s Institute for Leadership Development said the initiative marked the beginning of efforts to economically empower youths in the district.
“We want to see young people improving economically and contributing to Vision 2030, leaving no one behind. This platform is meant to explore opportunities within Beitbridge and open doors for youth participation in the economy,” she said.
Delegates also agreed with the call for transformation, with one youth participant acknowledging the need for ethical and organised business conduct.
“I have learnt that as youths we must do things in a formal and organised way. We must avoid illegal deals and work straightforwardly,” said the participant Mpho Nyathi.
The summit turned to be one of the engagements aimed at strengthening youth participation in economic development and fostering a culture of formalized entrepreneurship in Beitbridge.