Much Talked About War Veterans Bakery Meant To Provide Bulawayo With Bread Collapses After Only A Month And Producing Two Dozens Bread Only.
19 December 2019
Spread the love
War Vets and ZANU PF model bakery

THE war veterans bread-making venture, launched last month, has flopped with the project leaders saying they were failing to secure cheap flour.

The project, situated in Entumbane suburb in Bulawayo, meant to produce “affordable” bread using Dutch ovens, is said to have only produced two dozens of bread on the day of its launch.

Vice-chairperson of the project, Methelia Matunha in an interview, however, said the project had not stopped, but they were stocking ingredients and seeking premix flour.

“We are in the process of making another oven at the same time stocking the ingredients such as flour. We have also requested other ingredients which we could not find in Zimbabwe such as premix flour,” Matunha said.

“Currently, we stopped producing bread at that launch, but we are in the process of following up the flour.”

Matunha said they were cracking their heads to deliver on their promise of cheap bread to the community.

She said by Christmas they would be supplying bread.

“The project has not stopped, but we are stocking the ingredients since they are many. On the launch, it was just for approval so that we can bake, but there are many things including paperwork and registration so that we can be inspected health wise,” Matunha said.

“We do not want to start a project which won’t be able to supply the community, it is not about Entumbane suburb only but also other communities in Bulawayo.”

Matunha said having one Dutch oven was also hampering their dream of providing residents with cheap bread.

“During the launch, the trays were not standard and we sold bread at $7, but now the equipment we are going to receive will be bigger and the ingredients are improved, so our bread price will range from $12 to $13,” Matunha said.

Project chairperson, Partson Ndhlovu said premix flour was expensive.

“Premix flour is very costly. Three weeks back 20kg of premix flour was costing $800 at Bakers Inn,” said Ndhlovu.

“We ended up going to South Africa and we were told that it is only found in Polokwane.”