Econet’s decision to release 10 000 new payphones into the Zimbabwean market before the end of the year is part of a deliberate strategy to create and stimulate employment creation, the company said in a statement on Monday.
Spokesperson Sure Kamhunga said in addition to the thousands of jobs that are expected to be created by the new payphone lines, which each require an operator, Econet estimates that over 500 jobs will be created in downstream industries.
He said that Econet could have easily added another 50 000 cellular lines to the new lines but opted to divert these to the payphone sector in which the company is already a dominant player through its YourFone brand.
“The release of payphone lines is a deliberate strategy by the company to not only widen access to telecommunication services by those unable to own or afford a cellular handset, but also to create jobs as each payphone needs an operator. This is our own contribution to the urgent task we all face to get our economy back on its feet,” Kamhunga said.
“We expect to create more than 500 jobs in downstream industries such as distribution. Other sectors to benefit include construction and those that sell phones and accessories. This is easily one of the largest investments this year in our hard-pressed Zimbabwean economy,” Kamhunga said. – I-Net Bridge