GWANDA – Shopping locally and buying local produce is hugely in-trend. The Gross
Domestic Produce is performing especially well.
Similarly, hiring locally can do wonders for the employer's brand and business reputation.
Customers are usually comfortable when served by someone they know, meaning if
recruitment is done locally, this might be a strategic marketing opportunity for the employer.
The soon to be opened Pick n Pay Gwanda branch has already sparked controversial debates
on social media platforms, with the majority advocating for the recruitment of locals with
national identity number being prefixed with 28 and the candidate to be conversant with local
languages used in the rainbow province.
Senior resident, Dumiso Hlongwane, took the lead in the debate saying it was a noble idea to
for Pick n Pay to recruit local youths as a way of creating employment for them.
“We have too many learned youths, who passed Ordinary and Advanced levels while some
are graduates but are still roaming the streets, doing nothing.
“Therefore, Pick n Pay has come with an opportunity for them to be employed,” said
Hlongwane.
Gwanda United Residents’ Association representative, Methuseli Moyo, encouraged youths
to apply for all the advertised positions rather than to be crybabies saying companies have
come with their workforce from outside Gwanda.
“Let’s encourage our children to apply. We have already set a team to submit CVs to PnP so
that we follow on selection. We expect our own children to get first preference. “Please note
the team assisting is not political but ngeyama residents so akula mntwana we party in this
case,” said Moyo as he encouraged people to apply.
The retail outlet placed an advert calling for the following numerous positions to be filled,
among them till operators, shelf packers, warehouse assistants, trolley porters, parcel counter
assistants, security officers, sign writer, table hands, service carter assistants, mixers and
block managers, among others.
The advert also emphasised qualifications for applicants for retail positions to have at least
five Ordinary levels, including Mathematics and English.
Gwanda resident, Connicious Nkala, said residents had since approached Pick n Pay
management and aired their grievances.
“So far, we have collected a number of CVs from locals and emailed them to Pick n Pay and
now we are awaiting their response.
“Besides emailing, I personally went to Pick n Pay main branch in Bulawayo, where I
physically dropped some of the CVs. If nothing comes our way, we will take them head-on,”
he said.
Earlier on another resident had suggested:
“You would rather submit them directly to the recruiting officer or Human Resources person.
Remember to keep a list and possibly keep copies of the CVs. If you send a mail or
WhatsApp the person will find an excuse. If possible you could even request that a
community representative or representatives be co-opted in the recruitment process.”
