PEERMONT LIMITED TO OVERSEE PROCEEDINGS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL HOTEL BEFORE ITS OPENING IN SEPTEMBER

Minister of information, tourism and civic education Kondwani Nankhumwa has said that Peermont Proprietary of South Africa will take over the management of the Umodzi Park in September.

Speaking in an interview Nankhumwa said Sunbird Tourism Limited who were overseeing the running of the facility have been advised to stop operations by the 4th of September and that they (Sunbird) will have to handover all processes to Peermont.

The Umodzi ParK includes: The Presidential Hotel, Bingu Conference Centre and The Presidential Village.
So far Sunbird Tourism have been asked to cease all operations so that peermont can have enough time to undertake development works, facility fit outs recruitment and training of staff before the Hotel opens in September said Nankhumwa.

He further disclosed that Umodzi Holdings Limited, a public company which is overseeing the operations is in the middle of sourcing about $5 million from local banks to finance the pre-opening and develop budgets of the facilities.

The minister also said that government was pleased with the financial model presented by peermont because it represents a good and positive picture of the business in the country.

“Eight of the Presidential Villas will also be opened to the general public so as to help peermont generate revenue on a regular basis since the villas will be unoccupied most of the time,” said Nankhumwa.

The Umodzi Park has been a centre of controversial with the government having difficulties to choose between Peermont Limited and Legacy Holdings.

Legacy Holdings had also threatened to sue Umodzi Holdings, but according to officials from the tourism ministry, no such proceedings have occurred.