The ManicaPost
Liberty Dube Business Correspondent
“A DREAM doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.”
These words said by Colin Powell seems to have inspired and propelled 2016 and 2017 Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement awards winner, Mr Joseph Tendepi Sanhanga, to become one of the most successful businessman in the country.
At the ZNCC national business awards held at Elephant Hills in Victoria Falls last week, Mr Sanhanga did the province proud and was second runner-up in the Lifetime Achievement awards category.
ZNCC honoured him for his “sincerity”, “passion” and dedication to excel, the never say die attitude.
The road to stardom for Mr Sanhanga who is the brains behind Sanhanga Group of Companies, dates back to 1980 when Zimbabwe attained its independence.
The then youthful businessman formed his first company, Educational and Business Supplies Private Ltd before diversifying operations to include farming, electrical and building supplies, carpentry and motor sales.
“I motivated myself. I had told myself that I will never again be employed by anyone especially from a European decent. I wanted to be my own man. My company grew and became a competitive brand. This motivated me to achieve even better results,” said Mr Sanhanga.
By then, he operated his business at a rented building.
27 years on, he is now the proud owner of a state-of-art double storey complex, Sanhanga Centre, situated in Mutare’s Central Business District.
The centre, which was constructed between 1989 and 1992, was officially opened by President Mugabe on November 14, 1992.
The complex became the first infrastructure to be constructed by a black entrepreneur in the city centre. He is leasing shops and offices within the complex which has 2 000 square metres of office space.
He is the chairman and chief executive of Ferro Consulting Zimbabwe which incorporates Valley of Kings Properties Limited.
Internationally, he also made his name known.
In 2004, he was handed over a Century International Platinum Quality Era award in Switzerland.
Among other senior positions of office he has held, the 69-year-old businessman became the first black ZNCC chairman in 1986.
“This was a challenge on its own as I had at my disposal most of the information on how business was done in Rhodesia.
‘‘I compiled all this information and realigned it to Zimbabwe. It was very important to understand how things would be run for the efficiency of the organisation. I managed to do well and it motivated me,” he said.
He became the national ZNCC vice-president in 1987 and 1989. He became a Trustee Zimbabwe State Lotteries from 1988 to 1994.
He was the chairman of Odzi Falls Irrigation Board in 1997 and well as the Odzi Sub-catchment Council in 2003.
Mr Sanhanga became the first indigenous farmer in the province to buy a combine harvester which he used in his farming endevours at his private farm in Odzi.
Another Sanhanga’s baby – Valley of Kings Property Development – aims to purchase, exchange or otherwise acquire any land and buildings in the country.
He acquired the property formerly known as Irene Township in 1990.
It has a total of 204 8417 hectares situated 15km northwest of Mutare along Mutare-Harare Highway. It comprises residential, commercial and institutional stands. To date, a total of 103 455 hectares have been occupied and 101 3867 hectares are still available.
Mr Sanhanga is also into farming. He owns Westlea Farm along Champion Mine Road in Odzi.
He specialises in commercial farming of crops such as wheat, tobacco, soya beans, barley, seed maize and sugar beans. The farm has underground water supply of 175 hectares which comes from Odzi and Mutare rivers.
Asked if he never considered moving out of Mutare, he said: “I have invested a lot in Mutare. I feel I have to protect my investments. I am not prepared to leave my assets, nomatter how big or small, they are my assets because I worked hard to acquire them. I am a hard worker and I am here because I did everything with passion. We encountered challenges but we survived. Business is in my blood,” added Mr Sanhanga.
