“My elder brother, who facilitated my trip, was in charge of a company, where he was a manager and he helped me get a job on my second day in Johannesburg,” he told The Zimbabwean early this week.
However, instead of feeling too comfortable in the foreign land, Moyo built on his good start to venture into business and is now respected as a businessman, challenging established companies in the construction business.
On the sidelines, a security company in which he partners with three countrymen, is also building up. Some lucrative contracts have already been secured, he says.
“I am in a foreign land and, despite all the misgivings I might have about the state of its economy, I will always love Zimbabwe, the land of my birth and my permanent home. I realised that it would be wise for me to build a strong stature for the time of my return,” added Moyo, who owns Zef Construction.
When the time of his return to Zimbabwe arrives, he would like to address the same problem that saw him pack his bags and leave 20 years ago – unemployment.
“Things were not so bad in Zimbabwe when I left, but I still thought South Africa offered better employment and advancement opportunities and that was why I came here,” he said.
“Now I want to help future generations. When the time comes, I will have no qualms in packing up everything and moving back home. My aim is to see my country grow to be one of the best. We have a lot to build and a lot to protect, so I will always strive to take the initiative. I am not the type that cries, but one that works to remedy a bad situation.”
It has not always been smooth sailing. Moyo owned a restaurant with business partne, Nothani Maseko, which was closed down before the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Johannesburg city authorities took over the running of the building.
“We lost some business there, but it did not bog me down,” said Moyo.
“We now compete with the biggest companies in the construction industry and also work hard to get sub-contracts from the big companies. I have always believed in my abilities to make it in life and when I ventured into business, I knew that I needed professionalism, ambition, passion, determination, patience and above all – self belief,” he added.
This is his recipe for success in business: “I also learnt that to be successful in business, you must be prepared to rest only when asleep because there should always be planning on how to expand, touching base with clients and suppliers, drawing up contracts, pursuing new deals and attending meetings, among a number of activities that are mandatory. Once you snooze, you lose because that is what your competitors will always be doing while you sleep or shift focus.”
Post published in: News