Interesting thread I came across on WhatsApp. These are not my thoughts but found them to be really intriguing.
Lets go
Lets go
Interesting conversation with a truck driver.
#Lesson 1
The driver transports sugar from Triangle, across the country. He was like a professor to me for those few hours and I was a keen student, absorbing knowledge from my master.
#Lesson 1
The driver transports sugar from Triangle, across the country. He was like a professor to me for those few hours and I was a keen student, absorbing knowledge from my master.
He was telling me that, Tongatt exports sugar to Kenya, because Zimbabwe is under sanctions. Kenya then repacks the sugar and sell it to Australia.
Tongatt again exports a lot of sugar to Mozambique, which is repacked and sold to India...under a different name.
Tongatt again exports a lot of sugar to Mozambique, which is repacked and sold to India...under a different name.
I later realized why most companies seem immune to harsh economic conditions. They have created an ecosystem which is independent from Zimbabwean chaotic economic environment.
Take away
Act local but think global... many companies are frustrated by sanctions while Tongatt is getting around them. This is not a secret...what can you export today?
Act local but think global... many companies are frustrated by sanctions while Tongatt is getting around them. This is not a secret...what can you export today?
#Lesson2
He told me of a white man in Chiredzi who was so poor that most people thought he was an ex-prisoner on the run. The "ex-prisoner" approached a white owned trucking company, looking for a job but he was not given any.
He told me of a white man in Chiredzi who was so poor that most people thought he was an ex-prisoner on the run. The "ex-prisoner" approached a white owned trucking company, looking for a job but he was not given any.
Instead, the owner of that company gave him advice not a job. He was told that, in Chiredzi the construction sector is booming but people are struggling to get quarry...and he offered him a deal to transport his first deliveries of quarry for small fee.
Now the "ex-prisoner" owns a big quarry company with a big fleet of trucks and lucrative contracts under his name...and he is rich.
Take away
White people support each other, they do not give each other fish but
teach their under privileged brothers how to fish. Is it true about black? We seem to have a strong pull him down mentality.
White people support each other, they do not give each other fish but
teach their under privileged brothers how to fish. Is it true about black? We seem to have a strong pull him down mentality.
#Lesson 3
Tongatt gives small holder farmers fertilizers and deduct the money after selling the sugarcane. However, some unscrupulous farmers take the fertilizer to Harare and sell it tobacco farmers.
Tongatt gives small holder farmers fertilizers and deduct the money after selling the sugarcane. However, some unscrupulous farmers take the fertilizer to Harare and sell it tobacco farmers.
At the end of the season, the sugarcane will be of low grade and they end up with nothing after Tongatt deducts it's fertilizer input costs...those are the same people you see saying nzimbe hadzina mari.
They then start to farmer butter nuts, before you know it, the land is turned into grazing area. And nothing will be farmed on that land, forever.
Take away
Our rent seeking mentality has destroyed our bread basket of Africa into a begging basket. The give me it now mentality, is sinking our Zimbabwean ship faster than sanctions will do. Get rich quick mentality is poisonous.
Our rent seeking mentality has destroyed our bread basket of Africa into a begging basket. The give me it now mentality, is sinking our Zimbabwean ship faster than sanctions will do. Get rich quick mentality is poisonous.
#Lesson 4
During the land reform program, most farmers took farms with sugarcane which was ready for market. They just harvested it and sold it to the millers.
What most of the farmers did was to collect the money, buy luxury cars instead of purchasing tractors, seeds....
During the land reform program, most farmers took farms with sugarcane which was ready for market. They just harvested it and sold it to the millers.
What most of the farmers did was to collect the money, buy luxury cars instead of purchasing tractors, seeds....
Take away
The see me, I have made it mentality destroyed our agricultural sector. Vafana vanozoti shiri yabvuta rekeni...a slave has become the master, its a fool's paradise indeed...it's all about harvesting and zero planting
The see me, I have made it mentality destroyed our agricultural sector. Vafana vanozoti shiri yabvuta rekeni...a slave has become the master, its a fool's paradise indeed...it's all about harvesting and zero planting
#Lesson 5
Most of the white farmers whose farms were taken moved into trucking businesses. Now they are making a lot of money out of it. Tongatt provide them with fuel enough to deliver the sugarcane around the nation.
Most of the white farmers whose farms were taken moved into trucking businesses. Now they are making a lot of money out of it. Tongatt provide them with fuel enough to deliver the sugarcane around the nation.
On returning from the trips the truck will be empty so they look for other contracts and make extra cash.
However, to get the transport contract with Tongatt, at least 5 trucks are required with zero milage.
However, to get the transport contract with Tongatt, at least 5 trucks are required with zero milage.
What some people do is join hands (5 people with one truck each) so that they get the contract. They will share profits since they are one company under the Tongatt contract. That's how white people make their money in Zimbabwe while the rest of us are complaining.
Take way
Crowd funding if used wisely has the power to unlock wealth. The goal is not to eat alone but to hunt as a pack and share the spoil. That's how white people create wealth while we queue for jobs! Hapana basa pano, a sign as common in our towns as road signs.
Crowd funding if used wisely has the power to unlock wealth. The goal is not to eat alone but to hunt as a pack and share the spoil. That's how white people create wealth while we queue for jobs! Hapana basa pano, a sign as common in our towns as road signs.
