The Sunday Mail
Justice Maphosa has come into the Zimbabwe entertainment scene in a big way. From pageants to carnivals, his BigTime Strategic Group has been pouring huge sums into public events. The Sunday Mail Society’s Prince Mushawevato caught up with the businessman to discuss his interest in entertainment and other issues.
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Q: Who is Justice Maphosa?
A: He is a son of the soil, a Zimbabwean man born in Gwanda, but raised in South Africa from adolescence to date; married and with children; founder and group chief executive of BigTime Strategic Group South Africa and Zimbabwe operations.
Q: Tell us about Maphosa in the boardroom
A: I’m a senior executive with verifiable year-after-year success achieving revenue, profit, business growth objectives within start-up, turnaround and rapid-change environments. I have experience with highly engineered systems, which require deep understanding of critical business drivers in multiple markets and industries.
Also I have been highly successful in building relationships with upper level decision-makers, seizing control of critical problem areas and delivering on customer commitments. Equally, l have led and motivated worldwide teams comprised of more than 1 000 employees and managed enterprises and business divisions exceeding US$1 billion in revenue.
Q: Religion . . .?
A: I believe in God as the most high, the sovereign Lord, the only ruler of the heavens and earth, the only God, whom no one has seen or can see, whom everything we see in the world came from and shall go back to, who will judge humankind and the sins we committed with his justice and righteousness.
Maphosa is outspoken, opinionated and self-confident, which at times is seen as being blatant rudeness. I love nurturing something and seeing it grow and believe that there is a good in every human being, regardless of where they are and what they have done.
I understand through my principles that success is seldom about money but more often it is an internalised well of happiness, joy and sleeping with a clear undisturbed conscience of knowing that you came, you looked and you decided on what part you will play in changing our world to be a better and peaceful place.
Q: How did you decide to become involved in sponsoring activities in Zimbabwe?
A: Zimbabwe needs good stories. Zimbabwe needs its children from the length and breadth of the earth to be benefactors, benefactresses, humanitarians, patrons, patronesses, donors, economic contributors, sponsors, altruists, good Samaritans; general do-gooders. As Diasporans we know that more than anyone else. Every time the name Zimbabwe is mentioned, correctly or wrongly fitting into the context of the topic, some of us get very sensitive due to a number of reasons.
Why have we watched a child in pain and passed without blinking, failed to assist a child without a school shoe or jersey, heard of a house without food and not acted? This is wrong! We all know that.
This is why l have decided to play my part in this big country. Imagine 10, 20 or 30 of us playing such a positive part through giving and helping. Zimbabwe would never be the same again. I was born poor myself. Stinking poverty makes you feel the world hates you. Today is my turn to do good to my fellow countrymen, but tomorrow might be your turn. When that happens, don’t ask, don’t hesitate, but take the moment to embrace humanity and ubuntu, which our country taught us to be. This is the spirit that drives me.
Q: Do you have any business interests in Zimbabwe?
A: Business shall always be something that excites me; the power to excel, to be great at something, to give life to something, to change the fortunes of companies, to look at this vision turning into life and living. This is why I start businesses and work so hard at them. In South Africa we are in ICT, aviation, properties, project management framework and farming. In Zimbabwe we are gearing the business drive towards banking, insurance, farming, ICT, aviation, logistics and commerce enablement. We know Zimbabwe needs this to take off and be good again.
Q: Does your recent fallout with Miss Tourism Zimbabwe and the Minister of Tourism and Hospitality Industry Walter Mzembi not affect your mission in Zimbabwe?
A: No my brother. Not by any means. I never take anything personally in my life. Anything that happens around you is good. Just take time to find the good in any event, misfortune or fortune itself. Take a moment to introspect, self-correct, self-deal, self-love, self-convince. Stephen Covey says: “Every human has four endowments — self-awareness, conscience, independent will and creative imagination. These give us the ultimate human freedom, the power to choose, to respond, to change.” Zimbabwe needs us, especially us in the Diaspora. How can I turn away from country just because there are a few pot holes around? What would be noble about that? Martin Luther King Jnr says, “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies”. I leave it at that.
Q: You have set the bar high with regards to organising and carrying out events, what more can we expect from you?
A: I am happy that you are referring to a Zimbabwean and not anyone else. It is us who should begin to show greatness, love and care for this country.
No one else will do this for us. It’s upon us to raise the bar, to show the world how it’s done. I will continue to strive for more, to unleash the power inside me, that seed God gave me, the burning desire to see my country respected by other Africans and the world once again through the projects, businesses and philanthropic work will drive me.
Q: Gwanda Gospel Festival, which is considered one of Africa’s biggest gospel festivals ,is your brainchild. How did you come up with the idea?
A: Gwanda is our own Jerusalem of the Bible, our altar, our place of refuge in Christ Jesus, forever blessed Lamb of God, Amen. Deuteronomy 8:18 reads, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today”. So you see it is not a choice, a want, or a feel good project. This is an altar call. Let us remember Apostle Paul’s hardships from 2 Corinthians 6:10. It is in this spirit that we do Gwanda Gospel Festival.
Q: Do you have any political interests?
A: I am a businessman my brother — not a politician. My blood thrives at the mention of dollars and cents, my mind thinks and sleeps profits and losses. Seated right here I’m gunning for the process of translating an idea or invention into a good or service that creates value for Zimbabwe or for which our Zimbabwean customers will pay for . . . in business.
I know nothing else. I was born to be in business. Each one to his abilities and prayer be for us all.
