Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
TODAY is Father’s Day, and we raise a glass to the responsible dads and father figures who are tirelessly shaping not just their children’s lives, but also the very fabric of our communities.
In a world fraught with challenges, these men stand as beacons of dedication, mentorship and unwavering support.
These dads are not just teaching trades; they are instilling values, building resilience and providing a powerful alternative to the pitfalls that threaten our youth, such as substance abuse.
Their efforts extend beyond their immediate families, creating ripples of positive change.
They are the quiet heroes who demonstrate that true wealth lies not in material possessions, but in the love, generosity and moral lessons they impart.
In the vibrant hum of the capital city, Tafamba Zhenti, a 50-year-old self-taught master welder, is not just shaping metal; he is shaping a legacy.
Amid the raw clanging of steel and bursts of golden sparks, his gnarled hands are guiding his son, Tinashe, through the intricate craft of welding.
This moment represents more than a trade being passed down as it is a quiet triumph over the rising tide of drug abuse that threatens Zimbabwe’s youth.
Tafamba’s name, which means “we have walked” in Shona, truly reflects his life.
Born in Mabvuku and raised in Epworth, he grew up in grinding poverty. Secondary school remained out of reach for him.
“I only made it to Grade Seven,” Tafamba said, without bitterness.
“My parents could not afford more. I did not even have a birth certificate; teachers had to vouch for me just to write my exams.”
Though he passed well, the future offered little.
Tafamba set out to carve his path from scratch, taking any job — hauling bricks, patching roofs — often underpaid but always hoping for more.
However, a visit to his nephew’s workshop changed everything.
“He taught me panel beating,” Tafamba recalls.
But it was gas welding that ignited a deeper passion. Within two weeks, he was skilled enough to buy his first gas cylinders — a clear sign of his commitment.
From those humble beginnings, he built Zhenti Welders, now a trusted name in Epworth.
Today, he handles everything, from exhausts and radiators to the complex cutting and joining of accident-damaged vehicles.
“This trade gave me a life,” he said, standing beside his spacious, solar-powered home, a testament to his perseverance.
While Tafamba prioritises education for his children, he also believes deeply in the value of hands-on knowledge.
“Our elders taught us knowledge is in our hands, in our stories. My sons must know how to build, fix and forge their own way,” he said.
Tinashe, who completed his Ordinary Level studies last year, once dreamed of a career in computers. However, life — and perhaps destiny — led him elsewhere.
“I failed badly in computers,” he admitted.
“But welding came naturally. I am thankful my father showed me this path and believed in me.”
Tinashe’s journey is a beacon of hope in a country where drug abuse among the youth is on the rise.
According to the Zimbabwe Civil Liberties and Drug Network, youth involvement in substance abuse reached 57 percent by 2019, with urban areas being the worst affected.
But Tinashe is focused.
No longer just an apprentice, he now manages clients and projects alone. His recent work — cutting and joining a Nissan Caravan that is now back on the Epworth-Overspill route — is clear proof of his burgeoning skills.
The lad dreams beyond his father’s achievements.
“My father gave me the fundamentals. But I want to modernise — bring in robotic welding and diagnostic tools. I want Zhenti Welders to go further,” said Tinashe.
His ambitions mirror those of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Minister Edgar Moyo, who has urged young workers to embrace automation and digitisation for a stronger industrial future.
Legacies
Across Zimbabwe, other families are also forging futures from inherited knowledge and resilience.
Kennedy Shonhiwa, a long-time Zesa Holdings Limited truck driver, has created a thriving 52-hectare farming venture.
Though he worked behind the wheel, his true calling lay in agriculture — an inheritance from his father.
Kennedy’s current success — through a joint venture on Evergreen Farm in Seke with partner Taku Jandura (who also inherited land through the Land Reform Programme) — is a product of passion and policy.
“Before land reform, wheat farming was for white commercial farmers. I never imagined being part of such success,” said Kennedy.
This transformation reflects Zimbabwe’s focus on professional, high-yield agriculture, where passion and inherited wisdom matter as much as land itself.
Another powerful legacy story is that of Dr Afra Nhanhanga, chief executive officer of CAG Travellers Coaches.
“At 22, society labelled me, but my father believed in me,” she shared recently, her voice heavy with emotion.
Her journey — from CAG’s first bus conductor to leading a fleet of over 360 buses, employing more than 1 000 people today — began with her father, a motor mechanic.
As he handled the technical side, she managed the administration.
Her rise, she said, came through pain, but like metal in Tafamba’s fire, she was refined, not broken.
Be it in workshops, fields or transport depots, these stories reflect a common theme: legacies shaped by purpose and resilience, meticulously passed from parent to child.
In Harare, motor mechanic Thompson Mzingwani speaks with admiration for Tafamba.
“His company is one of the best in welding. His mentorship of his son is inspiring. If more fathers were like him, drug abuse would not be this rampant.”
Tafamba’s wife, Memory, is a proud mother.
“I am happy knowing my son is with his father, learning. There is peace in seeing your child build a future instead of losing himself.
‘‘Many cry about unemployment, but Tinashe is working towards becoming an employer, said the matriarch.
As the sun rises and sets, the glow from workshops, farms and bus depots tells a powerful story, not just of individual success, but of enduring family legacies, of fathers who chose to build, of children who decided to follow and of futures lit by the fire of purpose.
Happy Father’s Day to all dads and father figures.
