Chronicle Editor
Peter Matika AFTER suffering a severe financial loss in 2017, Mr Gift Mpofu and his wife Thenjiwe Mpofu who lost clothing manufacturing machinery worth almost R40 000 never let the snag hold them back.
The couple, who established Touch Clothing Uniforms in Bulawayo in 2015, believe they were hustled off the machinery, after they accumulated rental arrears at a building they had been leasing in the city.
“The story began in 2015 when we established here in Bulawayo. I had just returned from South Africa, where I had been working and had saved and bought our machinery.
We had been working from a building near the national railways in Bulawayo. In 2017 we then decided to move to a building closer to town, where we would be easily accessible.
“It was there that we encountered a rift with the landlord. Rentals were an issue. Whenever we were late in payment or short, the manager would always lock us out of the premises, something which was not part of our lease agreement,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said at that time his wife had been working in Dubai and would assist him financially, whenever need arose.
“So, because of economic challenges at the time we accumulated rental arrears amounting to US$900. We set up a payment plan with the manager of the building but then to my surprise I received a letter from him stating that I could not vacate the building until I cleared the arrears.
My wife and I managed to clear the debt we had accumulated over a period of three months. However, because we were ordered not to vacate the premises, we then accumulated arrears amounting to US$1 600,” said Mr Mpofu. He said that is when he engaged his wife in acquiring the services of a lawyer.
“When we engaged a lawyer over the matter, to our surprise the same person we had entrusted to be on our side seemed to be on the side of the manager.
Eventually we were locked out but our investment was stuck in the building. As we tried to secure the machinery, we were told that it had been attached by the Messenger of Court. Before we knew it, we were informed it had been sold to defray costs,” said Mr Mpofu.
“We never reported the matter to the police nor did we engage the law society with regard to the lawyer (name supplied). We had been through a lot and our finances were in shambles.
But we have managed to rediscover ourselves. And talking about our loss gives an ease to my heart and conscience. I know people may take us for fools but that is not the case.”
Mr Mpofu mentioned that because they were caught up in a financial and legal dilemma, he thought of moving back to South Africa.
“I felt like the world was crumbling down on me. I wanted to desperately leave the country but my wife advised me not to. My wife then returned from Dubai and we had our wedding.
I then started hiring equipment to meet a demand I had been servicing. As time and fate would have it, we began investing again in machinery,” he said.
To date Mr and Mrs Mpofu, over a period of four years have managed to invest in 15 state-of -the-art industrial machines.
“It was God’s plan, he opened doors for us and we have managed to replace the machinery we lost. We then rented a building at Fortwell and have been operating well since then.
We then requested bigger premises and they granted us and moved us to where we are now and have been here since 2020. I am proud to say that my wife and I rebuilt our kingdom from nothing and look at where we are now.
”Of course, it was a major setback but we managed to dig our way out,” said Mr Mpofu. Mr Mpofu said the company’s core business is manufacturing uniforms.
“Anything and all that is classed uniform we make. We also manufacture and distribute school furniture and stationery,” said Mr Mpofu.
There are three permanent employees at the company and a number of contract workers that are engaged depending on the situation.
“This place serves as a training facility and all that pass through our hands must establish their own companies as we did,” said Mr Mpofu.
Mr Mpofu however, pleaded for Government assistance to acquire more machinery, as he had hopes of opening more branches across the country.
“Government has done well in promoting indigenous business people over the course of independence and we are very grateful for that.
We are an empowered nation and people and hope to see more people working and striving for empowerment through Government and self-efforts,” said Mr Mpofu.
Mr Mpofu, a professional seamster said he always wanted to own his own business and was glad to have realised his dreams.
“My dream was always to have my own and I gave myself 10 years to do so and this is where I am now. I am also grateful to the people that pushed me to realising my dreams.
People such as Jeys Marabini, he had faith in me and we were and still are close buddies. I had wanted to open up in South Africa but he persuaded me to do so in Zimbabwe and look at where we are now,” added Mr Mpofu.
He noted that they had also established a football team, which they hoped to see promoted into the premier league.
“So far it is still a social side but we want to see it rise from that to be in the league with other giants,” said Mr Mpofu.
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