adminProfile Charity Ruzvidzo
HUMBLE beginnings of a cross-border trader could not deter Princess Ncube from crawling into the mainstream retail business in which she is a proud player today.
Ncube, 44, the managing director of J Themba Supermarket in Gwabalanda and Lens Supermarket in Tshabalala, says perseverance and hard work enabled her to achieve her dream in 2007.
She did her primary education at Mdengelele Primary School in Nkayi, where she stayed with her grandmother after her parents separated.
Ncube later relocated to Bulawayo to stay with her father, who at that time was employed at the National Railways of Zimbabwe.
There she did her secondary education up to Ordinary Level at Mpopoma High School.
Ncube told Business Chronicle that before establishing her two supermarkets, she used to buy goods from Botswana at a small-scale for resale.
“I started going to Botswana in 2006 to buy products and sell them here. By then the situation in Zimbabwe was very hard as there was nothing in the shops and people struggled to get money,” she recalled.
“So I decided to assist my husband in fending for the family by going to buy products for resale here. Even with such efforts however, the situation was still very tough because at times people did not have money to buy.”
She said year 2007 marked a turning point in her life as she thought of starting her own business.
“With assistance from my husband we got the necessary capital and bought goods in bulk. We had retail products of all kinds and rented here at J Themba,” she said.
The determined entrepreneur said the response from the community was overwhelming.
“We opened our shop during a time where local shops had absolutely nothing. We had more customers and raised the capital to open Lens in Tshabalala,” she said.
Presently Ncube employs 10 people in both her shops. She, however, said competition from well-established supermarkets like Choppies were a challenge to their market.
“Well established supermarkets like Choppies are posing great competition to us. They’re able to buy products in bulk and get discounts. When they sell, their prices are not high. The same cannot be said for us as we can’t reduce our prices to match them,” said Ncube.
“Also, there’re tuckshops sprouting everywhere, at times people prefer those.”
She said power outages were a major challenge to her business as she was forced to fork out money for fuelling generators.
“This inconveniences us because we’ve to pay our workers from that money,” she said.
Ncube got married to Clever, 46, in 1992, who also owns a garage in the city.
The business couple resides in Luveve suburb and has three children.
Outside business she is a devout Christian as her husband is a pastor.
“My husband is a pastor at Miracles of Seeding Church. Achieving what I’ve today has also been the grace of God who guides and protects me every day to make the right decisions,” she said.
Ncube is also involved in charity work as she assists the Gwabalanda and Tshabalala communities.
“For me to be here today it’s because of the customers who come to support me by buying from my supermarkets. I also return the favour and assist during funerals with food and transport.
“I’ve assisted Entembeni Old People’s Home by providing them with detergents. Also, I sponsored an orphan to China to do his education there,” said Ncube.
She urged women to discard the dependency syndrome and break barriers in business.
“Everyday women are told in the media that they have rights. However, we still have women with the dependency syndrome. They can’t stand on their own feet and work. Gone are the days to cry, I’m not saying this to brag but I’m saying anything is possible if one works hard,” added Ncube.
In the next coming five years Ncube says she hopes to have expanded her businesses by opening more shops.
Online Reporter