Servias Mazhetese

Servias was then promoted to the position of Quality Manager/Project Manager reporting to the CEO on the former and to the Technical Operations Director on the latter.

In 2007, he then relocated to South Africa to assume the position of a project manager with a unified communications company. However, due to delays in processing of his work permit, he lost this opportunity and found himself working as an ICT recruitment consultancy.

Thanks to the special dispensation for the issuance of permits to Zimbabweans, Servias eventually got his work permit after a three year wait".

Servias is a visionary entrepreneur who wishes to one day utilise his South African experiences back home. This is what he had to say about the kind of Africa he would like to see. 

War, famine, poverty, conflicts, corruption, lions roaming the streets, dictatorship and vote rigging are some of the unfortunate phrases that would come up if one was to travel the world asking for opinions about this rich continent of ours, Africa.

Sadly, even though such words are greatly influenced by ignorance, it is not possible to deny the legitimacy of the words used to paint a portrait of Africa. Not only does this weigh heavily on the hearts of many a true son and daughter of this soil, but it also places an element of guilt on our conscience as Africans. Stephen R. Covey once wrote: "how we perceive things determines how we will react". Therefore, I would like to pose a challenge to fellow Africans to stop using the aforementioned element of guilt as an excuse to shy away into abyss, but rather use that as a driving force to make a change.

I have a dream that is so vivid in my mind one can almost touch the things I dream of. This is my dream of a new Africa. The Africa I wish for my grand children and my great-grand children, the Africa I would want to see.

Let us take a walk through my dream.

I see an Africa that has no war with all tribes united. Borders are there just to demarcate the landwhose leaders are not dictators but are there to work for the people who elected them. Hunger, poverty, diseases, wars and conflicts are a thing of the past. I see a continent which produces enough food for its people. I see each country ready to assist her neighbour who is in need of help.

The Africa I would want to see is a continent where an African can freely move from one country to the other Agriculturewithout any fear of xenophobic attacks or being touted a "Kwere-Kwere". It is a continent where its nationals can freely benefit from the resources such as minerals, national heritages, agriculture and tourism within their own countries. I see a continent full of people with respect for animals and plants; people who do not hunt animals and cut down trees wily-nilly. I see an Africa which receives visitors with open hands; a continent whose visitors do not come to loot the natural resources and take them back to their own lands.

My dream also shows me an Africa with men who respect their women folk and children, Men who do not rape young girls, but realise that being bullies or abusive does not make them better human beings.

In my dream, I see an Africa full of flora and fauna. It is a continent whose people are united, not by events such as "The World Cup", but through the spirit of Ubuntu/Unhu. I would want to see a conflict-free Africa whose peoples speak one African Language.

I see a continent with humble, peaceful, hardworking, happy and loving people. Always ready to lend a hand where necessary. This is the Africa I would want to see!