Guzha Township: The cradle of Chitown's motor vehi...

Guzha Township: The cradle of Chitown's motor vehicle industry

Tavonga Zvinonzwa

Tucked in the heart of Chitungwiza, a populous satellite town situated about 25 kilometres south-east of the capital’s central business district, is a rural district council-run business centre.

Officially, the bustling township is called Guzha Business Centre.

But, a significant number prefer the name Chikwanha, borrowed from one of the pioneer businesses to operate at the Manyame Rural District Council-run township.

Here, money debatably changes hands like no other place in the dormitory town.

Well-known for being home to Chitungwiza's biggest fruit and vegetable market, popular leisure spots such as Flagship Paramount, Millennium Gardens and Gungwa Nite Club, groceries wholesale shops and a number of fuel stations, Guzha Township is alive round the clock.

However, it is the proliferating motor vehicle industry that caught the eye of the Zim Now crew.

Motor spares retail shops, motor vehicle servicing and repairs, panel beating and spray painting, second hand car sales and car breaking are some of the thriving ventures that keep the township on its track from dawn to dusk.

Spare parts retail shops have flooded the centre, taking over buildings that used to house watering holes like Chikwanha Bottle Store, Royal Crown Sports Bar and Ghetto Blues Night Club among others, which have been turned into flourishing motor vehicle spare parts retail shops.

These shops are laden with spare parts and accessories such as ball joints, rims, tyres, brake pads, oils, windscreen wipers and lubricants.

Undeterred by fears that the automotive sector is male dominated, Plaxedes Silikombora, who owns Ultimate Spares, a motor spares retail shop, is one of the many entrepreneurs who earn a decent living through selling new motor vehicle spare parts.

She has amassed valuable knowledge in the nine years she has been in the trade with seven of them spent as a spares shop attendant while the remainder was spent as an entrepreneur.

The enterprising tricenarian relocated her spares shop from Makoni Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza, to Guzha Business Centre, near Giant Service Station, after enduring low sales at Makoni.

“I spent seven years working for someone as a salesperson in a motor spares retail shop.

“But, after realising that the business is lucrative, I saved some money and quit my job as a shop attendant before opening my first outlet at Makoni two years ago.

“However, I discovered that the motor spares business was low there and I moved to Guzha where my investment is now bearing fruit.

“Here, I started operating in a small shop but I have managed to grow and I am now using a bigger shop.

“Guzha has made its name as a one-stop place for all motor accessories, so people from Chitungwiza and beyond flock here,” Silikombora told Zim Now.

All Silikombora's products are reasonably priced with oils selling five litres for between US$18 and US$40, gaskets between US$7 and US$10 while ball joints go for US$8- US$15 among a host of other accessories.

The key to success in this venture, she said, is selling original spares and good customer care.

“Counterfeit spares have flooded the market but with nearly ten years' experience, I can separate fake from original.

“As Ultimate Motors, we run promotions here and there like supplying and fixing as we have our skilled motor mechanic”, she said.

Another entrepreneur, Tichaona Mandiranga, 40, a motor mechanic said he has witnessed the growth of the motor vehicle industry over the last decade or so.

With experience spanning over a decade, Ticha, as he is affectionately known by his peers and customers alike, specialises in Mercedes Benz and BMW models.

“I have witnessed the growth of the motor vehicle industry over the years I have been operating here.

“At first, it was only me and my brother, Clever, who were doing Merc and BMW models here but there are many of us now," said Ticha.

At his workshop Ticha fixes suspensions, gear boxes as well engine servicing of all Merc and BMW models.

Zim Now also established that back rooms at some buildings whose main shop spaces are already occupied are being rented out to motor spares dealers.

This section of entrepreneurs stay outside their hidden shops canvassing for customers because their shops are not visible to all.

When they meet potential customers, they take them to the shop or rush to fetch the required item.

Hawkers festooned with steering wheels, windscreen wipers, wheel covers and are also a common sight at Guzha Business Centre.

This group can sell their wares even deep into the night and can charge any price to the unsuspecting customer.

The country’s vehicle statistics has surged over the past decade or so chiefly due to cheap second-hand imports from Japan, the United Kingdom and other places.

In his 2020-2021 budget statement, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister, Professor Mthuli Ncube, highlighted that between 2015 and 2020, the country spent approximately US$1.3 billion on motor vehicle imports alone.

As at December 31, 2022, the country’s registered vehicle population stood at 1 467 955, a 6.9% increase from 1 373 431 in December 2021, according to official data.

During the first quarter of 2024, the government moved in and outlawed the importation of vehicles older than ten years, through Statutory Instrument (SI) 54 of 2024, in a bid to cut the import bill and promote local industry.

However, the ban was partially lifted as importation of these vehicles by returning residents, diplomats, and inherited vehicles is now permitted.