The Sunday News
Mthabisi Tshuma, Business Correspondent
CHINESE based logistics company, Bhekasz Shalom Solutions (BSS) Pvt Ltd founder Mr Bhekokuhle Dube is an epitome of an individual who makes the most of whatever opportunities come his way.
A Hubei Normal University student studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Mr Dube has emerged as a major player in the country’s transport and freight industry. The lockdown period has seen a number of companies feeling the heat as they have gone on to fold, but BSS Pvt Ltd has grown to create employment for the youth during these devastating times.
The company has since 2018 been facilitating transportation of goods from overseas by road, air or shipping. Most of the goods are imported from countries that include China, United Kingdom, United States of America, Dubai and distributed in the region via South Africa and other countries. Covid-19 has affected logistics companies as prices of airlines doubled and tha has forced prices of shipping to rise. In that light, BSS Pvt Ltd have taken advantage of the inter-city travel ban to transport goods countrywide.
“Most people rely on inter-city buses to send their parcels but buses have been banned. We have started to operate in Bulawayo, Gweru, Kwekwe, Kadoma, Chegutu and Harare. Through the extension of the business, we have managed to create employment for nine youths that are three drivers and six parcel handlers in every city we operate in. We have also hired students in China to get part-time jobs who are paid on commission and are in marketing and media departments,” said Mr Dube.
With no knowledge of the freight industry but armed with a lot of determination, Mr Dube joined and started his company from money sourced from part-time jobs. He had to drop out of school before leading one of the country’s most sought after logistics companies in shipping goods mainly from China.
Asked on how he grasped freight industry logistics management when he has an electronics background, Mr Dube said that determination and a strong passion to learn new things was his driving force.
“I was raised by a single mother and had a passion to be an engineer. For that reason, I wrote Cambridge examinations and passed with flying colours. In 2015 I got a place to study Chemical Engineering at Nust. In 2017, when things became tougher I was forced to withdraw from the university and worked as a teacher to raise money to go outside the country. Nonetheless I don’t encourage people to drop out of school if they face challenges at school especially financially like I faced although I only had to do this because I had thought about it for a long time,” said Mr Dube.
His passion for the industry is apparent to the sacrifices he made so as to come up with $300 that will later give birth to a company that makes thousands of dollars annually.
“I taught for some time at primary schools namely Magombedze in Gutu and Zibomvu in Silobela and managed to raise money to go to China with the support of my mother and aunts where I went to pursue my studies. When I arrived in China, that’s when I realised that I had so much potential in business, I did a few piece jobs which earned me some capital. I then used to register my company with $300,” said Mr Dube.
He said he had to learn and draw inspiration to run the company from internationally recognised entrepreneurs and organisations.
To date, BSS Pvt Ltd has delivered goods in a number of countries that include Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa, Namibia, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana. Apart from logistics business, Mr Dube in partnership with his wife Mrs Charmaine Dube are into humanitarian work through their Trust, Golden Care Shalom Trust. Mr Dube will be graduating next year. – @mthabisi_mthire
