By Style Reporter
For someone born and bred in Chivi in Masvingo province, Exevia “Wezhaz” Maoneke (pictured below) has defied odds and his life story is the envy of many.
Now the MD of Wezhaz Holdings, which incorporates Wezhaz Executive Cars, Wezhaz Bar and the Wezhaz Commodity broking division, the businessman continues to chart new waters and he believes the future holds even greater things for his growing empire.
“I grew up in rural Masvingo and would walk barefoot to school,” he told Standard Style on Thursday.
“Life was unbearable and the only experience of a car ride I would have was in imaginary cars as we herd cattle or in those long night dreams (makope chando) where you experience anything and everything.”
The businessman vividly remembers the struggles he had to undergo even when he moved to Warrren Park in Harare where he enjoyed much of his young adult life.
“I am not the type born with a golden spoon in the mouth,” he said.
“We had to struggle for basics and even when I got a job in government, making inroads was no stroll in the park, but I thank God for life and my progress to date.”
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The moniker Wezhaz by which many in his business and social circles know him is taken from his Masvingo roots where people from the province are known as Wezhira shortened Wezhaz.
So passionate about his roots is the man that his entire business empire rides on that Wezhaz brand.
“We can succeed in all what we want, but we must never forget our roots,” he said.
“Our identity and everything that we become is in some way inspired by our roots, hence we should be proud of where we come from.”
While his entire business empire has weathered the storm and continues to grow, the entrepreneur believes its the Wezhaz Executives Cars brand that will propel him further.
“I have developed a fervent liking for cars and bringing class and efficiency to my clients. I believe Wezhaz Executive Cars provides exactly that,” he said.
“We have been in this sector for over a decade and we have really mastered the car sale business without compromising on quality, standards and best practices.”
An avid car lover himself, the Wezhaz Executive Cars boss rolls in some of the latest SUVs and he has no regrets about his taste in cars.
“Driving should not just be a matter of driving from point A to B. It is also about efficiency and experience, hence our business model at Wezhaz Executive Cars.
“We want our clients to enjoy the comfort of quality rides while avoiding the inconvenience of experiencing avoidable mishaps while on the road.”
Wezhaz, who has invested in various properties around Harare, said they had deliberately designed a strategy and model that caters for clientele from all walks of life.
“For the past years of our operations, we have been focussing on high-end cars, but we have introduced a new way of doing things where we are also importing smaller, but efficient cars,” he said.
“We have not abandoned the high end cars, but we want everyone to be able to drive a car of their status and taste.”
The Wezhaz Executive Cars boss said they will be introducing various innovations aimed at growing their market share and satisfying customer needs.
“We are looking beyond our achievements to date. Yes, we have made our mark, but it’s time we take the brand to the people,” Wezhaz said.
“From this year going beyond, we have put in place amazing concepts aimed at reworking our business thrust and this will take the market by storm.”
While some dealers in the car business are more akin to cutting corners and avoiding tax, the Wezhaz Cars boss said their operations are above board.
“We value the importance astute business operations and we do everything by the book,” he said.
“None of our cars avoids tax and we make sure everything is cleared by authorities so that while servicing our market, we also contribute to national development.”
While they started operations with a few cars, Wezhaz Executive Cars now has a collection worth millions and their focus is to grow beyond that.
“We have an imposing car sale business along Josiah Tongogara opposite Prince Edward High School and we are happy with our progress,” he said.
“It’s all systems go as we take up our space in the car sale business and we hope to continue on that positive note.”
The businessman called on travelers during this festive season to avoid speeding and also encouraged Zimbabweans from all walks of life to spoil their loved ones with good rides.
He revealed that he was putting in place structures that would see his business contributing to a strong brand through tourism promotion and perception correction.
“We intend to send out the right perception through availing a convincing range of vehicles that speak to our aspirations as a people and nation as compared to the usual denigration we are subjected to,” he said.
While its a few that can successfully rise from rags to riches, Maoneke is one such real testimony and he is grateful to his family, friends and clientele for the support.
