Divine Ndhlukula

Biography

Divine was born and bred in Gutu, the third largest district in Masvingo province. She was brought up in a family that had business interests. This background paved way for her business ventures. Divine was married to Stanley Ndhlukula^[2] and the couple was blessed with eight children and one grand child. Her husband died in 2001 after renal failure.

Education

Divine holds an Executive Masters in Business Administration from Midlands State University and a Mater of Business Administration from Women’s University in Africa. The latter was conferred in recognition of her business leadership and gender equality initiatives. She also holds Accounting and Marketing Management diplomas.

Business career

She started off from humble beginnings, before founding Securico Security Services in 1999 in her backyard cottage. From there she then started to run the company with only four employees. Through her courage, hard work and determination the company rose to become one of Zimbabwe's most respected security companies employing over 4000 employees. Once voted the Entrepreneur of the decade by Empretec Zimbabwe, Divine's company initially employed the 'marginalised woman' who used to be sidelined in the job market. Securico targeted widows and single mothers some of which are HIV positive for formal employment. To date she had helped more than 3 700 woman headed families.^[3]

She also made history when Securico became the first Zimbabwean manned security company to be certified to the internationally acclaimed ISO9001:2008 Quality Management System.^[4] Though the company was found in a time when the country was facing economic hardships(Zimbabwe's lost decade), Securico managed to generate revenues of more than US$20 million a year, with a balance sheet of more than US$8 million. Divine has won many accolades. The biggest was probably in 2011 when her company Securico beat 3,300 other firms and won the coveted $100,000 Grand Prize at the Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship in Nairobi, Kenya.^[5] Divine sits on many boards including the Chamber of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) Business Linkages Committee.

In agriculture, she founded Zvikomborero Farms, an agricultural company involved in a variety of farming activities and presently employs 17 permanent employees and over 12 on a temporary basis.

On 29 June 2017 she was named President of Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce after serving as Vice. Divine was named one of the Most Successful Women in Africa by Forbes.^[6]

Previous Positions Held

• Accounting Officer for the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation ZBC (1980 to 1982)
• Accounting Officer for Old Mutual (1982 to 1985)
• Marketing Executive for Intermarket Life Assurance Company (1995 to 1999)
• Founder of Securico (1999)

Ndhlukula has held several directoral positions which include:

• Security Association Zimb – Past Chairman
• Chamber of Mines – Past Chairperson of the Joint Suppliers and Producers

Committee

• Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) –President and Chairperson of Women’s

Desk

• Professional Executives and Businesswomen Forum (PROWEB) – Trustee
• African Women Entrepreneurs Programme (AWEP) – Founding Trustee
• Harare Sunshine Holdings
• Member of the National Competitiveness Commission Board
• First Lady Development Advisory Board

Trivia

She is the founder of the Mentorship in Practice programme, Woman Owned Brand initiative, an offshoot of the Women in Enterprise Conference and Awards platform which she started in 2013 to help women scale up their businesses. She became the first SADC member at Women Presidents Organization.

Awards

1. Personal

• Zimbabwe National Leadership Excellent Award Private Sector Award Winner 2016
• Zimbabwe Northern Region Leadership Excellence Awards Private Sector Winner

2016

• EY World Entrepreneur Award Southern Africa – Exceptional category 2014 Winner.
• International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge Awardee 2014
• UNCTAD/Empretec Top Ten Global Women in Business 2014
• Legatum Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship Grand Prize (2011)
• Women Heritage Society Hall of Fame 2014
• Woman Investor of the Year by Zimbabwe Investment Authority 2013
• Overall Winner (Services) Africa’s Most Influential Women in Business and

Government 2013 by CEO of South Africa

• African Woman of the Year 2013 African Achievers Awards
• One of the Top 10 Most Influential Businesspeople Post independence Zimbabwe. –

Empretec

• Empretec Entrepreneur of the Year (2001)
• Empretec Entrepreneur of Decade Services Sector (2002)
• Manager of the year for Zim Institute of Management (2005)
• Celebrate a Sister Business award (2006)
• Institute of Directors Zimbabwe Director of the Year (SMEs) (2008)
• Institute of Directors Overral Director of Year(Run Up) (2009)
• Zimbabwe Women Filmmakers/UNIFEM Business Award (2010).

1. Company

Her company SECURICO has also been recognised in numerous awards. The awards are:

• National Quality Awards Company of the Year (2011)
• National Annual Quality Awards – Individual Winner 2012
• Zimbabwe’s 7th Best Employer in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015
• Super-brand of the Year 2012; 2013; 2014, 2015 and 2016 (Security Sector)
• SQAM/SADC Quality Awards – Company of the Year 2012

References