Josphat "Josh” Hozheri
Josphat "Josh” Hozheri is a Zimbabwean businessman and music promoter known for setting up Jazz 105.
Background
Josh Hozheri comes from Chivhu.[1]
Education
Hozheri was a student at Bulawayo Hotel School and would take part-time jobs as a barman at Alabama Nightclub and Hartsfield Sports Club. He got an appreciation of jazz at Alabama where he observed mature big spenders coming to listen to jazz. It was then that he realised that the jazz market was lucrative and since that time Hozheri fell in love with the genre.[2]
Businesses
Hozheri has shops in Glen View and in Chivhu. In 2018, Josh Hozheri said he was a poultry farmer with a production of at least 10 000 birds every six weeks. He also said he distributed stock feed for Country Feeds as one of their agents.[1]
Career
Hozheri worked for a private hospitality company before getting an opportunity to open his own outlet. Hozheri started Jazz 105 in 1999 after the owners of the then Mateo’s Restaurant moved out of the building. He took 105 from the address of the building, which is 105 Robert Mugabe Road although Jazz 105 was the last section of the building and physically located at the corner of Sam Nujoma Street (then Second Street) and Robson Manyika Avenue.[2]
He operated Jazz 105 for over 13 years but said he was pushed out due to some misunderstandings that were caused by the tier leasing system. He also operated at Pamuzinda but there was a huge inferno that destroyed the place and he was not insured so continuity after the disaster was impossible. He then decided to move into the Harare CBD where he set up Time & Jazz Café. He again had to cease operations after the owners of the building said they wanted their place back. Josh Hozheri hosted the Winter Jazz festival for 12 consecutive years when he was at Jazz 105.[1]
In 2014, Hozheri hosted the Winter Jazz festival at the City Sports Centre and the show turned out to be a flop.
The show attracted Zimbabwean performers like Oliver Mtukudzi, Jah Prayzah and Sulumani Chimbetu but failed to live to expectations.
Hozheri eventually laid the blame on a United Family International Church gathering that was held at the same venue earlier as the reason behind the low turnout.[1][2]
Failure To Settle Debt
In 2014, Josh Hozheri's Bluffhill house was auctioned for failure to settle a debt. The house, number 2446 in Bluffhill, was auctioned by Ruby Auctions on behalf of the Central African Building Society (CABS).
The house consisted of three bedrooms, two lounges, a dining room, kitchen, toilet and bathroom built on a 938 square metre piece of land cited under case number SS134/13 was sold at a public auction on 15 August 2014 at the Raylton Sports Club.[3]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Prince Mushawevato, Experiences have made me wiser: Hozheri, The Sunday Mail, Published: July 1, 2018, Retrieved: June 12, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Godwin Muzari, Josh’s memorable jazz moments, The Herald, Published: February 24, 2017, Retrieved: June 12, 2021
- ↑ Farai Kuvirimirwa, LATEST: Music promoter loses house to bank, The Herald, Published: August 15, 2014, Retrieved: June 12, 2021
