A Zimbabwean businessman in the wine business has been profiled by the British embassy and below is the full interview –
SATURDAY INSPIRATION: As a young child growing up in rural Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe winemaker Joseph Dhafana got into the habit of early mornings and hard work. That’s paid off in a big way. Now based in Cape Town, the 35-year-old is the proud owner of Mosi Wines. He set up the company after training first as a barman and then as a sommelier (wine waiter).
Dhafana was in Harare this week. The British embassy spoke to him briefly and asked him to share his advice for people wanting to follow in his footsteps:
Who is Joseph Tongai Dhafana?
Joseph: I’ve been a qualified wine judge since 2016. I was the third best wine taster in SA 2015. I’m the founder of Team Zimbabwe for the Blind Wine Tasting Championships.
How much did your childhood experiences shape your career?
Joseph: When I was young, my dad used to wake me and my brothers up as early as 0400hrs. We’d go to plough the fields with our cattle. I’d leave them to finish off, rush to the river to take a bath and then walk to school. It was a 10 km walk. I had to do that between Form 1 and Form 4 (start of high school to O-level). Because of that, my day is still 15 hours long. I wake up at 0500 and go to bed at 2300.
What’s been the highlight of your career so far?
Joseph: Lots of things! Here are a few: meeting people from all walks of life and giving them a hand if I can. Seeing a rural boy representing SA in the Olympics of wine-tasting in 2015. Donating wines to the oldest African school in the Cape and the Iziko School of Cookery so that they can auction the wines and help the students. All this has been a dream come true.
For the first time I’m auctioning six bottles of my own wine in August. Fifty percent of what I raise will go to charity. Obviously if all goes well I will donate to Zimbabwe.
Your advice to would-be sommeliers from Zimbabwe?
Joseph: There is no goal which is too high. Be yourself and work very hard. You can be the person you want to be if you work hard. Be determined and associate yourself with the right people. I actually failed my Ordinary-level exams in Zimbabwe but I never looked back. Turn obstacles into achievements. If young Zimbabweans want to get into this business, I’d advise them to associate with people who are already in it. That way it will be easier for them. I took the long route as I was one of the ‘pioneers’.