Beverley Hills Golf Estate, Borrowdale, Zimbabwe, a fabulous and beautiful Harare upmarket residential estate

A US$250 million housing project, Beverley Hills Golf Estate, Borrowdale, Harare, has been unveiled in Harare's Borrowdale suburb, potentially unleashing vast opportunities in the country's construction sector which had been guarded by a decade-long economic crisis.

The project is being undertaken by Carey Farm Private Limited, with Interfin Bank coming in as a financier.
RE/MAX Realty Centre is the selling agency.
Indicating that the project would change the landscape of Harare and Zimbabwe, RE/MAX chief executive officer, Rutendo Rutendo, said the Beverley Hills Golf Estate was going to "unlock value to a number of industries," particularly those in the construction sector.
"One of the major highlights of the project is the upgrade of Luna Road by the project developer. This public road had become inaccessible due to its bad condition. Primarily, it's the role of the city council to fix roads but to enhance the project it was necessary to fix the road not only for the benefit of Beverley Hills residence but for the city and public at large," said Rutendo.
"The public will now be able to access Luna Road from Crowhill Road all the way to Umwinsdale. As we speak now the contractors are almost complete with the fixing and upgrade of the road," he said
He indicated that at least 310 exclusive housing units, with a price pegged at US$500 000 per unit, would be constructed under the project.
"This is a winner. It's going to benefit a number of stakeholders in the construction industry like suppliers of building products, building contractors, engineers, town planners, surveyors, civil contractors, architects, furniture suppliers and electrical contractors, among others. 
"The sector had gone for over a decade without any meaningful projects," Rutendo said.
He indicated that there would be a choice of 400 house designs by award winning architects, Nico Van Der Meulen and Francois Marais, both from South Africa.These architects will work with selected local architects on the project.
"The package is delivered by an exceptionally skilled team of architectural, building design, construction, landscaping, interior design, decor and development specialists," said Rutendo.
The Beverley Hills Golf Estate project is being developed on the remainder of lot H Borrowdale Estate, Harare in Luna Road off Crowhill after Borrowdale Brooke Golf Estate. The stands range from 1300 square metres (m²) to 2 900m² and are priced at US$50 per m².
Rutendo said the artistic style of the homes was "unique in design and encompasses spacious layouts and fine finishes whilst achieving an alluring air of grandeur".
"The four cluster housing stands, one commercial stand and a recreation park with a golf course perfects the estate," he said.
The cost of the plan and the building will be a private contract between buyers and builders of their choice.
There is also room for one to submit one's own plans which must be on par with the rest of the development to be accepted.

Source: http://www.financialgazette.co.zw

Beverley Hills Golf Estate, a fabulous and beautiful Harare upmarket residential estate
Beverley Hills Golf Estate located in Borrowdale, Harare offers the experience of luxury living. The package is delivered by an exceptionally skilled team of architectural, building design, construction, landscaping, interior design, decor and development specialists. Offering you homes that are aesthetically beautiful and an inspiration to ideal modern style. This development will be carried out at the remainder of lot H Borrowdale Estate, Harare. It is largely a residential development which offers a variety of highly appealing exquisite developments designed by the world\'s famous and renowned architects. Our philosophy is the creation of world class environments through an integrated approach to land planning and wherever possible, preservation of critical areas to create an ecological haven that gives our clients the world without costing them the earth.
The philosophy, without compromise has been carried through to the Beverley Hills Golf Estate development, which comprises of 310 model homes, each of the homes individually designed to ensure that our clients are assured of comfort, luxury, security and satisfaction.
The artistic style of the homes is unique in design and encompasses spacious layouts and fine finishes whilst achieving an alluring air of grandeur. The four cluster housing stands, one commercial stand and a recreation park with a golf course perfects the estate.
The development also offers a completely secure environment with a private gated entry, all round security and electrified fences.

The project is in Luna Road off Crowhill after Borrowdale Brooke Golf Estate. The stands range from 1300m² to 2900m² and are priced at $50 per m². The development is privately owned by Carey Farm (PVT) LTD and RE/MAX Realty Centre is the selling agency. Should you purchase a stand you will be automatically included into the Owners Association and will be required to sign a building contract with a contractor of your choice. RE/MAX Realty Centre will supply you with a choice from 400 house designs by some of the the world’s top Architects. The cost of the plan and the building will be a private contract between yourself and the builder of your choice. There is also room for you to submit your own plans which must be on par with the rest of the development, to be accepted.
The development is being sold in 3 Phases and Phase 1 is currently selling but you may choose a stand in future phases.

Features 1 Close Circuit TV 1 Intercom

Amenities 12 Restaurant(s) 1 Police Station(s) 1 Post Office(s) 10 Café(s) 7 Bank(s) 2 Golf Course(s) 6 Fast Food Restaurant(s) 5 Chemist(s) 6 Doctor(s)

Source: http://africanbeautifulmansions.blogspot.com/

The Rise and Rise of Philip Chiyangwa

Love him or hate him, Phillip “Tsivo” Chiyangwa is undoubtedly a great example of African entrepreneurial success. He has the business acumen and most importantly, the guts to make some very shrewd investment decisions that have seen his empire grow from obscurity to the well renowned Native Africa Investment Group (NAIG). It would never surprise to see NAIG being listed on one of the world exchanges one day.

Chiyangwa did not just find himself where he is today, and at times people speak of him as if banknotes rain in his bed while he is deep in his sleep. His is a case of hard work and determination and having his sights onsuccess. Chiyangwa, unlike most here today gone tomorrow Zimbabwean millionaires who have the tendency to squander seed money, seems knows when and where to spend his money.

Re-investment and venturing into uncharted territory has been the hallmark of his success. The overtly flashy Chiyangwa does so with restraint because there are so many people who never thought Chiyangwa was splashing without touching the base of his finances but most have been proven wrong.

Born in 1959 Phidza has had his share of the hard times, rising from the dusty environs of his village roots in Chegutu, in the Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe to pride himself of probably one of the best houses in Zimbabwe at the moment. One thing that makes him a genuine and sincere example is that Chiyangwa has never made a secret of his humble beginnings. Neither has he ever hidden his desire to succeed, an outright recipe for success.

Over and above what people know and have seen of him struggled to get where he is now, Chiyangwa has made his own case chronicling how he started off vending vegetables and at times washing cars for those who had them then. One of his only known regular jobs was his short stint in the BSAP in the years to independence in 1980. The rest have been literally scrounging his way to success.

I remember meeting or rather seeing Chiyangwa for the first time in 1990 at the shopping centre in Harare’s Meyrick Park on the outskirts of Malbereign where my uncle used to operate a welding and mechanical workshop. He (my uncle) was doing a gate for Chiyangwa’s Meyrick Park house.

There were a few other businesses running from behind the dura wall and most prominent among them was Green Minicab, a taxi operator. Meyrick Park was a quieter and more secluded version of Warren Park’s Mereki where some of the “boys” in town would converge on the odd weekend to sip cold beers while readily available henchmen roasted chunks of beef and pork for them from conveniently located brae stand.

One by one the nicely polished cars would pull up and get parked carefully as space was limited. Careless parking would always attract the ire of other patrons and nobody dared double parking.

Then on this sunny Saturday afternoon pulled up a gold Mercedes Benz and out of it came a man in a colourful suit and he was almost inatsantly, literally mobbed by everyone who greeted him with great affection. Then a few words with my uncle and he was gone. Later on I asked my uncle who he was and what he wanted.

My uncle replied while pointing to a gate that looked quite massive and said that’s why he was there to check progress and they would be fitting it later on that day. I was surprised that although he seemed quite popular and everyone would have loved him to stay, Chiyangwa made his excuses and sped away.

From then on and into the mid 1990’s I would see Chiyangwa a lot especially in the morning while he drove into town along Sherwood Drive and then into Pat Palmer Avenue. Driving was and understatement because Chiyangwa literally swept past motorists alongside the left verge leaving a cloud of dust.

He would weave in and out of traffic hurriedly if not dangerously, leaving everyone asking themselves if they too were in a hurry. Even when he got into town, Chiyangwa remained an untamed motorist because he had several run-ins with Harare City council parking attendants who found his reckless parking in front of his offices along Samora Machel something of an insult to their profession.

Chiyangwa finally broke on to the national scene in the most prominent fashion when he teamed up with the late Peter “Pams” Pamire to start the Affirmative Action Group AAG. This was a rival business empowerment vehicle that was specifically set up to compete with the now defunct Indigenous Business Development Centre IBDC that was then led by John Mapondera.

The AAG was the more militant and youthful version that catered especially for the young entrepreneurs. Most importantly, the AAG was purely business oriented then, with very little or no dabbling with politics to gain cheap mileage or grabbing the news headlines. Neither the organisation nor its leadership were ever involved in the frogmarching of foreign owned company executives or toy-toying in front of company premises to force them to do business with clients they were uncomfortable with.

There is a confusing or misconceived notion that the naturally entrepreneurial Chiyangwa is successful because of his connection or relationship to President Robert Mugabe. That’s not a very fair assessment in the context of his business success because ZANU PF has actually tended to lean more on Chiyangwa than he on ZANU PF.

There are closer relations of President Mugabe who have also shown similar zeal to venture into business but have not been as successful as Chiyangwa and again this has been purely down to their own business ethics. Notable among President Mugabe’s relations are his nephews especially Leo Mugabe.

Leo is the best example of survival in business through connection because was it not for his name or his uncle, he would not be in business today. I remember his (Leo’s) steel company in Southerton would struggle to pay its suppliers and it would be a real struggle to get any form of payment at all.

Chiyangwa has actually had his own share of ill treatment at the hands of ZANU PF. He was arrested and jailed in 2006 but then went on to be released without charge. If Chiyangwa’s businesses were in any way a direct result of ZANU PF benefaction he couldn’t have left ZANU PF at will because he would have been mortgaged to the party.

Chiyangwa did dabble with politics but he kept his business at arms length and he even admitted after his ordeal that there was nothing to be gained through politics if one wanted to be successful in business. There are times when political power does facilitate the advancement of business interests, but there has to be the business acumen on the ground to meet with that facilitation without there would be no success story.

Most criticism directed towards Chiyangwa seems to be out of petty personal jealousy. Chiyangwa has build a very strong business based on turnover and investment and that is what gives him more money to re-invest into even more ventures. Unlike most children of rich people, most of Chiyangwa’s numerous children have and continue to be moulded into well educated and hardworking young entrepreneurs who remain an integral part of their family empire.

There are so many people who have benefited from Chiyangwa’s exploits through employment that his businesses create. He has helped a lot of young Zimbabweans realise their dreams and potential through investing in entertainment and beauty shows. His involvement with the Miss Zimbabwe pangeant and his sponsorship allowed a lot of Zimbabweans girls realise their dreams and some became household names.

In typical fashion, Chiyangwa brought the late Michael Jackson to Zimbabwe in 2002 and it was an an experience of a lifetime for many Zimbabweans who attended the show at the then Sheraton Hotel. He also had a hand in the promotion of Don Williams who played for charity concerts in Harare in 1997 and those were events that put Zimbabwe on the world entertainment map. Instead of Zimbabweans seeing a lot of bad in Chiyangwa, there are a lot positives that could be drawn from his personal story.

The whole world has people who have helped shape it through their different contribution to its success. He may not be Saint Phillip but Chiyangwa is a classic example of hardwork and determination because so many people never thought he would get far especially because of his big mouth. But he does seem to put his money where his mouth is or maybe is it his mouth where his money is?

Phillip Chiyangwa Zimbabwe Multi-Millionaire entrepreneur - From Rags to Riches

LIKE or hate him, PHILIP CHIYANGWA (PC) is one of the most known Zimbabwean black businessmen to emerge in independent Zimbabwe, who features prominently in Africa’s Richest Black People List. His meteoric rise from a barefoot and spike haired vegetable vendor in the dusty streets of Hartley (now Chegutu) in Rhodesia to a flamboyant businessman, property developer and politician in Zimbabwe has never been understood by many, who have more often than not, claimed that his wealth is ill-gotten. Daring and unshaken in his spirited quest to get richer and richer, Mr Chiyangwa — who says he has a PhD in Common Sense — has courted controversy on his road to riches. Features Editor ISDORE GUVAMOMBE (IG) talks to Mr Chiyangwa (PC) about his upbringing, Business Empire, wealth and the future.

IG: Who is Philip Chiyangwa? 

PC: I am a businessman, who has gone through a long way. I did not get my wealth yesterday. I got it through years of hard work, investment, reinvestment and strategic planning.

I am Christian but I must say these things are not manna from heaven. Where others see disasters and problems, I see opportunities. Even when I diversify, I remain focused. My mother Marita taught me to be astute and to be an entrepreneur from pamusika, the vegetable market. She taught me to buy and sell and my father taught me to cast visions and to stay focused. That is me.

IG: People say you are a crook . . . 

PC: No, no, no! They are mad. If I stole a cent from anyone or anyone’s mother, grandmother or so, they should come and claim it. Kana ndakabira mai vemunhu kana tete kana mbuya vake ngavauye vatore because I now have the money, I have the money! My money is clean. When people are spiting me or sleeping, I am thinking hard and strategising to make more money. I have a doctorate in common sense, where academics and professional end, is where I start.

IG: HOW did you make your money? 

PC: There is no magic in making money. You must characterise money as your friend. As blacks we have over the years believed that no one makes clean money. There is no magic in making money. They think money is difficult to make and that money is for those who have it already and that is wrong. If you have a problem with money it’s you because as for me, I have the money and I don’t have a problem with money.

In many homes people fight over small money and how then do they expect money to visit them when they fight over small money? If you value money and you wish to create and accumulate wealth, you must be able to sacrifice and do things to make it happen. All my investments are in Zimbabwe not outside Zimbabwe. I can export but I remain in Zimbabwe.

IG: That is a bit philosophical. Anyway, where did you grow up and how?

PC: I was born in what is now Chegutu. You know there is no tarred road in those locations? I grew up in the dust. I was born in a family of 14, same mother, same father and I was number seven, now I am number one. All those senior to me died. My mother was a vendor, a vegetable vendor and she was the first to teach me to buy and sell, which is what I do to make money up to today.

What differs is the scale. My mother sold vegetables, I sell stands and properties. I buy companies and sell, when it becomes necessary. My father was a restrictee, a political detainee in Whawha and Gonakudzingwa. He was in and out of detention for politics.

I went to school with old people, in Grade three, you would get someone 15 years old and in grade six or seven you would get someone 20 years old. You needed to be clever and it made me clever. In between school I was a vendor helping mymother.

IG: That famous story about your scramble with bigger boys to get to the top of the rural bus and grab vegetables . . . 

PC: Ah, that story. Okay, as vendors we would get our vegetables from buses, Dikita, Matambanadzo and Masiyandaita, that came from rural farming areas like Musengezi.

Each time a bus arrived, there was pushing, shoving and jostling among vendors to grab the vegetables first. I was too small and young but I would run for my mother.

The other boys were big and strong so it was a struggle for me to get the vegetables from the bus career for my mother.

One day, I cycled to a place 15 km away and parked by the bus stop and when the buses arrived I paid for all the vegetables and when the buses got to Chegutu, the other vendors were told that they had all been bought by me. I was a rendezvous buyer.

This is how my mother became a wholesaler of vegetables and all vendors would get vegetables from her. It became a norm. This is how my mother managed to send all of us to school, as a vegetable wholesaler.

IG: After school did you ever work for anyone?

PC: Yes, my first job was working as a garden boy for an elderly Portuguese family that had abandoned Mozambique when Samora Machel took over power.

I was later to learn that those are the people who blocked sewer and water pipes in protest of black rule in Mozambique.

Between running their errands and tending their flowers and hedge, I would dream of getting rich.

I would think of having my children growing the same way like I did. Like I said, my father was a restrictee. My situation did not make me despair, it hardened me and made me more ambitious. My poverty inspired me. I always dreamt of getting rich. I knew my situation would change for the better.

IG: How did you leave?

PC: Cutting hedge as usual, the milky liquid accidentally got into my eyes and the old lady would not understand seeing me rinsing my eyes with water at the tap continuously.

She was enraged and shouted at me so I ran to my mother who took me to the shops and bought milk. She cleaned my eyes with the milk. I never went back.

IG: People say you are not educated, how far did you go?

PC: I am educated. I attended Universal College in Highfield and did bookkeeping, elementary, intermediate and advanced certificates. I did typing too. That was in 1976. In 1977, I did Accounting Machines (NCR and Burroughs) at Commercial Cotcers College, now Zedco; ask the old folk what it means.

It was a special course. I then went to work at York House in Bulawayo, now owned by Mines Minister Cde Obert Mpofu. While there I did an advanced diploma in accounting.

I left in 1980 to join Dunlop Zimbabwe as an Industrial Engineering, Assisted and Work Study Trainee. I learnt the whole process of making a tyre. That time my elder brother, the late David popularly known as Mr Bulk, was working at Chitungwiza Council as a debt collector and he pressurised me to relocate to Harare.

I made seven applications for jobs in Harare and was finally called by Willovale and I shocked them in that interview, where I finished answering questions in a record 15 minutes of the stipulated 30 and I got 100 percent. I was later to move to Van Leah together with Tichafa Ndoro, who is still Managing Director there and that is where I first met Reserve Bank Governor Gideon Gono, way back in 1982. So all those people who say things about me and Gono don’t know what they are saying, man. I have known him since that time, not yesterday.

IG: When exactly did you go into your own business? 

PC: When I left Willowvale for Van Leah, my brother David, had left Chitungwiza Council and was buying and selling cars. I used to market cars for him from my office. I then decided to do my own thing and left.

IG: What did you go into as your first business?

PC: I formed Phids Electric Sounds, a disco that became very popular in Chitungwiza, Musami and St Ignatius and massive promotional work. I managed Hosea Chipanga, the Erosion Band and others. I dominated boxing promotion and wrestling. I managed the African Boxing Champion, Proud Kilimanjaro Chinembiri, Gilbert Josamu, Ambrose Mlilo, and Langton Tinago. I accompanied Kilimanjaro on his fight with Lennox Lewis, which was a fluke. I also did accounting books for many black business people who had shops. I felt I should be a businessman.

IG: Is this when you formed CIA? 

PC: Yes, its actual name is Commercial Industrial Agency. We supplied stationary and furniture to rural schools and institutions and by 1984, I had started manufacturing my own furniture and selling it. My business then grew with the economy. Business was not difficult; there were opportunities for all enterprising young Zimbabweans.

In the 1990s, I became the first black to own a Betting Licence and the whites were after me. They wanted no black person in that industry. I was minting money; I had 43 branches throughout the country and employed more than 183 people.

IG: What did they do to you?

PC: Mashonaland and Matabeleland Turf Clubs were after me, man. They were white-dominated and there were an enclave of classic white racists, diabolic and protective of their interests. They spent three years fighting me. Suddenly, I was fighting all white people because I had gotten deep into their enclave.

I touched their raw nerve and white law firms came after me big time. Some blacks are apologetic to the whites because they don’t know these people. Most of them are coconuts for the whites to crush and eat. For whites to respect you, you must know that you are black, good and equal and as hungry for money as them.

IG: What can you tell us about Affirmative Action Group?

PC: I had enough reason to enter and fight agriculture, the white man’s nerve centre after my ordeal with the turf clubs. The only way was black empowerment and this is how we mooted AAG with the late Peter Pamire. I attacked them where it hurts most and founded AAG, 17 years ago. AAG has done extremely well for black Zimbabweans. It was the entrance of blacks into the private sector.

I am also a strategist.

IG: How did you leave politics, was it your involvement in the so-called Tsholotsho debacle?

PC: After MDC got into Parliament through the backdoor by taking advantage of the relaxation and infighting within Zanu-PF, the internal struggles took their toll on a lot of us. Some ended up cooking stories about me. I was caught up in that. Some said I was leading the Tsholotsho team. That led to my unfortunate exit from politics. I had to come to terms with the machinations of politics and I forgive those small-minded people who created the story for me.

IG: How have you received the Inclusive Government?

PC: After the formation of the inclusive Government I have been able to analyse the total ineptitude in dealing with the MDC-T. Tsvangirai has a collection of touts, bad apples, people who have failed in life yet to be in Zanu PF one has to have a distinction of competitive edge. Criminal perverts and excretes collected into MDC and Tsvangirai buries himself into the pus.

It is common cause that the Prime Minister is not among the most learned and he talks about me while addressing Harare councillors, without getting the facts right. I have more money anybody has ever come across and he said I was a crook. No one who has associated with Tsvangirai has ever made money like me. I challenge them.

IG: That brings us to your land deal with Harare City Council. What really happened?

PC: This was an unfortunate incident that was cooked up and made believable for the people of Zimbabwe. I wonder if the MDC-T can govern.

An incompetent assembly of people, who had absolutely no idea of law, facts of the deal gathered and decided to deal with Chiyangwa of Zanu-PF.

Firstly, the council was broke and I gave them money for salaries, US$7,1 million and they gave me land but as usual, this is a sign of the poverty in MDC-T. Tsvangirai brought into councils a baggage of corrupt councillors. We are now locked up with this kind of councillors, bereft of ideas and procedure. They sat and discussed my issue without getting in touch or inviting those who crafted the deal. It was a land swoop deal and they still owe me a lot of land, ask Tendai Mahachi the town clerk. I gave them 22 ha of land and they gave me 17 ha. Stupidity took over reasoning. If they owe me a public apology and if they pay little money I will forgive them. I have an affidavit from Mahachi on the deal.

IG: What positions to you currently hold?

PC: I am the president of the Construction Industry Federation of Zimbabwe, Vice president of the Zimbabwe Construction Industry Council which incorporates Zimbabwe Institute of Engineers, Zimbabwe Building Contractors Association, Institute of Architects of Zimbabwe and Real Estates Institute of Zimbabwe, among others. There are seven of them. Of course I am the founder and chairman of Native Investments Africa Group.

IG: In your life, which incident do you regret most?

PC: When I lost my daughter. She was my first child and she drowned in a swimming pool together with my friend’s daughter at Jameson High School in Kadoma. Apparently, I had influenced my friend Isaiah Chabveka to send his daughter to the same school with mine. Both girls drowned. It was very sad. It was a double tragedy.

IG: What is the future of your business empire?

PC: The future is to diversify; there are a lot of foreigners coming for our diamonds and other minerals. We need to look into that area. The housing project is being reviewed so that we provide cheaper stands at around $25 per month for 30 years. The poor must have access to decent accommodation. This is what we want.

I am a trendsetter, I want to take advantage of the situation and look at econometrics. I want to write my autobiography, I want to release two books on how to make money.

They are coming onto the market soon. I think it is easy to make money; there is nothing scientific about making money. I have a doctorate in common sense; I start where academics and professionals end.

Isadore.guvamombe@zimpapers.co.zw