User:Justice Maphosa/sandbox/Justice Maphosa

Justice Maphosa (born February 9, 1975) is a Pretoria-based Zimbabwean businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of diversified international

Early life and education

Maphosa was born in the small town of Gwanda, southern Zimbabwe, on February 9, 1975. At the age of 13, he moved to Cape Town, South Africa where he attended school. He studied Computer Science at the University of Cape Town before starting his first company in 1998. A man he considers his mentor, Trevor Fisk, believes Maphosa's discipline and determination underpin his achievements. For example, Fisk said: "One night I was locking up the house at about 11pm and I saw Justice walking home sopping wet from UCT, carrying his books in a plastic bag to keep them dry.

Business and Career Interests

The company, Computer Ink and Media Solutions, selling recycled printer cartridges. He is now CEO of Big Time Strategic Group, a multinational company with interests in ICT, financial services, aviation, transport&logistics, health, energy and agriculture. He developed his passion for business as a teenager and started his first business at the age of 13 when he would use his camera to do a photography.

Helping President Mnangagwa

Maphosa helped Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa to flee into exile in November 2017 when he had been fired from government by Robert Mugabe. President Mnangagwa spoke about his escape via Mozambique to South Africa during an interface with Zimbabwean business community-based in South Africa. During his narration of his escape from Zimbabwe to South Africa in November 2017, President Mnangagwa mentioned that he contacted Maphosa who came to pick him up and made sure that his 16 days stay in South Africa was comfortable.

CEO who loves giving

On Wednesday 14 February, 2018, a South African daily newspaper, The New Age, wrote an article headlined "CEO who loves giving" which aptly described the type of person Maphosa is. Maphosa attributes his success first to God and then to the people he has met. One of those people is a man called Trevor Fisk, who took him into his home and paid his university tuition. On January 24, Maphosa gave Fisk an unexpected gift: R1-million. Fisk, 65, told Sunday Times, a leading South Africa newspaper: "Justice said that he wanted to meet for lunch and during the meal he said that he wanted to give me a present and asked for my bank details." Every Saturday Maphosa, who lived on cabbage and pap, sent half his income to his family in Zimbabwe, where his parents went into exile and he spent his early years.

Philantropy and humanitarian initiatives

Maphosa has taken two schools under his wing - in Alexandra, Johannesburg, and in Misty Mount village near Mthatha in the Eastern Cape - to help pupils there get the best education possible. Maphosa has promised to make the Upper Corana Junior Primary School, a broken-down school in Misty Mount, a centre of excellence. His company is funding the salaries of seven teachers, a school feeding scheme, bus transport and uniforms and shoes. Next, it will pay for a connection to the power grid and for renovations to the classrooms, which have potholed mud floors and broken windows. Since Maphosa got involved in the school, enrolment has risen fivefold to more than 340 children. His company also provides bursaries for tertiary students, 11 of whom have graduated so far. He says: "I know children don't have food and when dinner is served, I want to eat with a clear conscience. I'd like to go to bed knowing that I've fed 1,000 children today and produced 100 university graduates."