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Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter

MR Joel Maseko (77) is probably one of Zimbabwe’s oldest bricklayers who despite age continues to use his skills to develop his community in Matobo, Matabeleland South province. 

Despite the physical demands and rigorous nature of his job, Mr Maseko who is short and of small stature can still carry bricks and cement easily. 

He started laying bricks at the age of eight helping his elder brother in Nkayi where he originally comes from. 

In 1979 he got his first job at Merlin as a maintenance builder, an opportunity which saw him acquire his first certificate in brick laying. 

His former employers eventually took him to a technical school so that he could hone his skills which have kept developing for the past 69 years. 

So good was his skill and determination in building decent homes that he soon found himself getting contracts to build houses for teachers. 

The teachers recommended Mr Maseko to others in rural Nkayi and Matobo districts and before he knew it, he was the bricklayer of choice in most rural areas. 

Mr Maseko said what drives his passion to build homes in rural areas is the fact that a majority of homes are prone to disasters like cyclones as they were initially built with cheap material and no expertise. 

He also realised that many could not afford decent homes as they get very little from farming. 

“I grew up in Gwelutshena and my elder brother was into brick laying. He would ask me to go with him to some projects and that is how I fell in love with the trade, I was only in Standard One then. I would observe him laying bricks, preparing the mortar until I started helping him as a ‘dagga boy’ (assistant),” he said. 

“At one time my brother was asked to construct a school block and I was part of the team which helped him. The passion grew stronger and I found myself renovating homes with cracks in the community within a few months.” 

Mr Maseko said he continued working with his brother until he mastered the trade and was later employed by Merlin in 1979.

“That opportunity was a dream come true and I was renovating some buildings for the employer before they decided to help me advance my skills. I continued doing part-time jobs whenever I was not at work and that is how I managed to pay for the education of my six children.” 

Mr Maseko said he met teachers who asked him to construct houses at their rural homes.

“In no time I had built homesteads for more than five teachers and that is how I managed to get my first job at a school in Nkayi. From there I worked on shops at rural business centres until I found myself with more than three clients from St Joseph’s community in Matobo,” he said. 

Mr Maseko was eventually given a stand to construct his own homestead in Hlababomvu Village near St Joseph’s Mission as community members realised that he was an asset to the area. 

The cyclone-prone villages around the area have most houses built of farm bricks.

These houses collapse during heavy rains. 

The area was this year stuck by tropical Cyclone Anna which left more than 100 families homeless.

“I am old now but I hate the fact that most of our people live in homes which can be easily destroyed by rains. This has kept me on the trade as I try my best to assist them to at least have decent and modern homes. Some of my clients are too old or poor to pay me but I do my best to ensure they have proper houses. Others pay using livestock and for others I end up offering my services for free as they cannot afford to pay,” said Mr Maseko. The bricklayer lives with his wife and six grandchildren and the eldest is doing Form Four.

“I am happy to say this trade has helped me provide for my children who are all living in South Africa. I cannot stop now as I still have strength although I am not as efficient as before because of old age. I will go on for the next five or so years, “ he said.

Mr Maseko said he is also grooming bricklayers from his community and is at the moment working with five young men.

“I have trained more than 20 young men and they left after mastering the skills,” he said. 

Mr Maseko said his dream is to register a company before he dies which will continue helping rural families to build resilient homes. 

St Joseph’s Mission’s Father Innocent Ndlovu said the community was blessed to have Mr Maseko as he also extended his services to impoverished villagers. 

Mr Maseko recently built a house for a widow in the area whose hut was destroyed by Cyclone Anna. 

“He is our local builder and is doing so well in uplifting community members in terms of having decent and resilient homes. His building skills have benefited this community  for many years,” said Father Ndlovu. 

“He has just completed a classroom block at St Joseph’s Mission Primary School and also building shops at the business centre. He is of age but he is skilled and as such does a good job each time he is engaged,’’ said Father Ndlovu.