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Nqobile Tshili, [email protected] 

JAMES Ross (JR) Goddard, a multi-millionaire often hailed as the “Prince of Matabeleland”, has deeply ingrained himself in the community as “Nkosana Khumalo”. This adopted name reflects his strong social and communal ties. 

A dedicated philanthropist, Goddard employs over 2 000 people across his expansive business empire, which spans agriculture, mining, and transport. With a monthly payroll of US$1,1 million, he is a significant contributor to the Zimbabwean economy.

As a third-generation member of the Goddard family with roots in Pezulu, Insiza District, Matabeleland South, JR is committed to uplifting the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans and driving the nation’s economic growth.

Yesterday, “Nkosana,” as he is affectionately known, invited Matabeleland South Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Evelyn Ndlovu to witness the projects he has implemented at his farm. He is involved in pecan nut farming, with at least 18 000 trees, each generating US$100 when fully developed. He also rears cattle, slaughtering 5 000 beasts per year, and is engaged in poultry and sheep farming. His farm serves as a sanctuary for wildlife, contributing to the tourism corridor with animals such as warthogs and eland.

The farm also houses a primary school, and as part of his social responsibility, JR provides transportation for children who live far from the school. Our news crew observed women shelling pecan nuts, which generate foreign currency for the country.

JR considers those who work at Pezulu as part of his extended family, knowing most of the workers by name. He shared his vision with the minister, highlighting the importance of quality of life, peace, prosperity, and unity. 

“At Pezulu, we want to see quality of life working together in peace, prosperity, and unity. It gives me great pleasure to see people progress and be part of that development. I’m the third generation of my family. My grandfather came first, then my father, and now myself. My children are taking over, and we continue to try and uplift people. We have a social responsibility to uplift those who are less fortunate than others. It is a fundamental rule that we try to do that,” he said.

He highlighted the million-dollar pecan nut plant, explaining: “Ama pecan nut alemali enhle kakhulu (pecan nuts generate good money). It takes seven years for a pecan nut tree to fully develop. A single tree, when fully grown, produces nuts that can generate US$100. Now we have about 18 000 pecan nut trees, so when the trees reproduce without any challenge, I will be making a good pension. 

“I’m not just into farming; we are involved in the mining, construction, and transport sectors, and my net worth is very significant. Just to give you an idea, we have 2 400 workers, use 30 000 litres of fuel a day, and have a monthly wage bill of US$1,1 million.”

JR expressed his desire to see Zimbabwe prosper, considering the vast opportunities the country offers. 

“We are committed to Zimbabwe, we are passionate Zimbabweans, we are patriotic Zimbabweans, and we want to do the very best that we can. We want our nation to be great. There are many opportunities in agriculture, mining, transport, industry, and everywhere,” he said.

While communal farmers sell their cattle for a song, especially during an El Nino-induced drought, JR Goddard earns US$900 per beast. He owns at least 2 400 cattle but sustains his beef industry by buying poorly fed cattle from communities, pen-feeding them for three months, and then selling them for a higher grade. 

“We have between 2 400 and 2 500 cattle on the farm, and every year we slaughter 1 000 cattle. In terms of slaughtering production, we slaughter 20 animals per day or 100 animals per week. 

“Our capacity is 50 weeks per year and 5 000 cattle per year. But we have only 1 000 animals we can bring for slaughter at the farm,” he said. 

“So, what we do is buy from neighbouring communities such as West Nicholson and Insiza. We buy these animals in cash, usually at US$400 to US$450. After buying, we spend 100 days pen-feeding them, and they will be valued at between US$650 and US$700. When we slaughter, they are sold for US$900, including their hide.”

JR is also building modern houses for his employees, underlining the importance of their productivity. 

“Funds permitting, we want to build houses like this one for all our workers. This house has three bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room, and two bathrooms. The houses are electrified and have solar geysers. We have built four houses so far and want to build more for our workers. We want to reconstruct all the houses for our workers. It is important that when you invest in your workforce and uplift them, they end up being loyal and committed to you,” he said.

As part of his community development initiative, JR also constructed the Nyabu Bridge to ease travel challenges for the community. The bridge is seen as a critical gateway connecting Insiza District and Midlands. 

Dr Ndlovu commended JR Goddard for his developmental orientation.