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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
DESPITE ending his academic studies at Grade Seven in 2005, Mr Simon Khoza (30) has become a carpenter and wood carver of note.

His latest innovation is a reclining wooden chair which has car shock absorbers.

Mr Khoza, from Tsitulipasi Village in Beitbridge produces furniture from palm trees. He said it is his desire to bring modern furniture styles to the rural folk. He uses locally available resources to ensure that his products are affordable to his clientele.

Mr Khoza makes doors, tables, chairs, beds, washing baskets and also carves sculptures. His reclining chair was a crowd-puller at the just-ended Matabeleland South Agricultural Show.

The gifted carpenter said his desire to bring comfort to rural homes motivated him to come up with the unique chair. He used second-hand shocks to create a cosy seat that balances the body.

At only R900 for the distinctive chair, Mr Khoza cannot keep up with orders that are flooding in from people who were wowed by the uncommon chair at the premium agricultural showcase in Matabeleland South.

“I noticed that most manufactures of furniture in the rural areas produce the traditional chairs, doors, tables and couches. I decided to take a different avenue and concentrate on furniture with an exotic touch,” he said.

“First of all, I use wood from palm tree for the furniture I make as it gives my products an exotic and aesthetically good appearance. I use clear varnish for that glossy appearance that is pleasing to the eye.

My designs are not the common ones. I have relaxing chairs and of late I have introduced a reclining chair. I have produced three so far and I have sold two while the other one is for my personal use.”

He said the shocks enable the chair to recline once a person sits on it and then when the person leaves the chair it then goes back up to its original position.

Mr Khoza said he used second-hand shocks which he bought from his rural home area so that the chair could be within the reach of his clientele. He said he greases the shocks to keep them working perfectly.

He learnt basic carpentry and wood carving from his father and said he developed an interest in carpentry in 2004 while he was in Grade 6. His first product was a guitar.

“When I was in Grade 6, I experimented with wood and produced a home-made guitar with the assistance of my father. I have always had an interest in art and I used wood to showcase my creativity. The rural community is fast developing and the people are now modernising their homesteads and as such they also want modern furniture,” he said.

“People are showing great interest in my products. They also want furniture that looks great and enables them to unwind, like the reclining chair and the relaxing chairs.”

He said his father died in 2004 before he could impart more carpentry skills to him. He failed to continue with his education following the death of his father due to financial constraints. Mr Khoza said he decided to follow in his father’s footsteps as a way of honouring him. He said he moved to South Africa in 2011 where he acquired more carpentry skills while working at different firms.

In 2016 he returned home and started his own business the following year. Mr Khoza said the work he is doing has helped him to fend for his family. He said it was his desire to expand his business and be able to open a manufacturing firm where he could employ other people.

“I might not have finished my education but that hasn’t stopped be from being innovative and exploring different designs. Most of the time I will be figuring out what new strategies and designs I can conjure up,” he said.

Mr Khoza said he is operating with limited tools and raw materials which was limiting his production. — @DubeMatutu