Divine Ndhlukula worked in accounting and marketing for several years before she ventured off to start a private security service business in 1995. She saw a gap in the Zimbabwean market and made up her mind to enter the industry, despite her lack of experience in this field.
In Africa (and even across the world), private security is often considered the preserve of ex-service men (police and military) and Divine knew the odds were tipped against her but she went ahead to pursue her dream in a male-dominated industry.
With only four employees, and working out of her cottage, she grew her small business into what is now one of Zimbabwe’s biggest and most successful group of private security firms. Today, the group earns about $16 million in annual revenues, and employs over 4,000 people — more than a quarter of whom are women.
Her security businesses include SECURICO, a private guard company. There’s also a canine dog services business and an electronic security systems company. These businesses provide a wide range of services that cover: manned guarding, cash and asset transit, alarm systems, CCTV installation, rapid response units, private investigation, risk audits and security consultancy.
Divine’s companies remain one of the highest employers of women in Zimbabwe, outside the public sector.
Her entrepreneurial feats have not gone unnoticed, as she has won several prizes, awards and honours, most notably the prestigious Legatum Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship.
In the short documentary below, Divine Ndhlukula recounts her business journey, and showcases her employees in action.
