LIONESS WEEKENDER COVER STORY
Securico Security Services, the Zimbabwean security services company transforming the industry landscape.
Through hard work, determination and focus, Dr Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula has built her company to become the most respected and sought-after player in the security industry in Zimbabwe and internationally. She is the founder and Managing Director of DDNS Security Operations (Pvt) Ltd, the holding company under which SECURICO SECURITY SERVICES fall. Through her leadership, SECURICO now employs over 4 000 people and has become a multiple award-winning organisation. Divine herself has been listed among 100 Most Reputable Africans in 2020 by Reputation Poll International and was also named by Forbes magazine among the Most Influential Women in Africa.
“My journey began 21 years ago from an idea conceived out of the need to earn a livelihood, but critically to revolutionize the male dominated security industry. I put pen on paper on a kitchen table to plan and then set up our first office in my servants’ quarters in Mabelreign, Harare. The story has evolved and reads like a fairy tale punctuated by a string of successes that are similar to only a limited number of success stories in Zimbabwe over the last two decades due to the economic environment. “ - Dr Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula
Divine has a GREAT passion for women’s economic and social empowerment and involves herself in several women empowerment initiatives. She has founded and leads several such organisations, including Mentorship programmes for women entrepreneurship. Through her conscious and deliberate efforts, women are now accepted in the private security sector with SECURICO employing more than 900 women, arguably the largest employer of women in Zimbabwe outside the civil service.
A mother, grandmother, Dr Ndhlukula is also a successful farmer specialising in breeding pedigree goats, cattle, and egg production. Dr Divine has been appointed to board membership, directorship, chairmanship and leadership capacities in several key and strategic institutions and commissions in Zimbabwe.
LoA spoke to the powerhouse Dr Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula about what it has taken to build her successful, industry game-changing business over the years, and to get her advice for the next generation who will follow in her footsteps. Here is what she had to say:
What does your company do?
SECURICO provides Integrated Security Solutions, including the following:
Onsite Guarding: Industry specific uniformed guard services: The Diplomat, The Banker, The Retailer, SHEQ Guard; Guard Monitoring System
Cash Management Solutions: Cash In Transit, ATM Replenishment, Cashiering Services, Onsite Teller Services
Electronic Solutions: Burglar Alarms, Fire Alarms, Rapid Response, CCTV Systems, Remote Site Monitoring, Access Control Systems, Drones Technology, Panic Button, Electric Fence, Razor Wire, Automated Gates, Intercoms
Risk Management: Private Investigations Services, Employee screening, Security Surveys, Training, SHEQ Training with a bias to Emergency Preparedness, Fire prevention and First Aid
Value Added Services: Receptionist Services, Messengering Services, Event Management, Cell phone Panic, Ancillary services such as locksmiths, electricians, private taxis, road directions, snake removing, veterinary services, roadside assistance etc.
Alternative Energy Solutions: Solar Systems
What inspired you to start your company?
I wanted to earn a decent livelihood for my family but critically to revolutionize the male dominated security industry. As I often say, “We came into the male, grey and dull sector and jazzed it up and eventually made it look like a little picnic”.
My other motivation was a desire to empower previously disadvantaged women in Zimbabwe who were not able to access opportunities for formal employment. One of the things I noted was that women were not getting the opportunity to get formal employment, in particular the many widows and the single mothers affected by HIV/AIDS. Today our company is arguably the largest employer of permanently employed women. We employ over 900 women, contributing at least 23% of our workforce.
I also thought there was a gap in the industry. Companies that were there were not living up to the needs of their clients. The industry was renowned for wild cat strikes and guards generally were perceived as the lowly paid in any sector. I wanted to change the perceptions and create a niche in which people could carve out a career and I knew I needed to go in with a different approach and that approach was going to make the difference.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
We are customer focused. In collaboration with our customers, we develop and customise efficient solutions with a correct balance of onsite guards and technological interventions. We also offer new and innovative value-added solutions that improve our customer’s profitability.
Tell us a little about your team
I have a team that takes pride and ownership in the company and this has resulted in a highly engaged, committed, and loyal staff compliment. From Operatives to Board of Directors at the helm, right through to Line Management, everyone understands the role they play and how to steer the work towards the shared vision.
The culture of empowerment, responsibility, and great sense of purpose is what I inculcated into the team. This approach paid off as SECURICO has grown on the back of a team that does its work with that great sense of purpose, and the market noted this with awards starting to come in 2002 and thereafter.
Thanks to this team, SECURICO has not only survived but grown from strength to strength, becoming a force to be reckoned with and a benchmark of what is possible despite the circumstances.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
Well, I can say the journey is like a train which is going through a terrain with hills and valleys that provide easy slopes and steep climbs. It is a journey that is full of splendour and rupture. When you say splendour, you are enjoying; where there is rupture, you are obviously going through issues that are really heavy. It is an exciting journey. We have got our own issues as Zimbabwe but obviously our environment is really for the tough. I think it is happening in a lot of economies. Each economy has got its own issues.
From a young age, I have always told myself and everyone around me that I would be an entrepreneur and run my own large business in the future. This was driven by my recognition of the need to create a decent and secure livelihood for my family. My quest to start and run my own business stayed with me throughout my formative years when I was studying and working to build my career. I set out to learn all the critical elements needed to run a successful business, undertaking various development programmes along the way, enrolling on an Entrepreneurial Development Programme in 1995. At the same time, I started researching and tracking various entrepreneurial opportunities in the local marketplace, eventually in 1998 seeing a potential business opportunity in the security services sector.
My journey began 21 years ago from an idea conceived out of the need to earn a livelihood, but critically to revolutionize the male dominated security industry. I put pen on paper on a kitchen table to plan and then set up our first office in my servants’ quarters in Mabelreign, Harare. The story has evolved and reads like a fairy tale punctuated by a string of successes that are similar to only a limited number of success stories in Zimbabwe over the last two decades due to the economic environment. The company is presently a leader in the provision of bespoke guarding services and cutting-edge electronic security solutions.
My father was a successful businessman in his own right so I learnt some lessons from him in my life formative years.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
We want to expand from being solely a Zimbabwean security services company into being an African giant.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
I have a great passion for women’s economic and social empowerment. My greatest satisfaction is championing women economic empowerment initiatives in mentorship, linking women businesses to corporate supply chains for their growth and getting women accepted in the security sector. I believe I am a role model who has been encouraging women and young people to become entrepreneurs.
When I started working, I joined women empowerment groups and I got to meet various role models who inspired me to seek personal self-actualization. That inspiration assisted me in my professional career and I was able to climb the corporate ladder.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
My advice to women all the time is: If you want a certain future, go out and create it. Conquer your fears as that is what enslaves most women. Opportunities are now galore. We just need to roll up our sleeves, lift our feet, and walk through the door, as no one will carry us. Have a game plan and execute it with passion, determination, and focus, and when a bit of cash starts rolling in, have the discipline to know that it is not your money yet.
Never mind that you are a woman. Do not think about that except as a competitive advantage. No one is going to give you anything on a silver platter. You have to work twice, thrice, five times as hard and do not lose focus. Work with your passion, it will keep you going and once you have a footing in your business, make the most of it and create the momentum and that will get rid of all the little challenges that may bog you down.
Critically never stop learning. Add more and more knowledge especially about your line of business and how it relates to the local and world economy. Keep in touch with current events in order to project their future impact on your business or ambitions. Have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and upgrade your ambitions as you go. Do not be shy to seek help, approach the right people to seek for ideas and mentorship. Establish networks – create relationships and talk with people in various fields because this creates business opportunities, and if you run into trouble, you will know the people to lean on.
Never try to cut corners. Your business and personal life should be anchored on a firm ethical foundation. From the first day you establish the business, even an informal hustle, you should establish a culture founded on ethics and good corporate governance principles. This should be emphasized to all people that you work with. Establish a reputation for high ethics and you will in turn attract ethical people as business partners, customers, suppliers and employees.
Lastly, choose your team carefully and get rid of non-performers soon enough. Success depends on the people you work with. For me knowing and connecting with my employees is very important.
To contact Dr Divine Simbi-Ndhlukula, email dndhlukula@securico.co.zw
To find out more about the work of Securico Security Services, visit the company’s website and social media pages: