“Like Liberty, gold never stays where it is undervalued”.
The above statement by philosopher John S Morrill qualifies some of our local and international gold buyers.
For a start, there are many reasons people buy gold.
Some invest in the precious metal to protect against inflation, as gold is a store of value.
Others buy gold because they think it is a safe investment and some because of a cultural tradition.
Yet others buy it for speculative purposes.
No matter the reason, the core thought driving buying is that gold is valuable and will become even more so in the future due to the many factors that influence its price on the international market.
Gold has retained its value throughout history, partly due to the fact that it is indestructible.
That means that virtually all the gold in the world that has been mined is still around in one form or another.
Some of it may have turned into jewellery, while some might be sitting inside vaults as bullion.
So, just how much gold has been mined, and how much of it is left beneath the ground?
According to the World Gold Council estimates, miners have historically extracted more than 201 296 tonnes of gold, leaving another more than 53 000 tonnes as underground reserves.
Nearly half of all the gold ever mined is held in the form of jewellery.
India and China have been the largest markets for gold jewellery consumption, combining for more than 50 percent of global jewellery demand in 2020.
Enough of gold facts.
When you talk about gold mining and buying in Zimbabwe, you cannot skip mentioning business tycoon and mining magnate Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya who scooped the Best Gold Buyer of the Year award at the inaugral Mining Industry Awards held last Tuesday at State House.
Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya
The awards were hosted by the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development and were attended by President Mnangagwa, Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando, Government officials and captains of the mining industry.
The Herald on Saturday Lifestyle caught up with Sakupwanya where he shared his gold buying journey and, of course, his lifestyle.
Just last week, Sakupwanyawon the Ward 21 seat in Mabvuku where he is now councillor.
Who is Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya?
Born 43 years ago in Harare, Scott, as he is fondly known, performed all chores expected of lads raised in the dusty streets of Mabvuku-Tafara.
From playing street soccer barefoot, sellingvegetables by the roadside, to fighting bullies, he has seen it all.
Born a natural fortune-hunter, those who grew up with him are not shocked that he is now rubbing shoulders with millionaires.
Not only is he dining and wining with the big shots, his empire continues to grow each day.
Unlike most of his peers, Sakupwanyahasn’t forgotten where his umbilical cord lies — Mabvuku.
Now an accomplished gold miner, community builder and philanthropist, he still remains grounded and humble.
With accolades, fame and fortune trailing him like a shadow, Sakupwanyacontinues to set new trends.
His charity work in Mabvuku and victoryas a councillor during the recent by-election is testimony of his work ethic.
Put simply, Sakupwanya ’s inspiring script is that of a poor ghetto boy who was moulded by his poor background to become a millionaire.
With Sakupwanya making waves, many of his followers have been anxious to understand him.
“I can safely say Scott is married, he is 43-year-old was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, where he grew up in the high-density suburb of Mabvuku,” said Sakupwanya .
Unlike most youngsters of his generation, Sakupwanya never believed in school for a better living.
He lost interest in schooling after discovering his calling as an entrepreneur.
“Growing up, I lost interest in school since I was so eager to start earning an income at an early age leading me to drop out of school when I was in Form Two,”said Sakupwanya .
“My dreams and ambitions as a young man prompted me to work hard at the tender of 14. I started working as a gardener for a white couple in Zimbabwe.”
Despite his poor background, he made a huge transformation in his life.
“Currently, I am into mining and construction, those two remain my main industries of operation.”
Fresh from winning a seat as a councillor, Sakupwanyacan’t hide his elation.
“Winning the councillor’s post means so much to me, this now gives me a great opportunity to change the lives of people in Mabvuku. I grew up here, I want to make changes here as my way to say thank you to the people.”
Since he is the crowd’s favourite now, Sakupwanya has a way to handle his fame.
Pedzisayi “Scott” Sakupwanya
“Am I the crowd’s favourite? I’m glad to hear you say that. I am just working hard, doing the best I can, with major plans on the way to also help uplift the youth.”
However, his career as a gold producer is still in its infancy, yet his achievements have been big.
“My career in the gold industry, I can safely say it is only from last year that I started to see the fruits of my hard work.
“A lot still need to be done, and I thank the few institutions recognising my hard work, for example I was awarded the biggest gold buyer of the year two days ago, it’s only the beginning.”
Sakupwanya is the founder of Better Brands Jewellery, a company with vast interests in the mining industry in Zimbabwe.
There is no doubt that he is now the real deal in town, yet he remains very unassuming and grounded.
Ask those in the gold buying business and they will tell you how much it is a nightmare to supply just 10kg of gold to Fidelity Printers and Refineries.
In addition to being the country’s single largest gold buyer for Fidelity Printers and Refineries, Sakupwanyasaid in a recent interview with our sister paper, H-Metro, that he employed more than4 000 artisanal miners across the country.
“I believe that my work and lifestyle should speak for themselves.As they say, talk is cheap. I believe in walking the talk.”
Indeed, his lifestyle speaks volumes about his humble beginnings.
His business empire is growing fast, but he remains cool and calm, driving modest vehicles and does not like making much noise about his lifestyle.
“Yes, I am now the country’s single largest buyer of gold for Fidelity Printers and Refineries and my business portfolio is growing, but I can tell you it wasn’t easy to get where I am. The road hasn’t been that smooth and easy.”
A fitness enthusiast, Sakupwanyais particular about his health.
“I actually try to make it a daily routine to go to the gym, just not being consistent with the time, sometimes early morning or at night, I hardly have time during the day,” said Sakupwanya who likes amapiano music.
When it comes to food, he was blunt. “I am an African man; African food makes my taste buds happy,”
Sakupwanyahas his taste for fashion: “I just dress how I feel, if you can afford the expensive outfits buy them and look good in them.”
On his social life, he said: “I love hanging around with my friends more in a private environment, going clubbing its part of it, but not often as I find myself tired and feel better drinking and listening to music with my friends at the office.”