By Everson Luhanga
- Zimba says church support and hard work helped him move from manual labour into technology and national innovation spaces today.
- His team represented their company at a 2023 hackathon and later provided technology services at a major church conference event.
Chimwemwe Junior Zimba came to South Africa from Malawi looking for a better life. He started out as a gardener and did manual labour to survive.
But he did not stop there. While working, he grew interested in technology and started learning about digital systems.
The Sandton Seventh day Adventist Church community played a big part in that journey. It gave him support, mentorship and space to grow his skills.
Step by step, Junior moved closer to the technology world he wanted to join. His work and persistence opened doors that once seemed far away.
In 2023, Junior and his team represented their company at a national hackathon conference at Vodacom Headquarters in Midrand.
The event brought together developers and innovators from across South Africa.
Junior attended with his business partner, Thabo Shokholo, and other team members. Shokholo is also known from the music group Liquideep.
In 2024, Junior and his team provided technology services for a three day conference hosted by the South African Council of Churches at the Birchwood Hotel and Conference Centre. The gathering included national leaders and other well known figures.
At that event, Junior saw former president Thabo Mbeki up close. He also shared a table in the cafeteria with former Statistician General Pali Lehohla.
Junior is also involved in Surveyr Africa, a digital platform for surveys, data collection and observation systems. The platform was used during South Africa’s 2024 general elections to support election observation work across the country.
His story shows how far determination can take a person.
Pictured above: Chimwemwe Junior Zimba moved from garden work into technology and now helps build digital tools used at major events in South Africa.
Image source: Supplied
