“Go see Victor!
This catchphrase, popularized by businessman Wicknell Chivayo, appears to have become the watchword for several of his hand-picked recipients to receive a new set of wheels from a car dealership in Harare.
Every statement the controversial socialite makes to announce a new gift and a new beneficiary always contains these magic words.
It has become so popular that comedians now use it in their skits, while ordinary people use it to tease each other.
But who is this man who became an overnight sensation?
Some think he’s just a worker at the Exquisite Cars Dealership store, on a mission to hand out freebies to a chosen lucky few.
“Thank you for the kind gestures Sir Wicknell. But I think it’s time you tell Victor to go and see himself as a kkkk. Give him either Fit or Aqua. He’s heard of handing out poles to others when he doesn’t have his own,” one comment read On Chivayo’s post.
Another wrote: “I’m sure it’s painful to be Victor. Imagine delivering cars when you don’t even have a decent pair of shoes.”
Since Chivayo (Victor) made him famous, he has apparently become a very important person and enjoys the perks that come with the label.
Booking an appointment with him is almost impossible.
When the Sunday Mail Society crew headed to the agency with the intention of having a chat with him, the security detail at the building made it very clear that they needed an advance appointment and permission to see him.
Upon presenting our ID and professional details, the security detail took them inside the company headquarters, supposedly for “vetting”. Well, as it turns out, Victor – or all of Victor Matenga – is actually the owner of the agency.
But he started from humble beginnings, if you can call them that, washing cars at his father’s car dealership in the capital.
After studying his father for several years, he finally got his breakthrough around 2014 when his father gave him money to buy a car to resell.
As the story goes, he reportedly bought a Toyota Alteza, which pretty much marked the birth of the luxury car company.
The company, which has grown by leaps and bounds, now caters to the tastes of the nouveau riche by providing them with new, first-class cars.
Over the years, the businessman has captured the attention of many and left lasting impressions.
This has led to him winning several awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year (Automotive Services) for 2020, while his company was named Company of the Year (Automotive Services).
“After the O-Levels, my father said: ‘You’re not going to move on, let’s go and work.’” “I said let me keep going,” Victor said in his previous interview with our sister newspaper.
“So, I started washing cars. That was my job. My job was to go to the office in the morning, take a bucket and wash cars. I wasn’t allowed to go near customers or sell cars because the old man thought I didn’t know anything about the car industry.
He’s been washing cars for nearly a decade, but he’s never lost sight of his vision of making it in this industry.
Despite his enormous success, earning a cool $1.3 million from Chivayo’s recent spending spree, Victor is so humble that some people have mistaken him for a general hand in the company.
Musician Mathias Meri, who received the car donated to him by Chivayo at the popular car dealership, described Victor as friendly and helpful.
“I felt at home when I interacted with him. He is a good man, who treats people with respect. When we first met, it was as if we had known each other for some time,” Merry said.
The respected gospel singer said his hospitality and hospitality “quickly” made him feel at home.
Diana Samkang, who was also gifted a car by Sir Wicknell, weighed it.
“He (Victor) is very humble and made life very easy for me. I felt very welcome,” she said.
Victor’s rise to national fame serves as a clear example of how social media can propel previously unknown individuals to celebrity status. But recently, the tide seems to have turned towards Madzibaba Chibaga.
It remains to be seen whether the man of the cloth, who specializes in the used car business in Harare, will become an overnight “celebrity” like his colleague Victor.
Madzibaba Chipaga’s deals are skewed towards Toyota Aquas, while Victor supplies new, premium cars.
Meanwhile, keep up with social media. Your request “Go see Victor” or “Madzibaba Chipaga” could be next! Sunday mail
