Letter from the Editor

We are excited for the residents of Madokero and the surrounding suburbs who now have access to fantastic food and fun, shops and services within the environs of the community. After the recent opening of the Madokero Mall residents no longer have to travel to Westgate or the Harare central business district to access upmarket and sophisticated retail and food outlets as well as service providers. The Mall is another development by Terrace Africa who built and manages Borrowdale Walk, Chinamano Corner and the new Highland Park shopping malls. Michael Nott walks us through the development and the carefully selected tenants and activities.

Still in Madokero, find out how Northwest High School is nurturing global citizens through a unique approach in unlocking learners’ talents. The school has an enrolment of both day scholars and boarders drawn from the surrounding Madokero and Westgate suburbs, as well as scholars from further afield who have been impressed by the educational and boarding facilities. It is envisaged that future enrolment will include scholars from the region and beyond. Already, the school has twinned with learning institutions in South Africa, Zambia and Germany, China as well as some in in greater Europe. This gives learners the opportunity to learn about other cultures and lifestyles. So, if you’re looking to secure your child’s future success Northwest High School is one of the best options available in Zimbabwe.

Issues around mental health have become of great concern lately. Mental health is the core of all aspects of health. This is more so with the sad loss of life through suicides. These have involved various age groups and gender and have affected communities and families negatively. At Refined Magazine Zimbabwe we believe that it is not a matter that should be ignored. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Lotus Wellness Spa collaborated with Leonard Makoni to offer mental wellness services to the Spa’s patrons. In this edition we take note of the fact that in this troubled world, everyone needs to take heed of issues surrounding mental wellness.

Glytime Foods proffers advice on how a balanced and healthy diet contributes to positive mental wellbeing. The health food processor promotes ‘lifestyle medicine’ to prevent and treat disease by treating the cause of the problems rather than the symptoms. They advise healthy eating, avoidance of substances that may cause harm to the body and getting help from a health professional when you consider yourself to be suffering from Chronic stress. Glytime is also running a competition in this edition of Refined Magazine Zimbabwe, so sign up and be in the running to win fabulous prizes.

It is wonderful to have in this issue, The Apple Centre Zimbabwe. The ICT solution store is an independent Premium reseller of Apple products and the first in Zimbabwe that is affiliated to different Apple distribution centres around the world. What we specially like about the Apple Centre is that it is customer centric. Every gadget bought from the store is eligible for Apple Care support under the official Apple on Year Warranty Coverage. Apple is an American brand and the dealership has created an Apple experience that matches with the Zimbabwean market and lifestyle. The Bonaqua African Triathlon Cup Troutbeck was held on Saturday 1 April at the Troutbeck Resort in scenic Nyanga. This year marks the 15th edition of the event and the sixth anniversary for Bonaqua as the official sponsor. Coca-Cola and Schweppes Zimbabwe are joint sponsors of the event, which had 51 athletes from 20 countries competing in various categories. Other sponsors included Toyota (CFAO), iGo from Cimas, EcoCash, Rooney’s and African Sun, Troutbeck Resort, Simbisa among others. It is pleasing to note that the event is endorsed by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). This means participants score points within the ITU ranking system and ultimately points for the Olympic Ranking Qualification for the 2024 Olympics. Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation, Kirsty Coventry, hopes the event will inspire young athletes to train harder and develop their skills in order to participate in both local and international competitions.

Indian automobile manufacturer, Mahindra has made its mark in the Zimbabwean auto market. Mahindra Auto Zimbabwe, the new flagship Mahindra dealership, will set new standards in the local automobile industry as it will be the biggest Mahindra dealership in the country. To elevate its customer experience, Mahindra Auto will offer an unparalleled experience with regards to new vehicle sales, parts supply and aftersales support. This comes on the back of the launch of the XUV700. This family SUV will certainly exhilarate your senses with its segment-first features. Flip on and find out how technology and muscle have been blended to make the XUV700 a ride with spirited performance and world class safety.

A gentle reminder, don’t forget to book your stand at the Sankofa Crafts and Design Expo Zw happening from 28 June to 3 July 2023 at Parklands Business Center in Borrowdale. The exhibition is an exciting platform to exchange ideas, network and form strategic alliances.

We hope you enjoy this edition of Refined Magazine Zimbabwe. Refined

The new Mahindra XUV700 is the leading pioneer of a new generation of SUVs manufactured by the Indian automobile manufacturer. The XUV700 is miles ahead in terms of sophistication, technology and luxury. It is a robust yet stylish well equipped and safe family car. From the onset, the automobile gets all the basics right and then wows you with its segment-first features.

Mahindra Auto Zimbabwe, the new flagship Mahindra dealership, will set new standards in the local automobile industry as it will be the biggest Mahindra dealership in the country. To elevate its customer experience, Mahindra Auto will offer an unparalleled experience with regards to new vehicle sales, parts supply and aftersales support.

Looking at the new SUV, which is an upgrade from the XUV500 range, the change in proportions has made the car flow better, giving it a mature look with lines that are softer and cleaner. The exterior design’s stylishly sleek lines and aerodynamic shape gives it a bold and dynamic look.

Automobile reviewer ZigWheels admits that the car is “big enough to look confidently straight at its rivals”. The reviewer adds that “it does not have elements that are shouting out for attention which makes it look memorable and likeable”.

The cheetah inspired frontage is a unique characteristic of the XUV700. The grille has a blacked out visage coupled with chrome finish on vertical slats and links seamlessly with the sleek LED headlamps and LED daytime running lamps (DRLs). Below the headlights, the SUV has a dual fog lamp assembly. Generally, the front section is imposing and gives the SUV a dominating road presence. Moreover, the Alloy wheel design gives it a beastly elegance.

Mahindra debuted its new ‘Twin Peaks’ logo on the XUV700 and it will be introduced on other SUV models in a phased manner. The new emblem is inspired by the brand statement ‘Explore the Impossible’.

Smart door handles that sit flush in the body give the car a clean look that is devoid of any protrusions. They come in two variants, the first being manual and with the other, the handle pops out when the door is unlocked.

Well-crafted interiors that include soft touch finishing and stitching of the leatherette upholstery and air purifier are the epitome of luxury on four wheels. The three-row SUV is the first car in its segment to offer smart air filter technology that filters 99 and 95 percent of bacteria and viruses respectively. The large windows provide ambient lighting and a vista of the scenery outside whether you are in the driver’s seat or a passenger.

The SUV has ample knee room and accommodates five to seven people comfortably. The flat floors and wide cabin make it an ideal family car. The boot space is expansive and the seats can be folded for additional luggage holding capacity.

The XUV700 provides a comfortable and luxurious ride experience, thanks to its sci-fi technology, spirited performance and world-class safety.

It comes with world class safety features, reaffirming Mahindra’s commitment towards safety. This is notable in that it is not only meant to keep you safe in the event of an accident, kudos to the seven airbags, but rather it keeps you from getting into a collision. The radar based ‘advanced driver assistance systems’ (ADAS) that include lane keep assist, automatic emergency braking and lane departure warning means you can avoid collisions.

Four advanced wide angle cameras work together to give a 360 degree view of the vehicle and blind spot monitoring. The cameras continuously record and store footage for up to 11 hours. You will definitely not miss the adrenaline fuelled moments. The Digital Video Recorder (DVR) feature allows you to capture the feed from all the cameras just like a dashboard camera. The XUV700 also features a lap timer.

The climate control console is easily accessible and the driver’s seat has a 6 way adjustable capability.

A high powered Sony system equipped with 12 speakers provides three dimensional crispy clear sound. The integrated display panel of 26.03 centimetre infotainment and another digital cluster of similar dimension houses an army of first-insegment, intuitive and advanced infotainment features. You also have a seven inch digital display for the driver above the steering column.

The car comes with petrol and diesel engine options. The petrol version is a 2.0 litre turbo motor that makes around 197 bhp. The 2.2-litre mHawk diesel churns out 182 bhp. Both engines come with the choice of manual and automatic transmission, along with optional All-Wheel-Drive (AWD) capabilities. The SUV has multiple drive modes. ZIP mode is for easy and comfortable city driving, ZAP mode gives that extra thrust of power and ZOOM mode allows the driver

The Apple Centre Zimbabwe is an independent Premium reseller of Apple products and the first in Zimbabwe that is affiliated to different Apple distribution centres around the world mainly in the United States of America, China and the United Arab Emirates, India and South Africa.

The Apple Centre Zimbabwe started in 2017 on the back of indepth research into the market looking at existing industry players, customers and regulators in a bid to understand market changes and opportunities.

Apple is an American brand and the dealership wanted to create an Apple experience that matches with the Zimbabwean market and lifestyle.

“From 20182023 we have been providing clients with a variety of our elite line-up of products and testing our

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strategies that work with our own people in Zimbabwe,” Warren Sika the store’s proprietor points out.

He explains that the store strictly merchandises Apple products and is therefore not branded as an ‘authorized reseller’. Stores that sell multiple brands need authorization to resell because they are not under the Apple distribution ecosystem, “but we are”.

Apple certified technicians that have gone through training and have completed over 5000 repairs individually over at five year period are at hand to ensure quality repairs are conducted. The entire staff complement has undergone training by South African partner Digicape.

For individuals that are not tech savvy, Warren says his store offers Apple Care support under the official Apple on Year Warranty Coverage. Every phone bought from the store is eligible for this. iPhones purchased elsewhere receive support under a subscriptional charge. He highlights that customers are given assistance in setting up their devices noting that “we are here to provide solutions to every Apple user regardless of their background and which part Zimbabwe they are from.” No fees are levied on enquiries.

Additionally, a wide range of services and on device training is on offer for customers. This is especially for parents who need to monitor what their children are doing and watching on their devices. Remote management systems make it easier for parents to monitor what their children are accessing online.

The spectrum of products includes iPhones, MacBooks and iPads, AirPods as well as iMac Apple Watches and related product accessories.

The general conception is that Apple

Zimbabwean that can afford the latest iPhone or newest products we are not the numbers we are for those that already know their worth enough to afford an iPhone. To those that can’t afford we have custom plans for each individual,”

To that end, the store indicates that there is a lay-by facility if a potential customer cannot make a full payment once off. In the local Information and Communication Technology (ICT) retail industry that has a deluge of players, Apple Centre

“We are totally different from some of our industry players, no, in fact we are in an industry of our own because we are the only Premium Reseller in Zimbabwe and we have the biggest distribution network of Apple products in Zimbabwe and we keep on growing,” Warren states.

The repair system is convenient and efficient. Apple Centre is the only store that delivers nationwide on any day. Stock is readily available in store and the waiting period does not exceed 10 working days for any Apple product.

Being customer oriented, The Apple Centre envisages growth, with Warren hinting that “the business model that we have been using has been working very well and we see ourselves growing even better in the future”. Our aim is to make sure that our customers’ needs and desires are met, it’s all about them not us, he adds.

The Apple Centre Store is located at 147 Enterprise Road, Ridgeway Shopping Centre, Highlands in Harare. Customers can reach them on +263719505917, info@ theapplecentrezimbabwe.co.zw or facebook.com/theapplecentre.zw