Gift Ngwenya, voted number one auctioneer in South Africa by his peers in 2017 was recently presented with a Paul Harris recognition award by the Rotary Club of Knights Pendragon, based in Edenvale. Gift is a Director at auction house, Auction Nation. Since 2012 the Rotary Club, in conjunction with the Rotary Clubs of Newlands and Table Bay, has run Wine Auctions in Johannesburg to raise funds for the replacement and refurbishment of essential equipment for the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). During this time, Gift has donated his time and expertise as the auctioneer for this annual fundraiser. It is largely as a result of Gift’s skill in auctioneering that the Club has managed to raise over R750 000.00 for the NSRI.
Gift was born in KwaZulu Natal, but moved to Zimbabwe at a very early age. Orphaned at that early age, and from very humble beginnings, he was able to excel in the arts and sport at one of the top schools in Harare, culminating in his playing Craven Week rugby for Zimbabwe. After school he began his career in auctioneering, becoming the youngest auctioneer at Zimbabwe’s largest tobacco sales floor. Thoroughbred horse auctioneering and horse racing commentating followed. After a brief spell in Glasgow, Scotland where the Scottish weather got the better of him, he returned to South Africa. Stints at major South African auction houses followed before Gift and colleagues founded Auction Nation.
In person, Gift Ngwenya is a humble, people and community oriented gentleman. A man who doesn’t forget his roots and one who is very quick to help “those less fortunate than himself. A very worthy recipient of Rotary International’s Paul Harris recognition award.