An all-rounder and ongoing learner – Kefilwe Mabothla
Miliswa Sitshwele
Kefilwe Mabothla never thought that she would be a supervisor, but when opportunities to work in other departments at Maropeng arose, she grabbed them with both hands. She joined Maropeng in 2005 as a housekeeper, but soon moved on to the banqueting division, then becoming a cashier, and then a guide. Today she is supervisor at the Market Place Restaurant.
Little wonder Kefilwe calls herself an all-rounder.
As a supervisor her job entails looking after the restaurant, making sure that the entire Market Place area is in a good order, and looking after her staff. And being a supervisor isn’t just about overseeing operations and giving instructions, Kefilwe argues. It’s about learning too: “I have learnt a lot from working at the Market Place,” she says, “I can be a chef, a barman, a cashier, a waitress and a guide.”
Asked what working at a World Heritage Site means to her, Kefilwe said that it means three things: responsibility, accountability and respect.
“As a supervisor I am responsible for whatever happens here. I am accountable for my staff, and I love them because they respect me,” she says.
She regards her colleagues as her brothers and sisters, she continues, and one person she is particularly fond of is Itumeleng Mtombeni, senior restaurant supervisor at the Tumulus Restaurant, who guides her on the daily running of the Market Place.
In addition to being mentored by Itumeleng, Kefilwe is also taking a course on supervision through Maropeng, and is grateful for the opportunity to learn: “Maropeng gives people a chance to grow; I have been in so many divisions of Maropeng and I am proud of the fact that I can help out in any division.”
Jabulani Lungu, a waiter at the Market Place Restaurant, describes Kefilwe as a friendly person who is always willing to help others. “I love working with her,” Jabulani says.
Cashier Maria Ramapotoka echoes these sentiments, saying Kefilwe is a lot of fun to work with: “We work well together. If we upset her, she talks to us and gets over things quickly.”
When Kefilwe is not working she enjoys spending time with her five-year-old daughter and family, going out with friends or spending a quiet day indoors. In future she wants to study food and beverage management and go on to work at Maropeng Boutique Hotel.