Service with a smile – Stephen Mathikge

October 22, 2010

When thirsty visitors order a drink at the Tumulus Restaurant, Stephen Mathikge serves it with a smile. The barman at Maropeng for over four years, Stephen has loads of experience, having worked behind the bar at Sun City near his hometown of Rustenburg.

Of working at Maropeng, Stephen says, “I enjoy it! Mostly, I like serving and chatting to customers.”

Stephen adds that his job wouldn’t be the same without his colleagues: “I like the people I work with very much. We are a team,” he offers, his sincerity evident.

Stephen’s colleagues speak highly of him in return. Patrick Mutavhatsindi, Maropeng’s food and beverage manager, says, “He’s always clean-shaven and [has a] cheesekop (‘bald head’) and his shoes are always polished and shiny.

“Although he’s the elderly one, he never makes reference to his age,” Patrick adds.

Asked about his future, Stephen says that he’d like to own his own business, but maintains that he is more than happy to be working at Maropeng: “I like working here – I don’t have any stress,” he says, and laughs.

In his free time, Stephen likes relaxing at home. He counts listening to gospel, reading the Bible and gardening among his favourite pastimes.

According to Patrick, Stephen calls himself pastor, because of his beliefs. “When we have memorial services for deceased staff members, he is always in charge and he does them very well,” Patrick elaborates.

Stephen is looking forward to celebrating his five-year anniversary of working at Maropeng in March next year, and is proud to work at such an important South African heritage site.

If his track record is anything to go by, Stephen looks set to be at Maropeng for a long time. Patrick says, “I’m happy to have him on my team because when he’s on duty, there’s never a shortage of stock and he is the most consistent barman I’ve ever seen.”

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