Moss Ngoasheng, Safika’s chief executive, says that Safika’s philosophy is to spot talented people and develop them by giving them hands-on experience. “Safika works in a competitive environment in which standards are high. Everyone who works here learns that every detail matters. It serves them very well as a foundation for their careers,” he said.
Safika helped Busi Mokoena start her own travel agency.
For example, Busi Mokoena is a skilled travel agent who had dealt with Safika’s travel needs for 16 years. Her dream was to start her own travel company but the start-up costs were too expensive for her. She told Safika’s Marc Ber about her dream and Safika made it happen. “We gave Busi office space and became her first client,” said Ber. “Now she has a chance to build a business.”
Busi’s company, Pahama Travel, has been in business six months and its client base is expanding, mostly in the specialist corporate field. “Executives often travel at very short notice and frequently change plans; that’s when my 16 years experience comes in. They can rely on me for accurate information and good service and the word is spreading that I give good service,” she says.
“There are not that many black travel agent companies because the start-up costs are so high, so this is truly a great opportunity for me,” she added.
Safika gave new graduate Nomadlozi Mlotywa a chance to gain work experience and was so impressed hired her as permanent accounting staff.
When Nomadlozi Mlotywa graduated with a BA in Business Administration she cast around for a company that she thought would help her career by giving her work experience. She made a proposal to Safika’s executive committee and Safika’s Themba Nyambezi was sufficiently impressed to offer her a three-month internship. “We were all so impressed with Nomadlozi that in February 2012 we offered her a permanent job,” said Themba.
Nomadlozi said she had chosen Safika as her target because she had studied investment and thought that Safika would be a good place to get on-the–job experience. “It worked,” she said with a grin. “It has been a massive learning experience, university can only do so much to prepare you for the real world, Safika has taught me so much, not least that good administration is really important in the investment world. When doing deals I have learned that the devil is in the detail”
Safika helped Nangamso Mbeki start her own secretariat company.
Nangamso Mbeki is a young entrepreneur who came to Safika’s notice when she assisted with setting up board meetings. When she told Safika she was starting her own company to assist corporate South Africa in high level secretariat matters, Safika became her first client. Now Nangamso’s company Akwakhe – the name means ‘to build you’ – has three staff members who assist with company board meetings, from board packs to refreshments. “I have Safika to thank for this,” she said. “It became a signpost client – one that I can always rely on and who always recommend my company.”
