FROMTHE CEO

Are you a worthy Bosasa citizen? Before

you answer that I wish to give you some

background – some food for thought that

is, that will place this concept in context.

Statesman and ex-President Nelson

Mandela has been the recipient of more than

695 awards. These have included the Nobel

Peace Prize and the US Congressional

Medal.

He has scores of honorary doctorates,

and honorary memberships of global

organisations. His place in history is also

recorded in the streets and buildings named

after him. Over and above that he has been

awarded with 175 honorary citizenships:

the keys of the city or as some call it ‘the

Freedom of the City.’

When someone is given the key to a city,

what does that mean? The ‘key’ is a symbolic

gift from the city’s administration and is

usually awarded by the executive Mayor

to an icon, an esteemed visitor or some

great person whom a city wishes to honour

publicly. The root of the practice is buried

in medieval times where cities were heavily

walled. They were guarded by day and

securely locked at night against intruders,

enemies, destroyers and generally people

up to no good. The key therefore is a symbol

of recognition sending a powerful message

to the recipient that he is someone of worth,

dignity and impeccable integrity - trusted to

confer only good on the city being entered.

The key also announces the recipient’s right

to arrive and leave at will.

One of the first awards to our esteemed

leader was made by the Lord Mayor of

Dublin while Mr. Mandela was imprisoned.

His words capture the pith of good

citizenship: “We give this award to you Sir

because of the contribution you have made

to the life and people of Dublin. You have

influenced change, values and growth. You

have left an indelible stamp that will go

down in history.” Note that no financial or

other benefits are attached to the award of

‘Freedom’ or ‘key’ of the City traditionally.

As you can see the prestige is significantly

grounded in its symbolic offerings, privileges

and duties.

Drawing on this example I wish to introduce

the idea of Bosasa citizenship, the ‘keys’ we

offer to our personnel and the ‘freedoms we

confer’. With it goes the prestige of working

for Bosasa. Bosasa itself is a national

flagship and symbol of growth, innovation,

employment and economic development.

We hope to contribute permanently to your

growth. In our national footprint, every day

you enter a Bosasa establishment, be it

Mogale Business Park as head office or a

regional office, you carry symbolic keys and

freedoms.

The message is that you are trusted with

the Company’s honour, intellectual property,

privileged information and prestige. Even

your thumbprint on a biometrics reader or

the security card carrying your name and

photograph accepts your citizenship.

But as you see above, the key to the

proverbial city, in this case the ‘Bosasa City’,

has to be earned. We see you, the recipient

of the ‘Bosasa key,’ as someone of worth,

dignity and integrity - trusted to confer only

good on the ‘Bosasa city’ you enter. We have

1 FROM THE CEO

Words GAVIN WATSON

a formal employment contract with you but

this ‘freedom of Bosasa City’ is an informal

one. As with all contracts it carries with it

rights, duties, obligations and expectations.

It means that all facets of Bosasa that

contribute to your well-being, personal

growth, career path, safety and security,

deserve acknowledgement and appreciation.

As we regard you as people of value, which

manifests in all the services we provide to

enhance your well-being: body mind and soul

- Bosasa expects the equivalent.

Bosasa is a corporate Group of value and

worth to the country and economy. Millions

have been spent to create an environment

conducive to your productivity, happiness

and health.

As I said in my last CEO’s letter – be mindful

of what surrounds you, mindful of the

benefits that are conferred on everyone daily

and mindful of the teams which depend on

you for service excellence. You carry more

than the key of the Bosasa City you carry our

flag and our brand. Carve our name and your

name in its history - with pride.

GOD Bless.

NKOKHELI

2FROM THE EDITORS

My personal trainer reads me like a book.

She can identify the days our caring patriarch

and CEO Gavin Watson visits Design House.

That evening I deliver on cardio exercises

without her begging. I hit the treadmill

running and double up with bench and leg

press exercises. The exercise bike has

never spun as fast. The CEO you see glows

with health and vitality, strides with purpose

and has decathlon fitness written on his

proverbial T shirt. I always feel I haven’t done

enough to match his commitment to personal

health in the interests of the Bosasa Group

and productivity.

This month I went through another epiphany.

Chatting with Dorothy Mahlangu from

Reception, I discovered a golden thread that

binds this driven woman to her mother and

grandmother. Her grandmother turned 104

this month and still has all her faculties. This

matriarch influenced her family to exercise,

eat organic vegetables and fruit daily. Red

meat is kept to a minimum in the interests

of cardiovascular health. Understanding the

needs of the aged, where muscular stability

in motion prevents unnecessary accidents

and strengthened core muscles guarantee

balance, she even practices her own brand

of Pilates, untutored. Every day the three

ladies although geographically apart do their

exercises in keeping with personal potential

achievement. Sometimes it is just stretching

exercises to sustain suppleness. The family

reads about good eating habits and lifestyle

practices. Otherwise they are untutored by

professionals. Dorothy herself is involved

with an outreach programme in which she

helps destitute families with food, clothing

and other essential resources.

Listening to the story is a humbling

experience. It is a reminder that we owe

Bosasa more than just our productivity.

Caring for personal health is a gesture of

commitment and honour. What are you doing

to sustain your health? It is part of your

career package.

DENISE BJORKMAN

CHIEF EDITOR

FROMTHE EDITORS

Words DENISE BJORKMAN

WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE 5

THE ONE THING - THE TRUTH BEHIND

EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS 5

OUR BOSASA “TALENT FORCE STRATEGY”

ON THE RISE IN OUR “TALENT TEAMS” 8

CONTENTS

FROM THE CEO 1

FROM THE EDITORS 2

CONTENTS 3

FEATURES 11

HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT WATSONLINE? 11

THE GREAT HAPPY BIRTHDAYS OF JULY 13

67 MINUTES OF GENEROSITY FOR MANDELA DAY 15

NKOKHELI’S BIRTHDAY 17

THE ART OF WOMEN’S DAY AT MBP 37

SUBSTANCE ABUSE ROBS AND KILLS 39

3 CONTENTS

30/07/2013 - 1962ED5 - MTG / T.P

COVER DESIGN

BOSASA CELEBRATES NELSON MANDELA DAY!

ARTICLE ON PAGE 15

disclaimerBOSELE is the official publication of THE BOSASA GROUP. All material enjoys copyright and all rights are reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced externally, wholly or in part, in any form without the consent of the Bosasa Group. The views and opinions expressed by the contributors to this publication are not necessarily the views and opinions of the publishers, the Bosasa Group or its associates. While every effort has been taken to ensure the completeness or accuracy of the published information, errors and omissions may occur.

BRANDS / SUPPORT SERVICES 19

NCYCC OUTREACH PROGRAMMES 19

YDC PARTNERS A GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE 22

TRANSFORMING LIVES:

RACHEL NOMGQIBELO BALOYI 24

PHINDILE THWALA’S JOURNEY 25

HOT TIPS: HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW 27

ENOCENTIA MARAYA ON PERSONAL GROWTH 28

DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD 29

BOSELE PULSE TURNS 1! 31

GEORGE COME OF PROCUREMENT

GETS HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE 32

BEST PRACTICES & TECHNOLOGY LEARNED

FROM THE ILEGAL CONFERENCE 2013 33

Q AND A: BOSASA’S ELECTRONIC

COMMUNICATION POLICY 35

COMPETITION 41

BOSELE EDITORIAL TEAM

chief editorDENISE BJORKMAN

sub editor/sVELILE PHATOTHEMBI MODUNGWABELINDA PHETO

contributorsCARINA MONKPABALLO SEIPEIPHINDILE THWALAJOHAN ABRIEPETRUS MONTOELISHANE PETERSONDUDU DUBETREVOR MATHENJWAJOHANN FOURIETHEMBI MODUNGWAGEOFFREY GREEN

photographyEKAYAMEDIA

design & layoutMPHO MOJELATEBOGO MATSIMELA

illustrationRIAAN VAN ZYL

project managementGEOFFREY GREEN

strategy & productionJASON STOLTZ

commissioning officerPAPA LESHABANE - DIRECTOR(CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS)

contact boselePRIVATE BAG 2002KRUGERSDORP1740

+27(0)11 662 6435bosele@bosasa.com

websitewww.bosasagroup.com

4CONTENTS

INTELLIPUZZLE 41

INTELLIPUZZLE WINNERS - EDITION 4 42

BRIGADIER BOSHIELO COMIC STRIP 42

PIONEERING THE FUTURE

“teams2act”:The ONE Thing - The Truth Behind Extraordinary Results In our recent blogs we have spoken about

our Bosasa results orientated “culture of

accountability” approach. In today’s blog

we are going to take a look at that which is

behind achieving such extraordinary results.

We have heard experts refer to it as “The

ONE Thing”.

There are very basic truths every successful

person knows. It is surprisingly simple

though, how many people cannot come to

grips with it. As a Bosasa team member, if

you can grasp this, you will manage to have

a successful and lucrative career and you will

surely be living your dreams.

“THE ONE THING”

The main idea to achieving more in your

career, in your team as well as in your

personal life, is to narrow your focus and

concentrate on The ONE Thing which will

deliver the most value. Outstanding results

come when you focus.

We have often heard the saying “I can

multitask”. This is actually extremely

counterintuitive. The key to achieving more

is to consciously try and do less things, not

more. Ensure that what you are focusing on

are the things that have the greatest impact

and show the greatest results.

To achieve more, you have to think big but

go small! What is The ONE Thing that will

deliver the most for your effort? Less really

does become much more when it comes to

getting things done.

To achieve in our Bosasa results orientated

“Culture of Accountability”, we need to focus

on achieving Extraordinary Results and

higher levels of productivity.

As a Bosasa team we have to ask ourselves

a very simple question:

“What is The ONE Thing I can do right

now – which will make everything else

easier or unnecessary?”

SO LET US START RIGHT THERE,

AND ACCESS THE TRUTH BEHIND

EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS

3 KEY AREAS TO FOCUS ON:

1. THE SIX LIES ABOUT

PRODUCTIVITY

1. SIX COMMON MYTHS

Many years of research has proven

that there are a few lies regarding

productivity.

See them for what they are and you

start on the path to doing more:

1.1. MYTH: Everything is equally

important

This is a lie, pure and simple. You place

all your efforts in one area and it can

inadvertently offset all you achieve in

another area.

1.2. MYTH: Multitasking is actually a

good thing

Remember, when you multitask, it

takes more time to do something when

you multitask, not less. Multitasking is

inefficient and it causes stress levels.

Distractions are natural and are to be

expected, multitasking does not work. It

does not boost results.

1.3. MYTH: You must be

“disciplined” to succeed

Instead of trying to be a disciplined

person – in whatever way you define it –

you should work to develop productive

habits which will take you in the right

direction. Social scientists have found

it takes about between 40 and 66 days,

on average, to form a bad habit and

make it a permanent part of your life.

Be careful to build good habits. That

will keep you so busy so select a habit

which will lead you in the direction

you want to go. Highly successful

people are not world-class performers

at everything. Rather, they tend to be

selective in the few significant habits

they do build.

1.4. MYTH: Willpower is always “on-

call”

Another is that the willpower to do

anything is always on call and can be

summoned whenever and wherever

it is required. This basic approach of

“Where there’s a will there’s a away”

suggests that if you want to achieve

something great, you’ve just got to want

it more fervently than you desire any

alternative. Willpower is inconsistent

5 WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

Words GAVIN WATSON

6WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

The smart approach for putting

willpower to productive work is:

1. Respect your level of willpower at

any time

2. Set your highest priority tasks for

when you expect your willpower to

be the strongest

3. Fuel your brain with the right food.

When it comes to willpower, timing is

everything. You will need your willpower

at full strength to ensure that when

you are doing the right thing, you won’t

let anything distract you or steer you

away from it. Then you need enough

willpower the rest of the day to either

support or avoid sabotaging what

you’ve done. That’s all the willpower

you need to be successful.

1.5. MYTH: You can achieve a

balanced life

The truth is, balance is difficult to

achieve.

So many people talk about leading

a “balanced life” but the reality is

nobody ever achieves it fully. To deliver

extraordinary results in any field of

endeavor, you have to focus all your

time and energy on what you’re doing

and that automatically means you have

less time to do everything else. That

type of intense focus so often makes

balance almost impossible to achieve.

1.6. MYTH: Big is bad, and to be

feared.

So many people do not chase big

dreams because they have fallen for the

myth “big is bad”. The reality is if you

fear being highly successful and instead

settle for less, you sort change yourself.

You should get into the habit of thinking

big and setting audacious, inspiring

goals, yet taking one at a time.

• Think differently

• Act Boldly

• Look at Failure as an integral part of the

journey

2. THE ONE Thing SYSTEM for getting

more done

To achieve extraordinary success and

results, you have to focus on answering

one key question all the time: “What is

THE ONE things I can do right now –

which will make everything else easier

or unnecessary?

• Set up reminders for yourself…”Until

this ONE Thing is done…”

• Be tenacious – remind yourself it will

take about 66 days of asking this

question to form a good habit.

• Ask your team members to help you

• Use it in all areas of your life.

Simple questions as examples are:

• “What can I do in the coming year to

double my income?”

• “What can I do in the coming year to

increase my sales?”

• “What can I do become a better

leader?”

• “What can I do to develop our team

beyond where we are now?”

If you want to achieve extraordinary results,

you have to focus on the following:

2.1. ONE Thing always matters more

2.2. Success is sequential

2.3. Success always leaves clues

3. HOW TO LIVE THE EXTRAORDINARY

RESULTS

3.1. Live with purpose

Purpose is

the straightest path to power and the

ultimate source of personal strength -

strength of conviction and strength to

persevere.

Live by your priorities

When you live with purpose, you know

where you want to go. Live by your

priorities and you’ll see what you need

to do, to get there.

Live for productivity

Set goals and ask yourself

“What is THE ONE Thing I want to

achieve in my career someday?”

“What is THE ONE Thing I can do I the

next five years to reach that goal?”

“What is THE ONE Thing I can do today

to reach my weekly goal?”

Make three commitments

• Follow the path of mastery. Keep

aggressively and actively looking for

ways to get better at what you are

doing.

• Continually seek the very best way

to do things. Move beyond being

entrepreneurial to being purposeful

• Be willing to hold yourself accountable

for doing all you can to achieve your

ONE Thing. Take ownership of your

outcomes.

Watch out for four thieves

• An inability to say “no”

• Fear of chaos

• Poor health habits

• Having a work environment which does

not support your goals

Start now!

To achieve extraordinary results, you’ve

got to think big but go small with what

you do. Figure out what your ONE Thing

is, taking into account your purpose and

then get to work maximizing the time

you spend doing that ONE Thing.

“Bringing purpose to your life as a Bosasa

team member, will help you to know your

priorities. You will achieve as we always say,

high-growth, high-productivity on the priority

that matters the most every day, to you and

your team. Your life will make such inherent

sense and the extraordinary will become

possible. All success in life starts within you.

You know what to do. You also know how to

do it… Now, the next step to take is simple,

you just need to act.

7 WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

The truth is activity is often unrelated to

productivity. Working through a long and

impressive list of To-Do’s is nice, but if that

list is filed with trivial and unimportant stuff,

you are not getting anywhere meaningful

even while you check the various items off.

Our Bosasa leaders and team members

should harken not to try and do everything

and anything they can think of. Instead, you

should follow a different strategy –have a

clear sense of priority and a clear goal for

where you want to head. Instead of putting

together a long To-Do-List, our Bosasa

achievers put together a much shorter list of

items they absolutely must do to succeed.

This is a much more productive way to

succeed. And for that FOCUS is required!

You as Bosasa can dot it!” Gavin Watson.

In this week, FOCUS on the things which

are most important, THE ONE Thing

approach. Assist each other in your meetings

to stay focused and measure your levels

of productivity. It is an extremely rewarding

exercise to do.

I want to call all our Bosasa team members

into a greater level of prayer. This is THE

ONE Thing we can do. As we pray together,

we will become even more significant in our

work. Remember, we are here as stewards

and we serve with service excellence.

Remember, we are “teams2pray”;

“teams2act”; “teams2 achieve”.

Have a blessed week

GOD bless.

“GAVIN WATSON

TO ACHIEVE EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS, YOU’VE GOT TO THINK BIG BUT GO SMALL WITH WHAT YOU DO. FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR ONE THING IS, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT YOUR PURPOSE AND THEN GET TO WORK MAXIMIZING THE TIME YOU SPEND DOING THAT ONE THING.”

8WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

“teams2train” - Our Bosasa “talent force strategy” on the rise in our “talent teams”On a light note can you recall the days, as

children, when we attended athletic events?

The various schools would entice each other

with these words: “We’ve got talent, yes

we do, we’ve got talent, how about you?”

And then the competition would respond in

the same manner, yet much louder…”Yes,

we’ve got talent, yes we do, we’ve got talent,

how about you?” Today, in the business

environment, we still see the same, however

on a much greater level.

I would like to start this blog off by

commending our Bosasa leadership for

remaining a dedicated, loyal talented team.

Together we have built a “talent team”. We

have seen the expression of our talent and

together we have made a formidable team.

Bosasa’s talent is alive!

In our Imbizo, we brought a few suggestions

on how we could improve upon the

Intellectual Capital within Bosasa. We spoke

about enhancing our Corporate Brainpower

and one of the suggestions was that we

create “talent tanks/teams”.

In our Imbizo’s we emphasized that you must

believe in the gifts and talents GOD has

vested in you and that you can walk with the

calling that GOD has ordained for you.

Most organizations have what we call a

“workforce” - our teams. But only a few

organizations make a concerted effort to

develop their teams into “talent forces” or

as we define our teams in Bosasa, “talent

teams”.

A “talent force” is simply to place the right

talent in the right place at every key position

in the organization. It is for this reason,

that we as Bosasa need to identify our

own internal Bosasa “talent teams” in our

“talent tank” meetings. Here we will be able

to identify the correct team members for the

key positions. High quality talent is the key to

give our Bosasa teams a greater competitive

differentiator.

Along with our brand reputation, market

position, as well as our products and

services, our talent makes Bosasa

distinctive.

As Bosasa leadership we need to be focused

on finding, recruiting and then retaining high-

quality performers. With superb “talent” our

teams will be able to uphold our standards

and commitment to service excellence and

values.

Within Bosasa we call our recruiting initiative

our “talent teams” and this process needs

to have a three-stage talent plan. Our

Bosasa leadership will be responsible to

keep a continued eye on this process and

regular feedback in meetings will have to be

given on progress made.

THE THREE-STAGE TALENT PLAN:

1. MARKETPLACE TRENDS WITH

2. REGARDS TO TALENT

RESPONDING TO THESE

TRENDS, CREATE A TALENT

PLAN – OUR BOSASA “TALENT

TEAM”

3. EXECUTING OUR BOSASA

TALENT PLAN “TALENT

TEAMS”

1. MARKETPLACE TRENDS WITH

REGARDS TO TALENT

Irrespective of anything else which

happens in our organization, quality

talent is always scarce and in demand.

It is so important to get the right

people in the right place at the right

time. For this you need to do proper

planning. Technologies, economies

and demographics create both

challenges and opportunities to find

the best people. As Bosasa leadership,

the changes and trends has an

accumulative effect in a sense forcing

our leaders to fundamentally rethink the

way we assess, recruit, train, promote

and retain great talent.

As Bosasa we are progressive in

our approach towards recruiting

and training the best candidates,

therefore we are purposefully

placing many resources behind

the completion of our own Watson

Corporate University. We are

pioneering in this field and through

this initiative, we will be leaders of

developing what we call, leading

“talent teams”.

2. RESPONDING TO THESE TRENDS

– CREATE A TALENT PLAN – OUR

BOSASA “TALENT TEAM”

To create a forward-thinking team, we

have to get ahead of the competitors by

finding and hiring talented people. We

need to work towards a solid future by

developing a talent plan for our Bosasa

“talent teams”.

2.1 OUR TALENT PLAN FOR OUR

“TALENT TEAMS” CONSISTS OF

THREE STAGES

2.1.1 We need to Capture - talent

Online media has simplified the

processes for our Human Resources

leaders. By using new Web-based

technologies we can attract the

attention of the best talent through

ongoing regular updates of the Web

Site and pushing your messages

across.

2.1.2 We need to Nurture – talent

By forming long-term relationships with

our teams and by regularly providing

them with information that will assist

them to grow and that they will value.

2.1.3 We need to develop Quality –

talent

Our leaders need to match prospects

with specific job openings our team

members will be interested in. Build

9 WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

1. bench strength so if one key person

leaves, a suitable replacement will be

available.

2.2. THE KEY ELEMENTS OF OUR

BOSASA TALENT TEAM PLAN

2.2.1 Appoint a strategic recruiter

– our Bosasa Chief Talent Officer

(CTO) (this is a new concept but

think how effective it will be)

Bosasa’s aim in having a talent plan

should be to have the right talent

available for current and future

opportunities as they arise. If we wait

until a position in Bosasa opens and we

then start recruiting, we are already too

late. We need to be pro-active! To drive

this talent plan we need a strategic

recruiter who can act at a senior

leadership level.

Overall, the CTO needs to own and

manage Bosasa’s talent plan and

“talent teams”.

2.2.2 Build our own dynamic and

high profile talent brand… take

our Bosasa brand one step further

“talented teams”

Our Bosasa brand stands out and in the

last few emails we have taken a closer

look at our corporate brand as well as

your own personal brand. However, you

also have a “talent brand” – a consistent

and highly targeted message delivered

every time we attempt to attract new

talent to Bosasa. A good “talent brand”

will create an emotional bond and

influence people to consider working for

Bosasa. This is the Bosasa story!

2.2.3 Constantly work to enlarge and

boost our Bosasa talent community

in our teams

As strange as it sounds, the best way to

start recruiting is when any organization

is laying off people in their organization.

This is when we as Bosasa should

be building a relationship with high

performers. In doing this we will have

the information of a pool of talented

people who have already been exposed

to our Bosasa “talent brand” and the

Bosasa story.

2.2.4 Develop sound metrics to

ensure our ongoing success in

recruiting

For our Bosasa leaders to take our

talent plan with “talent teams” seriously,

this process has to be embedded

within it measurement tools by which

our talent efforts can be measured.

This is the only way we as leadership

will be able to improve in the long-

run. We have to state how things are

progressing in our “talent team”.

As leadership, develop specific

measurement tools that will be relevant

for our Bosasa environment. A few

suggestions are:

• Track all you short-term hiring activities

• Measure your long-term progress

towards building a pipeline of future

talent

• Bring executive level succession

planning out into the open

• Measure how well your team is doing at

retaining great talent

• Do not ignore the mistakes – the wrong

talent, this needs to be addressed as

well

• Share and articulate your talent metrics

at every opportunity for feedback and

improvement

2.2.5 Be prepared to pay great talent

its true market rate

Market value of talent is constantly

changing. However, as this change

occurs in the economy as a whole,

some skills increase in value while

others become commoditized or

superceded by new technology. Bosasa

leaders need to take note of this.

2.2.6 Increase your relationships

recruiting, even as you use other

technology

New talent will always be recruited on

the basis of personal relationships.

The best talent will need a name and

a face before you win them over, not

just a personal website that markets

the candidate. Technology can assist

you, but it will never completely replace

the human touch built on face-to-face

meetings. Our Bosasa job candidates

want to be treated graciously and with

respect.

2.2.7 Be innovative and creative in

the way you recruit new talent

Great recruiters have to be futurists.

Our recruiters need to see emerging

trends in the marketplace and develop

innovative new ways to identify and

attract great talent. To be a great

Bosasa recruiter, our teams have to

keep Bosasa ahead of the curve but

at the same time stay well grounded in

the realities of our daily business and

activities.

2. EXECUTING OUR BOSASA TALENT

PLAN “TALENT TEAMS”

If we, as the Bosasa leadership, are

to be the leaders in finding, hiring and

retaining high performers, we will need

to focus on a sensible and realistic

talent plan - “talent teams” driven by

a capable talent leader. When we

properly organize and run our talent

sourcing, it is not just another business

expense. Instead, a sound and well-run

talent plan is a key strategic business

asset. It is a way to build wealth in

almost any organization, but that value

only gets fully unlocked when Bosasa

executes our “talent teams”. Therefore,

having a “talent plan” and a “talent

team” is worthwhile, however it is in the

execution that the benefits are derived

10WATSONLINE / TRUTHONLINE

IN CLOSURE:

I would like to encourage our Bosasa leaders

to create “talent teams”. In your meetings

and as you identify new opportunities and

talent among your team members, send this

information through to our Bosasa Human

Resources Department. In this manner

you will be a “talent seeker” and you will

be contributing to our own progressive,

innovative Bosasa “talent tank”, “talent team”

and “talent brand”.

Remember, we are “teams2think”;

“teams2brand”; “teams2pray” and “talent

teams”.

Have a blessed week.

GOD bless.

“GREAT RECRUITERS HAVE TO BE FUTURISTS. OUR RECRUITERS NEED TO SEE EMERGING TRENDS IN THE MARKETPLACE AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE NEW WAYS TO IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT GREAT TALENT.” GAVIN WATSON

HOW CAN WE IMPLEMENT WATSONLINE?

On a recent visit to Horizon Youth Centre

the eKayaMedia Content Strategy Team had

the privilege of observing a workshop on the

implementation of the WATSonline blogs in

our operational meetings. Bosasa Security

Supervisors from Cape Town International

Airport and DOJ Western Cape joined

Horizon Youth Centre and DCS staff in a

think-tank sharing session.

The group formed four break-away teams

that discussed and reported back to a joint

session. Motshidisi Agnes Matlokosi and

Lungi Dyakopu, both Security Supervisors at

the Cape Town International Airport, formed

the first team with Heidi de Bruin, DOJ

Security Supervisor.

Bosasa YDC Regional Coordinator, Julie

Williams and Horizon Youth Centre Social

Worker, Laurika Daniels, were in the second

team with Cape Town International Airport

Security Supervisor, Thandiswa Mpakathi,

and DOJ Area Supervisor, Trevor Le Roux.

DOJ Supervisors, Ben Pretorius and Randall

Pieterse, with Horizon YDC Social Worker,

Nonkoliso Luvalo were in the third team.

Words VELILE PHATO

Pollsmoor Unit Leader, Mluleki Saalman

led the fourth team in which Horizon YDC

Security Supervisor, Thobeka Nongemane

and DOJ Mobile Supervisor, O.J Mokgatle,

were vocal members.

In their meetings, the teams brought

together implementation strategies for the

WATSonline blogs from their respective

sites. Lack of internet access is a common

challenge experienced by most participants.

THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS GROUP

SUMMARIES PRESENTED TO A JOINT

SESSION OF THE WORKSHOP:

TEAM 1

1. Understand the message from an

individual perspective

2. Arrange meeting dates

3. Make copies of the WATSonline blog

4. Discuss the blog. Let everybody give

their input and see opportunities for

implementing these at your site

5. Encourage staff members, daily, to be

the best they can be

TEAM 2

1. Make copies of the WATSonline blog for

the different shifts on Monday mornings,

place them on the notice board and

encourage staff to read them

2. Discuss the blogs in Tuesday morning

meetings before the start of your weekly

meetings

11 FEATURES

12FEATURES

3. In your monthly meetings, identify four

staff members who will summarise

outcomes and be prepared to share

their insights at the meeting

4. Identify specific goals for the team to

implement and give feedback on Friday

mornings on how it is improving service

and customer relationships

5. Create a slogan for the week’s topic e.g.

remind, practise and just do it

TEAM 3

1. Open with a prayer - give each staff

member a copy of the WATSonline blog

and discuss it every Monday morning

2. Prioritise the needs of staff and children

in order to implement the necessary

changes

3. Keep focus on will-power e.g. meet

work load deadlines

4. Stay focused in order to measure your

levels of productivity and meet set

standards

5. Always be creative when working with

people and allow for the free flow of

ideas

TEAM 4

1. Print and issue copies of the

WATSonline blog first thing in the

morning

2. After opening the meetings with a

prayer, discuss the blogs before

continuing with the meeting

3. The WATSonline blogs must be

discussed in both weekly and monthly

meetings

4. Allow feedback on what has been read

in the WATSonline blogs

Bosele will update you on Bosasa

Group team implementation of the

WATSonline blogs country wide. We

look forward to your team’s feedback.

“GREAT RECRUITERS HAVE TO BE FUTURISTS. OUR RECRUITERS NEED TO SEE EMERGING TRENDS IN THE MARKETPLACE AND DEVELOP INNOVATIVE NEW WAYS TO IDENTIFY AND ATTRACT GREAT TALENT.”

GAVIN WATSON

BOS089_0613

THE GREAT HAPPY BIRTHDAYS OF JULY

Words DENISE BJORKMAN

13 FEATURES

TATA NELSON MANDELAThe 18th July saw the birthday of our ex-

President Nelson Mandela whose greatness

of leadership will go down into the annals

of history for generations. The Bosasa

Group wishes God’s richest blessings on his

birthday with warmth, gratitude, appreciation

and love. We celebrate the birth of someone

who shifted history with standalone

courage of his convictions, in the face of

ferocious adversity and a hostile Apartheid

government. No one can diminish the artistry,

design and architecture of the Mandela era

so to speak. It was leadership guru James

Kouzes, who analysed the qualities that

made this leader, stand apart from others.

In his Leadership Challenge he categorised

seven elements which enabled him to

transform not only South African society but

other countries in the globe. He successfully

influenced change in the leadership styles of

more than twenty countries.

Read how Kouzes explains the seven

notable aspects of Madiba’s leadership style

that will go down in global history:

Vision: He clarified his vision and breathed

life into it with modes of expression and

advice unexplored by lesser mortals. He

used metaphors, symbols, figures of speech,

anecdotes and word pictures to which the

whole world could relate. He developed

his own dictionary of transformation words

which communicated the hopes and dreams

of a forgotten majority and eager to change

minority. He too painted a world rich with

colour and potential with broad brush

strokes.

Energy: Madiba displayed an animation

and energy which enriched and influenced

in the creation of Mogale Business Park and

the life you breathed into it. To be an artist

requires rare vision of a given environment.

It requires depth of perception, an eye for

composition, an appreciation of colour,

and the ability to apply bold, courageous

and sweeping brush strokes to what may

appear to be a blank canvas from inception.

Gradually it is given form and style.

The great art school of New York sums up

some qualities of great artists. They say:

‘An artist is aware not only of his creation

he is aware of his audience, those who will

see it and experience it. The artist is one

who has an eye for design and always has

a repository of new and meaningful ideas

from which to work. An artist has humility

and knowledge of the materials which he

will harness as he creates a masterpiece.

An artist is one of passion about the act of

creation and delivery. The artist understands

the blueprint of what he wishes to bring to

fruition. The artist has excellent business

sense and the artist has an all-encompassing

vision.’

Why does a company such as Bosasa

require art? Because to manage the

complexity of our product, the integration of

the formidable accumulated knowledge of

all our people and still keep us at the cutting

edge, engages with a fine tuned sensitivity to

all stakeholder needs.

So we as your employees and their

diversity celebrate your uniqueness and the

extraordinary factors that separate you from

conventional leaders. We delight in being

part of your colourful canvas.

14FEATURES

all around him. Finding common ground

and ideals he used textured language which

inspired action, mobilising the uncertain,

while creating optimism that this dream of a

great democracy was possible.

Challenge: The dominant logic which had

prevailed for decades had proved itself

as destructive and inhumane. Madiba

challenged the dominant logic defying the

beliefs of pessimists, explaining what could

drive every facet of the transformation

process in simple language.

Model: The great leader did not rely on what

should be because ‘he said so’, he went

ahead, modeling the way, setting examples

from which global citizens learned new ways

of communicating, celebrating small wins

and walking the talk.

Inspire: Madiba found the heart in everyone

and encouraged this core, celebrating

all achievements in the new democracy,

acknowledging the contributions of all – men

and women of every race, creed, religion,

colour, belief and skill.

Enable: Everyone whom he chose to assist

him on his pathway of change was enabled

through personal coaching and mentoring.

He fostered collaboration between all of the

country’s stakeholders. He trusted growth

and knew when to let go.

Governance: Madiba held individuals

accountable for the past but gave them an

opportunity to reclaim their values, ethics and

integrity through the Truth and Reconciliation

Committee. Forgiveness was a functional

part of his leadership.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

NKOKHELI!

As all the employees of the Bosasa Group

nationally wish you for your birthday on

the 12th July, we also reflect on your

achievements and the unique contributions

you have made to the company, the

community as well as to us. The articles

and opinions on leadership have reached

legendary proportions. Authorities write on

the qualities of a leader, a future leader,

world leaders and corporate leaders. But few

writers speak of the leader as artist which

we believe you are. Henry Beecher writes

succinctly:

You are our artist. We have seen your soul

“WHAT COUNTS IN LIFE IS NOT THE MERE FACT THAT WE HAVE LIVED. IT IS THE DIFFERENCE WE HAVE MADE TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE LIFE WE LEAD.” NELSON MANDELA

BOS104_0713

“EVERY ARTIST DIPS HIS BRUSH IN HIS OWN SOUL AND PAINTS HIS OWN NATURE INTO HIS PICTURES.”

67 MINUTES OF GENEROSITY FOR MANDELA DAY

Words VELILE PHATO

15 FEATURES

Bosasa employees overwhelming responded

to the tide that swept across the nation to

celebrate Mandela Day. By giving 67 minutes

of themselves materially and of their time to

those less fortunate than them, they gave

meaning to the words immortalised by St

Francis of Assisi:

Bosasa Youth Development Centres took

the lead. The staff and children at De Aar

YDC started a community vegetable garden.

They bathed, dressed in clean clothes and

served a hot soup to the homeless children.

They also cleaned and painted an early

childhood development centre. The Mafikeng

staff and children partnered with officials

from Lomanyaneng Home Based Care. They

visited two families. They also cleaned their

homes and donated mattresses to them.

Sikhuselekile YDC in Mthatha worked with

the local SAPS on a brickmaking project for

the construction of a Multipurpose Centre.

Once completed, local pensioners will ply

their beading, sewing and baking trade

there. The bricklaying class and its instructor

provided valuable assistance. The project is

said to be ongoing.

The Unit Leader and CYCW staff at

Clanwilliam YDC identified a struggling

crèche and prepared a hot soup on the cold

and rainy Mandela Day. They also went

bearing sandwiches and fruit. They went

further and collected baby clothes which they

donated to the maternity ward at the local

hospital. Their day was not done until they

had visited the Cederburg Old Age Home

where the Centre’s Professional Nurse led

the children and staff in caring for the elderly

residents. The children in the President’s

Awards programme and the landscaping staff

worked on the vegetable garden and cleaned

the Home.

Matlosana YDC partnered with the Freedom

Spiritual Church of God and the local schools

in cleaning, painting and doing laundry of

the elderly and indigent even seeing to the

bathing and grooming of one elderly man.

The eKayaMedia’s Social Media sub division

contributed towards preparing hot dogs and

distributed them in Krugersdorp in random

acts of kindness.

Bosasa Youth Development Centres head

office administrative staff visited the Bethany

House Child Protection Agency for orphans

in Krugersdorp and Sparrow Hospice in

Maraisburg. They went bearing a ton of

clothes, toys and groceries.

As organiser of the Bosasa YDC head office

initiative, Riana Maloney commented thus

after the Bethany House and Sparrow visits:

“The 18 July 2013 was no ordinary day. It

was crammed full of excitement, anticipation,

nervousness, the cold weather and yes

ultimately our main focus for this special

day was to deliver to those in need. Each

day I used to find a few things to moan

about, things that were not going according

to my liking. Now that I’ve spent this day

with people who are less privileged than

“IT IS IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE.”

me, I’d rather keep quiet and be thankful for

what I have. Now I look at my surroundings

differently and appreciate my loved one

more.”

16FEATURES

“WELL DONE FOR BEING INVOLVED IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND REACHING OUT TO THOSE THAT ARE NOT AS PRIVILEGED. THIS SHOULD BE THE ETHOS, CULTURE AND COMMITMENT WE ESTABLISH IN THE BOSASA GROUP. GOD BLESS.”

GAVIN WATSON

The staff at Lindela stepped up to the day

by cleaning West Rand Primary School and

scrubbing the grime from their bathrooms.

Horizon YDC staff in the Western Cape

invoked the tenet that charity begins at home

by reaching out to the staff, their parents and

children. They also served their partners in

the SAPS meals in a gesture of gratitude for

a partnership that works really well in a very

volatile and gang overrun region.

A message of approval at the end of Mandela

Day came from BOSASA Group CEO, Gavin

Watson to Bosasa staff who participated in

the 67 minutes of selfless giving on this day,

saying:

BOS107_0713

17 FEATURES

NKOKHELI’S BIRTHDAY

“A MODIMO O GO TSHEGOFATSE, O GO ATISETSE MATSATSI A BOPHELO, GOLA NKOKHELI GOLA O BE O KHOKHOBE, (HAPPY BIRTHDAY) MOGALE WA BAGALE, MODIMO LE BADIMO BORRAWATSON BA GO NESETSE PULA LE KGWEBO YA GAGO E ATE KGUTLONG TSOTLHE FA SOUTHAFRIKA, VIVA COMRADE G. WATSON VIVA.

JIMMY LEGOBYE

18FEATURES

65

19 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

NAMAQUA CHILD AND YOUTH CARE CENTRE

OUTREACH PROGRAMMES

It is a privilege for me to report on all the

community outreach programmes my

educators decided to tackle in 2013.

Let me introduce Mr. Daniels who in 2010,

started a vegetable garden at Namaqua

Child and Youth Care centre as a class

project for the Pre-Abet Group. We felt the

need for the youth to develop entrepreneurial

skills, as well as a sense of well-being to

enhance their levels of self-esteem so that

one day maybe, they could live sustainable

lives. We received donations of seedlings

and the Department of Agriculture kindly

provided us with the necessary equipment

needed for gardening. Mr. Daniels diligently

Words CARINA MONK

worked with the youth in the garden and

we even organised for them to visit the

local community garden to see what the

community is achieving. With the first harvest

of many butternuts, Mr. Daniels made a

donation to the old age home. From there,

the youth were involved in donating other

vegetables to the Department of Agriculture,

the soup kitchen in Matjieskloos and another

old age home in town.

We involved the youth by taking them along

to hand over the vegetables themselves,

which was in itself significant, because

they saw this as a giving rather than a

receiving exercise. At the moment, a local

old age home has requested that we start a

vegetable garden for them too. Mr. Daniels

is also involved in that project and it forms

part of the President’s Awards community

project. The youth are starting this garden

from scratch.

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Mr. Daniels attends a monthly Police Forum

meeting where he plans to tackle social evils

in the community. He attends this forum in

his own capacity due to his interest in adding

value to the community.

SPORTS

Since 2012, Mr. Daniels has been coaching

a local high school’s soccer team twice

a week in his free time. This is a former

model C school where there is a diverse

culture. Mr. Daniels was approached by

the principal, because he saw the need for

soccer at the school. Since then Mr. Daniels

has developed a good relationship with the

teachers and the principal has given him a

free hand.

It was a highlight when two of the school’s

soccer players were selected to represent

a regional team that went to Dubai in

March 2013. This team came third out of

six schools. The principal is very thankful,

because he can see the change in some of

the learners’ schoolwork. In 2012, Mr Daniels

had a breakthrough when youth from Bosasa

also participated in the SASFA

THEO DANIELS

20YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

“FROM THERE, THE YOUTH WERE INVOLVED IN DONATING OTHER VEGETABLES TO THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, THE SOUP KITCHEN IN MATJIESKLOOS AND ANOTHER OLD AGE HOME IN TOWN.”

tournament, with the first disabled player

scoring a goal against an able-bodied team.

Mr. Daniels is an avid rugby supporter.

He was part of a committee that organised

a very successful tag rugby tournament in

2011. During this event, primary schools in

the whole region took part.

PRESIDENT’S AWARDS

Mr. Daniels is also leading this event. He is

in the process of organising and registering

children.

MRS. ELSPETH BENNETT

The Life Skills educator has started a Life

Skills prevention outreach programme. A

school was contacted and a slide show

presentation was done to explain the

outreach to the teachers and principal. The

school was in favour of the project and

expressed gratitude. Once a week for a

period of ten weeks about fifteen learners

of the school with borderline behavioural

problems will attend these classes.

They will be presented in a child friendly and

creative manner by Mrs. Bennett. We have

plans to involve the parents, but we will be

taking one step at a time. In term three other

groups of learners will also do the ten week

programme and if they successfully complete

it the learners will receive an accredited Life

Skills certificate.

TANIA KUSWAYO

Mr Kuswayo did a puppet show as part of the

outreach on Freedom Day at a local school.

The youth at the centre were involved in

special events: gumboots dance, a puppet

show, poem recital, speeches and a choir.

MR. RUFUS BOOYSEN

For the second year, our centre has launched

a beginner’s computer outreach program for

jobless young people between the ages of

18 and 25. They will attend one hour classes

per week for ten weeks. After the ten weeks,

we will award them with a Bosasa certificate.

Ten adults will attend these classes.

21 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

“I AM VERY PROUD OF THE EDUCATORS WHO GAVE OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR TIME TO UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY AND SHARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE WITH OTHER PEOPLE.”

MR. JAN GROND

Mr. Grond has commenced an Arc Welding

community outreach programme. Eight

jobless adults between the ages of 18 and

25 will attend the hour and a half classes

once a week. In these classes, they will learn

basic safety rules and welding skills. This

will enable them to start their own hobbies or

businesses and earn money for themselves.

At the end of the ten week programme they

will receive a certificate of accreditation.

In conclusion, I am very proud of the

educators who gave of themselves and their

time to uplift the community and share their

knowledge with other people. It takes time

and effort to prepare the lessons and to

walk the extra mile, but I believe that these

educators make the company proud and are

excellent ambassadors for Bosasa!

YDC005_0613

22YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

YDC PARTNERS A GOVERNMENT INITIATIVE

A partnership between government and the

private sector works best when people are

placed first, before all else. The cooperation

between the North West Provincial

Government and Bosasa YDC exemplifies

this fact. The government is delivering on

its mandate and it enlists suitable private

partners to come on board on their own

volition.

The NWPG’s latest actions have been

significant.. Firstly, the Premier’s Office in

North West Province has a firm grasp on the

needs of the community. Its swift response

to the needs of the community of Mahikeng

extension 39 is a case in point. Through

its reaction, it has given rise to a skills

development coalition between passionate

partners.

In this collaboration, the Department of

Social Development, ‘Women, Children and

People with Disabilities’, the Premier’s Office

and Bosasa YDC planned and implemented

a strategy to up-skill unemployed community

members. This has been with a view to

increase employability and entrepreneurship.

Words VELILE PHATO

A cheerful group of 19 candidates has since

completed and qualified in a Computer Skills

Training Course. Bosasa YDC in Mahikeng

designed and facilitated the course.

Being a visionary, the Head of Department in

Social Development, Adv. Matshidiso Mogale

has cast her sights beyond the computer

skills training, a course which delighted the

19 candidates. She foresees a trailblazing

group of change agents: change agents that

can be founders of cooperatives whose focus

will be to take the youth over the community

development threshold.

Poverty eradication is at the top of her

agenda. However, “poverty eradication

cannot be driven through grants alone. We

all know that, that route is not sustainable.

Skills development is the only way in which

we can help our people be self-sufficient,”

she assured guests and candidates at the

certification day ceremony.

Motivating the youth is a vital part of casting

that glimmer of hope where unemployment

remains a challenge. Adv. Mogale stepped

up to this role as a natural. Inspiring the

youth to embrace the first steps in the

advancement of their course of life, she

urged them thus: “One thing you have on

your side, as a young person, is potential for

longevity. Start writing your story today!”

Even the children in the Youth Centre

whose playfulness kept getting in the

23 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRESYOUTH DEVELOPMENT CENTRES

“INSPIRING THE YOUTH TO EMBRACE THE FIRST STEPS IN THE ADVANCEMENT OF THEIR COURSE OF LIFE, SHE URGED THEM THUS: “ONE THING YOU HAVE ON YOUR SIDE, AS A YOUNG PERSON, IS POTENTIAL FOR LONGEVITY. START WRITING YOUR STORY TODAY!”

way of the proceedings didn’t escape her

motherly reprimand and passion for self and

community development. They had been

invited to provide some song and dance acts.

“You will not be in this Youth Centre forever,”

she said. If they didn’t heed the message

of self and community development,

she pointed out, they would have only

themselves to hold liable for missing this

opportunity: to get inspired and make sense

of their lives.

The HOD was supported by officials in her

department. One from Crime Prevention,

another from Victim Support Services and

the Director of the Department of Social

Development, ‘Women, Children and People

with Disabilities’ - Julia Scholtz-Maralack.

Julia’s role is critical to the overall soundness

of the Department’s mandate. Early

intervention and prevention of further moral

decay among young people does call

for a dedicated attention provided by the

Department. She fondly spoke of what her

division is doing to address the essence of

what drives young people who can be caught

in the jaws and claws of lawlessness. It is

for this reason that the holistic approach

with which the Department of Social

Development, and its ancillary sub-functions,

in partnership with Bosasa YDC is in the

process of transforming the Mahikeng Youth

Centre into a Centre of Excellence. “In

rallying behind initiatives to up-skill members

of the community, we are ensuring that we

advocate for our communities properly,” says

Ms. Scholtz-Maralack. Candidates who

benefited from the first six months of training

with two unit standards have expressed hope

in the light of the certificates presented to

them. Here are some of their comments:

Masego Picong: ‘This course came as a

blessing. Since I completed matric years ago,

I didn’t have any opportunities or resources

to study further. I have been stuck. And these

days a working knowledge of technology is

a requirement to enter the job market. Now

I know how I will approach job opportunities

in the government and the private sector

with my newly acquired skills. I’d really like

to thank our government and Bosasa for

coming to our assistance. ‘

Elvis Sereisho: ‘When I completed matric, I

wanted to study advertising; I even enrolled

with an advertising college in Johannesburg.

The scholarship I had applied for did not

cover everything especially accommodation.

I ended up seeing my dreams fade away.

This course has given me a jump start to

think about and act on my future and not

settle for odd jobs I’ve been doing.’

Brenda Malope: ‘After 228 hours we’ve

completed the entire course, I’m confident

that I’ll be in a position to find a job. I

have become so good at Power Point and

typing that I have found something new to

be excited about. Thank you Bosasa, the

Premier’s Office as well the Department of

Social Development.’

Tebogo Leseba: ‘I have learnt the

importance of giving because of what the

Premier’s Office and the Department of

Social Development have done for us. With

this new skill I’ve gained I would like to work

where I’ll be able to give back.’ With the

candidates’ strong sense of revitalisation

of the mind, the HOD in the Department of

Social Development, Adv. Matshidiso Mogale

was aptly positioned to urge them on. In

closing she said; “This first group of trainees

is a group of trendsetters who must continue

to build - going forward. Through you, we will

eradicate poverty.”

YDC007_0613

“THE GOOD THINGS I HAD HEARD ABOUT THE COMPANY MADE ME WANT TO BE PART OF IT. ”

Words PABALLO SEIPEI

TRANSFORMING LIVES RACHEL NOMGQIBELO BALOYI

“One thing that motivates Bosasa employees

is that their CEO wears the same uniform as

they do.” says Rachel Nomgqibelo Baloyi,

Bosasa Security Senior Supervisor at O.R

Tambo International Airport. She takes pride

in wearing the Bosasa uniform. It came as a

pleasant surprise for her to learn that Bosasa

CEO was an ordinary person who leads by

example. Talking of her first encounter of

Gavin Watson, she says “When I first met

Gavin Watson, I was in awe. I have always

thought CEO’s were people who never wore

uniform but rather become authoritative

towards their employees. But to my surprise

Gavin Watson proved to be the opposite. He

is a great example and I admire him.”

Rachel’s life was transformed by Bosasa in

more than one way. But before she worked

for the company, she worked for Nkululeko

as a Junior Supervisor. She joined the

security industry after completing matric. In

2007, Rachel started working for Bosasa.

She has always wanted to work for Bosasa

and it was a blessing to be called and join

the winning team. She says, “I was very

BOS073

happy when I found out that I was going

to work for Bosasa. The good things I had

heard about the company made me want to

be part of it. I can say that I have come to my

dream company.”

She started working as a Supervisor and

motivated herself to work twice as hard as

she did in her previous job. Working hard

is what makes her the person she is. Her

potential was noticed and she was promoted

to a senior position, the one she is currently

holding. When Bosasa was awarded the

DOJ contract, Rachel offered her assistance

and expertise. She was able to do that

through the training she received at Bosasa.

She has attended so many training

workshops at Bosasa Security that she can’t

recall them all. However, the one that she

recently completed is the National Key Point

for airports. She has grown and expanded

her knowledge base following her training

with Bosasa Security.

Bosasa has transformed many lives,

Rachel being one such. She says, “I really

can’t express how blessed I am to be with

this company. It has changed my life in a

remarkable way. I can walk proudly saying

that I am working in the Security Department.

This company develops its people through

training and the responsibilities it gives to us.

I am proud and grateful for this company.”

When it comes to Gavin Watson, Rachel

can’t help but smile with pride, recalling

the humility the man has. She says of him,

“Everytime I see him, I become happy. He is

our father and nurtures us.”

A culture that this company is known for is

to be developed to develop others. Aaron

Charles and Andries Makoti have been

developed and are now developing fellow

employees. They were the first people who

showed her the ropes in the company.

They taught her how to work with the vision

of Bosasa Group of Companies. “These

gentlemen mentored me. I know what I know

because of them. They are leaders in their

own right,” she says.

Rachel Nomgqibelo Baloyi

24RISK MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS

25 BOSASA YDC

PHINDILE THWALA’S JOURNEY

I was born in Mpumalanga in an area called

Nkomazi near Malelane. After completing

matric, I moved to Johannesburg where

I studied Information Communication

Technology in Engineering (ICT) at

Ekurhuleni East College - Brakpan Campus.

I served as Chairperson of the SRC (Student

Representative Council) between 2005 and

2006.

I was also elected to the National SRC for

all the Colleges. This position presented

me with many opportunities, which included

travelling around South Africa in order

to attend meetings, training and college

activities. I also had to deal with policy

issues.

Words PHINDILE THWALA

MY JOURNEY IN FLEET MANAGEMENT

When working at Nissan Diesel I developed

an interest in cars. My scope of work

introduced me to dealership operations,

vehicle sales, maintenance and repairs.

After such an interesting learning curve, I

moved to a Fleet Management environment,

joining Indalo Fleet Management Solutions.

Indalo Fleet Management Solutions was

a BEE Company with its operational base

in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga. At Indalo, I

was introduced to the concept of fleet

management i.e. leasing, supply and delivery

of vehicles. My responsibility involved a

lot of interaction with F&R Phakisa Fleet,

dealerships, merchants and fitment centres,

transport officers, as well as municipalities

and the Department of Water Affairs

(Nelspruit region).

We received regular reports from the

transport officers about some of their

vehicles which were managed within the

Kgwerano Fleet Management maintenance

contract. I then made efforts to understand

what the company was all about.

KGWERANO

I joined Kgwerano in March 2011 as an

Administrator to coordinate its office in

Nelspruit. Within a month, I was promoted

to the acting position of the CRM (Customer

Relations Manager) because of the

enthusiasm and energy I displayed in my

interactions with my Manager. When the

Regional CRM resigned, management took

a leap of faith and gave me the position on a

probationary basis for three months.

KGWERANO

“TO MANAGE A SYSTEM EFFECTIVELY, YOU MIGHT FOCUS ON THE INTERACTIONS OF THE PARTS RATHER THAN THEIR BEHAVIOR TAKEN SEPARATELY.”

RUSSELL ACKOFF

26KGWERANO

My responsibility as the CRM in relationship

management means that I have to consult

with Provincial Senior Manager GMT

(Government Motor Transport), transport

managers and officers on a monthly basis.

I also have to visit the entire dealership

network in order to assess the ratings in

terms of our service and the status of our

account.

My detailed function requires that Kgwerano

offers training, both scheduled and on an ad-

hoc basis, as requested by transport officers

in order to reach out to the end user. This is

also a requirement from the Service Level

Agreement.

KW004_0613

HUMAN RESOURCES27

HOT TIPS: HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW

Words JOHAN ABRIE

In the past few Bosele editions we’ve shared

some ideas about marketing yourself within

Bosasa divisions, leading to your career

growth. Among other things, we highlighted

the importance of writing a good CV that

will attract attention and possibly lead to a

successful job interview. So, in this edition

we want to share with you how to prepare

for an interview that could boost your career

path.

SELL YOURSELF

You might have an impressive CV that

can secure an interview for you but you

still have to sell yourself beyond that. First

impressions really do count. If you get an

interview assume that Human Resources/

Recruitment has already liked what they’ve

seen in your CV. The actual interview then

is an opportunity for you to build on that

impression and secure the job you want.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK

The most important key to a successful

interview is good preparation. Arrive armed

with knowledge that is of value. This

information will help you approach your

interview with confidence and hopefully even

optimistic anticipation. Before the interview,

do proper research about the division’s

profile and background, for example Sondolo

IT or Kgwerano. We live in an era in which

access to information is not a problem. Visit

their websites, or get newspaper, magazine

articles and annual reports if they are

available. A Google search will also give

you ample information about everything you

could need for that golden hour.

It’s also imperative that you have a clear

understanding of the position for which

you will be interviewed. Remember that

an interview is an exercise of two way

communication. As much as the interviewer

will be asking you questions, you must also

have a few questions ready that you wish

to ask. Engage with your interviewers, but

ensure that your questions are relevant and

thought provoking. You may, for instance,

want to ask questions about the interview

content itself. This could make a good

impression showing interest in the job. It will

definitely help you score better points.

ANSWER THE QUESTIONS

Some questions are straightforward, such

as “why do you want this job?”, if you are

going into a field that you are passionate

about, you may find this easy to answer. You

can use it as an opportunity to highlight your

skills and knowledge and how you’ll apply it

in this new role. Most importantly, remember

to dress appropriately for the interview. Your

dress code will say a lot about you. On the

side of neat and conservative. Be on time

and make sure you know where to report

for the interview. During the interview, make

sure that your speech is clear. This will show

how confident you are. You may want to

impress your prospective employer with your

achievements and capabilities, but don’t lie

or exaggerate. Answer all questions with

total honesty. We do perform background

checks and lying about your experience

and qualifications is simply not worth it. The

bottom line is - play by the rules and the

future can be yours.

“BEFORE THE INTERVIEW, DO PROPER RESEARCH ABOUT THE DIVISION’S PROFILE AND BACKGROUND, FOR EXAMPLE SONDOLO IT OR KGWERANO. ” HR009_0513

ENOCENTIA MARAYA ON PERSONAL GROWTH

When most women grow up, they are

aware of their physical appearance. Their

ultimate satisfaction in life is determined by

their looks. Through the influence of media,

women are made to believe that the outer is

more important than the inner self.

Enocentia differs entirely with this mindset,

“As much as first impressions last, I believe

that beauty begins from within. I was once

a victim of outer beauty but have since

taken a journey of self-discovery. Taking

yoga classes has proved that working on

improving the inside helps you to work on the

outside as well.”

Enocentia Maraya has earned her place in

the Bosasa Group of Companies. She is a

young woman driven to achieve most of the

things to which she sets her mind.

As a young woman in the business world,

Enocentia has learned to stay on top of her

game by following advice from her seniors.

She has since learned to stay motivated. She

is the kind of person from whom most people

can acquire the skill of discipline. When it

comes to doing her job, she is up there with

the best. The Procurement Administrator is

Words PABALLO SEIPEI

BOS070_0513

dynamic and a risk taker. Her participation

in yoga has helped her stay more focused.

She describes it as a union that has an

impact on her physical, mental and spiritual

discipline.

In life, people take different approaches to

finding what they really want and what will

later define them. They may describe it as

a new meaning in life. Enocentia explains

why she chose yoga as her new approach

to life. “I wanted to do something different

that would also have meaning in my life. It is

something unique that will contribute not just

to my physical appearance but also to my

mental and spiritual wellbeing.” Enocentia

says that her passion is based on her

appreciation of life. This lies between three

things, her family, career and self-discovery.

She is currently studying Purchasing and

Supply Chain Management. She says about

her career, “I have grown career wise. I am

not the same person I was five years ago. I

know what I want and I am definitely working

towards achieving more.” She reflects on

her profession and family, “Professionally,

I’d say that my career makes me a better

person, I have learned so much and I’m

still learning. Personally, my family is

very important; they bring the best out of

me. “While other people may fear making

mistakes, Enocentia believes in a philosophy

that mistakes are the best ways to learn. She

advises that employees must not be afraid to

make even a single mistake. They must not

repeat but rather learn from them.

Working for Bosasa has also taught her to

learn from her mistakes. This philosophy

makes her one of the most admired

individuals in the company. In conclusion,

Enocentia advises women in Bosasa to join

yoga. She says, “It will help you find true

balance and as a woman it is important to

have a balanced life. Always be yourself

and remember that with the grace of God,

anything is possible”.

28PROCUREMENT

INTEGRATED FACILITIES MANAGEMENT29

DOING IT FOR THE LOVE OF FOOD

I come from QwaQwa in the Free State and

I joined the Bosasa Group ten years ago as

a trainer in food management. I graduated

from the Vaal University of Technology with

a Diploma in Food Management. I chose to

study Food Management because I noticed

that people in my community did not take

what they were eating seriously. Some did

not eat the right food while others did not

have enough food. What’s worse, my mother

developed diabetes and she was put on a

special diet.

Words PETRUS MONTOELI

The challenge was that we did not know

how to help her. This motivated me to do

something about the situation. Additionally,

my Home Economics teacher at school also

kindled an interest in me – a passion for

studying food and nutrition. Before joining

Bosasa, I did catering at the Vaal University

of Technology. My job was to cook and serve

the Rector of the University and his team.

I learned the skill of paying close attention

to detail when serving customers and to

always give of my best. Nothing puts a smile

on my face quicker than getting through the

pressure in the kitchen and seeing a smile

on a customer’s face. My studies helped me

discover that food doesn’t have a character.

It is the chef who gives food character and

the food puts a smile on the customer’s face.

“NOTHING PUTS A SMILE ON MY FACE QUICKER THAN GETTING THROUGH THE PRESSURE IN THE KITCHEN AND SEEING A SMILE ON A CUSTOMER’S FACE. ”

BOS086_0613

30INTEGRATED FACILITIES MANAGEMENT

For example, when you look at a carrot you

just see an orange plant, but in the hands

of a chef, it becomes something far more

appealing.

If I could change something about people

and food, it would be people’s perception

towards food and how they prepare it. For

instance, people just boil food without paying

attention to what happens when they do that.

Also, if people could ask themselves where

the food they eat comes from and what

happened to it before reaching them, they

would think twice before putting it into their

bodies.

A highlight in my career is that when I came

to Cape Town, no student had yet been

assessed. But in my first year, nine students

were assessed and in my second year, we

had assessed twenty more. In Pretoria, I’ve

trained Bosasa teams in Supervisory Skills. I

enjoy teaching people and seeing their faces

light up because of what they’ve learned.

I teach them different techniques of preparing

food and the various styles of cooking.

I receive good feedback from my students.

Currently, I train Bosasa cooks and offenders

in catering and cooking. We cater for

Correctional Services, mines, as well as the

Mogale Business Park. Bosasa has had a

huge impact on my life. The organisation

taught me to never despise humble

beginnings. Bosasa is full of opportunities

and if you need to be taught how to crawl,

they will do it. I would advise you, if you wish

to follow a career in catering, to do your

research in order to know what it takes – so

that you will not get a shock and that you’re

also aware that cooking takes passion. You

need to love it. It involves a lot of pressure

and many complaining customers; this can

break your spirit. My biggest dream is to see

the opening of the Watson Chef’s Academy

coming to fruition.BOS086_0613

Words SHANE PETERSON

BOSELE PULSE TURNS 1!

Bosele Pulse turns 1! The e-mailer was

introduced as Bosasa’s own weekly online

newsletter to ensure that we were not trailing

behind in the digital transformation age. Our

first Bosele Pulse went out on the 30th May

2012, and a year has since passed! What

a great year it has been ensuring that we

keep you, the valued employee, informed,

educated, delighted and entertained.

Bosele Pulse constitutes a major part of

our communication with employees by

sharing interesting, relevant and up-to-date

information.

A Bosele Pulse takes hours to assemble and

much testing to get it right. It comes with a

host of challenges from differing browser

compatibilities to spam regulations and the

need to comply with legal requirements.

What is great about the Bosele Pulse, and all

our other e-mail campaigns, is that we can

measure how effective and efficient they are.

We can easily see how many people have

opened their e-mail, who opens them, which

articles are being clicked and the overall

effectiveness of our content. It is fascinating

how typing all the code illustrated below

results in a highly visual and interactive

Bosele Pulse!

HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING BOSELE

PULSE STATISTICS:

• 48 Bosele Pulse campaigns were sent

out in the year.

• The Bosele Pulse has come out every

Wednesday at 12h00 without fail.

• 48 Bosele Pulse reports were

generated measuring each campaign’s

effectiveness.

• Each Bosele Pulse takes approximately

10.5 hours for assembling, testing and

reporting.

• Each campaign contains between 5 and

7 articles amounting to approximately

288 articles for the year.

Now that you know a little more about the

Bosele Pulse, we shall continue to inform

and delight you, our valued reader. Thank

you for your support and we look forward

to the year ahead with our new design and

set-up.MAR010_0613

31 EKAYAMEDIA

32PROCUREMENT

GEORGE COME FROM PROCUREMENT

GETS HIS DRIVER’S LICENSE

I am a great believer of “stock taking”, not

just from my occupation’s perspective but

also with life in general. I always encourage

my team members to live a purpose driven

life as alluded to so frequently by the Group’s

CEO in most of his messages. You need to

take stock of where you have been, where

you are, where you want to go and how

you envisage getting there. We all have our

God given potential. It is our responsibility

to unleash that potential and be successful

in achieving the goals we have set for

ourselves so that we can live a fulfilled life.

This message of encouragement fell quietly

onto George’s ears. George has always had

a desire to drive. His focus and determination

has earned him the long yearned driving

licence. I remember him jokingly saying to

me last year “You see this trolley that I am

using to deliver the stationery and non-

consumables around Mogale Business

Park, I want to convert it into a car in 2013.”

At the beginning of the year George lived

up to his word. He saved his money and

worked persistently to get his driver’s

licence. George’s dream, now that he has a

licence, is to drive a Bosasa vehicle, proudly

Words DUDU DUBE

branded BOSASA LOGISTICS, to deliver

commodities - this time not around MBP but

to other Bosasa sites around the country.

George has been consistently humble.

He has worked hard ever since he joined

Bosasa. His journey with Bosasa started

in 1999 at Durban Deep hostel where he

worked as a cleaner; thereafter he was

transferred to Bosasa Head Office where he

worked as a gardener.

His humility and hard work earned him a

promotion to General Assistant in the stores,

a position he has held with enthusiasm and

consistently giving of his best.

George can attest to Bosasa being a place

for opportunities. Despite his limited literacy

skills, Bosasa has created an environment

where he can grow within his own space.

George has not allowed his educational

background to limit his dreams. The

Procurement Team would like to congratulate

him for obtaining his driver’s licence and

wishes him well in his future endeavours. He

is indeed a valued member of our team.

PRO006_0613

BEST PRACTICES & TECHNOLOGY LEARNED FROM

THE iLEGAL CONFERENCE 2013 Words TREVOR MATHENJWA

Sondolo IT recently attended the iLegal

conference on March 14, 2013 held at the

Rosebank Hotel in Johannesburg. Hosts of

the event were Hi-Tech Security Solutions

and Dr. Craig Donald, in association with the

Consumer Goods Council of South Africa.

The iLegal Conference has become an

annual premier event for major role players

in the Close Circuit Television (CCTV)

industry. The conference was targeted at

everybody involved in the use, operation,

installation and implementation of all aspects

of surveillance.

The conference addressed important issues.

These included critical CCTV legal elements

and recurring data problems for effective

prosecuting. It also examined how the quality

of CCTV evidence affects a court case

strategy.

• Other factors were also addressed:

United Kingdom CCTV strategies,

standards, dynamics and implications

for South Africa

• Recommended CCTV industry

guidelines which focused on role

players and responsibilities

• Installation and management of

systems

• CCTV staffing, training and

development

• Incidents and emergency scenarios

• Index of South African National

Standards (SANS)

THE EXPERT INPUT CAME FROM THE

FOLLOWING KEY AGENCIES:

• National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)

• South African Police Services forensic

science laboratory

• Business Against Crime (BAC)

• A CCTV and human behaviour

specialist

• The Consumer Goods Council of South

Africa

The general content of the workshop was of

a high standard and pertinent to the Sondolo

IT line of business. Topical discussions

helped Sondolo IT to identify areas for

improvement and draw lessons from the

latest trends and best practices in the

industry.

CCTV standards, dynamics and their

implications for South Africa proved

interesting.

“THE GENERAL CONTENT OF THE WORKSHOP WAS OF A HIGH STANDARD AND PERTINENT TO THE SONDOLO IT LINE OF BUSINESS.”

23 SONDOLO IT33

THE FOLLOWING STOOD OUT FOR US:

• The primary objective of installing

a CCTV system is to influence the

behaviour of patrons and staff in a

facility. Where necessary it should

provide unequivocal evidence of an

incident to assist with subsequent

investigation and successful

prosecution.

• For this end to be achieved, the CCTV

solution should fit the purpose. Sondolo

IT mastered this obligation in its

formative years.

• Legal and evidence aspects: The visual

footage captured on CCTV equipment

is vital for the investigation and

prosecution of incidents and offences

committed. It must be of good quality,

be true and reliable. In other words

it must represent the scene or action

accurately. Data must be fairly and

lawfully processed without infringement

of human rights.

CCTV INDUSTRY GUIDELINES

CCTV industry guidelines highlighted role

players and responsibilities. In this guideline,

it is argued that successful use of CCTV

relies on the concerted effort of all role

players involved. These include the client

as business owner, control room operators,

service providers, distributors and suppliers

as well as installers and IT departments.

If there is synergy among role players,

it will improve quality footage for law

enforcement agencies such as SAPS to

use for investigation purposes. It will benefit

the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in

pursuing successful prosecutions in court.

MAINTENANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF

SYSTEMS

A CCTV system needs to be accompanied

by a comprehensive Service and

Maintenance plan or it will not remain fully

operational and will eventually be rendered

ineffective. This would provide a false sense

of security. It is therefore essential that a

Service and Maintenance plan be included in

initial performance contracts to ensure that

the system operates properly.

CCTV STAFFING AND DEVELOPMENT

We noted the importance for a company

to set the minimum in policy standards

when recruiting and selecting control room

personnel, as well as implement training.

INCIDENTS AND EMERGENCY

SCENARIOS

Quite often, the CCTV system is installed

in a facility, but the business owners rarely

check if the installed security system is

aligned with emergency plans or scenario

drills. This must be checked by the Health

and Safety personnel. Again, Sondolo IT is a

step ahead in this regard.

SANS STANDARDS

It is clear that certain standards require

compliance during CCTV installation,

commissioning and maintenance. I would

like to emphasise that the thought provoking

discussion points covered during the

workshop compels Sondolo IT to reflect

on learnings and identify the gaps which

require attention. It became evident to us

that the CCTV industry is evolving rapidly

and we must always remain ahead of the

pack in our thinking. The solution is not in

the hands of individuals, but in teamwork.

The words of Dr. Denise Bjorkman summed

it up perfectly when she said: “Complacency

perpetuates poverty of achievement.

Mindfulness recognises that we share

unique interdependence with others, a

team process which enriches our lives and

performance.” In Bosasa language, this is

called ‘teams2work’.

My gratitude goes to the COO of Bosasa

Group Angelo Agrizzi and Dr. Louis Scholtz

of Watson Corporate University, who made

it possible for the Sondolo IT team to attend

such an informative workshop.

SON003_0513

34SONDOLO IT

35

Q AND A: BOSASA’S ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION POLICY

Words JOHANN FOURIE

IT, HOD Johann Fourie, explains Bosasa’s

Electronic Communication (EC) Policy in line

with good governance.

Q: WHY DO WE HAVE POLICIES AND

PROCEDURES IN THE FIRST PLACE?

A: Policies and procedures are good for

the Company. They are key factors which

help to maintain efficiency, consistency

and clear communication. It also fulfills

legal obligations, keeping Bosasa

organized and effective.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Q: SO, WHAT’S BOSASA’S

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION POLICY

ALL ABOUT?

A: Bosasa has invested millions of

Rands in electronic communications

technology systems and services in

order to maintain its efficiencies and

consistency. Electronic communication

tools include email, telephone, mobile

devices, fax, intranet and internet. In the

workplace they bring enormous benefits

to Bosasa.

However, the careless use of electronic

communication tools can have dramatic

consequences which can affect the

Company and our customers, business

partners and employees. It is therefore

necessary to regulate the use of

electronic communication tools.

The electronic communication tools

policy contains rules which we are

obliged to follow. Guidelines are also

provided for your benefit. Stick to the

policy and it will ultimately lead to a better

working environment for all. Encourage

all users within the organization to

observe the policy.

Bosasa provides you with communication

tools to assist you within the course and

scope of performing your duties. The

use of these tools however is subject

to the Electronic Communication Policy

(ECP) as well as any other policies and

procedures which may be laid down by

Bosasa from time to time.

Please note that all communications tools

and all records produced or carried by

these communication tools always remain

the property of Bosasa. If you wish to

use your own communication tools don’t

forget that another rule applies. You

as a user must also obtain the consent

of Bosasa prior to using your own

communication tools in conjunction with

those of Bosasa.

Q: WHAT IS THE PURPOSE AND SCOPE

OF THE POLICY?

A: The purpose of the EC policy is

to outline acceptable use of electronic

communications and services in

Bosasa. This will protect both employer

and employee. Inappropriate use may

expose Bosasa to risks including virus

attacks, a compromise of networks

systems and services as well as diverse

legal issues. The policy applies to all

employees, contractors, consultants,

temporary employees and other workers

at Bosasa, its subsidiaries and associated

companies. It also includes all personnel

affiliated with third parties. The policy

applies to all equipment that is owned or

leased by Bosasa.

Q: WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES OF

THE EC POLICY?

A: THE CRUNCH OF THE POLICY IS AS

FOLLOWS:

Business use:

Users must use the communication

tools in a responsible, ethical and lawful

manner for business purposes.

Limited Personal Use:

Limited personal use of communication

tools is permitted provided that it fulfills

certain criteria. In accordance with this

policy or other directions and instructions

of BOSASA from time to time, personal

use

• Must not interfere with your work

or performance or that of other

employees;

• Must not amount to a breach of

confidentiality;

• Must not cause adverse

performance, resource or other

problems pertaining to the network

structure or communication tools;

• Must not exceed allocated cost.

• The policy also clarifies important

additional information, reasons for

the policy as well as guidelines.

Remember is to ask if you are not

sure. Speak to your supervisor or

line manager or else contact the IT

Service Desk at (011) 662 6112.

Q: WHAT ARE BOSASA’ RIGHTS?

A: The communication tools are

provided for business purposes at

Bosasa’s expense. Your right to privacy

within this context is therefore limited.

Any material or information created,

stored or transmitted using any of

the Bosasa communication tools and

systems will not necessary remain

private.

By using the communication tools, you

give Bosasa permission to conduct

certain checks. It can review and monitor

the use of Bosasa communication tools.

It can inspect all material or information

created, stored or transmitted with

communication tools or over the Bosasa

system. An employee found to have

violated this policy may be subjected

to disciplinary action. This may include

termination of employment.

THE FINAL WORD

I hope this article helps to place the lengthy

(18 page) Electronic Communication

Policy in perspective. If you require more

information, you can find the policy on our

Intranet site. And remember, if you are not

sure, ask.

36INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

IT004_0613

37

THE ART OF WOMEN’S DAY AT MBP

Words DINEO MOERANE

WHEN YOU FIND PEACE WITHIN YOURSELF, YOU BECOME THE KIND OF PERSON WHO CAN LIVE AT PEACE WITH OTHERS”

PEACE PILGRIM,

SPIRITUAL LEADER

This is one of the many quotes that have

motivated women around the country

throughout the month of August, also known

as ‘women’s month’.

While people were still planning the

commemoration of women’s day, BOSASA

was ahead of the bunch. On August 8

BOSASA booked off the whole day to

pamper women at Mogale Business Park.

MBP ladies were invited to a day of luxury

and indulgence.

EXPRESS ART

The day started with a painting challenge

where the ladies were divided into teams

representing their units. They had to

paint a picture of what BOSASA means

to them. The teams put their best work

forward, presenting their art with pride.

Youth Centre’s Portia Mgambe admitted

that painting a BOSASA tapestry was a

great challenge. It was also an opportunity

to express their gratitude for working at

BOSASA. This was a perfect platform

for employees to get their messages of

thanksgiving and appreciation across.

PAMPERING

From all the hard work and creativity the

ladies put in their art work, they were invited

to a period of relaxation. MBP lodge was

transformed into a spa. The ladies were

treated to a professional massage to achieve

revitalisation and relaxation. “I have never

had a massage from a professional before.

I am very delighted to have been given this

opportunity. This women’s day was very

special. I really enjoyed every moment,”

says Martha Bereng from the house keeping

department. While the ladies were enjoying

FEATURES

themselves at the spa, the diner staff were

preparing a luxurious 4 star lunch for them.

This day was extra special to Tebogo

Matsimela. “What a great way to celebrate

my birthday. It was as though they were

planning it for me. I can’t express the joy in

my heart,” she said eagerly.

“

BOS108_0713

38FEATURES

What a great way to end the week and to celebrate the lives of our mothers, sisters, aunts and daughters. Bosasa women would like to thank Allister Esau and his team for their hard work and for making this day extra special. And special thanks to the CEO and the directors for authorising it.

23 FEATURES39

SUBSTANCE ABUSE ROBS AND KILLS

Words THEMBI MODUNGWA

Substance abuse robs you and others!

Substance abuse kills! Substance abuse

is your enemy! What are you going to do

about it? They say ‘knowledge is power’ and

‘people die for lack of knowledge. I have

worked in the field of substance abuse for

over twenty years and I have witnessed how

damaging it can be to individuals, families

and society.

In recent months the media has been

covering the topic of substance abuse almost

on a daily basis. It is difficult to switch on

the radio or television without the subject

of drugs or alcohol being addressed as a

top priority. Newspapers are no different.

‘LeadSA’ has successfully motivated editors

to pick up the cudgels in the fight against this

national problem.

I have noticed that some people only

experience the problem through exposure to

habits within friend or family circles or in their

extended social environments. Others have

to live with it on a daily basis as they are the

casualties through their own use. And their

loved ones unfortunately have to live with

the problem as they are intimately involved

whether they like it or not. It’s up front and

personal.

WHAT IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE?

There is a special manual used by all

professionals working in the field of mental

health throughout the world. It is called

the DSM. It stands for the ‘Diagnostic and

Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders.’

This world famous reference guide helps

any person working with special disorders

to see them through one framework. So

when professionals talk to each other or

send reports, every word and meaning is

understood and shared by all.

The DSM in this special field refers to

substance abuse as ‘an unhealthy pattern of

substance (alcohol or drug) use that results

in significant problems in one of the following

ways:

• An inability to adequately take care of

your responsibilities or fulfill your role at

work, school, or home.

• The frequent use of substances in

situations where it might be dangerous

to do so. An example, could be driving

while under the influence of alcohol. It is

a major cause of death on the roads.

• Repeated legal problems due to

substance use: public intoxication

or disorderly conduct. A person may

swear, hit out at others, damage

property and threaten the lives and

safety of other people in a particular

environment.

• It includes the continued use of

substances even though you may know

that the substance you use is causing

considerable problems in your life.

Perhaps you cannot hold down a job.

Or you stay away from work regularly

leading to disciplinary hearings. Or your

social circle breaks up because people

don’t wish to associate with you.

Gradually you may become isolated

from friends and family. It may even

cost you your job and career. It can

introduce debt and garnishee orders.

You argue that you cannot concentrate,

you are depressed, have headaches

40FEATURES

and complain of having ‘no energy.’ You

cannot see that you have no energy

because you are abusing substances.

SELF-MEDICATION

Self-medication refers to the use of alcohol

or drugs. These drugs can be either illegal or

prescribed. It could be something as simple

as taking excessive amounts of tablets

containing codeine which are traditionally

used to control pain. It could include

excessive consumption of energy drinks

which are harmful on their own but when

mixed with alcohol can kill. Many use cough

mixtures, so called vitamin pick-me-ups or

even eye drops that contain ephedrine. The

latter sends the pulses racing and gives

‘a high’. It may start off innocently with a

doctor’s prescription in order to manage

symptoms of a physical or mental health

nature. Even excessive coffee drinking could

be a symptom of substance abuse. Five cups

of coffee a day (read five spoons) may be

pushing the limit in some cases. Marijuana is

a gateway drug. It can lead to others.

Don’t convince yourself you need it for

asthma. This is a myth.

Frequently used drugs include, but are

not limited to the following: Marijuana and

Mandrax (a trademarked drug). Self-

medication can include alcohol, cocaine,

tobacco, glue, heroine, ecstasy, crack, PCP

and tik. The latest drug used by the youth is

Nyaope (a mixture of dagga and heroine). All

spell danger to physical, mental and spiritual

health. I am afraid that smoking falls into this

bracket as well. It too is open to abuse.

What are the dangers of substance abuse?

Let’s look at a personal level. The most

important resource available to individuals

is their mind, which is divided into two parts:

cognition (the thinking side) and emotions

(the feeling side). Substances target your

thinking (cognition) by causing problems

with your judgement. They can cause

poor attention and concentration, memory

disturbances and distorted thinking.

This, in turn affects your ability to make good

decisions. Ultimately, you make bad choices

which leads to loss of a job, marriage, dignity

and financial stress – to name but a few. Wild

and irresponsible spending may also be a

result.

Your body is also affected with loss of

coordination.. Accidents can result from

reduced attention and concentration. It can

also cause health problems and eventually,

headaches, tiredness, organ failure and

perhaps even death.

NATIONAL IMPACTS OF SUBSTANCE

ABUSE

Your bad habits can in turn cost the economy

of the country as the state has to feed or

hospitalise you. The company you work

for suffers in many ways when it employs

substance abusers. It loses customers and

valuable teams: teams that work, teams that

think, teams that inspire. When the company

suffers, it ceases to grow and innocent

people suffer. Others can in effect lose their

jobs too. Currently the government, through

President Zuma, has declared war on

substance abuse. What about you? You can

do something too.

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TAKE HEED OF THE WARNING SIGNS

Substance abuse can be treated. However, the problem is that people abusing

them deny that they are substance abusers. They cannot take ownership.

Employee Wellness, invites you to STOP and look at the following warning

signs. If they apply to you, do yourself a favour: seek counselling. Help is at

hand.

• Do you frequently miss work or other appointments?

• Has your supervisor or other co-workers noticed changes in your job

performance?

• Are you costing the company productive time with excessive smoke

breaks?

• Do you drink alcohol in the morning or on your own?

• Do you feel you have to take a drink or other drugs just to get through the

day?

• Are you regularly late for work or do you ‘invent’ reasons for leaving work

early?

• Are you short of money because it has been spent on alcohol or drugs?

• Has your need for more alcohol or other drugs increased? Without them

do you feel unwell?

• Have you stopped caring about your personal appearance or cleanliness?

• Are you moody and irritable? Perhaps you feel really sick when you have

not taken some of your daily ‘dose’ of substances?

The time has come to change and seek help. Employee Wellness can assist you on your road to recovery. We can also refer you to the right support groups for help. We are a confidential call away: 011 660 6852

2341

42COMPETITION

BRI007_0513

contact boselePRIVATE BAG 2002

KRUGERSDORP1740

+27(0)11 662 6435

info@bosasa.com

websitewww.bosasagroup.com