​​​​The secret to Negrita Faulmann’s 40 years at the City is passion and love for her job. She plans on tackling the remaining two years before retirement with the same commitment. “You need to believe in what you do and look at a challenge as an opportunity. My job is fulfilling. It had to be as I continued working for the City for 40 years.” Negrita is an Operation Manager: Sport and Recreation. A total of 21 staff members report to her and she manages eight recreation facilities: Bosmont, Brixton, Coronationville, Maraisburg, Riverlea, Windsor East, Westbury and Westdene.

She is responsible for coordinating holiday programmes, ensuring facilities plan and implement programmes such as early childhood development programmes, children’s programmes, youth programmes and adult programmes.

Negrita hails from Doornfontein and joined the City as an officer (community services assistant) in 1983 before moving to Riverlea Recreation Centre two years later.

During her stint the centre grew and started enrichment programmes among which the annual tours for senior citizens was a major highlight. A milestone was when she acted as operations manager in Randburg in 1998.

She has been serving in her current role since 2006.

She is proud of the holiday programmes she has facilitated. It was impactful and exposed senior citizens and children to great opportunities.

Negrita used to manage a three-week programme with hundreds of children on her own. Some children went on to do community work at Riverlea Recreation Centre, others joined an art school and one is a model in London.

There are several success stories thanks to the opportunities created by the centres.

Negrita obtained a Social Science degree from Rhodes University.

She also holds a Sport Management diploma from the University of Johannesburg and several certificates ranging from Events Management, Project Management and Performance Management to name a few.

She is the champion for the citywide kiddies’ games together with Karen du Plessis, who is the Deputy Director Sport and Recreation.

“I have been supported and encouraged in my workplace by my Assistant Director for Sport and Recreation in Region B, Vanessa Montanus, Manager Recreation Annette Volshenk as well as the Region B Sport and Recreation team. As the old adage goes, you’re only as good as your team.”

Her motto in life is “make a positive difference in people’s lives”.

Negrita is loving, kind and determined. All qualities visible in her work and personal life.

She has a loving and supportive husband, Desmond, the two have been married for 38 years.

They have two children and a grandson. She loves dancing and says when music comes on it’s like something revives her soul and her feet starts to move. She also loves cooking, reading, and learning new and exciting ways to make a difference in people’s lives.

“What you put out in God’s universe comes back to you in a positive way.”

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi