The Officer for Government Accounts, Nellie Magaiana, hopes to land a floral bouquet from her admirers and colleagues when she leaves Thuso House for the last time this month, bowing out after 40 years of service to the City.

Magaiana has been with the municipality of Johannesburg since it was promulgated as a metropolitan council in 2000. Before that, she worked for the West Rand Board and the Soweto Urban Council.

Described as one of the hardest-working employees in the City, Magaiana has also served as a cashier. She will retire as the acting Operations Manager for revenue collection.

Magaiana hails from the Eastern Cape in KwaBhaca, previously known as Mount Frere. Her job within Group Finance entails collecting municipal bills to maximise the objective of stabilising revenue collection.

“Due to limited space at the tertiary institution, I was interested in, I didn’t attend university post-matric. So, I searched for a temporary job. After getting used to earning a salary, I could not go to varsity to further my studies,” she says.

After learning about the City’s subsidised education scheme, the married mother of two daughters and a son pursued a Diploma in Education and Training through the University of South Africa (Unisa), a Diploma in Local Government Management and Administration, also from Unisa, a Certificate of Employment and Recruitment, and a Certificate of Wellness in the Workplace from the University of Witwatersrand.

She’s a people person and chooses to wake up each morning to interact with clients and colleagues with a smile. She also likes to share ideas and help those who struggle with emotional issues. Magaiana also works hard to ensure every customer she serves walks away from Thuso House with a smile.

Sporting a signature yellow, red, and blue necklace, Magaiana is proud to have also worked as a Covid-19 representative in her department, helping to frequently decontaminate the workplace. She also encourages colleagues to comply with Covid-19 protocols to limit its spread in the office. Her colleagues voted her the employee of the year in 2019, recognising her selfless work. “It is time I end this chapter of my life and move on to other things.”

When she is not bogged down by Group Finance work, Magaiana reaches out to the less privileged in her community by praying for their wellbeing. She also enjoys walking and relaxing with friends and neighbours.

Written by Gontse ‘GeE’ Hlophe

03/11/2021