Loyalty and Dalene Botes are two words that are interchangeable. For 40 years, Dalene has been seeing to the needs of customers at Dundee’s Standard Bank.
The bank honoured Dalene’s faithful service during a short certificate handing-over ceremony, attended by area manager, Suhail Row.
After a poetry reading by Dalene’s colleague, Riaan Grobler, Suhail paid tribute to Dalene’s longevity with the bank and her commitment to customer service.
“Some of us working in the bank now were not even born when Dalene started with Standard. We must learn from people like Dalene who has great understanding and wisdom. Our business is not about numbers but about people and this is why Dalene is someone we can really learn lessons from,” Suhail said. A certificate was handed over by Hlengiwe Dhlamini who is the team leader at the Dundee branch.

In her emotional thank you speech, Dalene recalled that after she had left school in Dundee she had gone to University in the Free State to study. “I hated it so I came back home and my mother promptly marched me off to town to find a job.

Our first stop was Barclays Bank (now FNB) but I told my mother that the place looked very closed in with no street facing windows. Being claustrophobic I did not fancy that. She said, no problem, and took me across the road where Standard Bank was back in May 1977. “I got the job and I have been with the bank ever since.” Dalene also relieved at other branches, Pongola, Utrecht and others and recalled the ‘drama in 1994 when Standard Bank had to reopen one night to cash cheques for those who had worked for the IEC during the first elections in the country’.

Being claustrophobic I did not fancy that. She said, no problem, and took me across the road where Standard Bank was back in May 1977. “I got the job and I have been with the bank ever since.” Dalene also relieved at other branches, Pongola, Utrecht and others and recalled the ‘drama in 1994 when Standard Bank had to reopen one night to cash cheques for those who had worked for the IEC during the first elections in the country’.
“It was fun. There were no problems although there was a strong police presence and we did not even think of asking for overtime!” Dalene also had fond memories of helping man refreshment tables at marathons which Standard Bank helped to sponsor.
“I love seeing people walk out of this bank with a smile, happy that we have managed to help them. That’s what it is about.” So, here is to the next 40 of exceptional service, Dalene!