Alberton Ackermans employee retires after 35 years of service
Ackermans celebrated the Johannah Maraka for serving customers with respect for 35 years and bid farewell to her.
Alberton City Shopping Centre Ackermans employee, Johannah Maraka, retired after 35 years of service in the local store.
May 2 was an emotional, yet happy, day for every employee who has witnessed the efforts Johannah has put into ensuring that the store meets its everyday goal.
The veteran started working for Ackermans in 1988, a few years after the centre was established to meet locals’ shopping needs.
According to Johannah, she has 41 years of working experience. She previously worked as a domestic for six years, where she used to tell her employer that she was not there to stay.
“When I first entered the doors of Ackermans my mind and heart immediately felt at home because of the warmth within the place. I then decided that this will be my second home and indeed for the years I have been with them. I have never felt left out nor neglected,” said the recent pensioner.
Johannah’s biggest achievements
The veteran told the Alberton Record that she has achieved a lot in her 35 years journey, and it was not because of her intelligence, but because she always knelt down and asked God to lead her way.
First of all, she managed to take care of her entire family financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually through her work experience.
Johannah said that she sent at least two children, her niece and grandchild, to a tertiary institution where she paid the tuition fee, transport allowance, stationery and food allowance all by herself.
“My children did not qualify for NSFAS as they wanted to do courses that are not offered in public tertiary institutions. I knew I had to do something. Fortunately, later my niece got funding and took care of the remaining years. I am honoured to say my grandchild will be graduating in July and everything has been settled, this was the right time to call it quits and to rest as I have reached my retirement age,” said Johannah.
Johannah’ manager
Alberton City Shopping Centre Ackermans manager Susan Danster said she found Johannah working in the store and left. When she came back as a manager in 2008, she still found Johannah servicing the store loyally.
Susan said that it was nothing but the best experience to work with Johannah because she learnt a lot from her.
“One of many things I took from her is respect for everyone. She is older than me, but she treated me with respect and that is one thing that made me look forward to coming to work every day because the environment was very healthy to be in,” said the manager.
The veteran’s daughter
The Alberton Record spoke to Johannah’s daughter, Cathrine Moremi, about the relationship with her mom as she was not a stay-at-home mom.
Cathrine said that if the is ever a moment to take a bullet for her mother, she will do so without thinking twice because of the strength, courage, fearlessness, and strong and motivated character her mother has shown.
“It pained my heart to see my mom going to work every day while sleeping in bed because of the unemployment rate that has struck the country, but I knew she did effortlessly and for that, I will be forever grateful to her,” said Cathrine.
Cathrine sent her never-ending gratitude to her mom for being a courageous woman and taking good care of them.
Johannah’s plans
The veteran plans to look after her grandchildren and family while travelling between Limpopo and Gauteng as she has houses between these cities.
Mostly she will be taking care of her health.
Fun facts about Johannah from her colleagues
She called every employee ‘motlogolo’ (grandchild). Sometimes they’d be confused and didn’t know which motlogolo she was referring to.
She called a spade a spade even if it was not a spade sometimes.
During her days off, when she is at the shopping centre she would pop up and not queue to buy airtime claiming she is an employee.
She would sometimes disagree with the manager playfully so and say, “Remember, I am ageing, so that thing has struck.”
She reminded them every day that she had a few months left as an employee so they should cherish that.
