“I can attest to the fact that it's one thing to have a team, it's a whole other thing to have teamwork…a team that works well together can succeed together and produce great results,” says messenger and driver Fanus Nkwentsha, who tells Tukkievaria about his career and the impact of teamwork in the workplace.

Where were you born and raised? 

I was born and raised in Ga-Rankuwa, a large settlement located about 37 km north-west of Pretoria. I started my early schooling at Ikageng Primary School and completed grade 12 at Holele High School. In 1994, I graduated with my Marketing National Certificate from Damelin College.

Where did you work before joining UP? 

I volunteered as a driver for the Ikageng Self-help for the Blind in Garankuwa; was a security officer for various companies; a BMW SA line assembler and a driver at the National Prosecuting Authority.

What do you enjoy most about your job and why? 

As a messenger driver, it is interesting to meet various people within the vast spheres of the institution. A huge part of the experience of meeting new people is getting to know another person's experiences, their life story and what they've been through. Learning more about the people around you help you expands your horizons and understand the bigger picture of life as a whole. I enjoy this when I deliver, among other things, parcels or mails to either internal or external customers.

What are the common challenges in your duties and how do you improve or avoid them? 

Our department is a three-floor building without a lift. Carrying luggage or baggage upstairs from the first floor is physically demanding. However, I’ve learnt that if you have to lift heavy luggage, do so by bending at your knees, not your waist. Then, bear the weight by lifting with your leg muscles rather than with your back; lift it close to your body while grasping the handle properly and then straighten up to put the luggage at the desired location. I would like to suggest to our top incumbents that there must be an alternative, such as the building of lifts.

What is your least favourite part of the job? 

My job involves a lot of collaboration or teamwork, which is challenging for me because I should be given the directive and permission to drive to external stakeholders. I have come to appreciate the help of my supervisor and colleagues and recognised that together our input produces work that is of a higher quality than what any one of us could have perform alone. This implies the fact that teamwork:

Brings new ideas – continuous fresh ideas lead to the success of our department, as well as the entire institution; hence a diverse team of people contribute ideas immensely.

Helps solve problems - collaboration within a group solves difficult problems. For instance, our departmental building is one of the oldest buildings in the campus, hence it does not have a lift. We found an alternative together to store heavy luggage on the first floor. This shows that teams find solutions that work best.

Is supportive – I was once hospitalised, and my colleague stood in to ensure the smooth running of our section. I learnt that when one team member falls behind, there's another to pick up the pieces. We continuously try to develop a sense of camaraderie as we work towards a common goal.

Builds morale – we are encouraged to offer ideas to enhance our services and trust is built within the team. By working together, we feel a strong sense of belonging and deep commitment to each other and the common goal. I can attest to the fact that it's one thing to have a team, it's a whole other thing to have teamwork. A team that works well together can succeed together and produce great results.

Quick quiz:

Sport: Soccer (Mamelodi Sundowns, Chelsea and Barcelona)

Food: Fish, chips and Russians

Movies: Action

Actors: Sylvester Stallone (John Rambo)

Musician: Different genres including reggae, jazz and gospel