Setting the record straight

I feel extremely sad about an article on page 5 in the Zululand Observer dated 16 May– ‘Hotel Trainees claim racist treatment’.

I am the General Manager of the Global Hotel Staff Agency and have been in the same business for the past four years.

I have been involved with various hospitality establishments on our Youth Skills Development Programmes and Protea Hotel Empangeni is one of them.

We have been involved with this hotel for almost two years and have never had any racism issues from any of its management and staff members. We have a very good reputation with this establishment which benefits our students.

We have many students employed in various departments, including reception, restaurant, kitchen, conference and housekeeping.

After hearing from friends that such an article was in the newspaper, I was shocked and straight away I contacted the respective trainee – Nzuza Nomfundo.

She sent me a text saying she was angry, not thinking straight and over-reacted. I then asked her to send an email to the Zululand Observer withdrawing this statement of which she promised to do.

Our training programmes have clear and straightforward conditions which appears on the policy all students signs on registration. It reads, ‘all our students who have successfully completed their training will receive the Certificates of Service, and be assisted in Jobs Applications’.

There’s no clause about getting any reference letters from the hotels unless they ask for them as the other guy, who was training with them, did and received.

As per the kitchen manager, and others who were at the office, by the time Nomfundo came to ask for the reference letter, she was asked to come back later as the manager was busy. It was said that she got her reference letter as well.

I have contacted a few other students who have successfully completed their training, and those still in training with the same Manager. They are against these racism allegations.

I would like to apologise on behalf of another soul who wasn’t thinking straight and over-reacted and realised later, after the damage had happened, that I was so wrong.

To all those who are still willing to pursue careers in the hospitality industry, Global Hotel Staff Agency is among the best in the industry and Protea Hotel Empangeni contributes positively to our community development programmes.

SIFISO GAMA

General Manager – Global Hotel Staff Agency