Love for people, culture spurs him on
Ii was only after completing Gr 12 that Gideon Mokwena realised he could easily fit in into the tourism industry
POLOKWANE – “I must say, I was at the right place, at the right time and when this opportunity of me studying tourism presented itself, I have never looked back,” says Mokwena.
Mokwena hails from Senwabarwana in Maleboho and is a heritage and tourist guide at Bakone Malapa Open Air Museum.
His duties entail interacting with diverse tourists daily, interpreting the cultural and natural heritage of the site, sharing interesting stories with the tourists, giving visitors an unforgettable experience and sharing the history of Polokwane, among others.
“I studied tourism guiding (NQF2) in cultural heritage and nature through Drum Beat Academy, first aid level one, however, Gr 12 is imperative to becoming a tourist guide. In addition to the preceding qualifications, I did a diploma in restaurant management at Damelin through correspondence, received training and attended various workshops in customer care, rock art interpretation and presentation, heritage management, firefighting, and basic training in French language among others. To qualify as a tourist guide, you have to be registered with your local tourism authority, in Limpopo it is the Local Economic Development Environment and Tourism (LEDET),” explains Mokwena.
Asked about what he likes most about his job, Mokwena is quick to mention that being a tourist guide will change your character completely.
“You suddenly become friendly and helpful which contributes substantially in terms of being a great tourist guide. Working with tourists can sometimes be exhausting. People can be tired, cranky, sick, and stubborn, they whine and you need to be upbeat and full of energy for hours, but what is most rewarding is the feeling that I’m doing something good, not just for me but for others.
Sharing some of his achievements, Mokwena says he received a third place welcoming award from LEDET in 2010. In 2015 he entered the Lilizela Tourism Award under the category of cultural heritage of which he managed to be awarded first place.
“All these achievements are thanks to my fiancée, Goitsemang Mokwena, who always encourages me to dream big. To all the young people out there who want to venture into this industry, get a proper education first and grab all opportunities that you may come across.”
