The Maslow butler reaches new heights
SANDTON - Butler, Thebogo Rikhotso (24) who works at Sun International’s The Maslow in Sandton is making his mark in the hotel industry.
He comes from humble beginnings in a small village at Giyani in Limpopo and he is now going to places he never imagined.
Rikhotso’s passion and commitment to his work saw him flying in an aeroplane for the first time in his life recently.
After achieving the highest score during a course with the prestigious South African Butler Academy, he travelled to Cape Town to undergo advanced butler training.
While he was visibly anxious at the airport waiting to board the plane to Cape Town, he said he felt a vibration within his core. When he looked out of the window of the plane, the excitement grew inside him as the realisation hit that his hard work was paying off.
He spent a month mastering his butler skills at the South African Butler Academy’s state of the art campus overlooking Table Mountain, a sight that he never thought he would see up close as a young child growing up in a remote village.
Rikhotso is applying what he learned during his training at the academy. “I have learned so many new things; about etiquette and protocol, housekeeping, and management,” he said. “I am so grateful to The Maslow for the opportunities and doors it has opened for me. I want to contribute as much as I can to the hotel. I see myself in a supervisory or management role in the next five years because I believe I am a good leader and enjoy managing people and projects.”
Rikhotso first joined The Maslow as a public areas cleaner in 2013 after working as a cashier at a fast food chain. His enthusiasm for his work was quickly recognised and he was soon promoted to the position of housekeeper, and then to butler in The Maslow’s seminar department.
“My work is all about people and making them happy.” He said. “This is what I love about my job.”
When he is not working, Rikhotso enjoys cooking, going to the movies, reading, and socialising with friends. He is also an ardent soccer fan.
Johann Scheepers, general manager at The Maslow said, “It has been very rewarding to watch Rikhotso grow.”
Details: www.suninternational.com or 010 226 4600
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