Pretoria - The contemporary Time Square in Menlyn is Sun International’s biggest gaming, entertainment and leisure destination in Gauteng, and it takes an army of staff to run this complex which consists of a casino, hotel, restaurants, and the SunBet Arena.
A large contingent of those steering the ship are dynamic women who juggle the stresses of careers in gaming and hospitality with grace – making it look effortless, easy, and fun. During Women’s Month, Time Square celebrates its female staff, and highlights a few of their roles.
These include cashiering manager Vuyiswa Gebe, who is responsible for the smooth running of the cash desk operation.
“The cash desk is the ‘bank’ of the casino, so my job is to ensure that customer transactions are done according to procedures, that winnings are paid out to customers correctly, and that we comply with Fica and anti-money laundering policies,” Gebe said.
The 57-year-old mother of four said she loved her team and celebrating successes with them. Her advice to other women was to be willing to learn from others, work hard and study hard.
No two days are the same for business unit human resources manager Maditshaba Sekgota, who is responsible for delivering HR initiatives that build a high-performance Sun International culture.
“We aim to create an environment which attracts and retains ‘best in class talent”, she said.
Mother of two boys, Sekgota said “Time Square was a home away from home”. She advised other women to pay it forward.
Marketing manager Antoinette Bender has worked in the casino industry for 23 of her 50 years, and still finds the atmosphere electrifying. With her marketing team, she is responsible for compiling and implementing marketing strategies for Time Square Casino that achieve stated business objectives.
She believes all women appreciate mentorship. “If you can be a mentor to another woman, be one. If you need one, ask for one. You will be surprised at how many women are willing.”
Maximising profitability is the goal of Tracy Pretorius, cluster revenue manager for Time Square and The Maslow Sandton.
“My role is a mix of analytical skills, market research, critical thinking, and a bit of gut instinct to make sound pricing decisions,” said the 51-year-old mother of one.
Pretorius has worked at Sun International for 30 years, and said: “Your growth is your responsibility.”
As a loyalty programme and customer service manager at Time Square, Ntombi Masuka manages the team responsible for the delivery of direct marketing campaigns, the most-valued guest programme, desk and customer service.
Her advice to other women is to “invest in yourself, read self-development books, get yourself a mentor, love life, and live”.
The 40-year-old has been at Time Square since it opened and has a 13-year-old daughter.
Reservations supervisor Neo Mvundla manages a team responsible for securing guest reservations.
“As the first point of contact for most guests, we strive to give the best service to all guests – seeing our guests happy brings me joy,” she said.
Mvundla gets a kick out of knowing her department is a revenue generating department.
“It makes me feel as though I contribute significantly to the success of Sun International.”
Time Square said it appreciated its woman staff and the special qualities they brought to the business.
General manager Ruben Gooranah said: “We salute all women who work tirelessly at their careers, while being mentors, partners, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends.”
Pretoria News