Unlocking my strategic level of thinking at WSG

Nembra Maluleke, a Municipal Finance Management Graduate works as a Prepaid Metering Manager at Johannesburg Water. She completed the Municipal Finance Management course at the Wits School of Governance in 2023.

Maluleke comes from a small village named Bode, in Giyani, Limpopo and is driven to make a difference in her workplace. She started her career as a meter reader, moved on to become a Customer Services Representative. She was then promoted to a Team Leader in the Vending department before starting her current role.

“As the Prepaid Section, our core responsibility is to collect revenue through prepaid meter connections. The job entails daily management and administration of staff according to organisational policies.

“We have to ensure that customers with prepaid meters are able to access water via vending points. I have been in this role for a year now and love the opportunity to add to the objectives of the City of Johannesburg, which is to collect revenue and providing quality water to the City’s residents,” Maluleke said.

She said that South Africans need more knowledge on prepaid water and its benefits. Similarly to prepaid electricity, consumers purchase water credit in the form of a prepaid water tokens. “When entered into the User Interface Unit (located in the consumer's home), the token instructs the water management device to allow a certain amount of water through the meter before closing. Consumers can track usage, load credit remotely, and decrease the possibility of bill shock due to leakages or incorrect monitoring,” Maluleke said.

She said that she did this course at Wits because as leadership in the municipal entity, it is vital to be equipped with the right knowledge in terms of all the Acts and policies that govern the municipality to be able to provide service to the people of the City of Johannesburg.

Maluleke said said studying helps one develop critical skills including decision-making, mental agility, problem-solving and logical thinking.

“Education contributes to greater productivity and creativity. I have learned to apply a strategic level of financial management and allocation of resources to meet the service delivery needs of our citizens. As employees of the City of Johannesburg, we need to align whatever we do in terms of our everyday duties, to the City’s strategic goals and objectives,” she added.

She understands the importance of team work. “As a manager, I am only as strong as my team is. My former managers, Thashane Sing and the Senior Manager in the Metering and Revenue Department, Siphindile Sikhosana are great sources of inspiration for me as managers.”

Watch Maluleke speak about her experience at our School.