Three years after matriculating, Kholiswa Mda, from Mdantsane, struggled to find work.
She did whatever she could to make ends meet, even after discovering the nursing institution she was registered with was fake.
Encouraged by her late friend Lulama Gqoli, who worked as a money market clerk at the time, Mda applied for a till packer position at Checkers Nahoon in East London.
Now, almost 20 years later at the age of 38, she is the regional administrative manager for Shoprite, managing operations across multiple towns in the Eastern Cape.
“I love the daily challenges I encounter — no two days are ever the same.
“It’s fast-paced, dynamic, and never dull,” Mda said.
“As a child, I wanted to become a nurse, but due to financial constraints, I couldn’t afford to further my studies.
“It was very difficult as my mother was also unemployed at the time, so I had to try everything to earn an income.
“In 2004, I enrolled for a number of nursing short courses, only to discover that the training facility wasn’t a registered authority.
“While retail wasn’t part of my initial plans, it has provided me with so many growth opportunities — I am proud of what I have achieved so far and look forward to further growth within the company[Shoprite].”
Mda recalled her first day as a till packer in 2006.
“I was very excited to start working and earning my own money.
“At the time, I was just focused on getting it right and keeping my job — I had no idea whatother opportunities lay ahead.
“The first thing I bought for myself was a new cellphone, as I was used to getting hand-me-downs when one of my familymembers upgraded.”
She advanced from till packer to cashier to money market clerk within a year.
“My mother and my 11-year-old daughter were my biggest cheerleaders, always encouraging me and reminding me how blessed I am.”
By 2008, she was entrusted with roles in cash office management and receiving administration, before moving to Komani in 2009 as a stock administrator.
In 2012, she was promoted to trainee manager, followed by a position as administrative manager.
After transferring to Cradock in 2018 to be closer to her family, she was promoted to trainee regional manager in 2020.
Shortly thereafter, she assumed her current role as regional administrative manager for the Chris Hani region, which includes areas such as Ngcobo, Cacadu, Tsomo, Khowa, Komani, Indwe, Cradock and Middelburg.
“My day is always about balancing books — controlling the expenses, ensuring the stock ledgers are accurate for all thestores in the region and ultimately ensuring shelves are stocked and customers are happy.
“The retail industry has changed quite a lot over the years. We’re guided by customer wants and needs more than ever before and not the other way around…
“It has been very exciting being part of this transformation.”
Mda plans to pursue studies in human resources or marketing, leveraging her education to continue climbing the career ladder.
“I would prefer to study part-time through Unisa so that I can still work full-time.
“I would like to learn more about marketing strategies and HR processes that can improve everyday operations, since it already plays a role in my daily work.”
Mda said she always tried to up lift young employees to see a brighter future was possible.
“I always start by giving younger staff members a short summary of my journey with Shoprite — it helps put them a tease knowing I was also once in their shoes.”
Daily Dispatch