Africa-Press – Namibia. TWENTY-FOUR-YEARS ago Simon (54) and Nico (52) Angula worked as petrol attendants at the Engen Keetmanshoop known as ‘DIE 12’ service station, without any dreams of working for a lodge.
The two brothers, who came from the Okapenda village near Omuthiya, today are a living testimony that anything is possible if one just believes.
However, this quickly changed when the director of Gondwana, Manni Goldbeck hired them in 1998 to work at one of the lodges owned by Gondwana.
Which started just as dishwashing and quickly turned into bar attendance, and supervising duties while both working as Receptionists for the lodge.
Today, their hard work and commitment paid off when both were promoted as lodge Assistant Managers for Namibia Gondwana’s Etosha King Nehale lodge.
Simon said that while working at the lodge; they were given a chance to attend classes to learn German in order to avoid the language barriers that they had been experiencing at the time.
“I was later sent to Germany for a month and a half to do an internship and also have a learning background,” he said.
He added that after working at the Canyon lodge in Keetmanshoop, they were later transferred to Etosha Safari Lodge with his brother Nico.
Goldbeck said that for the two it took time to get into the system, and when they got it, they hit the ground running.
Goldbeck indicated that the two have been a blessing to them; their consistency, loyalty and commitment remains a long term package to Gondwana.
“We are more than just workmates, but a bond of friendship for life was built,” he said, adding he can call the two brothers anytime of the day or night, a strong indication of their dedication.
He added that such a friendship is what built the character and identity of the Gondwana brand to where it is today.
Nico noted that he never had a dream of ever working for Gondwana Group, and now they are just 60km from home, a moment he describes as worth living for.
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