'Hero' home affairs official gets surprise visit from minister Cwele

11 February 2019 - 20:01 By Naledi Shange
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Minister Siyabonga Cwele pays a special visit to Scottburgh home affairs official Nosipho Mkhupheka, who has been hailed as a hero for her hard work.
Minister Siyabonga Cwele pays a special visit to Scottburgh home affairs official Nosipho Mkhupheka, who has been hailed as a hero for her hard work.
Image: Department of Home Affairs / Twitter

Following a TimesLIVE story about a home affairs official in Scottburgh, on the KZN south coast, going beyond the call of duty, home affairs minister Siyabonga Cwele decided to pay Nosipho Mkhupheka a surprise visit at work on Monday.

According to Cwele’s office, Mkhupheka continued to show her humble nature by refusing to take all the credit for the hard work she puts in, saying it would be impossible to achieve without her team and managers.

Marius Botha last week shone a spotlight on Mkhupheka, turning to social media to share her story.

“Today (Friday) at 4pm all her colleagues left their work stations and went home. Mrs Mkhupheka stayed and helped the last 40 customers all on her own and with a smile on her face! You are my hero. South Africa needs more people like you. Thank you. We salute you,” Botha wrote on Facebook on Friday.

Speaking to the home affairs delegation on Monday, Mkhupheka explained how she managed to do this.

“When I leave my home each morning, I put myself in the shoes of the citizens who come to our office. I greet them when we open our office and regularly communicate with them should we have challenges,” she said.

Mkhupheka further added that after determining which customers can be assisted on the day, she advised those who could not be assisted about the options available to them.

According to Cwele’s office, Mkhupheka has been a civil servant for over 30 years and has served in her current position as a supervisor at the Scottburgh home affairs office since 2012.

The human resources graduate said her wish had always been to become a social worker.

“I thank God for giving me the passion, energy and love to serve the citizens,” she lamented.


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