2 March 2022
“I joined the Shoprite Group to provide for my family, including paying for my sister’s education. As soon as I joined, I realised that there was lots of room for growth within the company and I was determined to grow within the retail space.”
These are the words of Mthokozisi Cele (41) from Esikhaweni, Richards Bay, who started working as a Till Packer in 2002 when circumstances at home required him to seek employment to support his family.
Over the years he worked as a Grocery Shelf Packer and Perishables Controller, before becoming a Trainee Manager and then a Fresh Foods Manager. In 2016 Cele became a Branch Manager and today he manages the new Shoprite Boardwalk in Richards Bay.
Mthokozisi Cele started his career as a Grocery Shelf Packer in 2002.
Cele believes that his positive attitude and hard work was key to his career advancement. “These qualities help to distinguish you from others within the business,” he explains.
The Shoprite Group is South Africa’s largest private sector employer with over 140 000 employees, excluding indirect employment. Over the past five years, the Group has spent more than R700 million on extensive retail skills and training programmes.
Despite the effect of the lockdown and unrest on retail trade, the Group still managed to create 4 608 new jobs in South Africa in the past financial year.