After 26 years of public service, Chief Director of Social Welfare and
Specialized Services, Tebogo Itumeleng retired at Gauteng Department of Social
Development. Last week Friday, GDSD Head Office bid him farewell. 
 
Tebogo started serving as a government official of the department of
Social Development as a Social Worker back in 1993 in the Northern Cape
province, he later joined GDSD on 1 October 1999. “I have been
contributing centrally towards driving transformation agenda within development
and social welfare sector as well as change management within the department
and sector”, he said. In post-apartheid South Africa he played a pivotal role
in new policies, legislation and processes. By virtue of his role he was
exposed to various conferences relevant to his profession, participated in
forums both provincially and nationally.
 
He equipped himself with Social Work, Management, Labour Law, Project
Management studies and vast array of short courses – his master’s in management
and Development is pending an outstanding research. In addition, holds a leadership
role as a volunteer in South African Black Social Workers Association (SABSW)
and the National Association for Social Workers in South Africa (NASWSA).
 
His passion for Social Work is evident that under his leadership various
departmental programmes were initiated such as School Uniform, Development
Centre Model, HIV and Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
 
Sincerely, he uttered that, “I will miss my colleagues, team of
managers, officials in the Chief Directorate and the environment of work”. He
dislikes untruthfulness, people not committed to task at hand, laziness and the
unacceptable attitude of people not doing their work as public servants should.
 
Final thoughts to the department, “Improve on management approach to
problems, rebuild relationships, trust team members, openly discuss problems
and come up with solutions and for people to stop serving themselves and their
interests but the public.”
 
Personal Assistant, Naledi Maaroganye described him as someone with a
great personality and character: respectful, family oriented, excellent, fair,
humble, gentleman and interested in wellbeing and career growth of others.