Pupkewitz Group of Companies

24/06/2020

Clemensia Ganes is the Information Technology (IT) Helpdesk Coordinator at Pupkewitz Holdings. Her journey with the Pupkewitz Group started in July 2017. She is one of the few Namibians, who found work straight out of University in her career of choice.

Clemensia was born in the southern town of Mariental, and raised by her mother together with six siblings in Kamanjab, a village in the Kunene Region. Considered a ‘laatlammetjie’ she felt like an only child, because of the huge age gap between herself and siblings. As the last born, her mother was very lenient with her, and this taught her self-discipline. She later moved to Otjiwarongo to attend high school and matriculated from Otjiwarongo Secondary School in 2012. She went on to pursue Bachelor’s and Honours degrees in IT at the Namibian University of Science and Technology (NUST).

A bibliophile, Clemensia describes herself as a voracious reader. “Although I prefer fiction, I make a deliberate effort to read at least one non-fiction book, every other month. Reading has always been a constant hobby in my life, and my biggest inspiration to be a writer. Additionally, if I am not reading, writing or blogging, I am singing and it is so fun to be part of my church choir,” says Clemensia.

As her first work experience, Clemensia found her position challenging at first, but has proven to be diligent and a fast learner. To further enhance her skills and knowledge, she completed a Time Management course in 2017 as well as Web Development and Design using WordPress online training in 2019. According to Clemensia, one of the important lessons she has learned from the time management course, is that the best way to manage your time efficiently is, investing it by sharpening your skills and strengths.

“I appreciate that the company prioritizes career growth and uphold high working standards. I also appreciate the teamwork aspect and enjoy seeing how all the pieces of our work come together. I learn a lot about what I’m capable of from working with others,” said Clemenisa, when asked about what she enjoys most about working for the Pupkewitz Group.

Her favourite quote is “Just because something is easier does not always mean it is better,” by an anonymous person. She believes that the easiest option is not always the best, and that we should keep in mind that the hardest things are the most rewarding, especially academically and professionally.

Clemensia concludes, “You must always give honour where honour is due. Therefore, I would like to say THANK YOU to all my mentors in the IT department. Even though the journey has not been easy, I appreciate all that I have learned through this position from my manager, supervisor and colleagues, and I look forward to all future lessons.”

21/06/2020

We wish all the Fathers, a wonderful day packed with love, gratitude and laughter.

17/06/2020

Jurita Viljoen is the Human Resources (HR) Business Partner for Pupkewitz Motors. Her journey with the Pupkewitz Group started in January 2018. As a business partner, she is the first point of contact for both employees and business managers, and she also acts as the performance improvement driver to influence positive changes in the business environment.

Jurita was born in Gobabis, and moved to Tsumeb with her family, where she attended Tsumeb Gimnasium until Grade 4. Her family later moved to Windhoek, where she matriculated at Windhoek Afrikaanse Privaat Skool (WAP) in 2011.

Jurita was an all-round high schooler, having been part of the first netball team from Grade 8 – 12, and a beauty pageant contestant holding the title of Miss Photogenic in 2010 as well as a Miss Teen World Namibia 2011/12 finalist. After high school, she headed to South Africa’s North West University of Potchefstroom (NWU) where she obtained a qualification in Industrial Psychology and Labour Relations. She was later selected as one of only two Namibian students, to complete an Honours Degree in Labour Relations, where after she joined the NWU Business School and completed a Business Management as well as a HR course.

Jurita loves working with animals (especially horses) and describes herself as a farm girl. Her pastimes include travelling, reading, working on DIY projects and photography.

As the HR Business Partner, her duties amongst others entail; talent development, recruitment, retention, labour relations, organisational effectiveness and compensation practices. Her position requires close liaison with business managers to deliver customised and forward-looking solutions, programs and policies to tackle issues faced by the businesses. Her position also enables her to manage complex and difficult issues and to take a consultative approach, acting as a key advisor to the management team. “As a HR business partner, I try to align business objectives with HR initiatives to find solutions for both employees and business managers. The culture of the Pupkewitz Motor Division is mainly based on performance. For me it is to recruit the right talent and through training, development and a conducive work environment ensure that we developed our own talent for the company to be viable in the long term,” said Jurita.

Jurita has successfully completed various skills development training courses, amongst them; Toyota Touch, PWC’s HR Business Partner Training and SHL’s Personality as well as Ability Assessment Program. This year she was been selected for the Pupkewitz Leadership Program (PLP). These training courses have further equipped her with essential HR tools and enhanced her leadership skills. One of the many lessons she has learned is that building trust is key and people in HR are faced with tough dilemmas, and due to this it is critical to remain objective and consistent in the application of policies, procedures and regulations.

Asked about what she loves about working for Pupkewitz, Jurita says, “As a family owned organisation, I would definitively say the outstanding caring and performing culture. They always put their employees first and from top to bottom people are Pupkewitz biggest “assets”. Senior level managers do not only provide great leadership but also serve as great mentors to ensure personal development. Lastly their employee development and growth opportunities are endless, employees are thus more than willing to go above and beyond their job description to serve the interests of Pupkewitz.”

Jurita is passionate about making a difference through people development, especially when it results in employees unleashing and maximising their potential. She strongly believes in empowering others to better themselves through learning. “Education and personal development can lead to extraordinary differences and extraordinary lives,” concludes Jurita.

16/06/2020

27/05/2020

Jan Brandt is the Junior Procurement Manager at Pupkewitz Megabuild. His journey with the Pupkewitz Group started in December 2018, as a Procurement Assistant. A hardworking, committed and dedicated worker, Jan was promoted to his current position in March 2020.

Jan was born in Schlip, a settlement close to Rehoboth, and moved to Rehoboth with his mother and sister when he was six years old. He attended Origo Primary School and matriculated at M & K Gertze High School. He still lives in Rehoboth, commuting to Windhoek for work.

He has many interests and hobbies, amongst them outdoor recreational activities like hiking and horse riding. In future, he would love to do a hiking trail. A horse lover, he once tamed a wild horse on his uncle’s farm.

Jan says his promotion to Junior Procurement Manager came as a surprise. “The journey that led to my promotion was not easy, I had to adapt to certain ways of doing business and without my supervisor’s help I would not have made it. The skills I learned from him have helped me achieve this promotion. You must also set goals for yourself and work towards those goals, with hard work everything is possible.” He added, “In life there are always challenges and I embrace the challenges that comes with this job, because in life with every problem there is a solution, you just have to keep calm and think.”

In February 2020, Jan attended and successfully completed a 3-day Business Simulation Training. According to Jan, the training has helped him gain a better understanding of how a business operates as well as the skills of time management. Time management, he describes as essential because time is money and must be spent on important things that add value to the business.

Asked what he enjoys most about working for the Pupkewitz Group, Jan said, “I am honoured to work for a socially responsible organisation, that always gives back to its community. The Group also prioritises youth empowerment, through various youth development initiatives like internships and apprenticeships. I love working for Pupkewitz Megabuild specifically, where I am learning new things every day. It is my wish to continue playing my part in helping this organisation grow for years to come.”

“My belief is to always trust God, remain humble and be true to yourself as well as others,” concludes Jan.

24/05/2020

We wish you a Happy and Wonderful Africa Day.

12/05/2020

We wish our Founding President, DR. SAM NUJOMA a Happy 91st Birthday.

10/05/2020

We wish all the Mothers, a wonderful day packed with love, gratitude and laughter.

01/05/2020

22/04/2020

Devon Bailey is a Graphic Designer at Pupkewitz Holdings. His journey with the Pupkewitz Group started in April 2017.

Devon was born and raised in Windhoek. He grew up with both his parents and is the youngest of three siblings. From an early age, his parents instilled in him the values of faith, discipline and respect. Devon credits these values for the strong person he is today and continues to apply them to his everyday life. He remembers his childhood as mainly chilled and fun. He completed his grade 12 at the Windhoek Technical High School (HTS) and went on to pursue a qualification in graphic design, his career of choice, which to this day he is very passionate about.

Devon describes himself as an extroverted introvert, very talkative and extremely quiet at times. In his spare time, he enjoys socializing with his friends and family and watching soccer. As a creative he is also drawn to designing, photography and sketching/drawing. He also enjoys his own company.

One of four Graphic Designers in the team, Devon is responsible for Pupkewitz Megabuild designs but he also assists with designs for the other Pupkewitz divisions. He describes his work as challenging at times, but also fulfilling as he gets to learn and grow while doing what he loves. Devon says, “Working as a Designer you face challenging times, but after all you come out stronger. I mean I have an excellent team behind me, so why not.”

As one of the leading companies in Namibia, the Pupkewitz Group prides itself on the growth and development of its people, which they cultivate through various employee development programmes. Last year, Devon successfully completed his training in Film Production & Video editing, which has further enhanced his skills and knowledge. Devon is also the Safety Officer/Fire Marshall for Pupkewitz Holdings. He underwent training for this role and received a certificate in 2018. “It all comes down to learning what you have not known and broadening your mind. Because of my willingness to learn and continuous progress mindset, I can now confidently say that I am better than I was before personally and professionally,” said Devon.

Devon lives by Psalm 23 (The Lord is my Shepherd), and concludes by saying; “Stay strong, even at times when things may be unclear. As long as you know where you stand with your inner self, be real. Eventually things will get back on track.”

09/04/2020

Have a great Easter Weekend!