Maties Sport Director of Support Services, Jerry Laka will be leaving the department after seven years of being part of the Maroon Machine family.
Laka has been offered a lucrative position at University of Free State (UFS) and will be joining them at the start of 1st November in the position Director of Kovsies Sport.
Laka who has played a pivotal role in his position at Maties Sport where operational excellence has been the center of everything he did – be it with training and development of our staff, executing strategic objectives with particular focus on revamping our facilities and being a mentor and leader for many to look up to in our department.
He has continually prided himself on his work and he will be sorely missed in the hallway of the Jannie Marais House. Laka who also recently completed his master’s degree is relishing the new opportunity that awaits him in the Free State province.
“It has not been an easy decision for me as Maties Sport became part of me and my second home, I have built strong relationships with colleagues, my blood turned maroon but at some point one has to think about the future and my personal career growth.
“I enjoyed my time here at Maties Sport, appreciate the support and assistance you have provided to me during my tenure to grow in my career and also personally. Thank you to the university for affording me the opportunity to share my experience in the knowledge cultivating space, and also to learn,” said Maties Sport Support Services Director Jerry Laka.
“We have been talking about this for a very long time and it did not come as a shock, Jerry has been head hunted by a number of other universities, so I had to mentally prepare myself for the day that has now arrived. This is an important career move for him and great for him to further expand his career,” said Chief Director of Maties Sport Ilhaam Groenewald.
It is with sadness that we say goodbye to Jerry however we believe he will go on to do great things at Kovsies, and as mentioned by Laka himself “once a Matie, always a Matie!”
By Kimara Singh