From Cleaning to Leading
David Mabena Makes Delmas Proud
David Mabena, whose professional journey began at the tender age of 18, shares the remarkable story of how he progressed from his role as a cleaner to Assistant Production Manager at McCain South Africa. Having always wanted to pursue a career in Production Management, but likewise having had to accept the harsh reality of being unable to receive a tertiary education due to financial constraints, David immediately began his job search as soon as he matriculated in 1995. Through one of his friends, David was informed of job opportunities at McCain and so sent his CV along with his friend in the hopes of securing employment. A week later, David was invited to his first interview at McCain, where he soon after began his role as a cleaner. With his dream of working in Production Management in clear sight, coupled with his fierce determination to succeed, David understood that his role as a cleaner was a critical opportunity that would allow him to develop the necessary skill set required for him to accomplish his end goal.
As a cleaner, David was based in the processing area, where he proactively sought out growth opportunities. His first step was to ask his former colleague if he could operate the fryer and stand in for his colleague if and when required. Through this simple act, McCain’s leadership team recognised David’s potential. David was introduced to McCain’s development programmes through his constant dedication, commitment, and hard work, which enabled him to complete the Management Development Programme at UNISA and earn a qualification. After that , David was given an opportunity to work as an Operator, which was the starting point of his upward trajectory. He progressed to Team Leader, Shift Superintendent, Shift Manager, Packing Manager, Senior MDI Coach, and his current position as Assistant Production Manager.
One of David’s most notable achievements, throughout his 27 years of employment at McCain, was when he was asked by John Allan, former Manufacturing Director, to assist in the opening of a new processing plant in Mehsana, India. However, David acknowledged winning the Resilience Award as his greatest accomplishment, describing it as his most cherished award. Elaborating on this, David says, “I had a critical medical condition, which brought my life to a standstill for almost four years. With the support of the senior leadership team (current and former plant managers), my family, and all my work colleagues, I became aggressively more resilient, which allowed me to bounce back with renewed vigour.”
Donovan Abrahams,Plant Manager at McCain’s Delmas food processing plant, supports David’s exemplary professional journey, sharing, “David (or Bova as he is known) is a family man and a well respected citizen of Delmas. He is devoted when it comes to helping the members of his close family and co-worker. David has shown enormous resilience in bouncing back from health issues and is a true leader when it comes to leading the way, as he knows the way and shows the way forward.He courageously tackles all obstacles, overcoming them in order to achieve his goals while on shift, which landed him the name 100 ton man back in the days when that target of 100 tons seemed unachievable. David is reliable, dependable and committed as a leader at McCain and a true friend that is liked by not just the community of Delmas but wherever he goes.”
Looking to his future, David shares, “I want to see this business achieving 65% recovery by 2025 and becoming more competitive. I want to continue learning and continue growing with this business by taking on additional responsibilities to contribute as much value as possible. I also want my organisation to be in the top five globally in terms of rankings.”
In addition to his drive and determination, David equally credits his success to McCain, which he believes empowered him to achieve his goals through good coaching and development programmes. He was also allowed exposure to different roles and to work in conjunction with other departments. This is echoed by McCain’s latest award, which recognises the company as a Top Employer in South Africa.
Drawing from his own experience, David desperately urges young graduates to consider applying for McCain’s Graduate Trainee Programme, sharing that McCain is responsible for producing competitive leaders. When asked what advice he can offer to young people who would like to have a successful career at McCain, David shares, “To achieve your goals, the first step is to get out of your comfort zone. McCain is filled with plenty of wonderful opportunities for those who have an appetite for success, and the organisation is structured to support the growing needs of each of its employees. However, it is likewise your responsibility to ensure that you are focussed and work hard with clear goals in mind.”
If you found inspiration from David’s story and are interested in applying for McCain’s 2023 Graduate Trainee Programme, please visit: https://www.mccain.com/careers/students-graduates/.