Regional Home Affairs manager retires after four decades of service

The name George Zamba Maluleke has become synonymous with the Department of Home Affairs. Known as a man of few words and more action, he has stamped his trademark in the department. After years in public service, he bade farewell as district manager of Home Affairs in Vhembe at the end of January, at the age of 63, to enjoy a well-deserved retirement.

Maluleke will be remembered as one of the most productive managers in the department, who helped transform public service into a one-stop-centred office where the public could interact directly with government officials to improve service delivery. His strong but persuasive voice was a usual companion to listeners as he explained government-related services on various radio stations throughout the country.

The road has been a winding one for the highly respected Maluleke as he climbed the career ladder. He started working at the then Gazankulu auditor general’s office in 1981. He also worked as assistant director for the then Department of Interior Affairs before joining the auditor general’s office as audit manager in Polokwane. He took a two-year break from public service and worked as a liaison manager for a consulting engineering company between 1998 and 2001, after which he rejoined the public service and was appointed as the regional manager for Home Affairs—a position he held until his retirement last month.

Also being a pastor, he said he now had enough time to preach the word of God at the Assemblies of God church in Malamulele, where he lives. He also considers establishing an NGO to deal with immigration and civic services issues in the near future.

Maluleke, who holds a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Pretoria, attributes his excellent service to his love for his community. “As a preacher of the gospel of the Lord, I have learned to respect and love everyone because we are all his creations. My advice to the young generation is to be passionate about what they do, love their work, and ask God to guide them every day. I would like to thank the government and the people of South Africa for giving me the opportunity to realise my potential and contribute to the development of our society,” he said.

Date:10 February 2024

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