Rebaone Maakelo, group HR director at Interwaste, describes his journey into human resources as a “funny story,” as he explains it with a chuckle – one that began in an unexpected wrong queue at university.
Initially aiming for computer engineering at Technikon Witwatersrand, a full programme administrator led him to a shorter queue that turned out to be for Management Services and HR.
“I had the spirit of a 19-year-old at that moment, who was excited and just wanted to somehow get into tertiary education. I ended up finding myself in a queue for a completely different course than what I wanted.”
However, this accidental entry has proved to be a fortunate twist of fate, as it has blossomed into a fulfilling and impactful career for him. “I'm thankful for that mistake because as I moved along, I realised that I'm actually better in social sciences than I am in the technical sciences of computing.”
This realisation further paved the way for his passion for general people upliftment and development. “It gave me the opportunity to become who I am in terms of how I like to grow people, and all this started back then at Technikon Witwatersrand.”
His first internship was a pivotal moment in his career, taking him to a workers' union, where he experienced firsthand the intricate relationship between employees, unions, and management.
“My first intern job was to work in a union. This experience provided me with a deep understanding of how to balance the needs and interests of employees with the organisational goals," a theme that would continue throughout his career.
The lessons learnt during his time in the union sector later shaped his approach in the corporate space. “I came with the understanding of what both parties (labour and employer) always struggled with. So, this helped me to balance the employees and employer’s interests and respect the role of unions in representing employees.”
“It made me realise that it truly takes a village to raise a child,” a sentiment he still applies to his work in HR. “In my view, successful organisational development cannot happen in silos but must involve a wide range of contributors, including HR, cross functional involvement, senior management, and organised labour, to foster a thriving workplace culture.”
At Interwaste, the environmental impact is at the core of the business. The company focuses on providing solutions for recycling, waste management, and environmental sustainability. “We manage waste from point of generation to destination, efficiently servicing the oil and gas, mining, FMCG, chemical, pharmaceutical, industrial, logistics and paper and packaging sectors across Southern Africa.”
Developing leadership
Rebaone's role as group human resources director is to ensure that the company develops the capabilities required, to meet the growing demand for sustainable waste management solutions. “We are an environmentally focused company. My focus is on developing the leadership and skill sets required to support Interwaste's expansion and innovation in the waste management industry. This includes ensuring that employees are well-equipped to propose future-focused solutions and engage with stakeholders, including local governments and international clients, who prioritise environmental sustainability.”
In the complex waste management industry, Rebaone sees leadership as the cornerstone of organisational success. He notes the need for leadership development, stating, “We have to focus on the development of capability that will be able to fulfil this, we have to ensure that we equip everyone with the right skills to service the market in line with our customer value proposition (CVP)”
“Because of the complex nature of our growth and the work we do in environmental safety, we also have to make sure that compliance remains key.”
When asked about the challenges he has faced in his career, Rebaone humbly admits, “It is tough to talk about challenges because when you talk about them, you remind yourself of those difficult moments. For me, however, challenges have always revolved around transformation and change management.”
He explains that when a leader joins a company, one may often find that things are being done in a particular way, and his vision for the future may require significant change. His challenge, therefore, is not just about implementing new strategies, but inspiring others to buy into that vision. “You have to inspire all the stakeholders to buy into this idea and make sure everyone is taken through the journey. This transformation often involves moving away from established practices that employees are comfortable with and getting them to embrace something new.”
Another challenge that Rebaone highlights is leadership development. “Significant investment is needed on the Leaders at the top to ensure development of the leaders whom our clients would like to work with. This also encourages top-down approach in terms of development, and therefore achievement of required alignment.”
Breaking down silos
For organisations to thrive, the role of a leader, in his view, must prioritise providing the necessary resources, care, and guidance to ensure achievement of optimum performance.
For Rebaone, HR is not just about filling positions – it is about attaining and developing talent that will propel the organisation forward. "You have to focus on career management," he stresses. “As part of our strategy, we have implemented performance management systems that are geared toward total evaluation for development rather than just progress against KPIs.” We do not see it just as performance management; it is an integrated performance management process for employee development.”
According to him, the employee journey is a continuous cycle of engagement. “The employee life cycle is basically an engagement cycle. You engage with employees from the time they get in up to the time they leave the organisation, and you have to make sure that they are engaged during this period and allow them to give their best.” “An employee feels truly engaged if their contributions are getting the required recognition.”
This philosophy highlights his focus on key HR initiatives. “So, it is something that I focused on a lot, and hence I do not compromise on deploying learning and development initiatives and proper onboarding and induction to set employees up for success and develop proper and clear performance management tools that enable employees to measure their progress and close any existing performance gaps. So, you have to be able to give them something which employees can get excited about.”
To achieve this, open communication through town halls, CEO business updates, and department-level meetings, ensures that employees understand their role in achieving the company's strategic goals. “Every depot, every department, will have monthly meetings where they give the necessary business update,” he says. “This ‘bottom-up approach’ ensures that employees are not merely working in isolation but are continuously connected to the bigger picture of what makes the company's success.”
Rebaone’s approach to leadership and life is deeply influenced by his upbringing. Raised by a single mother, he learnt the importance of commitment and helping others from an early age. “My mom always instilled in me to help the next person without expecting anything in return,” he reflects. So, I have carried through this value in both my personal and professional life.”
Rebaone shares that he has been with his wife since 2003, and together they have three children, ages 16, 11, and 7. “Saturdays are reserved for family time, anything they want to do, I’m all in.”
Sundays, however, are his personal time. “I always look forward to the F1 Grand Prix every Sunday. It is the one thing that helps me unwind before jumping back into the week ahead.” Once the race is over, though, his mind shifts gears to the next day.
Overall, what stands out most about him is his servant leadership style. He does not view leadership as a position of authority but as an opportunity to guide and empower others. “A leader’s job is to provide care, resources and ensuring that employees are set to win. I have learnt to be a protector,” he says, referring to his role as the firstborn brother in his family. “This protective instinct is something I bring into my leadership style, guiding and supporting my team members with the same care I would offer to my family.”
