Tourism Month Spotlight: Three Joburg Tourism Ambassadors Turn Opportunity into Lasting Careers
Press Release by Joburg Tourism, 16 September 2026
As South Africa celebrates Tourism Month in September, the success stories of three former Joburg Tourism Ambassadors highlights the transformative role tourism plays in creating meaningful employment opportunities, developing critical workplace skills and opening doors to sustainable careers for young people.
Through the Johannesburg Tourism Ambassador Programme, Veronicca Lekoloane, Nobuhle Thembani and Ncebakazi Mohapi have each transformed a temporary workplace learning opportunity into a professional career, demonstrating how investment in youth development can create lasting economic and social impact.
Creating Pathways Through the Joburg Tourism and Hospitality Vocational Training Programme
Previously known as the Tourism Ambassador Programme, the Joburg Tourism and Hospitality Vocational Training Programme provides young people with practical workplace experience while equipping them with the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to build careers within the tourism and hospitality sectors. Participants are placed at tourism attractions, visitor touchpoints, heritage sites and events across Johannesburg, where they gain first-hand experience in visitor engagement, destination promotion, customer service and tourism operations.
The programme develops a broad range of transferable workplace skills, including communication, customer service, problem-solving, teamwork, destination knowledge and professionalism. Beyond technical competencies, it helps participants build confidence, expand professional networks and gain valuable exposure to the many career opportunities available within tourism and hospitality.
During the 2023/24 and 2025/26 programme cycles, a total of 300 Tourism Ambassadors were placed across Johannesburg tourism sites and hospitality establishments, with 8 subsequently securing permanent employment opportunities.
For many young people, the programme provides an important first step into the world of work. The journeys of Lekoloane, Thembani and Mohapi are powerful examples of how practical experience, mentorship and opportunity can help young people build sustainable careers while contributing to Johannesburg's tourism economy.
From Hope to Opportunity: Veronicca Lekoloane
For Veronicca Lekoloane (29), the Tourism Ambassador Programme arrived during a period of uncertainty.
After financial constraints prevented her from completing studies in Human Resources and Psychology, she found herself struggling with disappointment and a loss of confidence. Despite these setbacks, she remained determined to build a future for herself and continued searching for opportunities that would provide practical workplace experience.
Holding a matric qualification, Lekoloane joined the Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme in October 2023 and quickly embraced the opportunity to learn, grow and gain experience within the tourism sector.
Initially stationed at 27 Boxes in Melville, Lekoloane later joined the Johannesburg Holocaust and Genocide Centre (JHGC), where she welcomed visitors, assisted tourists and supported daily operations. The experience helped her develop confidence, professionalism, customer service expertise and a deeper appreciation for Johannesburg's diverse tourism offering.
Her dedication and commitment did not go unnoticed. Following a journey of more than two years, she secured permanent employment at the JHGC and was appointed as a Receptionist and Tech Officer in February 2026.
Today, she manages front-desk operations, supports visitors and staff, and provides technical assistance to ensure the organisation's systems operate smoothly.
Reflecting on her journey, Lekoloane says: "Being a Tourism Ambassador opened doors I never imagined. The campaign gave me a platform to serve, to learn, and to grow. Today, I am proud to have transitioned into a permanent role as Receptionist and Tech Officer. It's proof that the Ambassador programme truly changes lives." She adds: "The Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme didn't just give me a job, it gave me hope for a better and brighter future."
A First Opportunity That Became a Career: Nobuhle Thembani
For Nobuhle Thembani (36), the programme represented an opportunity to turn her qualifications and passion for tourism into meaningful employment.
Thembani holds a National Diploma in Library and Information Studies and a National Certificate in Generic Management: Customer Management (Banking). She also completed tourism studies but was unable to obtain her final N6 certificate.
Joining the Tourism Ambassador Programme opened new possibilities for growth and exposure within the tourism and hospitality industries.
Through her placement, she developed customer service expertise, strengthened her communication skills and gained valuable workplace experience while interacting with visitors from diverse backgrounds.
Thembani joined the programme in October 2023 and was initially placed in the Newtown Precinct. In October 2025, she was transferred to a hotel establishment, Garden Court, where her dedication and strong work ethic led to her securing permanent employment by 15 December 2025. Her journey highlights the positive impact the programme can have when opportunity is matched with commitment and perseverance.
Reflecting on her experience, she says: "One door opening leads to many more doors and opportunities." Of the two ambassadors placed at her site, one secured permanent employment.
Embracing New Opportunities: Ncebakazi Mohapi
For Ncebakazi Mohapi (30), tourism offered an opportunity to connect with people, learn about different cultures and represent South Africa to visitors from around the world.
Despite facing financial barriers that prevented her from pursuing studies beyond matric, Mohapi remained determined to create opportunities for herself through hard work and practical experience.
Originally from Virginia in the Free State, she joined the Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme seeking growth, exposure and a pathway into employment. During her placement, she developed skills in customer service, communication, visitor engagement and hospitality operations while working with people from different countries and backgrounds.
Mohapi began working at Sandton Sun and Towers on 7 October 2025 as a Tourism Ambassador. Her commitment and strong performance resulted in her securing a permanent position as a waitress on 1 March 2026, less than five months after her placement began.
Reflecting on her journey, she says: "I feel so overjoyed and happy about the journey that I am on right now because it is giving me a direction of where I want to be in the next coming two years, which is going overseas and gaining more experience and knowledge in the hospitality field."
Her placement cohort also reflects the programme's success. Of the two Tourism Ambassadors placed at Sandton Sun and Towers, both secured employment opportunities.
Securing permanent employment represented an important milestone and provided the stability she had long been searching for. Her message to other young women is one of perseverance and self-belief: "Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it, work hard and keep pushing towards your goals."
Tourism's Role in Empowering Young People
As we celebrate Tourism Month, the stories of Lekoloane, Thembani and Mohapi demonstrate that tourism is far more than a sector that attracts visitors and showcases destinations.
It is also a powerful driver of skills development, employment creation and economic empowerment. Each of these young women entered the Joburg Tourism Ambassador Programme with different backgrounds, ambitions and challenges. Through practical experience, mentorship and workplace exposure, they gained the confidence and skills needed to secure permanent employment and establish meaningful careers.
Their journeys illustrate the broader impact of investing in young people and creating pathways into tourism and hospitality. From a two-year journey that led to a permanent technical and administrative position, to hospitality placements that resulted in permanent employment within months, these success stories demonstrate the life-changing potential of opportunity, dedication and support.
As Johannesburg continues to develop tourism as a driver of inclusive growth, programmes such as the Joburg Tourism and Hospitality Vocational Training Programme remain critical in helping young people gain access to the workplace, build careers and contribute meaningfully to the city's economy.
For more information about Joburg Tourism and upcoming events, visit their website here.
