Meet Rue
Rutendo Ngondonga is a Customer Relations Specialist at Kandua.
Dedication and passion
Rutendo, or Rue as we call her, started out as one of Kandua’s review callers, and her enthusiasm quickly made an impression. Within six months, a new role had been created for her, and she was appointed as a Junior Customer Relations Manager. Just over two years and two promotions later, Rue is a Customer Relations Specialist at Kandua and everyone’s go-to person when it comes to knowing what makes a Kandua Pro tick.
“What got me here is that my dedication and passion got noticed. It’s a reflection of who I am. I hate missing deadlines, and I thought I was pushing hard, just for my own sake. But, during a particularly hectic time, I remember overhearing Arjun say: ‘Rue is killing it!’”, she laughs. “I don’t take anything for granted. When I have an opportunity, I grab onto it with both hands because I’m afraid it might slip.”
Best moments
Despite how successful Rue has been at Kandua, the career highlight that stands out for her is how her colleagues treated her in one of the toughest months of her life. In January 2021, Rue had just gotten engaged and lobola negotiations were in full swing. Everything came to a screeching halt when her eldest brother was the victim of a violent mugging and ended up in a coma.
“The people at Kandua came through for me and gave me support, the kind of support that I really needed at the time,” she says. “It’s not just work here, it’s like family. Everyone reached out and showed me love.”
Once her brother had started recovering and her lobola had happened, her teamies threw a surprise Kandua wedding — yup, a literal wedding, complete with a veil, a wedding cake, and a dial-in-drunk-uncle. For once, well-poised Rue was speechless.
People person
Rue’s job has her on the phone most of the day. “As much as it may sound weird to some, I love it. I am genuinely interested in people and the feeling I get from helping someone is amazing: whether they start the conversation all worked up or they are politely asking a question.”
“The people at Kandua are the best, of course. We like joking and laughing, but we’re in a fast-paced environment and we get things done,” she adds.
Rue doesn’t slow down when she logs off for the day. “I’ve discovered online selling and after business hours I’m now fulfilling orders from all over the country. It’s a lot of fun, and some nice spending money on the side!”
The newest member of the family
If you’re joining a Zoom call with Rue, you might be lucky enough to spot the newest member of the family, five-month-old baby Hugo.
Rue is taking motherhood in her stride, but it is a deeply moving journey for her. At the age of six, she and her five siblings were adopted by her extended family when her parents had passed away. “I think a lot about what I want to do differently for my son. My parents had not invested much, and things were really tough. Still, because of our family, all of us were able to go to university, and that’s helped me get where I am today.”
So, when Rue says Kandua is like family — that’s saying a whole lot.
