LESETJA MALOPE
Public Works Head of Department Christopher Chamano is a man who is not shy to credit his humble rural upbringing for what he has become.
Polokwane Observer finally managed to interview the man widely considered to be media-shy as no other publication has managed to get such an opportunity with him thus far.
Chamano had a typical upbringing in Greater Letaba Municipality’s Ga Phooko village where he schooled at the local schools before heading to Soweto to do his Matric. "Though I was naughty in high school, I was the head boy," he confesses of his earlier days.
As an 18-year-old matriculant, he found himself teaching his peers in his former high school of Mahudu as a private teacher, a position he held for a year before enrolling with the then University of the North for an education qualification. He majored in Geography and English and took keen interest in Criminology as one of his courses.
At 19 he was at the helm of the now defunct professional soccer team, Matsena Giant-killers as head coach, a position he held till the late 1990s. "The club owner also helped me with my studies" said Chamano who during his seven-year stint as coach went through a level one South African Football Association (Safa) coaching course under the guidance of renowned coach Ted Dumitru.
"I think I should not have studied too much then I would have focused more (on soccer) but we come from a background where education is over-emphasised rather than building your talent," he said jokingly about the probability of him turning out to be a professional soccer coach instead of an administrator.
After his university studies, which included a postgraduate qualification in Criminology, he went on to be a lecturer at Sekhukhune College of Education.
While a lecturer he enrolled for another postgraduate qualification with Rand Afrikaans University before going to work at the Norwegian People’s Aid in Durban.
The position exposed him to travelling overseas and soon he was appointed Director of the organisation in charge of the entire country.
"That’s where I cut my managerial teeth," he said of his time at the organisation.
In 2007 he had a brief stint at the Department of Science and Technology as the Chief Operations Officers of its Technology Stations Forum wing before heading back home to be the Chief of Staff in the Executive Mayor’s Office at Mopani District Municipality.
He joined the department earlier this year as a Senior Manager in the MEC’s office and in his first month applied successfully for the Head of Department position.
He assures that by the time his current five-year contract comes to an end he would have made a decision about his next career move.
"You can’t do the same thing for too long. Whether you are in leadership or management, if you don’t grow then you crack because you can’t absorb new ideas," he said.
"It’s not a matter of whether you are doing very well or not," he added.
When he is not running the department, the husband and father of four prefers to travel to his home village and spend time with his mother and elderly villagers. Clear evidence that despite his high profile position, he remains true to his roots.