Pamela “Pinky” Motlhabi is a first generation funeral director and the proud founder of Tshebedisano Burial Society and Funerals in Johannesburg, South Africa.
After ten and a half years, yearning for more in life she decided to leave First National Bank and worked at Transvaal United African Teachers Association (TUATA) as a bookkeeper for two years. She then worked for an engineering company as an office assistant/receptionist for 6 months. In 1996, at the age of 31 she had to leave the engineering company due to the passing of her husband the late Alpheus Joel Motlhabi.
After her tough ordeal and having to raise her daughter on her own she went back to work as a temp at First National Bank for 3 months but in 1997 she took it upon herself to secure a loan that enabled her to open Tshebedisano Burial Society and Funerals formerly known as Ikageng Burial and Funerals.
She has since managed to run the company as the only managing director. In the last 15 years since inception of Tshebedisano Burial, Pamela has managed to move from having one hearse, one family car and renting office space in an industrial complex to a building of her very own that was planned and designed by her, on her own land she bought in 2007. She opened the doors at the newly built Tshebedisano offices on January 2, 2011.
Tshebedisano Burial Society has proudly served thousands of people and has a client base of over 20,000 policy members currently and services for up to 27 funerals per weekend throughout the year. The company employs over 50 permanent staff members and part time drivers. With the vision and mission to give back to the community, Tshebedisano has created employment for many of its staff members who come from informal settlements.
Everything Pam has achieved and successfully implemented in her company was self-taught as she has no formal educational background in the mortuary and funeral business. Attending conferences in the United States has opened her eyes to new and exciting ways of adding value to her business. She has since realized and witnessed how different but similar the funeral industry is all over the world. In 2011 she acquired a distinction after attending a CPC course and examination in Houston, TX sponsored by NFDA, attaining certification at the 100 BWFS Women’s Empowerment Conference at the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service. She proudly uses the Certified Preneed Counselor designation behind her name.
Pamela has followed her spiritual path since 2003 and spends most of her spare time at church where she is a spiritual teacher. Pam enjoys travelling the world, meeting people and values spending time with her family.