Francine Zana from Pot Elizabeth started working as a hotel cleaner at the age of 19. “I’ve never thought I would be a cleaner in my life, we used to think to be a domestic worker was for older women and I was a young person among the elders trying to survive,” said Zana.
None the less, she had to stick it put in order to survive. Growing up, Zana was not ashamed of her job, even when other teenagers made fun of her. When other teenagers were waking up in the morning to go to school or spending their weekends lazing about in front of the television, she was busy cleaning hotels.
She began her career as a room attendant at The City Lodge Group and worked her way up to Operations Duty Manager at The Log Collection Hotels within a period of three years. With over 15 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, Zana found the courage to establish Exclusive Hospitality Concepts (EHC). They work with hotels and homeowners and train staff members in the following departments: housekeeping, food& beverages, service skills and travel planning.
The South African hotel cleaner rose through the ranks to become a proud business owner and in 2017, she received the prestigious Lilizela Tourism Award presented by the Department of Tourism for her contribution to the tourism industry. EHC clients include The Log Collection Hotels, City Lodge and the Mantis Collection has also consulted for numerous private homeowners with regard to housekeeping and service orientation.
