Happily serving GIPF for 22 years

Hard work and a desire to serve the public

Judith Likando, a benefits administrator at the Government Institutions Pension Fund (GIPF), joined the fund when she was only 20 years old, in April 2001.

Likando said her journey at the fund has not only been long but also smooth and fairly rewarding, with the occasional bump in the road.

She has served in various divisions at GIPF over the course of her career, including client services, benefit processing and an annuity division.

Likando’s expertise is in business administration; she has both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree. She studied and graduated while working at the fund.

As the benefits administrator, Likando is responsible for, among other duties, payroll administration and reconciliation; payroll run; payroll verification; medical aid deductions; bank account changes; bank replacement; and arrears payments at the fund.

Reaping rewards

She said lessons learned while doing her work are part of the rewards of her work.

She believes that commitment, patience, discipline, loyalty, humility and calmness produce good results. Additionally, she has learned that "teamwork leads to service excellence."

Reflecting on the time she has spent at the GIPF, Likando was happy to share some achievements, which include the growth observed within her work.

Some of these include being promoted from an entry-level position to her current position.

Being the best-performing employee of the fund on three occasions, in 2016 and again in 2021 and 2022, has been another major achievement within her career.

Public responsibility

Likando is aware of the importance of her role and the difference it makes at the fund and for the people it serves.

"I contribute to the well-being of our pensioners on a daily basis through my duties and contribute to the growth of the organisation," she said.

She advises young people who would like to pursue a career in the same industry to prioritise hard work, possess the desire to serve the public, and be disciplined at all times.

In her free time, Likando enjoys reading interesting, life-changing, and current affairs articles, watching family movies and going out for an adventurous drive, which makes her day.