PROFILE MINT HOTELS
From first hires to the helm
AGNES NTOMBELA
Agnes Ntombela started her working life as a security guard; today she manages the MINT Hotel 84 on Katherine, the property where the hotel chain’ s story first began.
MINT Hotels launched in 2020, in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, with a fresh take on hospitality: apartment-style stays that emphasise value, comfort, flexibility, and design. Agnes Ntombela, hired as employee number two, helped build the brand from the ground up. She now manages MINT Hotel 84, where it all began.
Ntombela began her hospitality career in 1999 as a Business Centre Administrator after starting out as a security guard. The role gave her hands-on experience in hotel operations, guest service, administration, and back-office coordination, laying the foundation for her future leadership.
“ I might not have planned to enter hospitality, but once I was in it, I saw how meaningful the work is and how deeply it impacts people and communities, and that’ s what made me stay,” explains Ntombela.
She went on to pursue formal learning and completed a Diploma through UNISA, strengthening her management and business skills. She was later selected as one of the first candidates in the Department of Tourism’ s Women in Tourism Leadership Programme, an experience that elevated her strategic perspective, influence and commitment to mentorship.
Helping build MINT Hotels from day one
Ntombela joined MINT in July 2020 as Hotel Operations
Manager at MINT Hotel 84 on Katherine, stepping into a startup environment with no systems and a small team. She helped establish operational workflows, guest experience standards, and the brand’ s collaborative culture. Her leadership saw her quickly rise to Deputy General Manager at MINT Express Melrose View by March 2021 and General Manager of MINT Hotel 84 by September of that same year. As MINT grew from one property to seven in five years, Ntombela found herself integrally involved in the operational development and expansion.
“ Watching MINT grow from one hotel to a multi-property group has been one of my proudest achievements,” she says.“ It showed me what a committed team can build, even in challenging circumstances.”
Leading the Future at 84 on Katherine
Now overseeing one of the group’ s flagship properties, Ntombela continues to drive operational excellence, guest satisfaction, team development and cultural consistency. She is equally committed to supporting the rise of women in hospitality, championing leadership that is empathetic, solutions-driven and deeply people-centred.
As MINT Hotels continues to grow and refine its offering, Ntombela ' s focus is firmly on progress that involves building strong teams, elevating guests’ experiences and contributing to a brand she has helped shape from its formative stages. ■
118 SA PROFILE www. saprofilemagazine. co. za