Date: 20 January 2026
Time: 07:33 – 08:21
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Chairperson: Mr Clifford Legodi – Chief Operations Officer (Neftaly)
Minute Taker: Neftaly Operations Office

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1. Attendance

Neftaly

• Clifford Legodi – Chief Operations Officer
• Tsakani Rikhotso – Monitoring & Evaluation Officer
• Patricia Chuene – Research Officer
• Nancy Mdaka – Strategic Partnerships
• Linah Ralepelle – Development Manager
• Jeffery Motapina – Chief of Education
• Tshiamo – Human Capital Officer
• Bruno Langa – Marketing Specialist
• Halle Jacobs – Strategic Partnerships (PSP)
• Monicca – Sparrow Coordinator
• Kamogelo – Technology Support

Neftaly Board

• Johanneson – Deputy Chairperson
• Miramar Levy – Board Secretary
• Jane Soho – Deputy Treasurer
• Deepu Mamabolo – Board Treasurer
• Timothy Mahara – Board Member

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2. Purpose of the Meeting

The meeting was convened to:

• Confirm the return and attendance of Sparrow interns
• Clarify changes in Neftaly management and reporting structures
• Identify operational challenges affecting intern productivity
• Agree on corrective actions and a way forward

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3. Key Context Provided by the Chair

• Several senior staff members have exited Neftaly, impacting intern supervision and task allocation.
• These changes were not fully communicated, resulting in confusion and work disruptions.
• There is concern regarding interns who have not reported for duty or communicated challenges.
• The meeting aimed to re-establish structure, accountability, and continuity of work.

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4. Feedback from Sparrow Interns

4.1 Communication & Task Allocation

• Interns reported lack of task allocation due to:
  • Microsoft Teams access issues
  • Unclear reporting lines following staff exits
• Marketing interns indicated unassigned work despite availability.

4.2 Infrastructure Challenges at Sparrow

• Frequent internet outages
• Non-functional computer labs
• Insufficient access to laptops (tablets not suitable for all tasks)
• Time lost at Sparrow campuses without productive output

General sentiment: Interns reported being more productive when working from home due to reliable connectivity.

4.3 System & Publishing Issues

• Interns in Strategic Partnerships reported inability to publish completed work on Neftaly systems.
• Issue was escalated to departmental management for resolution.

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5. Sparrow Management Input (Monicca)

• Interns are required to report physically to Sparrow as per programme rules.
• Non-attendance without approval may result in warnings.
• Requested:
  1. A spreadsheet of interns per department, including mentors and contact details
  2. A separate list of interns who are absent or unresponsive, with comments

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6. Departmental Updates (Neftaly)

• Monitoring & Evaluation: Reduced intern capacity due to non-reporting interns; request for replacements.
• Research: Some interns did not return in January; managers advised to initiate warnings where communication is absent.
• Strategic Partnerships: Contracts for some interns ended in December; request for clear confirmation from Sparrow to avoid follow-ups on exited interns.
• Human Capital: Minimal operational disruption despite leadership changes.

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7. Key Issues Identified

• Poor communication from interns during challenges
• Unclear intern status (returned, exited, or absent)
• Limited productivity due to infrastructure constraints
• Lack of consolidated, updated intern allocation data

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8. Resolutions & Action Items

Action	Responsible	Timeline
Share Sparrow intern master list	Sparrow (Monicca)	Immediate
Update intern allocation per department & mentors	Neftaly Operations	Within 2 days
Address Teams access & publishing issues	Neftaly IT / Research	Ongoing
Interns to communicate challenges promptly via WhatsApp & managers	All Interns	Immediate
Department heads to issue warnings where necessary	Neftaly Managers	As required
Temporary shadowing for new interns	Marketing Department	Immediate

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9. Way Forward

• Management to reassess feasibility of remote work versus on-site attendance.
• Emphasis placed on discipline, accountability, and communication.
• Daily progress or handover reports to be submitted by all interns.
• Follow-up meeting to be scheduled once updated intern lists are received.

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10. Closing

The Chair thanked all participants for their engagement and resilience despite challenges. The meeting concluded with a commitment from management to improve coordination and operational clarity.

Meeting Adjourned: 10:39am