OBITUARY: Former BDFM publisher Nathi Maramnco has died

Tributes have poured in following the death of former Business Day and Financial Mail (BDFM) publisher and COO Nathi Maramnco.

Here are some quotes from former Business Day and Financial Mail colleagues:

“I met Nathi in 2005/2006 when he was appointed by Mike Robertson as financial manager. He was promoted to deputy GM: media circulation, and after that he was hired as MD of the Eastern Cape division. Later he was moved to BDFM as COO. I was talking to a colleague who leads circulation in KwaZulu-Natal. He reminded me that it was Nathi who hired him in 2006.

We were led. He was fair, open minded and highly analytical. Although he would take time to strike, you knew that by the time he reacted he had calculated all the moves. I remember when we used to go watch Orlando Pirates games at the stadium, we would make sure in advance there was enough genuine work to do in KwaZulu-Natal so that when Pirates were playing we would go and watch the game. What a guy, what a boss, what a confidante, what a mentor, what a friend! I will always remember his playful side. I will dearly miss him.” — Maphala Makgoba, former BDFM GM: circulation.

 “My interaction with Nathi was on the finance side, a true professional he was. I will forever remember his own-brand sense of humour, dry as it came, but funny. One also remembers not so long ago how he was talking about his daughter starting university and the expectations he had.” — Claude Chibaya, former BDFM CFO.

“What a guy ... I once took a drive with him from Tshego Malinga’s house where we were celebrating Nthateng’s birthday. He was driving his daughter to Parkhurst for a sleepover. I was humbled by the experience because he took time out for a braai for his daughter. I learnt a big lesson from his love for family. I enjoyed my interactions with Mr Maramnco. I was lucky enough to play golf with the gentle brother.

 For anyone to welcome you to their house and introduce you to their family is humbling. As Nathi walked in the house, the dogs would follow him around, and we’d get a high five and low five from his four-year-old son — heartwarming! He was silly at times but always had a moment to talk like a big brother. He never used rank to undermine. Rest easy, sir!” — Goodwill Nkuna, sales manager, Gallo Records.

“Eish! Nathi and I sang a lot at our local spot. We changed lyrics to popular songs to deal with whatever might have been bothering us at the time, be it work or personal drama. One of his favourites hymns was Modimo o re file sebakanyana see, Le motsotsonyana o (God has given us this moment and a few minutes). How apt. We had changed Le motsotsonyana o to Le mokhukhunyana o (shack), mostly referring to the shoddy state of the canteen at the time. The song was always followed by childish laughter, as if to dare God. To rebel against the religion and tradition of singing that song like that and to do it in a pub!

Everything was an opportunity to laugh with Nathi. One time he told me a tale of how he was in a plane that landed on its belly in Cape Town ... a near fatality story. He told it laced with so much humour I had no time to feel fear. I  laughed beginning to end. Rest easy, my friend. I know you are giggling where you are. Modimo o ne are file sebakanyana se! (God had given us this moment). I will remain grateful for motsotsonyana wa Rona wa ditshego (our moment of laughter)” — Tshego Malinga, former BDFM marketing manager.

“I think I was introduced to Nathi Maramnco by Peter Bruce. He rated him well. The departure of Mzi Malunga as BDFM MD had created a lot of upset in some circles in the company. Peter had stepped into Mzi’s role thinking that balancing the books was the same as producing the best Business Day edition. He quickly found the numbers unbearable and returned to stitching words. The proprietors called in the brave Nathi to step in as COO.

Nathi was seen as a  great operator and cleaner to an extent that one of his colleagues (Maphala Makgoba) always asked 'why are you always cleaning, why can’t they make you CEO wena Nathi? Nathi would get hot under the collar and cool himself with ice inserted into scotch. The interrogation would continue from Tshego Malinga jokingly threatening him: ‘Nathi, can you confess that Mzi left the business profitable? If you do not do that I am giving Phakamisa the management accounts to write.’ Getting more irritated Nathi would take another sip to cool himself before breaking into pure Sesotho and Xhosa o ka se etse ntho eo Tshego (you cannot do that). ‘Mhlekazi, Phakamisa you cannot write from stolen information.’

Nathi was principled and not a coward. As we got slightly “under the table” at the church across the road, he would let it slip. ‘By the way, I just fired someone who stole a television,’ referring to one manager who was well paid but decided to loot a flat screen from BDFM. At one point in the church I witnessed a near start to a fist fight between Nathi and Sabelo Skiti. The contents of the argument shall remain sacred. Tempers flared and the threat of punches was reduced to church-friendly expletives after some intervention.

Nathi was passionate about excellence. He supported good pay for quality journalism. He always wanted the best. His departing theme in church would be: ‘Mhlekazi, I have to go now and play with my daughter and son. I also need to be with my wife so that she can give me a visa to play golf over the weekend.’ Rest in peace Jola, Mpondomise.” — Phakamisa Ndzamela, former BDFM journalist. 

“I met Nathi when he was still called Lucky. I had just joined BDFM and we were in Sun City. I was meant to share the room with him. I didn’t know him as I was only a week old at BFDM. I actually thought he was an Italian guy when I saw the name ... never met a Maramnco before and with a name Lucky ... I was convinced. Anyway, I was moved to a single room before I met my would-be roommate. When I finally met him I told him the Italian story and he laughed out loud. That’s the brother I knew, always in high spirits yet quiet. He was looking after circulation for my brand/publication, the Financial Mail. Circulation meetings were always a minefield, and Nathi was an experienced bomb-defusing expert, no matter the situation. Go well bra, I know you’re smiling there.” — Mxolisi Buthelezi — former Financial Mail brand manager.