Buntu Malgas’s job as a complex recreation manager at a major Dubai resort is “full on” but with a side order of fun.
The South African oversees pool and beach attendants, lifeguards, a water park, a children's club, gym and recreational activities at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort, and neighbouring hotels The Westin and W Dubai.
Mr Malgas, 36, worked as a lifeguard before travelling to the US, UK, Switzerland and later Dubai in 2008.
Climbing the ranks from lifeguard supervisor, he spent time at Abu Dhabi’s Monte Carlo Beach Club and rejoined Mina Seyahi in 2019, beginning his current role two years ago.
The National goes behind the scenes of his working day.
5.45am: The first of 40,000 steps
Three times a week, this early riser heads from his home in The Gardens to Dubai’s Kite Beach.
“I prepare protein bars, shakes and water, and my wife and I go our separate ways,” Mr Malgas says.
“I join Vikings Surf Lifesaving group for exercises in and out of water.”
He says fitness is key in a job clocking up 25,000-41,000 steps daily, maybe joining in children's club activities or testing water park rides.
“You need to be ready, anything might happen … it’s full on.”
8am: Leading the lifeguards
It's straight from workout to work, shower, change and a quick bite to eat for the Cape Town native, who inherited his lifeguarding passion from his father.
“I sometimes jump in and join them [hotel lifeguards] for training,” says Mr Malgas, who still has his certification. “They’re like, ‘let’s see what you can do’.”
The resort lifeguarding team came third at the national championships in Sharjah recently and is top within Marriott’s Mena properties.
“Part of my responsibilities is to ensure lifeguards are ready to react to any situation … we’ve had a child have a fit, choking after eating, people getting out of their depth. Generally, lifeguards pick it up quickly and activate a rescue.”
8.30-8.45am: Checking in with team of 80
Mr Malgas, who oversees about 80 staff, checks emails, grabs coffee and meets supervisors or the duty manager before morning briefing.
“They’ve been doing rounds and getting the area ready from 5am/6am,” he says.
9-9.45am: The 'conductor of chaos'
At a heads of department and general manager meeting budgets, upcoming events, incoming VIPs or corporate team building groups are discussed, before Mr Malgas tours resort hotspots with his team.
“Normally, areas with highest traffic volumes first, so our Jungle Bay waterpark, water sports, kids club and pools … the heartbeat of the hotel.
“We pinpoint anything we need to check or highlight, then I’ll do a general round of the whole facility with my leaders.”
That can include adult-only areas, tennis courts, the library or the indoor children’s climbing area.
Jokingly describing himself as a “conductor of the chaos”, among Mr Malgas’s challenges is ensuring the many types of guest are having a good time.
“You’re sorting it out as you go or taking notes on your phone, maybe we’ve identified wear and tear or need to add another first-aid kit,” he says of morning walkabouts. “It is a well-oiled machine.”
Midday: Making connections
This is lunchtime for most of the complex recreation manager’s crew.
“It’s a good way to connect with them, sometimes we don’t talk about work … a lot are from countries that really love cricket, so that’s a hot topic.”
And English isn’t the first language of some, which can produce interesting "entertainment".
“You can go to the cafe and they are humming Sweet Caroline … songs they picked up from brunch,” says Mr Malgas, citing The Westin’s famous Bubbalicious fixture. “There’s a great rendition of the Sri Lankan boys singing I Come From A Land Down Under …”
1pm: Face-time and face painting
A chance to catch-up with the administration team.
“They are the engine of my departments,” Mr Malgas says, taking care of gym members, corporate clients, procurement of cleaning product to art supplies in the children's club.
The latter demands much of his attention, ensuring safety beside the fun.
“I’ve come back to the office many times with a Batman face-painting and had to clean myself up,” he admits. “Or a makeover and walked into the gym with red cheeks.”
2pm: In the driving seat
A resort tour with the guest buggy drivers – “the guys driving you from A to B” with knowledge of restaurants, pool timings, ATMs” – takes Mr Malgas to all three properties.
“I’ll link with concierges and front offices, [hear about[ families that have requirements, such as tennis coaching or swimming lessons.
“We have plunge pools, like an ice bath, good for recovery, sauna and steam rooms, so [professional[ sports people come with their families, wake up early and use those facilities, or meeting rooms for strength and conditioning training in private.”
Familiar footballers have also stayed, but Mr Malgas cites a synchronised swimming squad rehearsing as his favourite sporting visit.
3pm: Reviewing the reviews
Being the quietest time for personal trainers and coaches, Mr Malgas connects with them before the next wave of traffic “to make sure towels are ready and we are good to go”.
He examines guest reviews, online ratings and comments before the 4pm tea break. “I use this to say, ‘congratulations, you’re mentioned by a guest on TripAdvisor’…it’s a great motivator”.
4.30-6.30pm: Evaluating the day
Some closing admin before Mr Malgas begins his 6pm final site round.
“This gives me a chance to speak to team members … did anything break during the day? Anything to send to engineering to repair? Then my day ends about 6.30, I go home and relax.”
8pm: Food and family
Mr Malgas prepares dinner, sometimes with help from Google and a YouTube video.
“I want my wife to have her feet up because we are expecting our first child in September and I cook things that don’t take too much fuss,” he reveals.
After watching some TV, the hotel professional is usually bed-bound by 9-9.30pm.
“Although, lately it’s later because right now I go to malls and to baby shops."
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Brief scoreline:
Liverpool 2
Keita 5', Firmino 26'
Porto 0
Saturday's schedule at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
GP3 race, 12:30pm
Formula 1 final practice, 2pm
Formula 1 qualifying, 5pm
Formula 2 race, 6:40pm
Performance: Sam Smith
RoboCop%3A%20Rogue%20City
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETeyon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENacon%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsole%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PlayStation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%2FS%20and%20PC%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2017 Dodge Ram 1500 Laramie Longhorn
Price, base / as tested: Dhxxx
Engine: 5.7L V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 556Nm @ 3,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
- Flexible work arrangements
- Pension support
- Mental well-being assistance
- Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
- Financial well-being incentives
Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
TO A LAND UNKNOWN
Director: Mahdi Fleifel
Starring: Mahmoud Bakri, Aram Sabbah, Mohammad Alsurafa
Rating: 4.5/5
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
SPECS
Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Marseille 0
Atletico Madrid 3
Greizmann (21', 49'), Gabi (89')
ENGLAND SQUAD
Joe Root (c), Moeen Ali, Jimmy Anderson, Jonny Bairstow, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler, Alastair Cook, Sam Curran, Keaton Jennings, Ollie Pope, Adil Rashid, Ben Stokes, James Vince, Chris Woakes
MATCH INFO
World Cup 2022 qualifier
UAE v Indonesia, Thursday, 8pm
Venue: Al Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Summer special
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
Expert input
If you had all the money in the world, what’s the one sneaker you would buy or create?
“There are a few shoes that have ‘grail’ status for me. But the one I have always wanted is the Nike x Patta x Parra Air Max 1 - Cherrywood. To get a pair in my size brand new is would cost me between Dh8,000 and Dh 10,000.” Jack Brett
“If I had all the money, I would approach Nike and ask them to do my own Air Force 1, that’s one of my dreams.” Yaseen Benchouche
“There’s nothing out there yet that I’d pay an insane amount for, but I’d love to create my own shoe with Tinker Hatfield and Jordan.” Joshua Cox
“I think I’d buy a defunct footwear brand; I’d like the challenge of reinterpreting a brand’s history and changing options.” Kris Balerite
“I’d stir up a creative collaboration with designers Martin Margiela of the mixed patchwork sneakers, and Yohji Yamamoto.” Hussain Moloobhoy
“If I had all the money in the world, I’d live somewhere where I’d never have to wear shoes again.” Raj Malhotra
MATCH INFO
Tottenham Hotspur 3 (Son 1', Kane 8' & 16') West Ham United 3 (Balbuena 82', Sanchez og 85', Lanzini 90' 4)
Man of the match Harry Kane
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
Kibsons%20Cares
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Squid Game season two
Director: Hwang Dong-hyuk
Stars: Lee Jung-jae, Wi Ha-joon and Lee Byung-hun
Rating: 4.5/5
LOS ANGELES GALAXY 2 MANCHESTER UNITED 5
Galaxy: Dos Santos (79', 88')
United: Rashford (2', 20'), Fellaini (26'), Mkhitaryan (67'), Martial (72')
The specs: 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali
Price, base / as tested Dh207,846 / Dh220,000
Engine 6.2L V8
Transmission Eight-speed automatic
Power 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque 624Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined 13.5L / 100km
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The%20specs
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Family reunited
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe was born and raised in Tehran and studied English literature before working as a translator in the relief effort for the Japanese International Co-operation Agency in 2003.
She moved to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies before moving to the World Health Organisation as a communications officer.
She came to the UK in 2007 after securing a scholarship at London Metropolitan University to study a master's in communication management and met her future husband through mutual friends a month later.
The couple were married in August 2009 in Winchester and their daughter was born in June 2014.
She was held in her native country a year later.
