We are the champions: Celebrating the AQUA pros who keep the world’s water moving

Xylem Africa has announced that two of its professionals from its Water Solutions & Services division are Xylem Champions Circle inductees.

Xylem’s management team nominated Mpho Madzonga, elite/lead field service technician, and Musa Matibhiri (pictured, centre), senior service centre technician, subsequently selected by the Service Professional Steering Committee for their commitment to excellence, teamwork and customer success.

As part of this recognition, the winners and their guests travelled on an all-expenses-paid trip to Cancún, Mexico, where they joined 2025’s other winners to celebrate their achievements.

Leading water as AQUA pros

Both professionals are part of an elite internal group called the AQUA pros. Xylem’s AQUA pro community represents service professionals from Water Solutions & Services, Water Infrastructure, and Applied Water across multiple regions.

These professionals are highly trained, certified and equipped to handle any water treatment crisis with precision and efficiency: from emergency mobile solutions to planned maintenance, remote monitoring, commissioning and on-site operations. There are more than 2 000 AQUA pros active in over 150 countries.

When customers work with a Xylem AQUA pro, they get a trusted partner backed by one of the most rigorous service programmes in the water industry, whether it’s emergency mobile support, planned maintenance, remote monitoring or on-site operations. AQUA pros commit to uptime, on time, first time, every time. For customers in South Africa, that means access to a globally proven standard of service excellence, delivered locally.

Says Gerhard Coetzee, Services and Rental leader at Xylem South Africa, “AQUA pro is Xylem’s commitment to developing skills for water development and investment, and provides a clear career path for employees who want to grow and make an even bigger impact. We have an established community of AQUA pro service professionals in South Africa, and we’re very proud of Mpho Madzonga’s and Musa Matibhiri’s achievements. They show we are actively a part of South Africa’s water excellence and future.”

Earning their place in the Champions Circle

Madzonga and Matibhiri’s focus, dedication, teamwork and customer-centricity encouraged their nominations for the Champions Circle.

To qualify, they must be in a service professional career role for at least five years, which covers a wide range of positions including driver technician, field service technician, service centre technician, service supervisor, operations support co-ordinator, and service centre specialist. They are nominated by their manager or by another leader within Xylem and selected by divisional and segment leadership.

A Champion Circle nominee must excel across four criteria:

• Safety Role Champion – sets the standards and tone for safety in the field.
• Xylem Ambassador – utilises customer relationships to help expand Xylem engagement in the field.
• Outstanding Performer – performs in a way that provides significant contributions to division goals.
• High-Impact Role Model – demonstrate high-impact values through behaviours and encourage others to replicate success.

Congratulations to South Africa’s latest AQUA pro Champions Circle inductees. At a time when water is a critical resource and South Africa needs more water professionals, they are distinguished examples for their peers and newcomers in the water sector.

“At Xylem, we talk about solving water and how water connects us all in every sector, community and walk of life,” says Vishal Maharaj, operations manager at Xylem South Africa. “Being an AQUA pro is not just a job. It represents our vision: that what we achieve through water excellence improves the lives of those around us.

“Seeing fellow South Africans be inducted into the Champions Circle shows we’re moving in the right direction here at Xylem, and we’ll keep working with our partners, communities and citizens to make sure clean, potable water is always a part of our collective future.”