Pono gathers three of his henchmen at the Polemann Castle sitting-room, ready to receive lessons from Molefi who's been wowing the boss since his arrival. The next reform will be about handling Bandele's countless ladies. The motive for today's training is clear: Visits to the mansion will no longer be an all-comers affair.

To ensure a smooth sail, Molefi wants to upskill the field guys.

Dressed in a new navy-blue suit and a matching sky-blue tie, Molefi emerges from his room to find four men waiting for him. It's heartening to know that Pono keys into his reforms, having been of the notion that the taciturn guy might dislike them.

Pono has no qualms with Molefi, but the urchins on seat have fears about the new boss. Does this training mean they've been shirking in their duties? Will Molefi grease their pockets the way Pono does? Questions line their contoured faces and ragged sleeves.

Molefi inspects the guys' shoes, finding them worn and weather-beaten. Their shirts are torn, face caps washed-out and dirty. They must have left permanent stains on the chairs they're seated on.

Not a single one of them have a fair dentition. If the entire front row isn't missing, there'll be gaps. But their teeth are coated with brownish layers. Are these the best set of jobless people around? Can these men speak well enough to win over the kind of ladies Bandele wants around? No wonder girls turn down their invites. Classy ladies won't respond to greetings from these louts.

Molefi heaves a sigh. "Hello, gentlemen."

"Yebo, baba!" "Kunjani, boss!" "Kateevo!"

Unfamiliar greetings fly around, but it's the reek of early-morning alcohol that induces a frown on Molefi's face, though it's only half-past eight. Their guttural voices attest to several years' dalliance with smoking the local nyaope.

He'll not fire these guys – that might infuriate Pono who's been nice so far. Besides, should the lads raise dust about being sacked, the street may go agog, giving Bandele the impression that he, Molefi, lacks man-management skills.

Reskilling is the way to go.

Molefi reckons that he hasn't been close enough to Pono, probably on account of their age difference. Pono should be forty-five or so – his age is hard to guess. But he's way older than Bandele.

"Let me see you briefly," Molefi says to Pono, after which they move over to Molefi's desk. "You haven't been talking to me much. I'm sure there are many things you still want to share with me."

"Boss, there's nothing much I can say to you. The changes you're making in this house are good."

"You like them?"

"Sure."

"The manager before you didn't do anything. Bandele fired him after three months."

"So there have been managers before me?"

"Many. Nkosi may not tell you, but he's watching you. His security men are all over the place. There's a room at the back of the house where they sit permanently, watching everything happening in this house."

Molefi recalls the upper-floor room which is always under lock and key. Maybe that's where Bandele communicates with the security staff. And then those rooms close to the boys-quarters which he's been instructed not to move close to.

"I see...tell me: how does the boss like my work so far?"

"He's enjoying your changes. He likes new things."

"We're on the right track, neh?"

"Yes."

Pono's positive vibes prompt Molefi to change the topic. "So, how long have you been working with these guys and who pays them?" He points to the urchins.

"I asked them to work for me when the boss kept asking for female tenants, every day. These guys move around and give me feedback when new ladies rents or shares a flat."

"And who pays them?"

"Me. I give them money for drinks and they're happy." Pono rubs his nose, an act Molefi takes to mean he's telling lies. This confirms his earlier assumptions that Pono gets kickbacks from household chores with which he compensates the guys for keeping an eye on street activities.

"Let's begin today's discussion." The men step into the sitting room, but it's not a discussion at all. Molefi introduces the new computer-based system, but he'll soon discover that, unlike their shabby appearance portray, these guys aren't illiterates. They have matric certificates and often job hunts.

"This is a serious work opportunity for you guys," Molefi says. "You're our eyes on the street, so do your work well. You'll be paid monthly."

"You'll pay us, boss?" One of them rushes to his feet.

"Yes, I'll ask Pono to settle you monthly."

Molefi goes on to explain that their job will be to gather information about eligible neighbourhood ladies who meet Bandele's spec. Details to gather include house address, cellphone number, room partners, dressing codes, schools attended, hobbies, hangout spots, social media profiles/pictures, religious activities and family background.

The zeal with Molefi reels out the requirement doesn't bother the lads. With the promise of being paid, this is a full-time job.

One of the guys asks: "Can we go outside Orlando to capture ladies? We can even go as far as Kliptown or Jabavu. They have wonderful ladies in those places too."

"You can move around to get classy ladies who're beautiful, well-dressed and can speak good English. But just get their details, don't capture them." Molefi emphasises, shrugging. "Once you get the details, send them to Pono through your phones. He'll give you five-gigabyte data every month."

"Okay, sir." The guys exchange gazes.

Akida tramps down the stairs to catch a glimpse of events, prompting Molefi to exchange long gazes with the muscleman who's now the closest person to the boss, and might, therefore, spy on others.

"I'm teaching these guys how to do their job," Molefi tells Akida.

"I can see." His baritone voice comes with an echo. The effect shakes all the chandeliers in the sitting-room.

"Come join us, if you're free."

Akida complies, but Molefi soon disperses his trainees. "You can all leave now. We'll meet again tomorrow. And please dress well instead of wearing cheap clothes. You should take this job seriously."

The training continues for two more days, during which Molefi explains the data capture process and the purposes of all the forms and lists – Candidate Profile List (CPL), Concurrent Ladies List (CLL) and the Recycled Profile List (RPL).

Swayed by the dollars in his desk drawers, Molefi goes further to suggest disciplinary measures on ladies who refuse to visit the castle after promising to do so. If the person is a Polemann resident, she'll have to explain her actions. A non-resident will get a public reprimand at the appropriate occasion. Luckily, Akida is around to ensure compliance.

Bandele approves every plan Molefi submits, which is compiled in a booklet. "Akida and Pono, you're to obey everything in this book," Bandele says to his aides, all of whom stand before him in the lobbyroom.

And so the electronic record-keeping system kicks off.

Pono's street lieutenants set out to do their job, sending information to the castle several times a day. Eager to work Molefi stores them all. In no time the CPL list shoots up to forty-five profiles.

The regular flow of pretty faces gladdens Bandele who appreciates the excellent work done by his egghead Molefi. But to be sure there isn't any loophole, Bandele inquires from his security guys.

"The new man is only interested in working hard," the chief security officer says. "Your Molefi isn't a threat to us. We know where his sister works and where she lives. Pretoria is not far."

"Molefi okay?" Bandele widens his eyes.

"Okay, sir. He's not a threat." The second in command repeats.

One month after Molefi starts work, Bandele tosses his aide's first salary on the sofa. "You did well this month. I expect you to continue that way."

"Thank you, sir." He picks the brown envelope.

But there's more. "Your budget will be ten-thousand rands every month." He tosses another envelope on the chair.

Molefi picks it again. "Okay, sir."

With this, he's able to run his small office, fulfilling his pledge to Pono's moles who keep the information flowing. The lads now dress better.

Pono also enjoys his new role as a supervisor of street activities. Visiting ladies tip him when they arrive or while leaving the mansion. Only Akida has no direct benefit from Molefi's reforms, a situation that doesn't sit well with the Congolese. His six thousand rands salary seems okay for an in-house bodyguard who has no serious duties, except when Bandele leaves the house.