At hotels across Marriott International’s South African portfolio, “Silent Baristas” are showing that hospitality can extend beyond spoken conversation.
Among them is Nicollete Mahlangu, a Deaf barista at Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch. Behind the coffee counter, she prepares everything from Americanos to lattes while communicating with guests through gestures, writing, expressions and simple signs.
“Some guests are surprised when they realise that I am Deaf, but most are friendly, respectful and curious,” says Mahlangu in a press release. “When people make the effort, we always find a way to understand one another.”
Mahlangu joined the hotel in July 2025 after studying IT software development and technical support, moving from a technical field into a guest-facing hospitality role.
“Hospitality was completely new to me,” she says. “Since joining Johannesburg Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch, I have learned how to create positive experiences for guests and gained skills I never expected to develop in a guest-facing role. It makes me proud to interact directly with people every day.”
The job has also helped her navigate challenges she encountered when entering the workforce.
“I have sometimes faced communication barriers and had to prove that being Deaf does not limit what I can achieve,” she says. “This opportunity has allowed me to demonstrate my abilities while gaining confidence, independence and valuable professional experience.”
Mahlangu is among 10 Silent Baristas now working across participating Marriott hotels in Johannesburg and Cape Town. The program has expanded from its 2025 launch at the Melrose Arch Cluster of Hotels.
Delivered in partnership with DEAFinition in Johannesburg, DeafSA in Cape Town and CIRO, the program combines barista training and workplace-readiness support with opportunities for deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing people to work in customer-facing roles.
Hotel teams receive Deaf awareness training and are encouraged to learn basic signs. Guests can use sign-language coffee cards, written prompts and speech-to-text technology to place orders and communicate with Silent Baristas.
“Deafness is not a barrier to delivering exceptional hospitality; it simply means people communicate in different ways,” says De Villiers Heymans, Cluster General Manager for the Melrose Arch Cluster of Hotels. “Hospitality is about making people feel welcome, and our associates prove every day that meaningful human connection is not defined by the ability to hear.”
As South Africa marks Deaf Awareness Month under the 2026 theme “Human Rights are Deaf Rights,” the program highlights the importance of workplace opportunities for Deaf people.
“Deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing people can work in many different jobs and careers,” Mahlangu says. “We should not be limited to certain types of work because we cannot hear. Give us the same opportunities as everyone else, and let us show our skills, talents and abilities.”
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