the aqs Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition The AQS Beat OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER 21st edition, April 2015 We un[cover] 1 of a kind Striking ini f e d already great ng re Gold technology 1 The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition The AQS Beat WHAT’S INSIDE... 03 05 FROM THE MD’S DESK 09 one of a kind REDEFINING THE FLAP VALVE PUMP 1 ACID MINE WATER the lighter side of life 13 15 hidden talents at aqs 21 WHAT’S UP AT AQS AQS goes easter egg hunting Contents 17 19 08 FINDING YOUR HAPPY PLACE 11 from strength to strength Contents DISCOVERING GREEN FINGERS 07 23 STRIKING GOLD 2 The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition A From the T The Transvaal Gold Company was the first company to start mining operations and to produce gold. 3 Did you KNOW THAT? T The man who is considered to be the “father” of South African gold mining is Karl Gottlieb Mauch. pril is known to be a tranquil time for the greater South Africa. The grass seems greener, the flowers brighter and the brisk growth has disappeared from all the vegetation in preparation for autumn and eventually the winter rest. During my branch visits to AQS Rustenburg, Fochville, Kathu and Steelpoort, I experienced the same “placid” atmosphere and it has nothing to do with the season or the sales figure achieved for March. I am sure it is as result of The Plan reaching adulthood at AQS Pretoria. The feedback from our dealers, business partners and other branches just confirms the success of the implementation of The Plan. It is a job well done! As promised in my previous article, we will now be looking at the major role players in the mining industry during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. During this period mining was governed by the rule that everybody had the opportunity to dig their way to fortune. The era of capitalism and of great mining magnates dawned in May 1876. Four of the earliest magnates were Barney Barnato, Alfred Beit, Joseph Robinson and Jules Porges. Of this particular class of capitalist, Barney Barnato stands out as the diamond buyer-cum-mining magnate who achieved the greatest success. Cecil John Rhodes was not part of the diamond buyerscum-mining magnates. He made his fortune as a digger and as an entrepreneur. He later went into a partnership with Charles Rudd. Interestingly, one of their most profitable ventures was pumping contracts to extract water from the claims that was flooding the Dutoitspan and De Beers mines The AQS Beat contact with local women by wearing GERHARD copper PRINSLOO and gold Managing ornaments. Director K a r l Gottlieb Mauch, considered to be the ‘father’ of South African gold mining, started exploring the central regions of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana for gold in the late 1860’s. This lead to the first but unsuccessful, southern Africa’s gold mining company; the London and Limpopo Mining Company. Farmers across the eastern Transvaal took a keen interest in gold sampling. In the mid 1870’s Jacobus du Preez discovered a gold-bearing quartz vein on his farm, Eersteling, near the current town of Polokwane. News of the discovery spread like wild fire. In March 1872, Edward Button travelled to London, raised capital and floated the Transvaal Gold Mining Company. The significance of Eersteling in South Africa’s mining history is threefold. Firstly, the Transvaal Gold Company was the first company to start mining operations and to produce some gold. Secondly, the Volksraad was compelled to produce the Republic’s first mining legislation. And thirdly, the rush attracted more fortune hunters to the area. Next time the focus will move to early 1873 when the first payable gold was discovered. Until then, make a difference. God bless. the era of capitalism (I am sure they must have been using pumps supplied by AQS). There is an old American saying that if gold were found on the red-hot ramparts of hell, men would still seek it. “...if gold were found on the red-hot ramparts of hell, men would still seek it.” It is the exploitation of gold, more than any other factor that has shaped the course of South Africa’s socio-political and economical history. South Africa has three main belts of gold bearing rock. The Barberton Mountain Land in Mpumalanga and Swaziland, the Murchison Hills in Limpopo Province and the extensive Witwatersrand Basin which stretches from Johannesburg to Welkom, including Kinross, Fochville, Klerksdorp and Orkney. The earliest reference to gold was written by the Voortrekker JG Brokenhorst on an expedition north of the Soutpansberg. The small party of Boers came in *Cited from Digging Deep by Jade Davenport. 4 from the md’s desk from the md’s desk md’s desk April 2015 - 21st Edition Discovering greeNfingers tion ca Effluent water from the local sewage farm is collected in several dams on the premises. The water is purified using 20 sand filters, ultra-filtration and reverse osmosis. 5NTU’S WATER CLARITY A g 800 100 PLANTS 6-10L/M2 IRRIGATION 5 cl i ontrol c te 4 boilers burn a m 30 tons of wood a week to ensure that the tunnels receive enough hot water to maintain their optimal temperature. This wood comes from the Sibanye Gold mines (a shareholder of the rose farm) when there is no longer a use for them as struts and so forth underground. Pipes containing water at either 400C or 800C run under the plants to ensure that their roots have the prime conditions for speedy growth. Specialised covers are also pulled up against the sides of all the tunnels during winter to protect the plants from the elements. ‘lil on the e Grafted stems are dipped into plant hormone, planted in trays and then kept in very warm, moist conditions; up to 95% ugh lo humidity (breathing was to The small tough in there). This plants are then facilitates growth. moved to less temperature-regulated tunnels so that they can toughen. lg rown Once strong enough, the rose plants are planted in the regular tunnels. FULLY GROWN AFTER 2 MONTHS A process of removing buds from the fully grown plants’ outer stalks, and then bending and folding these stalks down ensures optimal growth and long stemmed roses at the plant’s centre. The bed of leaves at the plant’s base allows for maximum photosynthesis. pan s e lif The plants are he fully grown after 2 months and produce blooms for about 7 years (although the farm’s oldest one lasted for 10 years). 6 a rosy application 30 tons of wood/ week 120 000 ROSES IN A DAY up granular fertilizer is added to this purified water at incredibly precise doses. A computer controls the dosage as the roses need specific mixtures during different stages/seasons. This is where our DL16-30 is being used; it pumps this mixture to the 10.5ha’s of undercover The rose farm is tunnels. semi-hydroponic; drip irrigation and spaghetti irrigation (pipes pressed directly into the soil) is used to deliver the mix of fertilizer and water to the plants. 6-10litres/m2, depending on the varient. of these chosen varients is evident as every single person working on the farm has their favourite (and will not be photographed with any other kind). Roses are picked and then sorted and packaged. They are stored in a cooler room at 50C until they can be delivered. A minimum of 60 000 roses are produced per day, with the record being 120 000 in one day! ve a rosy application fertigatio n Nitric acid and K IN G A N C I P D s the 800 100 plants on the premises has been grafted by hand. The stem of a prolific Natal rose is used for the root, and then a stem of one of 33 varients is grafted onto it. Rose varients are imported and tested extensively to ensure they can thrive in the local climate before becoming one of the farm’s official rose types. A big thank you to Ludwig, Nico & Henriko for their time and effort G 10.5HA’S OF TUNNELS graf VARIENTS tin D Every one of NThe significance One of our vertical multistage pumps has recently been installed at a rose farm near Fochville, Gauteng. I simply had to visit the site when I heard of this unusual application (very different to the muddy underground mining istallations). But be warned, this is far from your grandmother’s rose graden; the scientific intricacies and the massive scale of the operation are guaranteed to make you look at roses in a new light, and happily pay the premium during Valentine’s season! These flowers are delivered daily, right across the country, using the fleet of over 10 trucks and vans. You and I then walk into our nearest Pick ‘n Pay or florist and enjoy the perfect blooms. CKIN PA This water then measures at 5NTU’s (a measure of turbidity - water’s clarity). This is cleaner than drinking water! LIVERY E D al ter puri fi wa The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition bend i ng April 2015 - 21st Edition t The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition Finding your place LEON FOURIE - COMMERCIAL DIRECTOR even soccer players. If they were all happy, the problems associated with their thinking would disappear as the root cause would have vanished. “...trying to find a pill for happiness.” I t is a life mission of mine to find my happy place. I realised many years ago that this place is not located between any longitude and latitude on planet earth or even beyond the furthest reaches of our atmosphere or endless galaxies. It is in fact a place inside our minds that I believe is programmed and altered by past experiences. This place commands our future state based on its software and levels of update. In neurology, the system that controls our state of happiness (and unhappiness) is called the hedonic system. Its workings are somewhat clandestine, as it cannot be influenced directly by our central processing unit (CPU). Scientists study the hedonic system because they are trying to find a pill for happiness. The world would be a better place if everybody was happy. From the poor to the starving and the religious extremists, to the fascists, democrats, racists and 7 To this end, researchers have compared people with disabilities to “normal” people, lottery winners to non-winners, city dwellers to isolated tribesmen and even salesman to accountants. The results are conclusive; neither physical deficiency, nor riches, environment or choice of career has any significant impact on levels of happiness. In fact, they determined that all these external factors combined, contribute only 20% to the happy baseline. The precise answer to the question of how to find happiness is somewhat inconclusive, but believed to be internal to every human. I must say that this realisation shook my existence to the core. What would I do if I did not worry about more money, a bigger house, overseas holidays or a Porsche? Beyond the 20% that the Porsche brings, your baseline level of happiness is further determined by personality type, cultural inputs, discipline (incurred & internal), physical suffering/or lack thereof and of course sex life (just kidding). What is most amazing is lighter the that the largest deviations from the baseline (which is unique to every person and a given) is experienced between people with different coping skills. The reviewers are people who review an event and deal with the consequent emotions by taking the required action. They are able to move their state of happiness furthest to the positive from the baseline. The suppressors are the people who internalise their emotions after an event and do not take the required action. Their happiness moves furthest to the negative from the baseline. The dirtiest, slimiest, most disgusting word in this happiness race must be adaptation. It simply means that no matter how much money, how big your house, how pretty your wife (handsome your husband), exotic your destination, potent your drug... your hedonic system will always ensure that it saves the experience within and prevents you from ever experiencing it at the same high again. M ention a serious topic and soon jokes will be flying around, poking fun at the seriousness. It does not mean people do not take it seriously, it is just their ability to see the lighter side. When you add humour to the mixture of emotions and seriousness, you can have a satisfying end product, granted you temper it with kindness and the right timing. Humour touches a place in your heart because of its hidden truth. Humour is often used to open with at a formal occasion or to warm up a gathering consisting of uncomfortable strangers. A shared laugh tends to bring people together. A very good example is the age gap. It rears its head during many meet&eats. People talk about what they did when they were young, how life has been and often use age as an excuse for not being “with-it” in terms of technology and other things that interest the young ones. They say there is no such thing as an age gap, it is a remembrance gap. How do you measure “knowledge because of age”? This can be a very serious topic so the following quote is intended to see the lighter side; “I don’t think we get smarter as we get older, I just think we run out of stupid things to do.” Many companies use humour in their adverts to poke fun at a serious issue. More often than not the creativity does not make it to the billboards but you can rely on social media and the internet to broadcast it. They say at least a third of all video clips are funny. When you read quotes or watch video clips that reflect that lighter side of life, you may find some of them to be hilarious, others will just bring about a smile and some will leave you pondering. Whichever way you look at them, the truth is “laughter is the best medicine” but “don’t laugh at me, laugh with me and make a friend.” “...no matter how potent your drug...you will never experience the same high...” This edition of the AQS Beat focuses on your hidden talents. Perhaps finding your happy place is the first step to uncovering your talents? 8 The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition from STRENGTHtoSTRENGTH The transformation from Seven Mile Trading 291 to SMT Industrial. e af t o bef 9 re f battling curves ck dba“The e e presentation was great, he has a skill to explain.” - Mandla Jkosana After some brain scratching we ended off the day with a two hour long go-kart endurance race. We burned some rubber, made a few new friends and had a lot of fun. Thank you to CJ Smith and his team for making it one amazing day! d Engineering Day k c fee to rebrand Seven Mile Trading 291 to SMT Industrial and to change their logo to what it is now. He decided to redesign and revamp their logo after seeing how AQS had grown and developed a corporate image. He felt their previous logo was a bit outdated and needed a more modern and professional feel. He asked Peet to guide him in choosing a new look and feel for his company’s logo. They sat down with a graphic designer and after hours and hours of brain storming came up with the beautiful, more professional version you can see below. When asked about the colour scheme, CJ explained that these unique colours have always been his favourites and being able to incorporate them into his business image is just a bonus! CJ also shared with me one of his most memorable moments with AQS. He and Peet sent a powdery additive to our diaphragm pump manufacturers, Warren Rupp, in America. They wanted to test the substance’s ability to aerate explosives for Sasol. Unfortunately, this delivery of two mysterious buckets of powder coincided with the Anthrax scare. Needless to say customs was immediately on alert and disposed of the package without hesitation. Talk about an explosive entrance! SMT Industrial hosted their first engineering day for 2015 on the 23rd of April. Check out the next page for more information on what we did during training and watch our video of the day. Thank you CJ for allowing us to walk down memory lane with you. We hope to share more memorable moments with you and to keep watching as your business grows from strength to strength. - Talitha Geldenhuys On the 23rd of April SMT Industrial in association with AQS Liquid Transfer held their first engineering day for 2015. The training took place at Le Mans Go-Karting in Menlyn, Pretoria. Peet Snyman (H/O) provided training on effective pump selection and how to correctly calculate pump curves. ba“All sections going that extra mile going that extra mile A QS has had the pleasure of witnessing first hand how CJ Smith has grow from a vibrant sales representative to the business owner of SMT Industrial. We were also able to share in the transformation of Seven Mile Trading 291 into SMT Industrial. CJ has been working hand in hand with AQS since the day we opened our doors, an astonishing 12 years ago now! As you can see the relationship between CJ and AQS has come a long way. In 2000, CJ started his pump career selling Versa-Matic pumps. To date he has accumulated about 15 years of experience in the pumping industry. Talk about a pump expert! We sat down with CJ to find out more about his journey with AQS and what it has been like working with us all these years. As our conversation progressed I could clearly hear the admiration he has for not only AQS but for Peet Snyman, André Nagel and Gerhard Prinsloo snr. CJ elaborated on how Gerhard and André supported him since the start of his career and carried him through tough times. The look in his eyes reaffirms that these three men aren’t just work colleagues but truely brothers, sharing a bond that surpases any normal work relationship. Under the guidance of Peet, CJ bought a closed corporation from us, Seven Mile Trading 291, and started doing freelance work for AQS. Since then Seven Mile Trading 291 has grown so much. Not only does CJ now have six people working for him but they also rebranded and we foresee much more growth in the feature. I asked CJ about what inspired the decision The AQS Beat burning rubber... are important and value adding.” - Fred Moatshe r E TH CH AT IDEO W V RE HE 10 April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition 1 of a kind The AQS Beat ? T A H T ” W O ONE N “ K U ANS FROM O Y ATED LISH L ME D ” ANS ENG I D TO TR EEN “ HEN AANS the uncovered talent that started it all the uncovered talent that started it all The AQS Beat W AFRIK een makua Een Makua is the talented artist who drew the artwork for this month’s Beat cover. He works as a picker and packer at our Pretoria branch. Een’s colleagues discovered his talent when they found some of his freehand drawings of our products lying around in the Pretoria stores. Peet van Zanden immediately brought this to our attention and we just had to share it with you. Read all about Een’s love for drawing below. //WHEN DID YOU START DRAWING, EEN? “When I was about 7 or 8 years old.” //WHAT INSPIRES YOUR ART? “I find drawing to be very therapeutic. I draw to keep my mind busy. I draw when I am happy and I draw when I am sad.” //WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DRAW? “I enjoy drawing flowers and landscapes with mountains and rivers.” Cover Exclusive 11 //WHAT MEDIUMS DO YOU USE TO DRAW WITH? “I mostly use crayons, pencils and permanent markers on paper.” 12 April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition le hidde ta Michael is vocal, not just in general but on the stage aswell. He is the drummer for the band Freckled Elvis and has shared the stage with numerous famous SA entertainers. Shadrack (FV) is a religious leader (Maruti) at the Free Babilona Church. As you can see in the photo below his family is very proud of his achievement. Not only does Milly (H/O) make a hot cup of tea, but she used to set the track on fire too. She was champion of the 100m sprint throughout school and only ran away from the finals because they were scary. We all know Peet (H/O) likes to win, but it might surprise you to know that he was an exceptional high-jumper in highschool. He always won the regional inter-school championships and placed 4th in the Transvaal. He also set the bar at 1.95m, a record that held for 10 years at his school. 13 14 the talented aqs family the talented aqs family We have discovered a musical prodigy in the family. Thiaan (PTA) started playing piano at the mere age of four. He more recently performed with the unofficial company band “The Smashing Pumps”. Gert (PTA) is a gentleman, so it only make sense that he is formidable when it comes to the gentleman’s game of golf. With a handicap of +3, he won the Germiston Club Championship in 1991 and As placed 7th at the South w e African Amateur Golf We have our very own theatre w e l l Championship. legend; Gerhard Snr. (H/O) our MD. k n o w , He was part of the Amateur Acting Petra (H/O) Society in 1981/2. They won the Eastern is very busy with Transvaal regional competition with an Anton her music career. Her Chekhov comedy; “The latest achievement is Marriage Proposal.” that she will be performing This play then the launch of the new Lions went to the State Rugby supporters theme song at Theater in Ellispark Stadium on the 9th of May. Pretoria for the nationals. The AQS Beat Fortuin (CPT) was the lead guitarist for his church’s worship band for 5 years. André (DBN) played Masters Baseball for Northern Transvaal (1993 - 2004) and still plays for Kwa-Zulu Natal. He has also represented SA Masters Baseball in two tournaments. The first was in Melbourne Australia in 2002 when he won a gold medal. The second was in Edmonton Canada in which his team placed 4th. A (p fter gr rev d wa eat iou isc kn ck to s ov so ew y a u pag erin m t nd nc e) g e o he o w f t A wo ver e Een he QS nd o th ’s se e ur ou sk fam rful co gh hidd ills ily a lle t i e ar w chie ag t w n e r as v ue ou tal ea d em s’ ld en lly yn en w b t su am ts. ier e rp ic W d, ri s , in bu e g. t ntsn The AQS Beat The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition The AQS Beat T went Easter Egg easter fun easter fun hunting he Easter bunny made his way to all the AQS branches and left us with a few yummy surprises to find. The AQS employees had so much fun celebrating Easter. Thank you to AQS Management for making it possible! 15 16 The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition April 2015 - 21st Edition REDEFINING The AQS Beat ease of maintenance THE FLAP VALVE PUMP SANDPIPER LAUNCHED THIS 2” NON-METALLIC FLAP VALVE PUMP AT THE END OF 2014. AFTER TESTING ONE OF THESE SPANKING NEW DIAPHRAGM PUMPS OUT AT SEVERAL SITES AND BRANCHES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE DECIDED IT IS TIME TO INTRODUCE YOU TO (DRUMROLL PLEASE...) THE HD20F PUMP! ESADS+Plus (Externally Serviceable Air Distribution System) air valve design is used. Along with the easy access to flap check areas, this pump’s design allows for complete in-line inspection or repair, without having to remove the pump from its location. This saves you on time, effort and downtime. just what you need serious solids handling Designed to solve the most common problems in mine dewatering, sump and chemical transfer applications. lightweight & portable The signature Sandpiper flap valve design handles suspended and non-suspended solids up to 46mm. With its non-metallic, lightweight design, this pump weighs in at 24kg, making it easy to manouver. The HDF20F delivers best-in-class flow rates: 567 litres per minute. Suction lift is 6.1m. Wow! THE HD20F scan here for more versatile design This pump can function in any position, including on uneven surfaces. Hanging points allow for multiple mounting options. brand new brand new unsurpassed performance MOUNTING CAPABILITIES long life Rugged design (stainless steel seats) and robust air valves (designed to tolerate dirty air), ensure extended life of pump. 17 18 o y April 2015 - 21st Edition o w n k u pH of Typical Liquids Fluid Solutions ALKALINE NEUTRAL Wetted Section Construction Metals 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 STAINLESS 7 ALUMINIUM CAST IRON STEEL 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 I t is a late afternoon during a hot summer day and the clouds gather over the Highveld. The big drops start to fall fast and hard but after 30 minutes it’s all over. The dust has settled and the water seeps through the earth. Meanwhile, 800m below the surface a member of the CSP43 team is doing duty. Conditions are rough against the working face; blasting, rock falls and heavy equipment are just some of the many hazards this pump unit has to endure. The pump’s aluminium body keeps its weight down. Heavy equipment is unwanted underground due to the essential mobility required to keep up with progress as the tunneling continues ever deeper into the earth. Serial number 2065880 can feel the burn, not from the continuous stroking but rather from the water around its feet. The water’s acidity is particularly bad today, as its pH creeps to 3. Our pump wonders if it is raining up above because he understands that ground water becomes acidic as it comes into contact with the exposed sulfur bearing minerals. This is just another day in the office when you work in a mine. Its aluminium body armour is no match for the chemical be f o ACID Numeric pH Level 19 The AQS Beat ACID MINE WATER re attack as pitting and corrosion damage becomes evident. A pH level of between 6-8 is safe by for this body shell and it’s a PEET SNYMAN Sales & Marketing relief when number 3772454 Director arrives to take over. After doing duty the pumps resurface and we nurse them back to health. It is a welcome break. The AQS team starts them off with a comprehensive wash. The mild steel nuts and bolts are so badly corroded by the aggressive water that grinding is usually the only way to remove them in order to let trained hands in. The team knows the drill well; open everything up and assess the damage. Replacement parts are at the ready, the moving parts are lubricated for smooth assembly and the outer shell gets kitted out with shiny new hardware. Restored number 2065880 gets delivered to the stores. Ready to keep the workplace dry and safe again, he awaits for his next mission instructions. af di d April 2015 - 21st Edition te r 20 sales & marketing department sales & marketing department The AQS Beat The AQS Beat The personnel from our Steelpoort branch, along with their families, were treated to a weekend at Sun City as a reward for their Best Month Ever in March. The “sea sand” was a hit with the children! April 2015 - 21st Edition A WELL DESERVED BREAK What’s @aqs The AQS Beat SPECIAL THANK-YOU’S AQS Rustenburg would like to thank Cobus (RTB). He did a great job at sorting out the additional warehouse for head office stock. “He even swept the floors and dusted the place down!!”, after it took him several days to sort he stock into their categories. AQS Steelpoort thanks AQS for their great getaway! AQS Steelpoort would also like to Gerhard snr and Vusi (MTA) for helping unpack and check the stock they recently received. FUN IN THE SUN Gerhard snr had one of our solar panels installed at his hanger. It is used to charge his aeroplane’s battery. So it only stands to reason that AQS gives you wings?! TAKING STOCK LOOK AT THOSE PUMPS! Steven (STP) hosted a golf day in Lydenburg for his clients from Bokoni mine last week. All ages enjoyed the day. This order of 8 E2’s, 5 submersible pumps and a float was delivered to Atok, Steven’s (STP) client. Us AQS girls don’t mind getting down and dirty! Amy and Ronel counted and processed their new stock. GOLFING AROUND IMPRESSIVE ORDER SMASHING RECORDS STEVEN (STP) HAD HIS MILLION RAND IN TURNOVER THIS MONTH. APRIL SAW LEE (DBN) ACHIEVE HIS BEST EVER MONTHLY TURNOVER. WELL DONE! 21 Quntus (FV) sponsored his clients for a recent golf day hosted by the local school. Quintus (FV) received this order of 40 Sandpiper diaphragm pumps earlier this month. At close to half a million Rand, one cannot help but be impressed! Our manufacturer of diaphragm pumps, Warren Rupp, has updated their website. Check it out, we think it’s brilliant! 22 what we have been up to what we have been up to SPORTING FUN April 2015 - 21st Edition The AQS Beat April 2015 - 21st Edition a rep in-depth T he Miner’s Mentality is an illusive concept...it is not easily quantified (even by fancy international research studies) and yet it largely governs how we do business with our mining clients. If there is one person at AQS who knows the miner’s mindset intimately it is Peet Els, a rep in Rustenburg. With 35 years of experience in and around mines, he describes it as a “rough” mindset. You have to be a hard person, able to handle pressure and essentially force others into doing the task at hand. There is no room for buttering people up. Miners are all about making a living, reaching that target, getting the bonus. They also care about their families, even though most of them had tough childhoods. It was during Peet’s childhood that he learnt to speak Swazi while playing with the local children in Swaziland. “By the time I went to school, I could speak better Swazi than Afrikaans”. This made it easy for him to learn Fanagalo in the General Mining Training College, often having to stand up and demonstrate pronounciation to the other students. Fanagalo is a mixture of African languages and was adopted by mines in Southern Africa as it simplifies intercultural communication. Peet explains that being fluent in Fanagalo paid off well when he became shift boss after 15 years of working in mines. He had to oversee 154 people, and speaking their language meant that they respected him and wanted to work for him. Peet’s experience of South African mines is eye-opening. He started on Evander mine in 1980 after dropping out of school two months into his final year. “I was naughty at school and really wanted to hit my teacher, not to mention some other guys, so I decided it was time to leave”. He proceeded to work at several mines from Boksburg and Carltonville to the Free State, and then his dream came true of working at TauTona. “I wanted to say I had worked in the deepest mine in the world (3.9km down)”. The dangerous work of drilling and setting explosives doesn’t bother him; the worst part of the job was the underground earth collapses. Peet said he lost one of the men who worked for him to such a tragedy and has helped with several of the rescue operations since. Removing bodies ia always terrible. Peet started working for AQS in October 2005 after his cousin in the Rustenburg branch convinced him. “I struggled for a while to get used to having a job above ground. When I did an underground demo, I would want to get involved with the drilling and setting of the faces, because I could see that the panels were skew! I was actually asked if I was there to sell pumps or to mine, haha.” Peet is now proud to say that he is no longer a miner; not only is the pay much better, but it feels good not having to swear to get stuff done. - Topaz Booysen Try Fanagalo next time you need help out of a tricky situation: “Upi lo toilet yena duze?” [Where is the nearest toilet]. 23
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