New CEO for GIB
Rienette Colesky, the woman who is taking over from Pierre Joubert as the CEO of the Gamtoos Irrigation Board, obtained her Masters degree in Labour Law in the same month as being appointed in her new post.
This accomplished mother of two teenage boys, loves a challenge and looks forward to being in charge of the management of the irrigation scheme as well as many Work for Water projects in the province.
“I must be intellectually stimulated. I thrive on complicated problems or complex conflict situations.”
Colesky, originally from Ugie, matriculated from Hangklip High School in Queenstown and studied a BCom degree in Organisational and Industrial Psychology, and an honours degree combining financial management at the University of Port Elizabeth.
During her three year in-service training at FNB in Port Elizabeth, she also acquired a credit diploma through Damelin. In 1997 she married citrus farmer, Marthinus, and worked for three years at the FNB in Patensie. “I enjoyed it very much and learnt a lot about the farming community,” she said.
After her first child was born in 2001, Pierre Joubert asked her to work for the Irrigation Board. From that day on she was involved in every aspect of the GIB. And for the past 16 years she was the Financial and Human Resources Manager.
She says the function of the GIB has expanded over the years. “The Work for Water’s budget has grown from R8 million per annum to R106 million in 2016. At the moment we manage 44 projects in the Eastern Cape, from Kokstad to Tsitsikamma, and at times we provide jobs to 4 000 people.”
“I was also involved with the operational meetings on structure, but an engineer, Jacques van der Merwe, was appointed recently to manage the civil side,” she says.
Rienette says she is ready to take on the responsibility of office. “The GIB is responsible for getting the water for the farmers from the Kougadam to the Loeriedam and for spending the farmers’ money wisely. Our team has daily meetings on all the operational matters of the scheme and we strive towards the same goal,” she says.
About the man behind this superwoman, she says Marthinus is very supportive. “He is a religious man, and I learn a lot from him. He allows me to explore my limits.”
Her motto is that you should make use of all opportunities. She also teaches that to her two sons, Pieter (gr12) and Braam (gr9), both learners at Nico Malan High School in Humansdorp.
Rienette believes that her success as CEO of the Irrigation Board is determined by the participation of all her personnel. “One person cannot know everything about all aspects of the scheme, but together a dynamic team will move mountains.” And she knows she works with a good and motivated team.
Rienette Colesky, die vrou wat nou die leisels by Pierre Joubert oorvat as die Hoof Uitvoerende Beampte van die Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad, het in dieselfde maand wat sy die nuwe amp beklee, ook haar Meestersgraad in Arbeidsreg ontvang.
Die bekwame ma van twee tienerseuns, is nou aan stuur van die maatskappy wat verantwoordelik is vir die bestuur van die besproeiingskema asook talle Werk vir Water-projekte in die provinsie.
As voormalige finansiële- en hulpbronbestuurder by die raad, ken sy elke aspek van die bedryf. “Mnr. Joubert het my oor die jare by al die vergaderings betrek en ek was al oral op die skema,” sê sy.
Sy is mal oor ‘n uitdaging en finansiële bestuur is haar kos. “Ek moet intellektueel gestimuleer word. Gee vir my ‘n ingewikkelde probleem of komplekse konfliksituasie soos ‘n staking, dan is ek in my element.”
Colesky is oorspronklik van Ugie en het gematrikuleer aan Hoërskool Hangklip in Queenstown. Daarna het sy ‘n BCom-graad in Bedryfs en Industriële Sielkunde studeer, en ook haar honeursgraad gekombineer met finansiële bestuur aan die destydse Universiteit van Port Elizabeth behaal.
Tydens drie jaar indiensopleiding by FNB in Port Elizabeth, het sy ook ‘n kredietdiploma deur Damelin verwerf. In 1997 is sy getroud met sitrusboer, Marthinus, en werk toe vir drie jaar in die FNB-kantoor op Patensie. “Ek het dit baie geniet en het so baie geleer van die boerderygemeenskap,” sê sy.
Net na die geboorte van haar eersteling in 2001 het Pierre Joubert haar gevra om by die Werk vir Water administrasiekantoor te begin werk. Van daardie tyd af het Rienette iets van als gedoen en was betrokke by elke afdeling in die raad. En vir die afgelope 16 jaar was sy die Finansiële- en Menslike Hulpbronbestuurder.
Sy sê die GBR se werksfunksie het deur die jare baie verbreed. “Die Werk vir Water begroting het van R8 miljoen per jaar tot R106 miljoen in 2016 gegroei. Op die oomblik hanteer ons 44 projekte in die Oos-Kaap, van Kokstad tot Tsitsikamma, en ons gee tot 4 000 mense werk.
“Mnr. Joubert het my deur die jare ook blootgestel aan die operasionele vergaderings oor strukture, maar ‘n ingenieur, Jacques van der Merwe, is onlangs aangestel om die siviele kant te bestuur,” sê sy.
Rienette sê sy is reg vir die groot verantwoordelikheid wat haar nuwe amp inhou. “Die GBR is verantwoordelik om die water vir die boere van die Kougadam tot by die Loeriedam te kry en boere se geld reg te bestee. Ons span praat elke dag oor wat aangaan op die sisteem en ons het almal dieselfde doel,” sê sy.
Oor die man agter haar, sê sy Marthinus is baie ondersteunend. “Hy is ‘n baie gelowige man. Hy laat my toe om my grense te verskuif.”
“As ‘n geleentheid op jou pad kom, moet jy dit gebruik,” is haar leuse wat sy ook vir haar twee seuns, Pieter (gr.12) en Braam (gr.9), altwee leerders aan Hoërskool Nico Malan op Humansdorp, leer.
Rienette glo dat die sukses van haar aan die stuur bepaal word uit die bydrae van elke personeellid van die Besproeiingsraad. “Een persoon weet verseker nie alles nie, maar saam kan ‘n dinamiese span berge versit.” En sy weet sy werk met ‘n goeie, gemotiveerde span.