Pierre Joubert Retires
For more than 30 years he was in charge of the Gamtoos Irrigation Board in Patensie, but Pierre Joubert is not worried handing over to Rienette Colesky who was appointed as the new CEO of the Board in April.
“I always knew she would achieve great things and a challenge energises her. Our management styles differ, but renewal is very important and good for any company,” Joubert says.
He turned 70 last year and told the board that he will work for another two years. “Sixty is actually the retirement age, but I enjoyed working so much. Since I turned 60, my contract was renewed each year.”
But in February this year he decided to step down when he was diagnosed with colon cancer. The intense treatment and apparent following operations would cause him to be away from work for most of the year.
“Now I work as a consultant. It’s great. Everyone comes and visits me at home or phones me if they want to know something,” he says.
However, he could not enjoy his time at home thus far, because of the treatment that is physically challenging. But he looks forward to more relaxing and quality time with his grandchildren and walking his dog in the veld.
He also plans to spend more time at their farm in the Winterhoek Mountains. Joubert is excited about a venture he and his neighbour, Lukas van der Merwe, are planning. They are experimenting with the variety of fynbos in the area. “We are thinking of making soap, tea etc.” Joubert says. His wife, Toska, has big plans for travelling and camping.
They are going to move from their house in the Irrigation Board’s neighbourhood where they have lived for almost 40 years, to another house in town. “We don’t want to stay anywhere else than Patensie. We love it here.”
He says one of the greatest challenges for Rienette is the fact that the scheme is nearing the end of its lifetime. “She will have to exercise diplomacy in the future to manage the infrastructure and maintenance. From the beginning of the Irrigation Board, the Department of Water Affairs has had a contract with GIB, which determines who is responsible for what maintenance on the scheme. Replacing infrastructure is very expensive and usually costs millions.”
Joubert says the department spent about R200 million over 3 years in 2005 to repair and replace syphons.
He says all the branch canals are the responsibility of the GIB.
Joubert explains that farmers pay much less for water than urban residents. “It is definitely one thing that the government assists the farmers with. Our water is not expensive. A farmer’s water expense is usually just 1-2% of the expenses of producing crops. If the price of water rises, it does not make such a big difference as an increase in wages for example.”
Another challenge for Rienette and her team is the water losses that must still be reduced. “We are already the scheme with the lowest percentage water losses in the country, but we can still improve,” Joubert says.
“I will miss the people in the office and the interaction with the farmers. I enjoyed listening to the farmers’ issues personally and tried to find a solution. My time at GIB was very satisfying.”
Vir meer as 30 jaar was hy aan die stuur van sake by die Gamtoosbesproeiingsraad op Patensie, maar Pierre Joubert sê hy gee sy werk met ‘n geruste hart oor aan Rienette Colesky wat van die begin van Mei as die nuwe uitvoerende beampte van die raad aangestel is.
“Ek het al lankal gesê sy gaan nog ver kom en het oor die jare gesien sy is nie bang vir ‘n uitdaging nie. Haar bestuurstyl verskil beslis van myne, maar vernuwing is baie belangrik en goed vir enige besigheid,” sê Joubert.
Hy het verlede jaar 70 geword en het vir die direksie gesê hy sien nog kans vir so twee jaar se werk. “Sestig is eintlik aftree-ouderdom, maar ek het dit so geniet om te werk. Vandat ek 60 was is my kontrak elke jaar maar net weer vir ‘n jaar hernu.”
Maar in Februarie vanjaar het Joubert besluit dit is beter om die tuig neer te lê toe hy gediagnoseer is met kolonkanker. Hy voorsien dat die intensiewe behandeling en beoogte operasies hom baie lank van die werk sal hou.
“Ek werk nou net as ‘n konsultant. Dis te heerlik. Almal kom sien my by die huis of bel my as hulle iets wil weet,” sê hy.
Hy kon egter nog nie eintlik sy aftrede by die huis geniet nie, as gevolg van sy behandeling wat fisies baie uitdagend is, maar sien uit na rustiger dae met sy kleinkinders en sy hond in die veld.
Hy beplan om meer tyd by hul plek in die Winterhoekberge deur te bring en beoog om produkte te ontwikkel van die verskeidenheid fynbos wat daar voorkom. “Ek en my buurman, Lukas van der Merwe, gesels oor ‘n projek om seep, tee en ander produkte te maak, maar dis nog alles net in die beplanningstadium,” sê hy. Sy vrou, Toska, het weer groot planne van rondtoer en kamp.
Hulle gaan ook in die volgende jaar of twee trek uit die huis in die Besproeiingswoonbuurt waar hulle byna 40 jaar gebly het. “Ons gaan net na ‘n ander huis op die dorp trek, want ons wil nêrens anders as op Patensie bly nie,” sê Joubert.
Hy meen een van die grootste uitdagings vir Rienette, is die feit dat die besproeiingskema so oud is. “Sy sal baie diplomasie nodig hê om die infrastuktuur se onderhoud te hanteer. Van die begin af toe die Besproeiingsraad gestig is, was ons ooreenkoms met die Departement van Waterwese dat ons die skema moet bestuur en onderhou, maar hulle sou pype ens. aan die dam en hoofkanaal vervang. Die geld was maar altyd ‘n groot probleem, omdat dit groot operasies is wat gewoonlik miljoene rande kos.”
Joubert sê die departement het in 2005 sowat R200 miljoen oor 3 jaar bestee om duikpype te herstel en vervang.
Hy sê al die takkanale en takpyplyne is egter die Besproeiingsraad se verantwoordelikheid.
Hy wil vir die boere bemoedig dat die regering beslis hulle tegemoet kom met watertariewe. “Boere betaal baie minder as stede vir die infrastruktuur van water. Ons water is nie baie duur nie. ‘n Boer se waterverbruik met sitrus is gewoonlik net 1-2% van sy uitgawes. As die water se prys drasties verhoog, maak dit nie so ‘n groot verskil teenoor die styging in byvoorbeeld arbeid nie.”
Nog ‘n uitdaging vir Rienette en haar span is om die waterverliese steeds te verminder. “Ons is reeds die skema met die minste persentasie verliese in die land, maar ons kan steeds beter,” sê Joubert.
“Ek gaan die mense in die kantoor mis en die interaksie met die boere. Dit was vir my baie lekker om hul probleme persoonlik aan te hoor en te probeer oplos. Dit was vir my baie bevredigend.”