Andrew Murray
Based with Leon Grundling in the Patensie office, chief water control officer Andrew Murray has worked at GIB for the past 30 years.
While his current responsibility is the oversight of water readings and matters of maintenance, his training over the years has covered just about every aspect of what there is to know if one is working for the Gamtoos Irrigation Board.
“Andrew knows the scheme very well, and he is of great value to me as part of the team,” says GIB CEO Rienette Colesky, who describes him as very good and dedicated worker.
Andrew spent the first 11 years of his working life at the Kouga Dam as a water control officer. For the next five, he was part of the repairs and maintenance crew. Then, 14 years ago, when a colleague retired, he was recruited into his current position.
While Andrew spends 40% of his day behind a computer, he is happy that the other 60% takes him outside and keeps him actively involved in the work that is done by the water control team.
Just recently, during what he refers to as a “dewatering period”, they emptied the canals in order to effect cleaning operations and the fixing of leaks and faults. “We literally go over the system from top to bottom. This is what maintenance is all about,” he says.
Having qualified as a diver during his years in the defence force, Andrew’s skill is sometimes put to use when he has to go underwater to inspect reported leaks or breaks.
In his personal life, Andrew and his wife have a happily blended family, with two children each from previous marriages. He lost his daughter in a car accident, while his son is a construction engineer in Namibia, where the family have spent many happy holidays travelling through the beautifully stark natural environment.
His stepdaughter lives in Patensie, and Andrew is a proud grandfather to her three girls. His stepson is Port Elizabeth-based and Andrew is eagerly awaiting the imminent arrival of a grandson.
His idea of fun and relaxation is to set off for a weekend away from the business of work, in no particular direction, wherever the road takes him and his wife. In this way, they have explored a great deal of the Eastern Cape.
Saam met Leon Grundling aan die stuur van sake by die Patensie-kantoor is hoof waterbeheerbeampte Andrew Murray, wat nou al die afgelope 30 jaar by die Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad werk.
Terwyl sy verantwoordelikheid tans die oorsig van waterlesings en sake van herstelwerk is, het sy opleiding deur die jare omtrent alles gedek wat iemand nodig het om by Gamtoosbesproeiingsraad te werk.
‘Andrew ken die sisteem en daarom is hy van groot waarde vir die span,’ sê hoof-uitvoerendebeampte Rienette Kolesky wat hom beskryf as ‘n goeie, toegewyde werker.
Andrew het die eerste 11 jaar van sy loopbaan as ‘n waterbeheerbeampte by die Kouga Dam deurgebring. Daarna was hy vir vyf jaar ‘n lid van die instandhoudingspan en is toe 14 jaar gelede in sy huidige posisie aangestel nadat ‘n kollega afgetree het.
Terwyl hy 40% van sy werksdag agter ‘n rekenaarskerm deurbring is hy gelukkig dat hy die ander 60% in die buitelug kan geniet terwyl hy aktief betrokke is by die werk van die waterbeheerspan.
Onlangs, tydens wat hy ‘n ‘ontwateringstydperk’ noem, is die kanale gedreineer vir ’n skoonmaakproses, en om lekke en barste reg te maak. ‘Ons werk letterlik die sisteem van bo tot onder deur. Dit is tog wat instandhouding beteken,’ sê hy.
Tydens sy diensplig het hy opleiding gedoen as ‘n duiker. Daar word soms van hierdie vaardigheid gebruik gemaak wanneer Andrew aangemelde barste of lekplekke onderwater moet inspekteer.
Andrew en sy vrou het ‘n gelukkige gesinslewe. Elkeen het twee kinders uit vorige huwelike. Sy dogter is in ‘n motorongeluk oorlede, en sy seun is ‘n konstruksie-ingenieur in Namibië. Daar het hulle saam al menige gelukkige vakansiedae deurgebring op reis in die pragtige ongerepte natuur.
Sy stiefdogter bly in Patensie, en Andrew is die trotse oupa van haar drie dogters. Sy stiefseun bly in Port Elizabeth en hulle verwag eersdaags die koms van ‘n kleinseun.
Sy idee van pret en ontspanning is om vir ‘n naweek weg te breek van die werk deur in die kar te klim, en om sommer net te ry waar die pad hulle neem. Op so ‘n manier het hulle al ‘n groot deel van die Oos-Kaap verken.