Hans Jantjies
Born and bred in Patensie, Hans Jantjies is a line manager for the Gamtoos Irrigation Board. He commutes daily to Hankey, where his responsibility as a water control officer is the oversight of the pipes that lead all the way to Loerie. Any leakages that are picked up in the pipes are reported to the maintenance crew for immediate restoration.
In 1992, he started his working life in the retail liquor trade in Patensie. Ten years later, an advertisement for Code 10 drivers saw Hans apply for and make the move. He was a driver for GIB until 2019, when he was promoted into his current position.
“Hans is a dedicated employee who has gotten to know the scheme through the different sites on which he’s worked,” says GIB CEO Rienette Colesky, describing him as “a softly spoken gentleman who always has a smile on his face.”
A married man, Hans is father to five children, the eldest of whom is from a previous relationship. He and his wife have twin sons who are 21, another son who is 18, and a daughter of 10.
He is a keen armchair sportsman, who loves to watch rugby on television, and his favourite pastime is to “put some meat on the braai on a Saturday evening”, which he enjoys with his family.
Having lived all his life in Patensie, Hans is determined to retire there one day among the people he has always known.
Hans Jantjies, ’n voorman vir die Gamtoos-Besproeiingsraad, is gebore en getoë in Patensie. As ’n waterbeheerbeampte, ry hy daagliks van Patensie na Hankey om die waterlyne so ver as Loerie na te gaan. Enige lekkasies wat hy opmerk word direk aan die instandhoudingspersoneel gerapporteer om onmiddellik herstel te word.
Hy het sy werksloopbaan in 1992 in die drankkleinhandel bedryf in Patensie begin. Toe hy, in 2002, ’n advertensie vir bestuurders met ’n Kode 10 lisensie raaksien, het hy aansoek gedoen en by GBR kom werk. Hy is verlede jaar in sy huidige posisie aangestel.
“Hans is ’n toegewyde werknemer wat die waterskema goed ken. Hy het die waterskema leer ken deur die verskillende werksterreine waar hy al gewerk het,” sê Gamtoos-Besproeiingsraad se Hoof-uitvoerende beampte, Rienette Colesky, wat hom beskryf as ’n “ware heer wat altyd glimlag.”
Hans is getroud en die pa van vyf kinders, waarvan een kind uit ’n vorige verhouding is. Hy en sy vrou het tweeling seuns van 21, nog ’n seun van 18 en ’n laatlam, ’n dogtertjie van 10.
Hy is ’n ‘leunstoel sportsman’ wat mal is daaroor om rugby op televisie te kyk, en sy gunsteling tydverdryf is “om op ’n Saterdagaand ’n vleisie oor die kole te gooi” en dit saam met sy gesin te geniet.
Die feit dat hy sy hele lewe lank al in Patensie bly, maak Hans ook vasbeslote om eendag, tussen die mense wat hy al so lank ken, af te tree.