It’s a family effort for the GIB admin team
Rienette Colesky, CEO of Gamtoos Irrigation Board speaks with pride of the “phenomenal work that the admin team delivers”.
Their years of service at GIB range from newcomer Angelique Madatt, who took up a temporary administrative support position in March this year, but who has already noticed the “welcoming atmosphere and close family setting at GIB” to Pat Oosthuysen, who started in 1982 with the Department of Water Affairs shortly after she moved to the Gamtoos Valley. She was there in 1991 when GIB was formed in terms of the previous Water Act of 1956, “and I’ve been here ever since!” she says. Pat is part of the Financial Management team.
Another member of the financial team is Tisha Abrahams, who saw an opportunity for career advancement in 2007 when she joined GIB as a junior office clerk. Currently, she serves as Senior Financial Official. Tisha believes that “respect, communication, support and teamwork” are key – “by working together you can find solutions that work best”.
Senior Financial Official Nadine Oosthuysen has been in the GIB team since 2009. “My mother worked for GIB for most of her life, so when the opportunity came to apply for an admin position, I jumped at the chance”. Nadine speaks highly of GIB’s commitment to serving the community and to providing support for its personnel. “We all rely on each other to do our part to provide the best service”.
Nomazizi Thube has worked in Finance and Human Resources since 2014. “I started at GIB because of the working environment, and the growth opportunities offered to their employees,” she says. “We have an open-door policy, and we celebrate each other’s achievements as a family; you never feel alone.” Teamwork is crucial: “If one team member is not cooperating, we are all affected.”
Also a member of the finance team is Rentia Prinsloo, who has been at GIB for 13 years. She believes that supporting and helping each other is very important.
Elske van der Westhuizen, after 10 years at GIB, loves the beautiful valley, which creates a perfect atmosphere. She says the surroundings and the teamwork build great relationships among the staff.
Tanya Pieterse has been a financial administrator for the past five years after starting as a temporary receptionist in 2016. “I am proud to be part of such a formidable team. The achievements of this company make me feel it’s my victory as well. Teamwork motivates us to work harder, cooperate and support each other, getting the work done faster and producing great results,” she says.
“Teamwork makes progress easier and allows the group to overcome obstacles,” says administrator Edwina Prinsloo, who has been at GIB for nine years,” adding, “the product of that teamwork is success”. She loves the learning opportunities available to the staff at GIB.
Carol van Rooyen spent ten years of her working life at GIB in the Working for Water department, and for the past four years, she has been the storekeeper. “I feel part of the family here and of the greater community. We are corporate, but there is a really friendly vibe.” About teamwork, she says, “we are truly effective when we have the same commitment and will to serve”.
Receptionist Lee-Anne Malgas has worked at GIB since 2017. First a cleaner, she was promoted into her current position two years later. Besides her other responsibilities, she says she is happy to work “anywhere that help is needed,” and she relishes being part of “one big happy family”.
Voted by all the admin staff as the ‘most important person’ at GIB, Gloria Booi has been part of the family for two years. She cleans the offices and conference room, and sees to catering for meetings. “I saw a good opportunity to work for a company that helps their workers to achieve their dreams. I make nice coffee to start the day and my aim is to make everyone feel special in the office.”
A common thread in this remarkable team is a sense of belonging to a family that has the interests of all its members at heart. The teamwork that ensues makes for a cohesive group working towards achieving the same goals.
Dis ‘n gesinspoging vir die GBR administratiewe span
Rienette Colesky, hoof-uitvoerendebeampte van GBR vertel met trots van die “fenomenale werk wat hierdie span vir my lewer.”
Hulle diensjare wissel van nuweling, Angelique Madatt, wat in Maart 2021 deel geword het van die span in haar deeltydse administratiewe posisie en reeds die “gasvrye atmosfeer en hegte gesinsopset” ontdek het, tot by Pat Oosthuysen wat al in 1982 by die Departement van Waterwese begin werk het kort nadat sy in die Gamtoosvallei kom bly het. Sy was hier toe Gamtoos-Besproeiingsraad ontstaan het in 1991 in terme van die vorige Waterwet van 1956 “en ek is nog steeds hier!” sê Pat, wie deel is van die finansiële bestuurspan.
Tisha Abrahams is ook ‘n lid van die finansiële span. Sy het in 2007 ‘n kans gesien vir persoonlike loopbaanbevordering toe sy by GBR aangesluit het as ‘n junior kantoorklerk. Tans is sy ‘n senior finansiële beampte. Tisha glo dat “respek, gemeenskap, ondersteuning en spanwerk” die sleutel tot sukses is. “Deur saam te werk, kan mens die beste oplossings ontdek.”
Senior finansiële beampte, Nadine Oosthuysen, is reeds deel van die GBR span sedert 2009. “My moeder het die grootste deel van haar lewe vir Gamtoos-Besproeiingsraad gewerk en toe daar ‘n geleentheid kom om aansoek te doen vir ‘n administratiewe pos, het ek gou daarvan werk gemaak.” Nadine is vol lof vir GBR se toegewyde gemeenskapsdiens en vir die ondersteuning aan hul werknemers. “Ons maak almal staat op mekaar om ons deel te doen om die beste diens te lewer.”
Nomazizi Thube werk al sedert 2014 in finansies en menslike hulpbronne. “Ek het by GBR begin werk oor die werksomgewing en die geleenthede vir groei wat aan hul werknemers gebied word,” sê sy. “Hier het ons ‘n oopdeurbeleid, en ons vier mekaar se prestasies soos ‘n familie; mens voel nooit alleen nie.” Spanwerk is van die uiterste belang: “As een lid van die span nie saamwerk nie, word ons almal daardeur geraak.”
Ook ‘n lid van die finansiële span, Rentia Prinsloo werk nou al 13 jaar by GBR. Sy glo vas dat dit baie belangrik is om mekaar te ondersteun en te help.
Na tien jaar by GBR sê Elske van der Westhuizen dat die omgewing en spanwerk stééds sorg vir goeie personeelverhouding.
Nadat sy in 2016 as tydelike ontvangsdame begin het, werk Tanya Pieterse nou al vyf jaar lank as ‘n finansiële administrateur. “Ek is trots om deel te wees van so ‘n gedugte span. Die prestasies van hierdie maatskappy laat my voel asof dit my eie oorwinnings is. Spanwerk motiveer ons om harder te werk, saam te werk en mekaar te ondersteun om die werk vinniger klaar te kry en daardeur uitstekende resultate te lewer.”
“Spanwerk maak vordering makliker en laat die groep toe om struikelblokke te oorkom,” sê administrateur Edwina Prinsloo wat nege jaar al by GBR werk. Sy voeg by, “Die uitkoms van spanwerk is sukses.” Sy is mal oor die leergeleenthede wat beskikbaar gestel word aan die personeel by GBR.
Carol van Rooyen het tien jaar van haar werksloopbaan by GBR as deel van die Werk vir Water span deurgebring en vir die afgelope vier jaar is sy in beheer van voorraad. “Hier voel ek deel van die familie en van die groter gemeenskap. Al is dit korporatiewe werk is daar ‘n baie vriendelike atmosfeer.” Oor spanwerk het sy te sê: “Ons is werklik effektief as ons dieselfde toewyding en bereidwilligheid het om te dien.”
Die ontvangsdame, Lee-Anne Malgas werk al sedert 2017 by GBR. Sy was eers ‘n skoonmaker, maar is twee jaar later bevorder tot haar huidige pos. Tesame met haar ander verantwoordelikhede sê sy “ek is bly om hand by te sit waar dit ookal nodig is,” en sy geniet dit om deel te wees “van hierdie groot familie.”
Die hele administratiewe personeel stem saam dat Gloria Booi die “belangrikste persoon” by GBR is. Gloria, wat verantwoordelik is vir die skoonmaak van die kantore en die konferensiekamer, sorg ook vir spyseniering vir vergaderings. Sy is al twee jaar deel van die GBR span. “Ek het ‘n geleentheid gesien om te werk vir ‘n maatskappy wat sorg dat hul werknemers hul drome kan bereik. Ek maak elke oggend lekker koffie om die dag mee te begin en my doel is om almal in die kantoor spesiaal te laat voel.”
Dit is duidelik dat daar in hierdie merkwaardige span ‘n sin bestaan dat hulle almal deel is van ‘n familie wat die belange van al sy lede op die hart dra. Die spanwerk wat daaruit volg lei tot ‘n samehangende span wat sáám werk om dieselfde doelwitte te bereik.