GIB pays tribute to its longest serving member
It’s not often that someone starts working for an organisation even before its inception. But that was the case with Pat Oosthuysen, one of the members of the Financial Management team, who moved to the Gamtoos Valley in 1982.
There was a vacancy at the Department of Water Affairs, which was then responsible for managing Kouga Dam. Pat applied, and the rest is history. Almost ten years later, the Gamtoos Irrigation Board was established, and Pat has been an integral part of this organisation from the very beginning.
When current CEO Rienette Colesky joined the Gamtoos Irrigation Board in 2001, Pat was there. Rienette pays tribute to her long-standing colleague, saying:
”Pat has played an integral part in the knowledge I have gained of our organisation’s bookkeeping system. She knows her trade well. Pat is very dedicated, she is accurate, fast and has the memory of an elephant when it comes to figures!
“She will always be part of our GIB family and I am sure we will make use of her extensive knowledge even after she has left our employment.
“It has been an honour to work with her and I will definitely miss her. Here, we do not just know one another as colleagues; we also know one another’s children, and the sweet and bitter of life.”
We also asked the lady of the moment, Pat, about her four decades managing the finances that keep GIB’s operations – and our water resources – flowing:
Q: Do you have any special memories from when you first joined the team back in 1982?
A: Oh, 1982 is so long ago that I’m having trouble even trying to remember that far back! I do remember that when I started here the admin team was very much smaller. Our offices were in a prefab building without heating or air-conditioning. You can imagine the freezing winters, and the summer temperatures ranging from 35 to 40 degrees. It was very challenging.
Also, there were no computers then, so everything was done by hand – from salaries to water usage calculations.
Q: Can you share any highlights from your many years at Gamtoos Irrigation Board?
A: One of the real highlights has to have been the building of the new offices and the anticipation of moving into them and enjoying the modern facilities that we have now. It was very exciting at the time.
Q: There must have been some funny or memorable moments in all that time. Any stand-out memories?
A: I am having a bit of trouble trying to remember anything that stands out here. Perhaps that is because all of the moments, even the very serious ones, have been laced with the fun of the teamwork that we shared.
Q: The GIB team is often referred to as a close-knit ‘family’. What will you miss most about being part of the team?
A: I will definitely miss all the laughs with the family that GIB has become. I will especially miss the early morning coffee meetings before we start work each day, and the occasional lunchtime braais with opportunities for conversation and getting to know one another.
Q: Is there anything in your desk drawer that you have held onto from your early days at GIB?
A: I still have a couple of notebooks about different processes in my job, showing how these have changed over the years. I am also still using an ancient printing calculator that Nomazizi, our youngest – and most modern – staff member has already claimed!
Q: What are your retirement plans for the years to come?
A: I have no real plans yet. I will spend some time adjusting to my new home in Port Elizabeth, just relaxing and catching up on my reading. Then I will take some time to find new challenges.
GBR bring hulde aan langsdienende lid Pat Oosthuysen
Dit is selde dat iemand by ’n maatskappy begin werk nog voor die aanvangsdatum, maar Pat Oosthuysen, ’n lid van ons Finansiële Bestuurspan, is juis so iemand. Sy het in 1982 na die Gamtoosvallei verhuis.
Daar was ’n vakature by die Departement Waterwese, wat verantwoordelik was vir die bestuur van die Kouga Dam. Pat het aansoek gedoen, en die res is geskiedenis. Amper tien jaar later is die Gamtoosbesproeiingsraad gevestig, en Pat was uit die staanspoor ’n kern lid van die span.
Toe die huidige hoof-uitvoerende beampte, Rienette Colesky, in 2001 by die Gamtoosbesproeiingsraad aangesluit het, was Pat daar. Rienette bring hulde aan haar jarelange kollega:
“Pat het ’n belangrike rol gespeel in my kennis van ons organisasie se boekhousisteem. Sy ken haar vakgebied. Pat is pligsgetrou, sy is akkuraat en vinnig, en as dit by syfers kom, het sy die geheue van ’n olifant!
“Sy sal altyd deel van ons GBR familie wees en ek is seker dat ons van haar uitgebreide kennis gebruik sal maak selfs as sy nie meer ’n werknemer van ons is nie.
“Dit was ’n eer om saam met haar te werk en ek sal beslis na haar verlang. Hier ken ons mekaar nie slegs as kollegas nie; ons ken mekaar se kinders, en die soet en bitter van die lewe.”
Ons het ook vir Pat, die dame van die oomblik, uitgevra oor die vier dekades wat sy GBR se finansies bestuur het. Dis ‘n kritieke rol, wat die Raad se bedrywighede – en ons waterbronne – aan die gang hou:
Is daar enige spesiale herinneringe van die tyd toe jy in 1982 by die span aangesluit het?
Ai, 1982 is so lank gelede dat ek sukkel om eers so ver terug te kan onthou! Ek onthou wel dat die administratiewespan baie kleiner was toe ek hier begin het. Ons kantoor was in ’n voorafvervaardigde gebou sonder verwarming of lugversorging. Julle kan julle indink hoe koud die winters was, en die somertemperature het gewissel van 35 na 40 grade. Dit was baie uitdagend.
Daar was ook geen rekenaars nie, en alles moes met die hand gedoen word – vanaf salarisse tot waterverbruik berekeninge.
Kan jy enige hoogtepunte met ons deel uit jou menigte jare by GBR? Iets wat uitstaan?
Een van die grootste hoogtepunte was beslis die bou van die nuwe kantoorgeboue en hoe ons daarna uitgesien het om in te trek en om die moderne geriewe te geniet wat ons nou het. Dit was baie opwindend.
Daar moes seker ‘n paar snaakse of onvergeetlike oomblikke in al daardie jare gewees het. Sal jy asseblief van hulle met ons deel?
Dis vir my ’n bietjie moeilik om iets te onthou wat uitstaan. Ek dink miskien is dit omdat al die oomblikke, tot dié wat baie ernstig was, versag is deur die pret van die spanwerk wat ons gedeel het.
Daar word dikwels na die GBR span verwys as ’n hegte ‘familie’. Waarna sal jy verlang as jy dink aan die span waarvan jy deel was?
GBR het vir my soos ’n familie geword en ek ek sal veral verlang na die lekker saam lag. Ek sal ook elke dag se vroeg-oggend koffievergaderings voor werk mis, en die tye toe ons so af en toe ’n middagetebraai geniet het wat tyd toegelaat het om mekaar ’n bietjie beter te leer ken.
Is daar steeds enigiets in jou lessenaarlaai uit jou vroeër dae by GBR?
Ek het nog steeds ’n paar notaboekies oor verskeie werksprosesse wat wys hoe alles oor die jare verander het. Ek gebruik ook nog ’n stokoue druk sakrekenaar wat Nomazizi, ons jongste – en mees moderne kollega – reeds opgeëis het!
Wat is jou toekomsplanne vir die jare wat voorlê?
Ek het eintlik geen planne nie. Eerstens sal ek die tyd gebruik om aan te pas in my nuwe huis in Gqeberha. Ek sal ontspan en my leeswerk inhaal. Dan sal ek my toespits op nuwe uitdagings.