Andrew Murray
A month in Namibia, then a month in Botswana, and after that we’ll see where to next…
This is the beginning of a new phase in the life of one of the most recognised faces of Gamtoos Water, Andrew Murray.
He recently retired after 35 years of service to the valley, first as game farm manager, then water control officer at Gamtoos Irrigation Board, later in the office at the Works department, and for the past 20 years as senior water control.
“I’ve seen drought, flood, drought again and another full dam. I’ve experienced it all,” Murray says with his arm in a sling… Before his retirement can properly kick off, he must first undergo shoulder surgery.
“My retirement comes a little earlier than I thought. If my health had allowed it, I would still have worked for a long time. But my doctors recommended that I should rest now.”
He says his body feels all the years of climbing in wet pipes and canals and working long hours in difficult conditions, but he has enjoyed every moment.
“I love a challenge. Every new step in my life I saw as an adventure and a challenge to see if I could do it.”
Murray was born in Welkom, attended the Agricultural School in Kroonstad, and studied BSc agriculture with nature conservation at Tukkies. After that, the adventures properly began with seven years in the Caprivi as part of Special Forces, where there were many challenges, and he learned a lot. The next challenge was 5 years as a shaft sinker at Anglo American, where they built a shaft and opened tunnels for a mine in Welkom. But his heart for nature brought him to the Gamtoos Valley as a game farm supervisor at Flip Fouries’ farm in Tuinskloof, before his career started at Gamtoos Water.
Of all the work at Gamtoos Water, from admin, dry periods, painting and inspecting pipes, one of his highlights was the project in 2006-2008 where the old concrete pipelines at Hankey, Milton, Bodker and De Koning were replaced with steel pipes. “It was very interesting for me to work with the engineers (MSW, Southern Pipelines and WK).”
But now there are new things in the works…For the foreseeable future, Murray and his wife, Rinie’s, furniture is all stored in a storage facility in Port Elizabeth. And while they wait for their brand new, specially designed Infanta Enkulu 2, 4×4 caravan to be completed, they will relax a bit at Buffels Bay while he recovers from his shoulder surgery. They are due to pick up their “new home” in Swellendam in May and then start their journey to Swakopmund where they will meet his son, Andrew and his wife, and then tour together.
“We’ve done our homework. Rinie decided and designed everything within the caravan, and we follow ‘Kampkronieke’ and ‘Kampvuur blondie’ on Facebook for some tips for where to camp etc.” says Murray excitedly. They are also currently doing an online camera course to learn how to edit videos and plan to keep everyone up to date on their adventures. A development in George that is lock-up-and-go may be in the plans for them if their health doesn’t allow them to tour all the time. Furthermore, they plan to make a trip to Cape Town about once a year to service the caravan.
For now, Namaqualand in bloom, Kruger National Park, and the Okavango Delta in Botswana are on the wish list. “Nature and silence are what I’m looking forward to,” Murray says.
“I’m going to miss the valley, but I’m very proud of what I’ve accomplished here and walk away with gratitude.”
Andrew Murray
‘n Maand in Namibië, dan ‘n maand in Botswana, en daarna gaan ons sien waarheen…
Dit is die begin van die nuwe fase in die lewe van een van die bekendste gesigte van Gamtoos Water, Andrew Murray.
Hy het onlangs afgetree na 35 jaar in diens van die vallei, eers as wildplaasbestuurder, toe waterbeheerbeampte by Gamtoos Besproeiingsraad, later in die kantoor by die Werke afdeling, en vir die afgelope 20 jaar senior waterbeheer.
“Ek het droogte, vloed, droogte en weer ‘n vol dam gesien. Ek het van die 1996-vloed tot die leë dam wat onlangs op 9% gedraai het beleef,” sê Murray met sy arm in ‘n sling…voor sy aftrede reg kan afskop, moet hy eers ‘n skoueroperasie ondergaan.
“My aftrede kom bietjie vroeër as wat ek gedink het. As my gesondheid dit toegelaat het, sou ek nog lank gewerk het. Maar my dokters het aanbeveel dat ek nou moet rus.”
Hy sê sy lyf voel nou al die jare se geklouter en klip in nat pype en kanale en lang ure in moeilike omstandighede, maar hy het elke oomblik geniet.
“Ek is mal oor ‘n uitdaging. Elke nuwe stap in my lewe het ek gesien as ‘n avontuur en ‘n uitdaging om te sien of ek dit kan doen.”
Murray is gebore in Welkom, was op die Landbouskool in Kroonstad, en het BSc landbou met natuurbewaring by Tukkies geswot. Daarna het die avonture behoorlik begin met sewe jaar in die Kaprivi as deel van Spesiale Magte waar daar baie uitdagings was en hy baie geleer het. Die volgende uitdaging was 5 jaar as skagsinker by Anglo American waar hulle ‘n skag gebou en tonnels oopgemaak het vir ‘n myn in Welkom. Maar sy hart vir die natuur het hom Gamtoosvallei toe gebring as wildplaasbetuurder by Flip Fourie in Tuinskloof, voor sy loopbaan by Gamtoos Water begin het.
Van al die werk by Gamtoos Water, van admin, droëperiodes, duike en kanale verf, en in duikpype klim, was een van sy hoogtepunte die projek in 2006-2008 waar die ou beton pypleidings by Hankey, Milton, Bodker en De Koning met staalpype vervang is. “Dit was vir my baie interessant om saam met die ingenieurs (MSW, Southern Pipelines en WK) te werk,” sê hy.
Maar nou is daar nuwe dinge in die pyplyn…Murray en sy vrou, Rinie, se meubels word vir die voorsienbare toekoms alles in ‘n berginsfasiliteit in Port Elizabeth gestoor. En terwyl hulle wag dat hul splinternuwe, spesiaal ontwerpte Infanta Enkulu 2, 4×4-karavaan klaar gebou word, gaan die tweetjies bietjie op Buffelsbaai ontspan terwyl hy herstel van sy skoueroperasie. Hulle behoort hul “nuwe huis” in Mei in Swellendam te gaan haal en is dan fort Swakopmund toe waar hulle sy seun, Andrew en sy vrou, ontmoet en dan saam gaan toer.
“Ons het ons huiswerk gedoen. Rinie het alles binne die karavaan besluit en ontwerp, en ons volg ‘Kampkronieke’ en ‘Die Kampvuur blondie’ op Facebook vir wenke vir waar om te kamp ens.” sê Murray opgewonde. Hulle doen ook op die oomblik ‘n aanlyn kamera-kursus om te leer hoe om videos te redigeer en beplan om so almal van hul avonture op hoogte te hou. ‘n Ontwikkeling in George wat lock-up-and-go is, is dalk in die planne as hulle gesondheid so is dat hulle nie die heeltyd aaneen kan toer nie. Verder beplan hulle om so een keer ‘n jaar ‘n draai in die Kaap te maak om die karavaan te diens.
Vir nou is Namaqualand in blommetyd, Kruger Wildtuin, en die Okavango Delta in Botswana op die wenslys. “Die natuur en stilte is waarna ek uitsien,” sê Murray.
“Ek gaan die vallei mis, maar is baie trots op wat ek hier vermag het en stap weg met dankbaarheid.”