Here are a few snaps taken recently of the abandoned Affenrucken complex.... as some of you might know, the mine will not be demolishing the place, just removing all the scrap... and then Nature Conservation will be using the place as a future Tourist Info centre.... I will also post a few of Malcolm's Pics, from the good old days, just so that you can grasp the difference....
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Working for the Mine Building Maintenance Dept. in the early 80's, as an Appie, the hostels were obviously part of our maintenance schedule. The artisans I worked for at the time, took it on themselves to a certain extent, to get the swimming pool at Affenrucken hostel up and running as it was in a sad state of disrepair. Not too long and too short and there was a little oasis in one of the remotest of the hostels. At that time there were a lot of baboons in the Affenrucken area and the bliksems would take the discarded stale bread from the hostel and dip it in the pool to soften it before eating. Next day bread crumbs floating all over the pool surface. Great innovation on their part at the time but most probably the baboons have moved on now as they have no water to dunk their bread.
I believe the Baboons are still there.... they now use the water from the spring there..... the bread might be a problem though!
they living below the breadline unfortunately
Hi, I remember Affenrucken well, I worked for mine maintenance looking after the hostels and services. In the the early eighties a talented chef called Rene Soum worked at the mess in Affenrucken, the food was so stunning guys would drive all the way from Uubvlei for lunch!. Rene ended up as chef at the Hexen Kessel. I also kept the swimming pool in top condition even tho there were only a few contractors based there. Occasionally on arrival at the pool I would find a group of baboons lounging around the pool- I kid you not!.
All this of course before the Central Kitchen took over the catering for the mine.
All the best,
Keith Ager
Hi Keith. That's about the time I was referring to. I was working with Geoff Quinton at the time. Nice to hear from you.
I know Geoff Quinton - he's now living in Western Australia, in Aus. We met in 85/86 at Argyle Diamond Mines where John Mack was the Plant Sup. We started chatting and lo and behold he was from Oranjemund.
We are still in touch. It's a small world.
I can tell you a few stories about the swimming pool and babbons as well - but you'll have to read my book (drum roll for self-promotion).
Malcolm
I lived in Oranjemund from October 1969 till July 1987.
The name of the photo is missleading as the photo was taken after 1981.
You will clearly see that the last part build at the school is vissible on the pic - that "new" section that was built on the sportsfield/ and where Christmas tree was held, was built in 1980 and finished off in 1981 just in time for our
Std 5 class to start using that classrooms.
Andre
How long has it been deserted? There dose not seem to be much sand in the buildings yet.
I remember going to CalmansKop and each year there would be more sand in the unmaintained buildings.
Sorry, Andre' , which one of the photo's are you referring to?
idontknow
Hi Tamara
I believe that Affenrucken closed down in 1987 and No 1 plant in 1991 or thereabouts.
Thanks
I am amazed there is not more sand. Are the companies "preversing" the buildings?
These photo's have so much more meaning after reading Malcolms book!
msn emoticon (9)
I will second Mike's comment read Malcolm's book, I've got a pic of the pool before the sand, there was a chair and a little rubble in there. The rains last year did most of the dammage before then all the roads where easy drive-able but now you need 4x4 with a little skill to get arround.
I noticed another pool there at the big hostel was it ever used?
Greatings Alfred
@Alfie, where's the big hostel/...
do you have anymore snaps of mittag?
@Mike, the big hostel at Affenrucken
I will go through my files should have or will get later
Alfred
The Ovambo section?
Thats correct Mike it has been filled with sand and a Volletball net put up
Most of the mention made about Affenrucken refers to the "single quarters" or contractors hostel. The main hostel is further north, just over the ridge and around the bend kinda thing, this is where the migrant labourers stayed.
Noticed Tamara Hogan's post about the sand, you must see Mittag hostel for sand, will ask Alfie to check his albums for a pic or 2.
I think Alfie posted a few Mittag pics in here already!
What happened to Tamara, I see she also lives in the same town as Bobcat( Johnno's friend who is quite sick!), The last I heard was Tamara was on her way to South Africa For a holiday.....
I did some work on the Affenrucken site during construction in the late '50s and was later stationed at Mittag but travelling daily from Oranjemund. Even in those days Affenrucken was seen as quite a desirable hostel by the single guys.
On another tack: a big hi to Lance Olivier. I knew his Dad well during the early Sixties.
Welcome onto the board Bob, It;s great, with the utmost respect, to have one of the older Oranjemunders online, to share those memories......
I know my dad, who was based down at uubvley, would always try to get breakdowns up at the one plant area, just in order to be able to get into the Mess at Affenrucken, reckons you could always count on a great meal, and quite often crayfish would be served.....
Mike I see in Google earth that Namdeb are mining at Elizabeth Bay. Is there anyone out there that could nip down to the old german Elizabucht mine (1 km or so away) and take a few pictures, especially the old hotel and the old separating plant and the jetty and you could post them on this site.
Leon, I actually have some of those pics on my laptop at work.... will post 2morrow!
Hello to you all
My time in Oranjemund (69-71) was spent in central fields work shop, when I started there another guy by the name of Bob Bingham (boilermaker) I think started at the same time.
One of us was to be sent up to Affenrucken, he tryed to persuade me to take the position, I was young and green but not that green.
What I can remember is they were picked up at 6am. and Affenrucken was 60 miles (100klms.) so they travelled in there own time one hours each way.
We were picked up by bus in town then would stop by the swimming pool untill 7am. I am not sure but was there a siren that sounded at that time, not sure, so never got up there.
Hi All,
Prior to the mid-Sixties the mode of transport to the out of town workshops was on the back of a truck, seated on three wooden forms which ran lengthwise. Each truck carried 30 or more passengers. The luxury was a canvas roof which kept off most of the dust.
All the trucks assembled - heading to places such as Central Fields, North Electrical, HMS (the heavy media separator plant), Uubvley and Mittag - around 6.45am at the food hall in front of the single quarters. Affenrucken was then fully staffed with resident single men and required little or no daily transport from Oranjemund.
Work starting time was 7.25am and the normal working week was 48 hours over six days with up to 100 hours a month of overtime available for those who wanted it. Overtime was paid at time and a half, Sundays were double time.
There was no sick pay, no payment for time off and fewer statutory holidays. In the late Fifties there was almost a revolt, headed by the burgeoning group of expatriates, to get New Year's Day declared a holiday. I suspect it had much to do with the fact that most people spent the day with a hangover after the New Year's Eve Ball, a big event in the social calendar.
Mealtimes were 12 noon to 12.30, signalled by a siren. There were no purpose-built canteens or provision for a place to eat though most workshops boasted a hot water heater of some sort. Everybody brought a lunch pail, mainly sandwiches. Most people simply sat on their work benches for the brief break. Discipline was tight and even minor offences could result in dismissal, which was abrupt and often same day. Married men were generally given time to pack and get their kids out of school but departure was still fairly rapid. Most such firings meant the offenders were "over the bridge" by next day.
A siren blew at 7am and woe betide those who weren't already aboard their truck as all vehicles left immediately and headed their separate ways. The G area trucks reached their destinations in less than 20 minutes while the Uubvley people took half an hour. The Mittag transport, a smaller vehicle with a fully covered deck but marginally more comfortable bench seating, usually left 10 minutes before the siren sounded.
A sea change took place in work conditions when the ex-pats formed a majority of the work force. Militant calls to unionise caused management to wake up. The compromise was a management/worker committee which met as often as needed but at least once a month. For the first time work staff talked direct to top management and things began to change.
Rooms at the single quarters (famously described by one ex-pat in a note to the Newsletter as "grim monastic cells") were enlarged and gained a wash basin. Workshops acquired a separate eating area with seating, adequate hot water for tea or coffee and - who could believe it - even a table. Regulation passenger buses replaced a few of the transport trucks and the painting of family housing was stepped up to a minimum repaint every three years or shorter if needed, plus the opportunity to choose one's own colours.
Interestingly, costs went down, production went up and by the early Sixties the mine was booming.
A new cinema and new supermarket, enlarged and improved Recreation club, a new single men's pub (Casey's Bar), telephones and hire cars for those who wanted them all happened shortly after.
Regards,
Bob.
Sad to see the state of Affenrucken. Have fond memories of my time living there in '76.
And yes, the food was excellent.
Oh well, everything dies.
When I stayed there I had a dog...Lady....which some bastard poisoned.....
Carl
Hi Carl
When were you in Affenrucken? Your name rings a bell somewhere deep in my memory chambers.
Hello Bob Molloy.
This has nothing to do with Affenrucken (I notice you are over there in N/Z) your post suggest you were there in the 60's.
The bit that caught my eye was the New years day holiday or lack of it.
We went to a new years eve party at a couples place just up the road (I think their names Dave and Jenny Simpson)
Well I was slightly inebriated, :auguri1: and I missed the bus to C/F the next morning N.Y.Day, getting to the workshop late.
The practice of the guys there was to hammer on the workbench to welcome you to you eight hours of hangover image061.
Happy days Frank.
Hi Gregg,
I went to Affies in Dec 75. You were working on R%D, Ariesdrift side with Hennie, Tony and Ikey. I stayed there till about March 76 when I was transferred to # plant for its commisioning with John Mack and John Bance as PS and APS. The foreman with me were: Trevor Hodd and Ikey Johnstone After promotion of myself and Thys Visser I was transferred back to No 1 Plant.
I think somewhere in between you were transferred to 2 Plant. remember Hannes Brand? He was Foreman with Jim Reid and idontknow who the third one was.
Rgds Carl
Hi Carl
In my memory CDM was much better than Namdeb. I think that I started to loose faith in the company about '94 or possibly '95. Sad really as CDM in my early years was really good to me.
Yes, I did spend sometime at #2 Plant. Mike Wittet was PS. George Holl might have been the 3rd foreman. Or he was the Training foreman. Not sure anymore... .
Will write more when I have a bit more time. Really must dig out my work history as well... was all over the place in my 28 odd years with CDM/Namdeb, and worked for 3 or 4 departments... including Security (not so much laughter please!) Haha.