Oranjemund Online

To start this off,

I arrived with my Mom and Dad in February 1952 and left ORANJEMUND, with a wife an two children in February 2005

Total period of residence in ORANJEMUND = 53 years

Commenced working for CDM / Namdeb in December 1969 and went on early retirement in December 2004

Total period of Service to the Mine in ORANJEMUND = 35 years

Clive Symes

Good grief Clive, this is a life time!  Where did you retire to?

Charmain Meier (Heusdens)

I can give you the address of the Old Age Home where Clive lives if you wish.  ;D ;D

Myself, arrived in 1989 for two years.
Left in 2004 - 15 years later..... ::)

arrived in 1978 started working for cdm/namdeb in 1994 left in 2003 . so lets see thats um.........25 years

Arrived June 1072, also for 2 years...... did all the school things, forced to become an appie in 1989, got fired, thats another story, left town for 3 years to er, do other things, that's also another story, slipped back into town, tried to get reemployed with the mine by working at Bottle Store, clever Namdeb worker found out, lost my job again..... got a job at Spar as a private..... and been there ever since...... mm is buried here, dad is drinking here, brothers all live here, I'm married, lotsa kida and braai's..... sigh! life is good.....

;D

I was ten when I arrived, now I am 36 (oh boy am I that old.....) so that makes it in the year of I don't remember but I left before I was 21 in the year I don't remember, but I was born in O'mund in 1971 and left when I was 3 and came back when I was ten, so you work out the years.... in all I was there for 14 years, boy it feels longer than that, must have been all the drinking and dancing and....

born in omund in september 1958,left physically in 1972,truth be known,never ever left the place mentally,aha,im still here mike,now for those beers boetie x

Arrived Nov 1981, age 5. Still here nearly 26 years later.

I knew I married an older guy but didn't realise he was that old! I think Mike meant 1972 and not 1072!

Arrived at birth in 1963, left for boarding school 1977and holidayed in Omund until 1981, returned twice for holiday 1982 an 1985.
Only worked as scholar.
Not really a fully fledged adult member of the Omund team, just a kid who had a great childhood. Had you noticed.??

born & bred desert rat! Born 1964. Left matric 1982, worked in o'mund till 1993 - 29 years in total  - BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE!!

From 1978 till now.
I have volunteered to turn out the lights and fold up the bridge when I leave. :-\

The bridge folds up?

???

We arrived here in 1972 after a very long and epic journey on the road i got to know as port nolloth road.My mom nearly had a heart attack as my dad apparently told her that the garages at Swartkops were our new home heheh..did my primary school stint, my high school stint, stole some sweets in the now Spar did my Army two years, became a lefttenant,walked nearly halfway around kaokoland for some stupid reason,some guy hit a landmine right in front of me,lost 70% of my hearing thats, why i scream Province,then i left the army to become a tenant in civvy street,joined the security dept and still at it after 25 years,my wife Mariaan nearly 25 years married and here i am got to listen to some mad guy called Mike who got this brilliant idea and here we all are yapping along happily ever after........         

My Parents arrived in1959 I was born in O/Mund still here 41 years and counting, would like to continue till retirement.

Warren I've got the key to the switch for the lights wait for me before you fold the bridge up or I won.t beable to leave

Thanks

Hey Warren... about that turning out the lights.. folding up the bridge thing...   Its funny but we ex- Omd now "outsiders" often sit and wonder about who of the folx we remember actually will carry out that function!  A few that come to mind are the Van Rooyen brothers .. (Hi Adriaan) ... Karen Siebers....yourselves of course and then there's Pete Nut ... nah  ... guess you'll beat him... he must be getting close to retirement by now.   ;D

Hey Bubbles

You're dead right ~ my lights went out looooonnnggggg time ago!!  (Besides, I thought I was retired?).

Michael, you will need to get Barent Mathee and Terry Holland to log onto the site because, by my reckoning  one of them are destined to turn out the lights & " fold up the bridge"

I bet it is Terry who has to switch off the lights  :D

Terry lurks around this site, but has yet to register, he corrects me with the names on photo's whenever he see's me in the shop....   ;)

Hi Oranjemunders

Glad i have found that site

Hope some people remember me.

I was in O-mund from 1973 till 1979 and worked in elictrical engineering at 1 Plamt, 2 Plant, 4 Plant construction sorthouse, in town and finally 3 Plant.

Any one want to see my Homepage : http://www.dersofaladen.de/home/index.html

I live in Germany Stuttgart but visited Namibia very often. Oranjemund last time in 1983 and stayes at Günther Machts home whom i visited last year in Kleinmond.

I have never really left SWA - Namibia......my thoughts are always there, the best time of my life.

Member of the players and camera Club, played in oh what a lovely war and Oklahoma and Folksinging at different occasions

34 - 3 rd. avenue next tot the family Lotte whou live near Paris and Charles Löffler whou lives in Vienna.
Still in contact with them.

Whou writes to me ????

Welcome George

Check out your site , Very impressive.

George, I was just talking to my father, Jock Alexander, He remembers you very well, He recalls in 1973 you and your wife, he thinks, Illse, were also Folk singers, and with my dad and a few others you lot sang at a Scout fund raising event. My father used to carry a bottle of whisky in his guitar case, and you were all talking about a piece of land on the border of Germany and France that changes hands with each war, somewhere along the line you both spoke french to each other without realising that you had switched...

Anyhow my father sends his regards...

ps... I visited your website, nice, aber meinen Deutsch ist nicht ser gut!

;)

Hello  George ..  Good  to see you  on  the  site ..  You  may remember  me  as  one  of your troublesome  appies  at  3 plant , and you   wife Illse  worked  in the  shopping  center  would  remember  my  Mom   ..  and  yes  your  folk  singing    remember  very  well ...   good  old  times  good  memories   ...  never  forgotten ,

                 Sandy Buchanan

Hi Everyone

Cannot believe i missed this web site. I got it from my brother David Brownless.

How long did i live in Oranjemund.
Arrived in 1972 left in 1978to go to England.
got married in the UKreturnes in December 1978 stayed untill 1984
Total = 13 years and what good years they were.

Barbara Eia (Brownless)

Hi Barbara

Nice surprise hearing from you!!! There are a few people asking after you. As Diana says there is lots to read and see on this amazing site. We're all hooked. How long have you been living in the UK? Where is Susan nowadays?

Let's hear some news.

:)   

Hi Debbie
This site is great. Trygve and I went our seperate ways in 1993 I have been in England ever since and am quite happy, I do miss Cape Town. Susan is in england I have just phoned her to tell her about the site and she has registered.
Got to go  and fetch my daughter from work but will catch up when i return.

regards
Barbara Eia (Brownless)

Barbara so this is where you hang out.Posted a note to you " Where are all the youngish people" under" Anything goes"

Hi Barbara, remember you and Susan, forgive the question, but I hav'nt checked, is she is on this site

Hi Barbara - Delia (Olivier) here - your ex next door neighbour in outer crescent - i remember when you guys first moved in we had an orange fight over the fence  :D. where's steven nowdays - he was in my class at OPS?

Hi there Barbara
How are you and the kids doing?
Scrap the message that my friend Eliska sent you, I now have your e-mail address again, will write sometime soon.
Busy at work at the moment. Has Susan started the B&B yet. give her my mail address.
Cheers
Juanita
ps Stephanie & Johann send their love.

Crumbs.... My grandparents immigrated from Holland to Oranjemund, I think my mom was about 12.  Later on in years she met my dad who was a appie.  My mom & gran used to run the cafe - Desert Inn.  Anyone remember that? Ha ha I used to steal all the gifts out of the lucky packets.  My mom was also won the Miss Diamond Queen!  Parents took early retirement in 1993.

I was born in O'mund in 1974 & left in 1994!

The good ol years!  I love O'mund, especially the horse riding club & then in later years, the youth club & Sportsmans!

@ Claire Mc Cullagh

Thanks for your visit to my Homepage

@ Sandy

Off course i rember you and how hard i was on you sometimes, hope you forgive me but also that you have learned something while on "my 3 Plant" in fact i thought of you the other day, also the other appies whitey, Peter Reschke, Steve and many others.

By the way, i run in to Peter Reschke whou lives in the Cape, i was glad i recognized me after all the years. That was the Waterfront CT on one of my many visits to SA and Nam.

On all trips i met some old aquaintances from SA and Southwest days

@ Michael Alexander

Yes you rember well, thats correct what you said

We were the Folksingers ( George and Inge )and had a lot of fun but are divorced since long ago.

Here again my Website http://www.dersofaladen.de/home/index.html

I receive daily the News from a Nam Paper so i am well informed of many things. I red recently of some fire on a Plant, they spoke about Nr 3, cant be that Plant was already abandoned on my visit in 1983. Any ideas ??????

@ Bianca Oliver

Of course i remember your Parents, as far as i know your father was Ollie ?? Forman Boiler Makers 2 Plant.

Your mums name ??? but i see her face in my mind, a blonde beauty, both well known in the community.

Hell that is all long ago, in fact half a life time more than 30 years........but i have fond memories.

Regards Georg Ruf

Yip that's my dad!  He's celebrating his 70th this year but he still thinks he's 21.  My mom's name is Cora  :-)  they both live in Somerset West & are coming over to England to visit my sister & I for Christmas this year.  Not sure how my dad is going to deal with the cold but we'll just put him infront of a radiator & feed his Ol Brown sherry!  :-)

take care

Georg, it was 3 Plant that caught fire, they reopened three plant in the late 80's. I did part of my apprenticeship (electrical) there under Colin Benton. I think Gunther Salschow is running the electrical side of things there after they closed 2 plant down last year or the year before that....

Some great memories there, but the best place I served my apprenticeship was at 50G under Gus Buchanan. 50G was closed down by then, but three workshops were kept open, Bucketwheel, Electrical and Biolermakers, to service the non plant part of the mine.

My first Day there Greg Pengelly drove(slid) me down the mine dump on the dumping side...... Gus was'nt to happy when he came to work on the monday and saw the Tyre tracks down the side of the dump......   ::)

I never qualified, had to leave......... suddenly....  :-\

But thats life and I'm happy now.... things always happen for a reason..

Peter Reschke is living in Qatar or Dubai, he left at the beginning of the month, but he is registered on the site.....

:)

Thanks iwill try to find Peter, he would be the second person from Oranjemund living in Dubai

Patricia Lotte lives there she is also on board here.

Georg

Richard Gerstner is also in Dubai....   ;D

@ Bianca Oliver

Yeeeeeeeeees Cora now i remebr, give them my regards if they remember me

CU

Georg

During my time in O-mund i took some 8 mm Films, some of them are in the net

Minig Ops

http://www.livevideo.com/video/801B144209834055BCB5E606D0F08453/diamond-mine-part-1-3-8-mm-fi.aspx

3 Plant and sorthouse at 4 Plant

http://www.livevideo.com/video/4019FBC11E8447308BB3187121CCEA15/diamond-mine-part-2-3-8-mm-fi.aspx

Wave Survey with Niel Hasland and Pepe Freemantle on the Ship wonder wehre they are

http://www.livevideo.com/video/D22F1100801D4AABA462DB8620C1617D/wave-survey-diamond-coast-nami.aspx?lastvcid=289816

Bad Quality but good memories

Hi Barbara,

I was one of those asking about you . . . good to see you on this site.

I'm chatting to Verona and Denise (Barratt) and am enjoying the reminising on this site.

Hope to talk to you soon . . .

Keith Margetts
19 Outer Crescent (1968 to 1977)

George  .. Hi ..  as  rebellious  as  I  was  and  as  hard  as  you  were   it helped  shape  me  ..  looking  back  it is  appreciated as  my  rebelliousness  had   to  be tempered  a  bit..    I  remember  Jean  Bennet  as  well  he  too  helped  me  through  my  difficult  patches ... I  have never forgotten   you two  for   that   ... Once  again  welcome to  the  site    and  I  look forward  to  hearing  a  lot  more  memory  callbacks .. remember we all  have  a bit  to  give  .. all  those  bits  will  make  a lot ..

             Sandy

Hello again Clive, Pam and myself arrived by air in May 1970. We gazed about use with total disbelief and dispair at a flat moonscape of brown earth and stones. We rode the bus up to the old X ray department and the relief flooded though us as an incredible oasis unfolded before our eyes. We were hooked and stayed until until December 1981.
I had a lot of laughs there, but non more then when Benny Willson and I joined the commandos, nobody sunk more beers or shot more ammo ( in that order ) than us. I've got loads of photos of that time, I will dig them out and post fore all to see.

Keith, did'nt you guys stay at inner crescent?

???

Hello Keith, good to see you on the site.  I remember Dad's army days, he'd go away for 3 months and come back all tanned, use to p..... mom off.

I'm sure you remember, you and dad with the crossbow. there was something about mom's roses, the caravan, were the bow went right thought it and a cat..... :)

Say hi to Pam and the girls
Love Julie

My Dad, Jock also had one of those big Bows, set it up in the garden, aimed it at the fence, Whooosh! right through our fence, crossed the road, through the neighbours fence, stopping on his opposite fence, no toy...... :P

Hi there Mike,
This is Pam, yes we stayed at 14 Inner Cres,for 10 years and then moved to E27 11th. I remember you guys,
your mum, dad,and two other brothers. you may remember Faye and Sonia our daughters? Sonia got an email from
Rhona McManus to day,will dig out some pics of you guys at birthday partys when you were kids.!!
Saw Auriel and Benny Willson a couple of weeks ago as we have always kept in touch,also saw Julie and Greg.
We moved to C Town and then after 12years back here to the U.K, have been here for 14 Years about. What about you guys?

Hi Julie

I didn't do it, Benny did, honest!

Hi,

Arrived with my parents Peter and Bernadette Mc Manus, and two sisters Grainne and Rhona, roughly 1972, and left in 1981, with all of us now settled in Ireland.

Was telling folks about this site last night and they brought up quite a fgew names that I have seen mentioned here already/

Great site
Gary

Quote from: Bianca Oliver on September 18, 2007, 01:11:43 PM
Crumbs.... My grandparents immigrated from Holland to Oranjemund, I think my mom was about 12.  Later on in years she met my dad who was a appie.  My mom & gran used to run the cafe - Desert Inn.  Anyone remember that? Ha ha I used to steal all the gifts out of the lucky packets.  My mom was also won the Miss Diamond Queen!  Parents took early retirement in 1993.

I was born in O'mund in 1974 & left in 1994!

The good ol years!  I love O'mund, especially the horse riding club & then in later years, the youth club & Sportsmans!

I think your granddad was called Abe............. if so i worked with him at Henny van Tonder's plumbing shop?  He was a fitter with Dougy Wilson.......... a very nice bloke. I remember your folks running the Desert Inn. Many happy memories despite the passing of time.

We moved to Oranjemund at the end of 1973. I left in 1982 after finishing high school, but my partents stayed on till 1986, when my dad was transferred to Ludritz.  Still went back for visits - my last visit to Oranjemund was in 1988.  In total my parents (Big Dirk Coetzee the Policeman and Joey) were there for 14 years. 

Great memories of those times!

HI Clive.WAYNE WILSON here.I believe my brother in law Terry Holland must be the longest living member of o,mund. He is married to my twin sister Sharon,and is still in o,mund,I am 49 years old and have known Terry all my life.I am not sure if he was born there but he is about 58 now(and does he look it)he arrived when he was 11 i have just spoken to Sharon to confirm that.so he arrived the same year i was born.Where are you living these days.regards WAYNE.

My dad moved to OM when I was 4 (1966/7), not sure when he left, I never returned after finishing matric 1980. Hi Wayne, do you remember me? Your mom was my teacher in std 2 (1972). You went out with someone I knew in Windhoek. I think it was during your army days?

hi florrie.who was that.it has been 30 yrs since then.i was living with shirly erasmus at one stage.but did have one or two girlfreinds before that.i do remember you.regards Wayne.

It was Shirley. Where do you live?

hi .shirley and i lived together in kemptonpark in joburg .i went to fetch her in windhoek years ago.she then got married to a pilot she met where she worked. iwas heartbroken .but thats life.i am living in joberg (randburg)i have 2 kids a daughter 22,son 17.they stay with me.my daughter has just got back from england,she was working there for 2 yrs.are you in kimberley.have sent u a personal message as well.did not see your return message.whats happened in your life over the years. do you know where shirley is these days.regards wayne.

Hi Wayne. Sent you a personal message. I always thought people had no life if they spent time on the internet in chat rooms but since I stumbled on this site a few days ago, can't keep away. It is so weird how everyone who grew up in OM feels like they belong together, we all seem to remember the same things, and it is so nice to read something I had forgotton about. The Alzheimers is starting early with me. :36_2_35: I think I over-used my brain.

hi again.shirley was already leaving dennis when i met her.she had moved into her flat already.she had a lady freind.just cant remember her name.i felt sorry for dennis but at that age when you are in love you just dont care about other peoples feelings.i am divorced but have never left my wife.yes i have not been able to leave the site since i logged on 2 days ago;im sure someone is going to organize a sort of reunion for us in joburg.if they dont i will.anyway regards to your family.do you remember ERMA MARIAS,her mom ran the flower shop.regards Wayne.

The lady friend she shared a flat with was Alec Green's mother. I am trying to read all the entries so that I am up-to-date but they come in faster than I can read. Going to take my laptop with to Struisbaai and read everything while my husband is out fishing. Only able to go on the internet so much the last 2 days because he is harvesting and I struggle to sleep when he isn't here.