Where did you work during the school vacation?

[Vikki de Jager (Summers)]

I worked in the Main Office Block a number of times - in the Costing section (my mom worked there), in finance and once sorting the Rec Club accounts. My favourite job was at the end of my Matric year when I was assigned to the Post Office. I thought it would be boring as could be but it was so much fun. I worked with Gully Muteka. We had to empty the post box out front as well as collect mail and parcels from the counters and stamp them with the heavy date/post office stamp. My hand and arm used to get sore so Gully used to do the stamping and I laid the letters out on the table and we'd see how fast we could get through the rows of them. We'd sort the mail into the mail bags after pigeon holing them by area in SA, local or foreign country and tying these up in elastic bands. There was also a sack for mail going to the CDM Head Office. The best part was sorting the incoming mail into the mailboxes, especially mail for friends. We'd call them up to tell them that Christmas cards and parcels had arrived or pass them their mail through the window without them having to go home/ask parents for the postbox key. It was the time of the Matric results being issued as well so many were anxious about these arriving - some results 'took a while to arrive' until the poor soul had had a chance to tell their parents about someone else who'd done worse than they had. In those days company notices and newsletters were also put into the postboxes so that took up a bit of time. Gully and I got lots of visitors to the window above the 'missorted items' box as many of our friends worked in town and would pop by (on a detour) while on assorted errands from their workplaces, mainly to make plans for the evenings or to get us to pass on messages to others. That took up quite a lot of time ! There was also an old coin counting machine for counting the payphone collections. We used to loose track of the amounts so I doubt we were much use there - the bank must have recounted it all anyway. The coin bags then had to be pushed in a shopping trolley across the road to the bank !!

[Michael Alexander]

The only time I worked as a student here, was when the workforce went on strike, the local mess needed help...it was strange to see all the white artisans drive the bread and milk around town, the busses that picked you up from school, the tills at the shop were all manned by white Tannies.... and the mine still ran to an extent....wierd times...

I was also afforded the luxury of running the town pool for about 9 months when I was between jobs, the money was good and the work even better......Thanks to Kotie Reid.

There was also a december holiday when I worked with the Teenagers at the Youth Club and helped decorate the rec club hall up for the Teenage dance.... we got to draw all over the walls of the hall....

great days, long gone......

[Sheena]

Mike, I remember working with your mother in the butchery.  Man, what a job.  I thoroughly enjoyed it and sat laughing at your mother half the time.  I also worked in Swabou with Erica Johnston. 

[Michael Alexander]

Every afternoon after school, we would go and dump our satchels in the tearoom at the butchery and hangout there for a few hours..... packing with the old Tate's.... hiding in the deepfreeze...

[Sheena]

 :emot77:

I can remember that you were naughtly little sh*ts!!!
How old were you in 1980?

[Michael Alexander]

In the beginning of 1980 , I was only 10...but by the end of the year I had progressed to a sprightly 11.....

:emot35:

[georg ruf jr.]

Hey, that's clever Michael. 

[Michael Alexander]

Hey Jnr. I thought so too, it must have been the morning swim I had that made feel a bit brighter today...   :emot26:

[georg ruf jr.]

Do you evern know your age by the end of 1981? To be precise. Do you even remember your age by the end of the following year?

[Michael Alexander]

The only time I tend to forget my age, is when a pretty girl younger than me happens to ask my age!   :emot19:

[Florrie van Zyl (Muir)]

I also worked in the record dept. Can't remember what year or what the pay was. I do remember that it was when Suzi Quatro's song - She's in love with you, thats all she wants to do........    was released, played it over and over.  Now whenever I hear the song it reminds me of that job, 1978 or 1979. I think that was the best holiday job, everyone wanted to work in the record dept.

[georg ruf jr.]

I think it was slightly to your left when you came into the store???