Affenrucken Today!

[toonfandangl]

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.

[Bob Molloy]

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.

[Gregg]

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.

[Carl Zeelie]

When I stayed there I had a dog...Lady....which some bastard poisoned.....
Carl

[Gregg]

Hi Carl

When were you in Affenrucken? Your name rings a bell somewhere deep in my memory chambers.

[toonfandangl]

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, 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 on the workbench to welcome you to you eight hours of hangover .

Happy days Frank.

[Carl Zeelie]

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  who the third one was.
Rgds Carl

[Gregg]

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.