Kom ’n mens by Millwood Mews se hek in is die eerste indruk een van netheid en goed versorgde grasperke. Jy weet dat so iets net bereik kan word deur iemand met ywer en toewyding – in hierdie geval Giel de Bruin, ons tuinier. Hy tree aan die einde van die jaar af en ek wou graag meer weet van dié bedagsame, vriendelike persoon wat ons elke dag sien.

Hy is op 20 September 1948 in Britstown gebore en het grootgeword in ’n huis waar sy ouers die hoeksteen van sy lewe gelê het met Christelike waardes en norme. Hy is later getroud met Klara Hein en een dogter is uit die huwelik gebore.

Hy het sy loopbaan begin as bode en algemene kantoorhulp by die Britstown Verkeersafdeling. Na twintig jaar is twee aanprysingsertifikate, sowel as ’n langdiens-sertifikaat aan hom uitgereik.

Die tyd het aangestap en toe hy by die dertig jaar merk kom het Mnr. Paul Fenner, toe die assistent Direkteur-Generaal van Vervoer in die Noordkaap, ’n langdiens-sertifikaat en ’n goue horlosie aan hom oorhandig.

Na nog drie jaar het hy die tuig neergelê by die Verkeersafdeling en die gesin het hulle in Strand kom vestig. In 1999 is hy deur Nel & Nel Eiendomme (vandag Marite Property Administrators) aangestel as tuinier van die kompleks en hy het Millwood in ’n lushof omskep en gehou.

Die gesin gaan hulle weer in Britstown vestig en hy sien uit daarna om meer tyd met sy vier kleinkinders deur te bring, sy eie tuin mooi te maak en groente te kweek.

Ons wens hom alles van die beste toe en sê baie dankie vir wat hy vir ons as inwoners van Millwood Mews beteken het.

A letter from Giel to everyone.
Kliek op die brief om Giel se dankie brief aan almal in Millwood Mews te lees.
Click on the image to read Giel’s thank you letter to everyone.

A fond farewell to Giel

Entering the gate to Millwood Mews the first impression one gets is of well-kept gardens which can only be achieved by someone who is diligent and dedicated – in this case our gardener, Giel de Bruin. He will be going on pension at the end of December and I wanted to know more about this soft-spoken, humble man we see around every day.

He was born in Britstown on September 20, 1948 and grew up in a Christian home where his parents equipped him with the right norms for his future. He married Klara Hein eventually and the couple had only one child, a daughter.

After leaving school he started his career as messenger and general office helper at the Britstown Traffic Department. After twenty years he received two commendation certificates and one for long-service.

When he reached the thirty year mark, Paul Fenner, who at the time was the Assistant Director-General of Traffic in the Northern Cape presented not only a long-service certificate, but also a golden watch to him.

After another three years he decided to call it day at the Traffic Department en the family moved to Strand. In 1999 he was appointed by Nel & Nel Properties (today Marite Property Administrators) as the Millwood Mews gardener and he has maintained the property so well that it is one of the most sought after complexes in Strand today.

The family will be moving back to Britstown when he retires and he looks forward to spending more time with his four grandchildren, establishing his own garden and growing vegetables.

We wish him all the best for his retirement and thank him for what he has meant to us during the thirteen years that he was around.

Annnetjie Kambouris