“A staff-student relationship can be defined as a caring connection between a youth and a staff member,” says Plant Caretaker, who tells Tukkievaria about the reciprocal relationship with students in Horticulture Unit.

Where were you born and raised?

I was born in Mogwaneng, Mable Hall in Limpopo Province, and was raised on a rich agricultural farm.  I started my early schooling at Mogwaneng Primary School and completed my grade 12 at Pezunga High School. Growing up under a farming community taught me that people could settle into fixed communities where the biodiversity results in healthier soil, less erosion and better water conservation. This is all good news for the environment, making agriculture an important part of the cycle of life.

Why did you decide to work in the Horticultural Unit?

I have worked in various industries, including gardening and security. I worked for Highveld Security and later joined Coin Security, which was offering security services to the University of Pretoria. Over time, I began exploring a change of career and was comfortable with horticulture, which is the branch of plant agriculture dealing with garden crops, generally fruits, vegetables, and ornamental plants.

In my youth, I was exposed to the ZZ2 Group of companies owned by the Van Zyl family who started their farming operations more than a hundred years ago. ZZ2 farms mainly operate in the Limpopo Province where they grow sought-after tomatoes and avocados. They are also known for growing mangoes, onions, dates, cherries, apples, pears, stone fruit, almonds, and blueberries. The ZZ2 brand is a well-known icon in South Africa with a proud history backed by a great customer value offering and superior economic value for their stakeholders.

What does your day-to-day role entail?

My job includes:

• preparing, planting, care taking and harvesting of plants in trials
• maintenance and cleaning of units
• assisting researchers and students with trials

What do you enjoy most about your job and why?

I like to assist researchers and students with trials. In a practical context, a staff-student relationship can be defined as a caring connection between a youth and a staff member. These relationships have been shown to be a protective factor for students at risk for failure, by helping them to build resiliency and self-regulation skills.

However, I enjoy my job because I was exposed to the agricultural fraternity in my earlier days and it is easy to perform my daily assigned duties. This attests to the fact that early career exposure benefits individuals with, among others things:

• skills for future careers
• experience which makes you more marketable to businesses
• a more stable and secure lifestyle
• a steady income at an early age
• the opportunity to focus on the career rather than finding one

What would you like to improve in your unit and why?

Some of our equipment has been used for some time, it is old and needs replacement through updated technology. I believe newer models may do a better job of harvesting or planting, or operating more efficiently. New technology can increase profits from changes that simply provide more convenience and comfort. This approach may result in:

• Cost minimisation - the standard rule for minimising the long-run cost of equipment is to make a change when the annualised total cost of owning and operating the machine begins to increase. 
• Reliability – old machines/equipment is not reliable when executing expected duties and can cause some staff injuries. Therefore, replacement is the right option.
• Pride of ownership – we take pride in owning and operating new, modern machinery.
• Replace frequently - this approach will minimise the risk of breakdowns and costly repairs by trading key machinery items every few years. Even when repairs occur, they often will be covered by the original warranty.

What is your least favourite part of the job?

I generally like my job but I would like to suggest that any student who conducts research must also be hands on, that is, not rely heavily on staff to perform the physical duties. They must also get their hands dirty and this will equip them with overall know-how.

What do you do in your free time?

I like to be engaged with artwork such as painting, sculpture, printmaking, drawing, decorative arts, and photography.

What are your personal likes and dislikes?

I like honest people, not back stabbers or gossips. I have learnt how to handle the latter by saying ,“Sorry. I’m not interested in hearing rumours about somebody.”

Quick quiz:

Sport: soccer

Food: Pap n vleis

Music: Disco

All-time hero: Nelson Mandela