Riaan wrote
What we once did for money!
I worked for Woolworths from 1985 to 1987, part time, packing shelves, customer's bags and the walk in freezer ☹ (R14 for 5 hours of labour).
While studying during 1988, I worked for Afrox as a welding machine repair tech (R700/month).
During 1988, I had a brief stint at the SABC, Auckland Park, as a broadcast video tape machine tech (R1500/month).
The cool thing is that SAUK paid my salary (miiiinusss a prrrriiiivate's standarrrd payyy of about R260/month) while I was in the army for the compulsary year at the time. In 1990, 1.5k was a reasonable amount to blow in one weekend on pass, especially when you had your car and your flat was 50km away in Joburg. The action usually started with getting legless at Sunnyside, Spats, Bella Laika, Hunters, Doll House, Roxy Rhythm Bar, Bella Napoli and Caesars (in that order) on Fridays, followed immediately by the life saving Cafe Zurich at 7am on a Saturday. MAS (MusicAcqSyn) then drove me downstairs to sift through vinyl at Hillbrow Record Bar before crashing until 6pm and heading off for serious chow and a few Olmecas at Late Nite Al's, Delphinis, Tijuana 220, or La Lanterna. Sunday afternoons were spent parking off hungover at Rakes and a possible MAS inspired visit to Rob Ziegler's original Look & Listen store next to Estoril books in Hillbrow, before driving back to Heidelberg at 7pm.
I was lucky to to granted a transfer home to Youngsfield AFB in CT in Oct 90 ?
My brother and I ran a small medical electronics appliance repair and design company during 91 and 92. Then I did a year with Panasonic as a video camera tech and was lucky to be offered a styling job as an automation systems design tech in the industrial sector. Between 96 and 05, I took a run as an automation systems sales engineer, followed by a stint as electrical superintendent for high speed manufacturing and packaging plants. I was retrenched at the end of July and have been offered sponsorship to emigrate to Australia by the State of Victoria.
It makes me sad to eventually leave what was once a magical place for me, although I am excited at future prospects abroad. For the present, I am happy I have time to practise playing my axe, post rubbish on GFSA and take a break for the first time in 22 years!
