John Mhlanga
“Life is but a stranger passing us by”
That line was coined to me by one of my lads when we were advised that one of our guys – John Mhlanga - had passed away as a result of a taxi accident in South Africa.
John was an amazing lad. Very little formal schooling, a temperament that made me smile and above all fucking good at what he did. He was a legend at Group Five and everyone knew if you wanted to build thickeners and tanks, John was your man!
I first met him just over 2 years ago when a contract was coming to an end and I needed a top notch boilermaker. He refused the position as in his words “I am part of a team and we all go together”. Say that sort of stuff to me and I want someone like that even more.
It took me almost 18 months, but we eventually got John onto our Ghana team. The start was inauspicious as he clashed with my sup and after 6 weeks John came to me and said he wanted to go home. I told him to take a break and come back after the break when I had resolved his issues. He came back and the rest is history. John was loved by the local guys cause he actually taught them. Hard and Fair and little patience for lazyness.
“Tell the white man to leave me alone and let me build my thickeners”
That was the statement that made John the person he was. He built his thickeners and the bridges slotted in with no modifications required at all. The “white man” was impressed.
John worked for his children. He recognized that education was the key to a better life and made sure all his kids were well educated. The all went to University and as he said to me one day “their lives will be better than mine”
I have on my desk a form giving him an increase. I also have his hours for the month. A reminder that life is indeed a stranger passing us by.
Hamba Kahle John.
That line was coined to me by one of my lads when we were advised that one of our guys – John Mhlanga - had passed away as a result of a taxi accident in South Africa.
John was an amazing lad. Very little formal schooling, a temperament that made me smile and above all fucking good at what he did. He was a legend at Group Five and everyone knew if you wanted to build thickeners and tanks, John was your man!
I first met him just over 2 years ago when a contract was coming to an end and I needed a top notch boilermaker. He refused the position as in his words “I am part of a team and we all go together”. Say that sort of stuff to me and I want someone like that even more.
It took me almost 18 months, but we eventually got John onto our Ghana team. The start was inauspicious as he clashed with my sup and after 6 weeks John came to me and said he wanted to go home. I told him to take a break and come back after the break when I had resolved his issues. He came back and the rest is history. John was loved by the local guys cause he actually taught them. Hard and Fair and little patience for lazyness.
“Tell the white man to leave me alone and let me build my thickeners”
That was the statement that made John the person he was. He built his thickeners and the bridges slotted in with no modifications required at all. The “white man” was impressed.
John worked for his children. He recognized that education was the key to a better life and made sure all his kids were well educated. The all went to University and as he said to me one day “their lives will be better than mine”
I have on my desk a form giving him an increase. I also have his hours for the month. A reminder that life is indeed a stranger passing us by.
Hamba Kahle John.
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