Hacker hangs out for big bucks
2003-08-04 12:32
Jabu Mhlabane
Nelspruit - Laurence Chilwane thought he was lucky enough when he got a job to seek and destroy invasive plants while hanging from cliff faces in Mpumalanga.
But, now his future's even brighter.
He can go to any major city in the world to clean the windows of skyrise buildings, using his talents as an industrial rope operator.
The department of water affairs and forestry has trained 19 former members of its invasive plant clearance team to climb buildings.
The department also awarded them certificates and gave them the names of foreign and local companies in South Africa to whom they could apply for jobs.
"When we were first told we'd be trained to clean windows on tall buildings, I thought these people were crazy and wanted to kill us," says 27-year-old Chilwane, who lives in the impoverished tribal trust area of Casteel near Bushbuckridge.
Soon had the hang of it
"I nearly ran away on our first day of training, but because my family depends on me and because I knew I wouldn't get a job easily as I left school in Standard 9, I decided to take the chance," he says.
By the third day he had the hang of it and found himself singing while dangling from the side of a bank in Nelspruit.
"I found myself climbing with a song on my lips and we'd joke while we were busy," he said.
He once dreamed of being a doctor, but circumstances were against him. His mother was unemployed and single and had to take care of seven children.
When he left school in 1995 he found odd jobs that brought in about R350 a month for his family.
In 1997, he joined the department's Working for Water project and, in 1998, he and his 18 colleagues were encouraged to establish their own company and tender for projects to clear the region of invasive plants.
"We called it ACL after Ali, Cornwell and me, Laurence," he said.
They won a R90 000, three-month contract from the department and, with the money he earned - R2 600 a month, Chilwane was able to build his family a four-roomed house.
He also registered his brother to study information technology at the University of Venda for Science and Technology.
"I want to show the world that we are intelligent. If I had money when I was younger, I could have finished school and been a doctor."
Today, he's set his eyes on Britain to clean the skyscrapers of London.
Only one failed the course
Working for Water manager Quinton Pretorius said the aim was for all 19 men to have marketable skills.
"They shouldn't rely on us for work, but should be able to go anywhere to get decent jobs and money or become their own boss."
He said the government of Finland had funded the transport, equipment and accommodation during the training exercise.
Only one of the 19 trainees failed, and will return next year to try again.
The rest were awarded certificates in first aid, and a certificate recognised by the International Rope Access Trade Association (Irata).
- African Eye