Page 12 - 28 June 2024

PAGE 12 · THE REPORTER 28 JUNE 2024

the basics and so survived
the trying times.
Stompies’ also celebrated
the great achievement of
one of their staff, Jackson
“FLUX” Marseni, who has
worked for them for over 30
years.
Many “locals” worked for
them including: Ticky
McGregor, Kobus du Randt
(Drakens-berg Herstelwerk),
Many years ago, Helgard coming from East London. In the “big snow” of 2002, Barny du Randt, Nico Colyn
“Stompie” Vermaak, started One of his first customers the whole shed collapsed
his welding trade at Water was one of the Kruger and only the side walls were and the Pansegrouws from
Affairs in Somerset East Brothers in the area. left standing. Stompies took Ida.
during the building of the The first premises was in this as another challenge got A message from the owners: Linda-Lou and Stompie Vermaak. Congratulations on 44
tunnels from the Gariep Lloyd Street and in 1987 the a container and worked out “We would like to thank all of years of marriage as well as on the 40 years of Stompies
Dam. After that he studied business moved to the of it for months until the new the madala’s in the Transkei Welding Works.
Diesel Mechanics through current premises in the shed was erected. that have supported us
Barlow Earth Moving. He industrial area. throughout the years. Thank Hayley says:
travelled throughout the In 2016 Stompies and his you too to the locals, the “No job is too small or too big formy dad,
wife Linda-Lou decided it
Transkei, as well as from In 1987 they branched out people driving through as he always had a way of doing it. I am very
Elliot to Lesotho, working into the buying of old w a s t i m e t o r e t i r e . w e l l a s t h e v a r i o u s
on the government machi- tractors and implements to Fortunately their son-in-law, contractors that have proud of my dad”!
nery used for building dams. repair and sell. Johannes and daughter supported us throughout the
Hayley, took over the
When he got married in In approximately 1999/2000 business and are the current years.”
1979, he moved on to they started to do break- owners.
Grinakar Construction down towing in the area and
where he was involved in the worked extensively with the During the Covid pandemic
building of 2 dams at Keis- SAPS, Telkom, Eskom and in 2020, Stompies’, like
kamahoek. After 5 years, he o t h e r g o v e r n m e n t most small business, took a
realised that he would be a departments. knock and they went back to
mechanic for the rest of his
life, earning a salary.
This is when he decided to
take a chance and open his
own business in Elliot
in1984. He always believed
that if you can work with your
hands we would never go
hungry.
We chose Elliot as there were
no welding services in the
area and because Elliot was
central in the area. He
opened the doors of Jackson “FLUX” Marseni
Stompies’ Welding Works on has worked for Stompies
14 June 1984 on a bitterly for 34 years. Bottom: Amon, Lwando, Franco (newbies)
cold, snowy morning. A Congratulations on this Top: Sizwe (18 years), Henry (12 years), Flux (34 years)
huge change for someone wonderful achievement. and Johannes