‘The industry has been good to me’
STARTING his career as a boilermaker apprentice more than 40 years ago, Clifford Daniels now spends most of his days imparting his years of knowledge to the younger generation.
The 60-year-old Sydenham resident currently sits at the head of the production planning team at SAS and oversees the planning of all shipping projects. He refers to his job as a “gift from God”.
“If you don’t share this gift with the youngsters who are coming in, you’re wasting your time,” he said.
“What I’ve enjoyed over the years has to be the comradeship. These men have become my family.”
He said the company was family oriented and that he had received an application form from his brother, who was already working at the yard.
“I had just passed matric and my heart wasn’t really set on boiler making, but, on a Friday, when I saw what my brother used to come home with, it swayed me.”
He said he earned 46c an hour in his first four years and would take home R23 after deductions.
Daniels went on to describe his role in building a tug, a project they are currently working on.
“The building of a tug starts with the design. The client would provide this. Then the architects would design and detail. That’s when we come in. We get the drawings and build accordingly. From there, we work out how much material is needed for the job. I’m basically the link between the drawing office and the production team.”
He described the joy he derived from seeing a finished product that just started with a piece of steel.
“When you see a boat sailing out, you feel a sense of pride, satisfied that you’ve achieved something.”
“The job comes with its own challenges. We have hiccups along the way, but it’s how you rise to the challenges. There are countless production and project meetings with lots of fights. It’s not smooth sailing, excuse the pun,” he said.
“There are also times when there is a lot of work and no work. It’s either feasts or famine here.
“But if I had a chance to do it all over again, I would. The industry has been good to me. I am married with two children and I was able to send them to decent schools.
“I feel like I have made a comfortable life for my family.”