Thomas Madikwa leaves for home 9 December 2005

After 58 years' service, Robertson worker retires

(Story by Julia Moore, issued by Robertson winery)

Every year since 1947, Thomas Madikwa has arrived in time for the harvest at Robertson Winery. He travels down from Mount Fletcher in the Eastern Cape with a busload of contract workers that he has personally selected to work in the cellar and in the vineyards.

But when the harvest is over, he doesn't return to his homeland with the rest, but fills his position as supervisor, as he has been doing for the last 58 years. Over the years, Thomas has sired 10 children and many grandchildren, some of whom work at the cellar.

However, at the age of 84, Thomas has decided to call it a day and retire permanently to his smallholding in Mount Fletcher.

At his farewell party last week, his fellow workers praised him highly. Victor Gulukunqu, started working at Robertson Winery in 1962 and is the second oldest employee after Thomas: 'Thomas taught us everything we know. I want to thank Thomas for giving me my job, but I also want to thank you for
teaching me how to behave at work and at home.'

'Thomas knows how to operate every single machine in the Robertson Winery cellar,' says James Tyhaliti, a fellow supervisor who was hired by Thomas and has worked with him for 8 years. 'He is very efficient and thorough, you could never sweep around something, you always had to sweep underneath too. He was always the first to arrive at the cellar, and the last to leave.' James added that Thomas has been a father figure to all in the cellar and will be sorely missed.

Managing Director and Cellarmaster Bowen Botha made a moving tribute to him as well, saying that Thomas had been a father figure to him when he arrived in 1982. Thomas had showed him the ropes, he said, and he has been able to rely on Thomas ever since. 'It has been a great honour to work with you,' said Bowen presenting Thomas with a beautiful gold watch to honour his loyalty (see photo). 'I want to thank you for your loyalty and your hard work, you are irreplaceable and we will miss you.'

In response Thomas expressed his thanks, saying that he had always felt part of the family at Robertson Winery: 'I feel good about my career here. I have no regrets because I know I always tried my best.'

Postscript

Winewriter JP Rossouw wrote to the author of the article that: 'I do sincerely hope he received more than a gold watch as retirement gift!' To which he received the following reply from Julia Moore:

Yes he did, an embarassingly large sum of money that should keep him in phutu (and lots more) for the rest of his life. I also omitted to mention that Thomas was flown back to East London, near Mount Fletcher, escorted by one of the sales staff. This was his first plane trip.