​For the last 50 years, Basil van Wyk, an Administrative Officer and Building Manager of the RW Wilcocks building in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at Stellenbosch University (SU), has seen seven rectors come and go. He has been there through the apartheid years, when the segregation of individuals according to race in South Africa meant that university was considered a whites-only institution. But he was also there to witness the unbanning of struggle movements like the ANC and the day the university first opened its door to all South Africans in 1992.

When you speak to Basil, it's clear that he is a repository of institutional information. This knowledge he has built up from the day that he first stepped onto the SU main campus in Stellenbosch, a decision driven more by need than a career choice. 

“I left school when I was 12 years old and in Grade 6. I grew up with my grandmother and father in Kylemore, but they really struggled financially and we suffered tremendously because of that. There were often no food on the table and somedays I was left wondering how our family was even going to survive," explains Basil as he reflects on 3 June 1969, the first day he started working at SU.

“This daily struggle is the reason I left school and decided to rather earn an income to contribute to our household. I had to give up on my dreams to become a teacher."

He talks about the tree near Admin A, where he gathered on his first day of work and in the subsequent years with the rest of the painting team in the morning. 

“Next to that tree, there was a small booth were the supervisor would sit as he mixed the paint for the painters. Back then, the buildings were always painted with grey paint and the window frames with white paint. We painters also did not use scaffolding, but instead used long ladders to get to high sections," explains Basil. 

“It was very dangerous to work on these long ladders, but we didn't have a choice. Either you take the opportunity to work or you are without work and work was very scarce."

Basil was responsible for holding this heavy, long ladders while the painter would complete his work. When the painter had completed one section, he would come down and Basil would move the ladder to another section to allow the painter to climb up once more to paint a new section. 

During his breaks, Basil spent a lot of time walking through the university gardens, which he says were beautiful and relaxing. 

“At times like that you forgot about all the hardships that followed you." 

But even as a young child, Basil was intent on making a success of his life. 

Working towards success

“To be successful, one has to work hard and have the determination to get to your end goal. Other people won't motivate you. You have to motivate yourself. My motivation was the hardships I saw my family having to endure because of a lack of money."

“I had to ask myself, do you want to struggle for the rest of your life and do you want to be stepped one and used your whole life? Do you want to be someone's “boytjie"? That was how one was viewed back then."

The answer was a no and so Basil's journey to improve his circumstances started. 

“I had to work much harder than others, because I didn't have any qualifications. I had to learn to “steal" with my eyes and learn how to do different things in order to make a success of my career."  

He completed every course that he could find and while some of them were quite difficult and left him feeling out of his depth, he persevered. 

“There were days I would sit in class and wonder, what on earth are they talking about," he says and chuckles.

It was also hard, he says, to watch some of his peers being recognised and promoted for their hard work when he was putting in a lot of effort himself.

“But I always said to myself: Basil, just give it your best at all times and remember that there will always be those who are worse off than you and those who are better off."

“One also needs to remember that there is no short cut to success. Yes, you have to be optimistic and believe in yourself, but you also need to be realistic and know that success is not just going to fall into your lap. You have to work to realise your dreams." 

Ten years ago, Basil “returned" to school to complete his Grade 9 through the ABET programme. 

“I'm not where I want to be, but at least I'm getting closer to it," says the father of three – two daughters named Heline en Masadie, and a son Brendon. 

Changing his circumstances for the next generation

He has been married to his wife, Pauline, for 41 years and his children are now fully grown. Masadie, his second eldest daughter, is a Stellenbosch University alumnus who completed a BA Admin degree at SU and a postgraduate diploma in Insolvency Law at the University of Johannesburg. Heline, his eldest child, works as a tax consultant while Basil's son, Brendon, is a welder. And in true Van Wyk tradition, one of his six grandchildren is also currently completing his last year of a BAcc degree at SU. 

While he has been able to improve his circumstances and that of his children, he admits that the road has not always been easy and says, he doesn't think one should ever expect it to be.

“None of us can get away from experiencing challenges in our life. It's part of the package. That's also why it's important to enjoy the highs life and to be thankful for what you already have."

Uplifting others

In spite of the obstacles that he has had to face, Basil is known throughout the faculty for his ability to make others laugh no matter how frustrating a situation may be and, of course, his helpfulness. This is the man that the faculty's current Dean, Prof Anthony Leysens, met in 1985 when he started studying at the university. ​

“I have known Basil since I was a student and when he did the photocopying for students in our faculty. He was and is always helpful, willing to go the extra mile, but he also did not take any nonsense from us young upstarts! Basil is a people's person, always there with a smile and a funny anecdote that lifts you up. He excels at what he does and has constantly worked hard at improving himself."

According to Leysens, “not many people know that Basil is a hooker legend at Kylemore Rugby Club",  something that Leysens himself learned when Basil “extended a helping hand to him at a challenging time" in his life by providing Leysens with wisdom and practical help. 

“I want to thank you for loyalty, friendship and commitment, under sometimes difficult circumstances. Jy is 'n yster[You are a legend]!"

Career highlights and future plans

One of the highlights of his career, says Basil, was being invited to speak on behalf of the C3 staff at the memorial held for the late Prof Russel Botman in 2014. 

“He had an open door policy and I spent a lot of time speaking to him about the position he held and how he could make a contribution to making all staff and students at the university feel included. So it was hard and painful when he died so suddenly."

“In the 50 years that I have served at this university, Prof Botman was the only Rector to make one feel included and heard and who did not care about the colour of your skin, your income or the qualifications you held. Whether you were a residence cleaner or a professor, he would always greet with a smile or stop to talk to you. In his eyes, we were all God's creations and therefore equals," says Basil, clearly displaying the impact of Botman's leadership and the magnitude of his death. 

It is his hope, says Basil, that some of Botman's principles will continue to endure through those that knew him. 

“In future, I would like to see an institution where friendliness and real friendship are treasured, where respect is earned and not automatically given because of a title, and where every worker, no matter their so-called ranking, are respected and valued for their contribution. This university belongs to all of us that work and study here and even the communities around us." 

At present, Basil is working on a book about his life journey. He has already written 73 pages, but says that while there is still a book to be completed, he will not be retiring soon. ​

“I have been blessed on my life journey and God has always opened a door for me when I needed it. If it wasn't His plan, I wouldn't have the things I have today. But it is also the sacrifices that my grandmother and grandfather made and all their efforts to help me with the limited knowledge they had, that made me who I am today." 

Prof Nico Koopman, Vice-Rector: Social Impact, Transformation and Personnel, congratulated Basil on behalf of the Rector's management team, on reaching such a major milestone.

“Stellenbosch University is committed to being an employer of choice. Our set of values aspire to provide to employees with a working environment where they can excel and where they experience compassion, respect and fairness."

“We celebrate our colleague, Basil van Wyk, who embraced this institution as his employer of choice for 50 years. Not only management and staff, but also students honour his commitment to this institution. He came here as a young man and he sets an example that inspires students and staff. He is one of our greatest Maties and it is an hour to call him a colleague." 

Photo: Basil van Wyk first started working at Stellenbosch University when he was 12 years old when he decided to leave school to find a job to help his family who was struggling financially. Here he is at the spot where the painters' shed used to be when he started working at SU. (Stefan Els)