Committed to Quality Work: Gary’s Story
Gary de Jager, 59, has always loved working with his hands. He fondly remembers working with his father in the garage since he was a toddler, and says he probably learned how to weld at age 5. His many years of expertise carry over into his company, Simunye Painting and Construction, where he maintains a high standard of quality.
Tell me about your company.
I started Simunye Painting and Construction about 10 years ago and today I have 13 people working for me across various sites, plus a site manager. We are multitasking — so we’ll do paving and gazebos and decking — we do a whole spectrum of work. Simunye means “we are one.” We’ve been working with Kandua since they partnered with Leroy Merlin — about five years now.
Can you tell me about your upbringing? Where are you from?
I was born and grew up in the Strand in the Cape Province and went to school in Stellenbosch. I joined the Air Force which sent me up to Hoedspruit in the East of the country. I left the Air Force after 8 years and I joined SAFI, which is Kempton Park-based, bought a house, had our only daughter there. And the rest is history — I’ve been in Kempton Park ever since.
And it wasn’t long after I was at SAFI I decided I really want to rather go and do my own thing. I said no, I want to be my own boss and to make a living and to do it for myself. At the end of the month it will be my own doing if i don’t make it. So, Around 1990, I started my own painting company.
From there I started a construction company and we built the Soccer School of Excellence, among other things. After that I joined a painting and construction franchise, but that didn’t work out too well for me — I just felt that I didn’t get enough work through them. So I left them and started Simunye Painting & Construction, and that’s where I am today.
I like using Kandua because I don’t just get leads, I can also send quotes from my phone rather than using a system like Quickbooks, which is what I used to do.
You’ve started several companies. Did you always have an entrepreneurial drive?
Yes, I love working with my hands and doing stuff. It’s better when you can create something. For example, when I paint someone’s house, the people not only ask me to paint a house, they ask me for advice… I like creating, and the customers love it because you’re making their home something special for them.
Did you want your daughter to follow in your footsteps?
She’s a quality assurance manager for a company that belongs to Airbus. I must say she’s really handy — she really takes after me. She’s made the most beautiful table out of blocks and covered it with resin and built everything herself. I gave her a jacuzzi and she repaired it, put it in the corner, built a whole frame and all. She’s always borrowing my tools and never bringing them back, but what can we do (laughs).
What do you do for fun?
At this stage I’m not so mobile: I was a test driver for BMW motorcycles. In 2006, we were testing a new model of BMW, and I was in an accident where I went over the side of a mountain — I fell 63 meters with a motorbike. So yeah, that was quite hectic! I broke my back in six places. My femur went through my knee. But otherwise I used to play golf — I love golf — but at this stage I just relax a bit. The bones are aching a bit!
What is your happiest memory?
Waking up in the hospital knowing I’m still alive (laughs).
There have been so many happy memories in my life. I had a good childhood — my father was a hard worker and we never ever needed anything.
One of the happiest moments would be when my daughter was born. She was perfect and you know you created something beautiful.
What’s your biggest challenge right now?
My biggest challenge is just to overcome all the current negativity in the country, to stay positive all the time and to keep my staff motivated. It’s easy to focus on all the negativity going on in South Africa. But, I try and cut that out and look at the positive side — we’ve still got work coming in, we’ve got salaries, we still have food on the table, we have a roof over our heads.
What is your goal overall now?
My goal is just to be the best. The worst thing that I could have is a customer phoning me and complaining about something. I’m very hard on my people if that happens because I believe that if you can do it, you should do it right the first time. So, why do we have to go back a second time to do the same job that we were supposed to do right the first time?
Who is your biggest role model?
My biggest role model would have been my father. I used to putter around in the garage with him since I was a toddler. We never grew up rich — we used to make burglar bars for the people in the Strand…I think I was five and I could weld already. He was the most wonderful person in the world — he passed away from cancer, but he was an excellent role model. He had that — well, like me, he was a very calm, collected guy.
This interview is part of Kandua’s #HumansofKandua series. It has been edited for length and clarity.
