Horticulturist - Landscape Manager - University of the Witwatersrand -Johannesburg - Johannesburg, South Africa
(2019-08-01 - 2025-12-19)
Ensure the ongoing development and maintenance of all Soft and hard landscaped areas and gardens within all Wits University campuses; considering the specific associated infrastructure such as lighting, signage - in accordance with and aligned to the environmental legislation and sustainability principles.
- FINANCE (% Time spent – 15%): Implementing and Monitoring of Divisional Budgets, Identify and adapt to changing Operational situations to remain within budget, Cost effectiveness of procurement of required services
- CUSTOMERS/STAKEHOLDERS (% Time spent – 10%): Liaising with Customers regarding the execution of maintenance and/or other work assigned to the Grounds and Waste Office, Collaborate with Internal Customers and External Service Providers to develop cooperation and Teamwork
- BUSINESS PROCESSES (% Time spent – 35%): Contract Management including Procurement of services related to area(s) of responsibility as and when needed as per the University's Delegation of Authority Guidelines, Procurement of correct machines, equipment and materials, Ensure effective management of Service Providers as per agreed Scope of Work
- OPERATIONAL PLAN: Coordinate the activities of the Operational Plan to maintain high service delivery standards, Assist in establishment of SOP's in assigned areas of responsibility
- LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT: Management of Flora and Fauna, Identification and treatment of pests and weeds, Implementation of Water Wise Irrigation Principles, Management of soil balance, Seasonal landscaping techniques and trends
- OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY: Ensure safe working environment, Educate staff about OHS standards and protocols
- REPORTS: Submission of Turf Management Reports, Daily Operational Reporting in terms of activities and work done, Staff Management Report, Grounds upgrades Report, Stock Control Report
- PEOPLE MANAGEMENT / LEARNING & GROWTH (% Time spent – 30%): Management of staff as per the University's HR Policies and Processes, Set out Performance Outputs and Measurements for each direct report, Effective management of poor or non-performance of staff, Effective management of Disciplinary Issues as the University's Disciplinary Code/Code of Conduct, with the help of HR/ER Office, Ensures continuous Training and Development of team members
- AD-HOC (% Time spent – 10%): Assist the Landscape and Waste Specialist in the supervision of staff and coordination of resources, Assist with any other reasonable requests by line manager or HOD if and when required, Keeping abreast with Industry Trends and Best Practice
Horticulturist/Maintenance Manager - Malitabas Garden service (Public works Contractor) - Bryntirion estate, Pretoria, South Africa
(2014-07-01 - 2016-02-01)
Garden maintenance at S.A. Presidency Estates including Mahlamba Ndhlopu (President's state house), Sefako Makgatho (Presidential Guesthouse), and O.R Tambo (Deputy President state house).
- Planning and scheduling of maintenance activities
- Evaluation of maintenance work after completion for quality control purposes
- Irrigation management: if an automated irrigation system has not been installed, set up alternative irrigating plan. Such as irrigating planting beds by means of portable sprinklers and drag-lines to prevent soil moisture levels from dropping below the minimum level of 60% with a soil moisture meter
- Fertilization planning in strict compliance with the manufacture's instruction in twice over six months
- Pest and disease control by making regular inspections to ensure that the planting beds are free of insects, fungal growth and other pests and diseases, and liaising the NDPW contract manager immediately if he/she notes the presence of same
- Weed removal planning to ensure that planting beds remain free of weeds by removing weeds as and when they appear and remove them from site on the same day as they were removed
- Identification of pests and diseases in Ornamental Plants and recommending the appropriate remedy
- Debris removal from bed areas and cart from the site all foreign matter including litter, fallen leaves and sundry debris as and when this becomes evident. Making certain that all debris and rubble is removed daily and disposed of at a registered waste disposal site
- Pruning scheduling by making regular inspections and inform NDPW (National Department of Public Works) contract manager should plants interfere with or threaten to damage property or installations, impede circulation or pose a threat to the safety of persons
- Scheduling of spreading compost twice a year before winter and summer
- Maintenance planning of flower beds, mowing of the lawns as per specification
- Scheduling scarification, hollow Tiner, import and spreading topdressing for lawns
- Oversee planting of annuals twice a year
- Maintenance of damaged, poorly or dead plant material by making regular inspections, and if I note that any plant material has lost condition, been damaged or appear to have died, report the matter to the NDPW contract manager. I will not remove such plants before they have been inspected by NDPW contract manager
- Maintenance of damaged or dead trees by making regular inspections, and should I note that any tree has lost condition, been damaged or appear to have died, I immediately inform NDPW contract manager
- General scheduling of maintenance staff of all dead flowers that needs to be dead headed and nipped out daily
- Planning and making sure that all lawn areas are maintained at the required standards. E.g. maintain Cynodon lawns length at a length no longer than 13 millimetres from soil level
- Making certain that all lawns are cut with the right equipment such as cylinder lawnmower equipped with a bucket
- Making certain that lawnmowers are set to remove no more than one third of the leaf blade in a single cutting
- Making sure that all lawnmower blades are kept sharp and that leaf blades are cut cleanly
- Inspecting lawn areas for stones and other debris prior to mowing to avoid damage to mower blades and property by such stones or debris
- Making certain that all edges are trimmed simultaneously to mowing the lawn
- Making regular inspections to remove all edge trimmings from site on the same day, making sure that no trimmings are left to be disposed of in flowerbeds or stockpiled on site
- Equipment application and maintenance which includes repairs of damaged machines and equipment
- Manage supervisors at the different sites
- Coordination of resources needed to execute the maintenance work daily
- General employee administration work (Timesheet, payroll administration, leave days)
- Submission of weekly, monthly and annual reports
- Labor related problems (employee conflicts, discrimination etc.)
Landscape Recreational Parks development Project Manager - Social-Space Trading & Projects c.c (City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality contractor) - Tshwane, South Africa
(2013-07-01 - 2014-07-01)
- Development of municipality parks and other services from starting phase to final project hand over to the CITY OF TSHWANE METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY, EKHURULENI MUNICIPALITY AND UKHAHLAMBA DISTRICT MUNICIPALITY
- General management of employees (timesheets, payroll administration) Monitor labour related issues
- Reporting to the municipality chief architect with regards to the project at hand Developing project plans for projects that I am developing
- Managing maintenance employees
- Managing and training community workers (EPWP WORKERS)
- Representing the company in government tender meetings including briefing and site visits
- Submitting weekly, monthly, annual EPWP reports to the municipality
- Compiling tender proposal for presentations to the municipality
- Coordinating quotations from different material suppliers
- Ordering of material from suppliers and making sure the delivery is on time
- Quality and quantifying material prior installation on site. Ensuring correct OHSE standards are maintained
Landscape Design Consultant - ABACUS GARDENS - South Africa
(2009-12-01 - 2010-12-01)
- Landscape design layout, site planning, drawing of the design and mood board layout
- Presenting of the landscape design to the client and closing the sale
- Compiling landscape quotations, presenting the quote and close of the deal
- Quantifying soft and hard landscaping materials for the landscape design
- Project management of the landscape installation from commencement phase till final project handover to the client
- Collecting leads and prospecting with clients in terms of the landscape projects e are installing
- Delegate the relevant instructions to the different team leaders working at sites that I am managing to see if the project is in accordance with the project plan
- Compiling the project plan for all projects that I am installing and managing
- Liaising with the operation department with matters that affects the project every morning
- Product approval before it can go to site (e.g. are plants the correct specie, size and quality as well as quantity)
Horticultural Internship - BOOYSENS NURSERY: CITY OF TSHWANE METROPOLITAN MUNICIPALITY - Tshwane, South Africa
(2008-01-28 - 2008-06-19)
- MODULE 1: Propagation of Ornamental Bedding Plants
- MODULE 2: Vegetative Propagation of Ornamental Plants
- MODULE 3: Interior Plant-Scaping
- MODULE 4: Propagation, Cultivation and Maintenance of Ornamental Plants
- MODULE 5: Introduction to Greenhouse Principles
- MODULE 6: Propagation, Cultivation and Maintenance of Ornamental Plants
- MODULE 7: Identification of Ornamental Plants
- MODULE 8: Pest and Weed Control in a Production Nursery
- MODULE 9: Growth Media
Landscape Technology Internship - TSHWANE UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY - Tshwane, South Africa
(2008-07-01 - 2008-11-01)
- MODULE 1: Landscape Design
- MODULE 2: Landscape Construction
- MODULE 3: Landscape Design interpretation and implementation
- MODULE 4: Dumpy-level exercises
- MODULE 5: Measuring Methods
- MODULE 6: Plant spacing and identification
- MODULE 7: Paving exercises
- MODULE 8: Brick laying
