Three generations in the sugar business for Stanger family

Forty five years ago a young Richard Munian began his career as a lowly clerk at the Gledhow Sugar Mill in KwaDukuza.

At the end of this month, Richard, a third generation mill worker with a family tree steeped in history, will be retiring and proudly ending a career that has spanned more than four decades.

Richard is one of the many men who found independence in mill work during the industry’s peak.

He spent his entire 45-year career at the Gledhow mill, starting work in 1975 at the tender age of 17.

His grandfather was one of the first indentured labourers from India, who came to the North Coast in the mid 1800s to work at the mill.
In the 1880s the Addington Mill moved from the south bank of the Umvoti River to the north bank, where it become known as the Gledhow Mill.

It was the economic backbone of the town, sustaining entire communities by employing more than 2 000 workers.

Supporting a family of eight, his father also worked at the mill for four long decades.

A lifelong resident of KwaDukuza, Richard was like many in the region who followed in the steps of his father and grandfather.

“I started work as a young clerk and will be retiring from my job as a cane supply officer,” he said.

Like his father and brother, Richard was promoted several times but never considered leaving the company.

It comes as no surprise that his two children have also followed career paths in the sugar industry. Richard’s daughter is a chemist involved in the research side of the industry while his son studied engineering and also is employed by the mill.

“The work landscape has changed radically since I started working there,” he mused, but agreed that the mill was more than just a place of work.

It shared a larger story of life for the indentured workers who came to the North Coast from India, and their descendants.

Asked how he will be spending his retirement, Richard said he wanted to get involved in charity work and give back to the community.

Retirement was not a time for idleness.

“A purposeless tool is a worthless thing,” he said.

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