Vryheid’s Tourism Officer is passionate about people
TOURISTS from far and wide are always greeted with a smile at the Vryheid Information Bureau and it is not hard to see why Alet Swanepoel was chosen as the face of Vryheid's tourism.
Sine Thwala
TOURISTS from far and wide are always greeted with a smile at the Vryheid Information Bureau and it is not hard to see why Alet Swanepoel was chosen as the face of Vryheid’s tourism.
Born and raised at the Vantsdrift farm in Dundee and currently living at a farm just outside of Vryheid, Alet says that the farm life is where her roots are and she loves it.
She journeyed from Pretoria where she worked as a professional nurse to Vryheid 30 years ago when her husband Christo Swanepoel’s landscaping business took them back to KwaZulu Natal.
“I started working temporarily at the Information Bureau in the year 2000. Usually I was asked to come in and fill in when the person who worked here before me was ill or on leave,” she recalled.
The AbaQulusi Municipality was very pleased with Alet’s service as she was appointed to work permanently at the Information Bureau in 2003 and was later chosen as tourism officer.
“I have always loved working with people throughout my life and being tourism officer in this small town of Vryheid has given me the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people,” said Alet.
Alet has been married to her husband Christo for 40 years and they have three children, Jaco, Andre and Francois.
“Jaco my eldest son is married to Shailene, an amazing daughter in law and they are parents to my two wonderful grandchildren, who have introduced me to another dimension of love,” she said with a smile.
With all the challenges and rewards of being tourism officer, Alet says that she owes her gratitude to her family, lifelong friends and colleagues as they are her reason for sharing and serving the community with diligence.
Meeting different people from near and far on a daily basis, Alet said that she has never regarded any one person as being more important than the other.
“From the little school children, right up to the ministers and all those of greater position, they are all important and have all contributed positively in my life,” she said.
In conclusion Alet said that her work and life could all be summarised into this quote:
“If we want to add value, here is how we do it: Think about who you bring behind you, what you leave behind and what you learn along the way. It’s not about me, it’s about ‘we’.”
