Beloved car guard finally retires
Oom Ben says he will miss his customers and being part of Newcastle.
The creases and many lines across Oom Ben’s face tell a story of his struggles.
With a fanny pack strapped to his waist, a captivating toothless smile and a kind word to share with his customers, Oom Ben has offered to guard your car for more than two decades.
Sadly, come the end of March, Ben van Dyk (67) will gather up his belongings and bid Newcastle farewell.
Oom Ben has become a familiar face to patrons of eateries at Amajuba Mall, as he guards their cars in the evenings and offers them peace of mind while they enjoy their meals.
Accepting even the lowest denomination of money as payment, Oom Ben graciously thanks customers with a smile, and often in their own language.
“It is not the ideal job, but it put food on my table and a shelter over my head,” he shares.
Oom Ben says before taking up the job as a car guard, he was employed at a coal-mining company in Hlobane near Vryheid, and unfortunately faced retrenchment.
“When I got retrenched, I worked for contractors of the mine. That too, soon came to an end and I had to surrender my company house.”
This forced Oom Ben and his late wife, to relocate to Newcastle where they lived with his daughter.
Struggling to find employment, he said he went as far as Dundee and surrounding towns to look for work, but with minimum luck and as a last resort, Oom Ben tried his hand at guarding cars after his niece informed him about an opportunity.
Almost 20 years later, Oom Ben has made many friends, some of which he believes were kind and accommodating, while others hadn’t acknowledged his existence. Nonetheless, he has become part of the Newcastle family, and somewhat of an institution here.
“98 per cent of the people will miss me, but there are two percent that I’m not sure about,” he jokes.
Despite his positive outlook, Oom Ben has endured his share of hardships.
In 2014, his wife passed away, leaving him to tackle life’s challenges alone.
“She is in a better place. May her soul rest in peace.”
Three years ago, Oom Ben developed a common bacterial skin infection known as cellulitis in his leg. The redness and swelling caused him great pain and discomfort.
He sought medical treatment and now uses a compression stocking to reduce the swelling and pain.
With a passion for meeting and working with people on a daily basis, through the rain and the bright sun, Oom Ben always carried out his duties with a sunny disposition.
“It’s hard to leave. I will miss many of the people and the friends I have made,” he says through his tears. He looks forward to spending his retirement in Postmasburg with his children and grandchildren.
“When I talk to my grandchildren over the phone they are always asking me when I will be coming through,” he smiled.
The Newcastle Advertiser wishes Oom Ben a wonderful retirement.
“We will miss you!”
ALSO READ: A little respect shown to car guards goes a long way
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