Mr Amien, Headmaster of Eastwood Primary School, contacted us after seeing articles about our social investment activities in the local newspaper. The school (which services the adjacent informal settlements of Tembalihle and Tamboville) feeds on average 900 children a day, and their mild steel trough, which is used daily to wash pots and plates, had rusted badly, resulting in its flooding the kitchen. As the school is subsidised only for the ingredients of the meals, with all other utensils and requirements having to be sourced by the school, he requested our assistance with a stainless steel wash trough. Hans’s immediate response was, “Let's go for it”, and the trough was installed in March.

A few months ago, we received a call from Mrs Hazel du Plooy, who had seen an article in the newspaper which featured the Anderson team handing over mobile stainless steel commodes to the Elizabeth Beardmore Home. As she read that the commodes were designed to move the residents to the bathrooms and support them while they were bathing, she thought such a commode would be ideal for her husband, Zee, who had suffered a stroke which had resulted in paralysis. After the stroke Mr Du Plooy was unable to bath or shower and had to be swabbed down regularly with the aid of a helper.

When Mrs Du Plooy contacted Anderson Engineering, she had already gone to the expense of modifying the bathroom at their flat in Jacaranda Lodge so that a mobile commode could be manoeuvred in and out, allowing her husband to take a shower, because despite many enquiries she had not been able to find a suitable commode.

She approached us to ask if we would sell her one, but once Hans understood the circumstances, he decided that we would manufacture the stainless steel mobile commode free of charge.

Mrs Du Plooy was both surprised and very grateful for the donation, commenting that it had renewed her faith in people and that it would certainly improve the quality of life for both her and her husband.

Hans Coertse (Anderson Engineering), Trevor Govender (Anderson Engineering), Mrs du Plooy, Helene Jason
(Anderson Engineering) and Imelda Chiliza with
Mr du Plooy (seated) at the handover

Anderson Engineering has been looking to give something back to the community in which it works (the Woodlands suburb of Pietermaritzburg) and selected the Isabel Beardmore Home as its beneficiary.

A number of projects were considered, but discussions with Matron Marlene Murphy resulted in our agreeing to donate mobile commodes to the facility, as the new frail and semi-frail bathrooms could not be used because there was no means to move the residents to the bathrooms or support them while they were bathing.

As the team at Anderson found that they could not source the mobile commodes, it was decided to manufacture both the commodes and the ramps in-house. Institutional castors were used and the frame was manufactured from stainless steel tubing. The ramps were made from stainless steel plate, to allow movement in and out of the showers.

At the handover of the commodes, Matron Murphy commented that the mobile commodes and ramps would improve the quality of life for both the staff and the residents.

“We are so excited, as using the mobile commodes will mean that some of the residents will be able to take a shower for the first time in five years.”

Commented Hans Coertse, Managing Member of Anderson Engineering, “This project has been driven and implemented by the employees of the company. It has been a privilege to provide this assistance and it has been an eye-opener to all of us as to the difference we can make to the lives of others.”

Trevor Govender (AE), Marlene Murphy, Barrie de Wee (AE) and Hans Coertse (AE) at the handover of the commodes.