When you enter the premises of Wavecrest Primary School in Rocklands you’ll find Abdullah Jacobs repairing broken desks at the school.
In his case it is not a case of a Jack of all trades and a master of none.
“It was my initiative to do all maintenance work at the school on a voluntary basis as contractors are expensive. I am one of the security officers at the school and when I saw all the broken equipment I volunteered to do the repairs. The school cannot afford to pay contractors as money is tight and I am doing the repairs to save the school money,” he says.
He also repairs any electrical appliances daily.
“In the mornings the learners have breakfast and in the past there was no place to sit and they had to stand. I decided to repair the broken desks and chairs for them to at least have a place to sit. Nowadays the learners use the desks when they play chess as well,” Jacobs says.
The school is celebrating it’s 40th year and Jacobs is currently building a stage on which the learners will perform.
“I am a community worker and have been living in Rocklands for 42 years. My hobby is to fix things, whether it is a motor vehicle, appliances or tinker with wood. Out of iron or wood I can create anything. The repairing of the benches keeps me busy but the best part for me being at the school is to assist everyone who wants something done. The staff don’t always have time to fix something in the classroom, like a bulb which has to be replaced or a plug in the kitchen that is not switching on. Some staff members don’t always have the time or the know-how to repair something and I gladly oblige while they do what they do best, teaching the kids,” he says.
Jacobs is originally from Bonteheuwel and was a sailor, a joiner, an electrician and technician, but basically he was the handyman at Sanlam properties at Westgate Mall before he started at Wavecrest.
