MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Daniël van Tonder, now a successful businessman in Cape Town, grew up in Mossel Bay under circumstances no one would wish on a young child.
But having navigated these tough times to become the 33-year-old man he is today, Van Tonder felt the need to share his story of success in the hope of reaching other Daniëls who might need to hear that no matter your circumstances, it could all turn out for the better.
“I grew up in Malva Avenue, Tarka. It wasn’t glamorous, and there were times of real difficulty.
“My foster parents, Qwendoline and Henry Swiegelaar, already at pensioner age, raised me along with their two daughters, making do with what they had. They took me in because my mother struggled with bipolar disorder and addiction. They gave me a stable home, and a few years later, I was legally placed in their care by the courts and the ACVV.”
Van Tonder says some of his biggest challenges growing up were being bullied and dealing with his mother’s disorder. “She would sometimes fetch me from primary school and cause a scene, and the principal would hide me in her office and calm me down with biscuits.”
Life gave him another knock in the early 2000s. “2005 was especially difficult. That year, my foster father passed away, and at just 12 years old, I had to step up and fill his shoes to some extent. With only my foster mother to guide me, I had to grow up quickly.”
With Qwendoline and teachers like the late Magda Lewis and Renay Beukes of Hillcrest Secondary’s help, however, Van Tonder had the support and motivation he needed to further his education. “I also had a strong desire to live a life not defined by my upbringing. The belief that education, knowledge and determination are the keys to shaping your future, motivated me to attend South Cape College.” Here he took his first steps into the world of boilermaking.
“My foster father was an artisan carpenter, so I learnt to work with my hands from a young age. In 2012, during an open day at South Cape College, a lecturer explained how diverse boilermaking is - from new steel fabrication to maintaining existing structures and equipment. He also mentioned that the trade was in high demand in Australia and New Zealand, which aligned with my goal of working abroad.
“I often describe boilermaking as being the ‘carpentry of steel’. It involves building products out of steel and maintaining machinery and equipment. My daughter, Aliyah Ivana, likes to say the exciting part is that we get to make sparks!”
After working in Australia for two years, Van Tonder and his family returned to South Africa, planning to start a business. The biggest challenges this time around were managing the stress of building something from scratch and securing the finances to make it work. “Within a few months, thanks to my expertise in the field, I found the right financial backing and mentorship to bring the vision to life.
“There’s a saying: behind every successful man is a woman. I’m fortunate to have two - my wife, Bianca Garcia Moodley-van Tonder, who supports and inspires me, and my daughter, whose initials are in the business name, AI Steelworks. They keep me determined to forge with purpose and build to last.”
Although they now live in Cape Town, Daniël visits Mossel Bay at least once a year. And you can even see some of his work here! “At the Heiderand KFC, I was the fabricator/boilermaker who built the bucket on the pole and the light box.”
At the still young age of 33, this is his most important lesson learnt thus far: “The challenges I faced prepared me for what life had in store. They shaped me and taught me to keep striving for better. As difficult as things were, I’m grateful I went through them and grateful to the people who supported me - because my life has turned from negative to positive.”
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