Danny Rungen, Works Supervisor at Keller company Franki Africa, tells us about looking after several teams at once, his pride at bringing fresh water to a local township and the passion at the heart of his successful career.
58-year-old Danny lives in Durban, South Africa, with his wife of 33 years. They have three grown-up children and a grandson. He started his career with Esor Ground Engineer in 1981 as a boilermaker / welder and worked his way up through the ranks to become Works Supervisor.
Hi Danny, tell us how a typical work day starts for you.
I’m up at 5am and have a healthy breakfast. I’m a diabetic, so I have to check my blood sugar levels first thing – I take insulin four times a day. If I’m going to the office I leave home around 6.15am and drive the 10-15 minutes it takes to get to work.
What’s first on the to-do list?
By 6.45 I’m usually sitting down with my contracts manager and discussing all the daily progress reports from our sites. I’ve got 10 teams out there, so we discuss how they’re getting on, any problems and how we can help them. We also talk about any possible projects coming up.
How does the day unfold from there?
My job is to make sure our sites are adequately resourced and to monitor quality control. Thanks to technology, my foremen and I are in constant communication. We all help each other and I can give them any support immediately, whether it’s difficult ground conditions or mechanical problems.
At any one time, we’ll have eight to 10 projects on the go all over the country. Now, for the first time, we have a job outside the country in Botswana. I spend three weeks a month away visiting our sites, so I travel a lot.
Where would you say your strengths lie?
I’ve done all kinds of work, but my speciality is pipe-jacking and sinking shafts.
Any memorable projects?
One that comes to mind was in 1992-93. I had to construct a shaft 36m deep and jack a tunnel with a 2m diameter for 147m to meet another shaft. It was really hard work, seven days a week for about a year, often in rain suits and waders. But that tunnel carries water to a new township for people who had never previously had clean, potable water in their life. Every time I drive past it I feel like all that hard work was worth it and that I’ve done something good for the community.
What do you like most about the job?
I like the continuous innovations and new technology coming in. For example, on one project we had to tunnel under a freeway in bad ground conditions. As part of Keller we were able to introduce jet-grouting, which was a new technology for us, to tunnel safely and accurately.
I also like to inspire people to achieve their goals. You have to motivate young people in particular to have a passion for what they’re doing; if you don’t have a passion you’re not going to get very far in your career. I’m passionate about doing a good job, because it’s only when you do a good job that you get another one.
Are there any aspects of the job you don’t like?
When you’re travelling all over the country you don’t spend enough quality time with your family. When I was younger I’d be gone for five or six weeks at a time, and I missed out on my kids growing up.
Also, some of our sites operate 24 hours a day, so my phone is on 24/7 and I have people calling me all times of the night. But I’ve been in their position, working away in the middle of the night and if there’s a problem; you have to help where you can.
Do you get any spare time?
I love fishing and walking at the weekends. I spend Saturdays with my grandson, but I’m still available on my phone!
Any plans to slow down or retire?
The young guys say to me: “you should work for another five years so you can carry on sharing your knowledge”. So if they’re willing to have me and I’m enjoying it, then why not?