Mike Williams: Twenty years at Table Mountain and still going strong
When Mike Williams started working for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway (TMAC) in February 1990, he thought the job was just a stepping stone. But, 20 years later, he is the Cableway’s operations manager and he plans to stick around for some time to come.
Williams relocated from KwaZulu Natal to take a construction job in Cape Town in late 1989, but when he got to the Mother City, the developer had sold the land. He then applied for a job at TMAC, thinking it would be temporary, but he soon fell in love with the mountain.
Williams describes working for the Cableway as being in a happy place, which he wouldn’t trade for working in a factory or an office.
His day starts at 07h00 and usually ends at 15h00, depending on how busy he is.
What Williams enjoys most about his job is the chance to interact with people, as well as the scope of the work that he does.
“People don’t realise how intricate our job here is. We are accountable for every drop of water that falls on Table Mountain. We have our own water catchment [area], where we make sure that the water up there is pure, so there is never a dull day around here.”
This February, Williams celebrated not only working at Table Mountain Aerial Cableway for 20 years, but also finishing his Masters in Business Administration.
For him, working for TMAC means being part of an ever-evolving environment.
“The world has changed so much since the invention of PCs and it’s still changing. What’s kept me here for the past 20 years has been the change happening around me all the time. Table Mountain has changed so much [since] I started working here.
“When I first started working here, this place looked like a railway station, so I had mixed emotions about taking the job. But now it’s a state-of-the-art National Heritage Site.”
One of the highlights of his job was during the revamping of the Cableway in 1997.
“That was an awesome year for me. Getting rid of the [old] cable car and getting a new one was amazing. We lived in containers on top of Table Mountain for six months and went down on weekends, either by helicopter or on foot. The spirit there was great.”
For Williams, the most beautiful time to be on Table Mountain is in the evening.
“Taking the last cable car down is an amazing experience, Cape Town is absolutely beautiful at that time.”
To him success means being happy with his job.
“Work takes up a lot of our days; we spend more time at work than we do at home, so being happy where you work makes you a better person. That to me is success; finding that happiness at your workplace.”
One of the funniest things he recalls is when famous chef, Keith Floyd, was shooting an episode for a television series on top of Table Mountain. Williams recalls, “We were walking up the mountain carrying Floyd’s ingredients [when] Floyd asked my late Sotho colleague Sampe where the lobster was.”
“Sampe, realising that he was carrying the lobster, dropped the plastic bag and fled,” he giggles.
If he was trying to sell Table Mountain to someone who had never been there, Williams would tell them, “For beautiful scenery and breathtaking views, come and visit Table Mountain. It’s a great place!”
Williams is currently developing an integrated management system for the Cableway.
Comments
Great article. Congratulations Mike.