The Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden recently honoured its dedicated retirees who have collectively given 150 years to the garden! Their efforts have helped shape Kirstenbosch to become the adored space it is today.
Cape Town, South Africa (24 January 2025) — Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden bid a beautiful farewell to a team of heroes, Kirstenbosch retirees, who have collectively given over a century to the garden adored by the world.
It was a bitter-sweet farewell in the way occasions like this tend to be—a goodbye on the one hand and a remarkable reflection of service on the other.
Kirstenbosch’s Long Service Awards for the retirees saw a heartfelt tribute given to four individuals who have given so much of their lives to the natural sanctuary for 150 years altogether. They are Natalie Fredericks, Nazeem Davids, Graham Duncan and Trevor Solomons. Together, their niches of work have helped shape Kirstenbosch into the breathtaking, safe and inspiring sanctuary it is today. Their stories are a testament to dedicating oneself to more than just oneself, to leaving behind a footprint of positivity and achievements that can and will be learnt from and built on in the years to come.
Natalie Fredericks: A Journey Back Home
In June of 1984, Natalie Fredericks joined the Kirstenbosch team. For her, it was a homecoming as she returned back to the place her family had been once removed from under apartheid.
“It felt like being home again, surrounded by memories of my childhood playground,” Natalie reflected.
Natalie was the Head of Information at the garden. A leader and an essential part of the garden’s growth, Natalie’s proudest moment was meeting the late President Nelson Mandela.
“It was a privilege to meet someone who embodied unity, much like Kirstenbosch brings people from all over the world together.”
In her own leadership journey, Natalie’s philosophy centred around the power of teamwork.
“A leader is as strong as the team, and the team is as strong as the leader.”—Natalie Fredericks.
Nazeem Davids: The Plant Protector
Nazeem spent 33 years with Kirstenbosch. Affectionately known as ‘The Plant Protector’, Nazeem worked his way through the ranks and retired as a Specialist Plant Propagator responsible for the cultivation of one of the most popular plant groups at the garden and in South Africa: the Pelargoniums (sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Geraniums).
His most cherished and recent project had to do with the care and long-term maintenance of confiscated plant collections. This is a sanctuary that boasts over 4,500 plants that were once part of illegal trade.
Nazeem’s advice to the next generation is a recipe for growth:
“Work beyond your scope. Expose yourself to everything; that’s how you grow.”
Nazeem hopes to spend retirement teaching gardening through an outreach program in Mitchells Plain.
Graham Duncan: The Bulb Specialist
Graham Duncan boasts a forty-five-and-a-half-year tenure at Kirstenbosch. His is a legacy of passion and precision!
Graham may have ended his career at the garden as a specialist horticulturalist, but he was once just a humble volunteer. Since 1979, Graham has built the garden’s bulb collection to become the world’s largest, with over 500 species. Not to mention, his expertise has been shared all over the world in different publications.
Graham’s advice (both for horticultural pursuits and life) is all about patience.
“Some plants take over a decade to flower from seed, and the reward is worth the wait.”
Trevor Solomons: The Guardian of Safety
Trevor Solomons joined Kirstenbosch in 1981, the beginning of decades focused on safety. One mission saw Trevor tackle crime in the surrounding mountain areas. It went on to result in over 16 years of safety and peace for the region and remains one of his proudest achievements.
Straightforward yet compassionate, Trevor’s advice to the young is to listen to those who know more and take pride in one’s work. The retired Security Supervisor has plans to uplift the youth by steering them away from crime and drugs with his newfound time off.
He hopes the garden remains a safe space of pride and inspiration for all the generations to come.
“To the retirees, we say thank you,” said Kirstenbosch Garden Manager Werner Voigt. “Your stories enrich the garden’s legacy and inspire us all to nurture not just plants but the connections that make our world bloom.”
Sources: Email Submission
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