I met Keith
when he was appointed Information Systems Manager at Southern Life in 1972/73. I had joined only a few months earlier so we
were both newcomers.
His
reputation preceded him and we looked forward to meeting a man who was not only
IBM’s top insurance systems expert in South Africa, but also a Chartered
Accountant. What a coup for Southern
Life!
He came in
like a breath of fresh air, gusting life into a department which was crying out
for leadership and innovation. My
colleagues, including top management, were in awe of him. His energy and enthusiasm were contagious,
and we were all keen to learn from him.
He was so enthusiastic and passionate about his work (and life in
general) that it was nearly impossible to disagree with anything he did or
said.
He was
ahead of his time in software engineering and encouraged us to use leading edge
techniques.
He somehow managed to get
hold of the latest books on structured programming before they were published
and there were always dog-eared photocopies circulating in the office.
When we
needed a database management system, we couldn’t find any software in existence
at the time, but that didn’t stop Keith.
He promptly commissioned a small team of us to write our own, which we
called File Handler.
Under his
leadership we worked hard and played even harder. One occasion stands out in my memory. We all met at The Pig and Whistle in
Rondebosch one Friday for a celebratory lunch.
We had such a good time that time flew and we only got back to the
office around three by which time we were in no state to work, so we promptly
packed up our work, tidied our desks and headed for our regular Friday night
get together at Forries (Forester’s Arms).
We would regularly carry on the party at the Mattison’s house in
Plumstead after Forries, and Keith would entertain us on the piano.
It was a
blessing and privilege to have known such an amazing, energetic, passionate, knowledgeable,
skilful, mischievous, lovable, and unforgettable spirit.
Keith
Rentzke
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