11 September 2025 Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality Bids Farewell to a ‘Big One’

Media Release: Garden Route District Municipality Bids Farewell to a ‘Big One’

 11 September 2025

Colleagues from the Garden Route District Municipality’s (GRDM) mourn the passing of their beloved colleague, Mxolisi John Klaas, fondly known as Uncle John.  He sadly passed away on Sunday, 31 of August, at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town after a short illness.

Mxolisi John Klaas was born on 12 October 1965 in the small Eastern Cape town of Middelburg in the Great Karoo.  He would have celebrated his 60th birthday this coming October.

Uncle John joined the then Eden District Municipality (now GRDM) on 08 September 1997 as a General Operator, but due to his dedication and eagerness to learn, he ends up operating a wide variety of plants and machinery.

Since 2019, Uncle John worked under the Roads Services Workshop Section, reporting directly to Melissa Koen.

“It’s difficult to put into words what Uncle John meant to us, not just as a colleague, but as a person. No matter the changes around him, one thing never changed, his attitude. He was consistent, respectful, and deeply committed to his work. For 16 years, he drove the lowbed truck with a quiet sense of purpose, showing up day after day with a calm, steady presence that made him stand out in the best possible way,” said his direct supervisor, Melissa Koen.

Colleagues remember that even in the final weeks before he became severely ill, Uncle John continue to show up for work with dedication and commitment. He worked through discomfort, pain and even when it would have been more than understandable for him to step back. “That kind of dedication is rare. It wasn’t for recognition or praise, but it was simply who he was,” Koen said.

According to his colleagues, some of the outstanding characteristics of Mxolisi John Klaas were his steady nature, his calm and reserved demeanour and his ever-present warm smile. He never drew attention to himself, but you always noticed when he was there and even more so now that he is not around.

Uncle John leaves behind not just memories, but a lasting impression on those who had the privilege of working with him. He’ll be fondly missed not just for what he did, but for who he was.

He leaves behind his wife, Vuyiseka Veronica Klaas, 3 daughters and 2 grandchildren.

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