Due to the fact that my father worked for the SA Reserve Bank and was continuously transferred, I had three stints at Grey: Sub B for 6 months; Standards 3 and 4 and one term of Standard 5; and Standard 7 to matric.
When I arrived for the final time in 1965, our first class was English with Joe Barry. He asked me my name and when he didn’t hear the Servaas correctly said: “What, Fossil de Kock?” The nick name stuck.
After school, I went to the Army Gymnasium, after which I studied accountancy at the University of Natal. I did my accounting articles in Durban and in 1983 joined the JHI property group as group accountant. In 1990 I transferred to Cape Town, where I finished up as Regional Director.
From 2008 to 2010 I played lots of golf and did some part-time work. Since 2011 I have been managing the Bilton Wine Estate on a “remote” and part-time basis, but spend more time on the golf course than working. I have also re-introduced the “dop” system back into my package.
I met Gillian (Gill) at varsity in Durban and we married in 1977. We have lived in Pinelands in Cape Town since 1990 and have two sons and two grandchildren. We enjoy overseas travel to the more unknown destinations and try to fit in a trip every year.