Johan Fourie

I have 38 years of experience as a professional consultant in diverse economic as well as government sectors. The details and metrics are available in my CV. My consulting approach to all assignments is to be of service and to improve both the position and disposition of clients in realizing their objectives and goals. Often a client is uncomfortable regarding a matter and faces the dilemma of exercising choices with limited scope or context in a window of unknown outcomes. Managing client expectations is a priority for me to realize the clients' success. An example of the dynamics present in my approach occurred during the DWA Y2K project in December 1999, amongst others as well. I was monitoring riverine flood level and flow rate sensor performance. However, I noticed alarming exponential increasing readings of flow and water levels in the lower Limpopo River basin as it approaches Mozambique. Within 8 minutes of monitoring the data, including executing a cause-and-effect analysis, I submitted an executive report to the Disaster Centre Manager with concise and precise data projections. Within 30 minutes SAAF choppers were in the air and on their way to the Mozambique flood plains; river crossings were manned and closed off; municipalities and farmers extracted equipment from vulnerable areas; SAPS and troops were deployed to protect businesses from theft and plundering; and action was initiated to forward relief aid and medical care to the flooded areas that grew to 386 thousand square kilometers. The relief aid soon became an international-level support project for flooded areas. Millions of ZAR worth of equipment was saved, and thousands of lives were saved. Thus, the net effect of my actions demonstrates my philosophy to always add value. The assignment in the disaster management center that evening was to be a DWAF representative monitoring sensors and not to do what I did.