{Roan}

About

My Profile Picture

I am a person who likes to order my thoughts. This is reflected in my work: from developing SCADA systems and automation solutions in production environments to managing operational and administrative responsibilities to managing and leading people. Everything is approached with structure, planning, direction, and dedication.

We do not live in a perfect world, and problem-solving is one of my strong points, particularly in high-pressure production environments where downtime, safety, and system reliability are critical, and where failures have immediate operational impact. Whether it is a technical problem or a people-related challenge, I work toward effective solutions by adapting where required and setting clear goals to achieve the desired outcome.

Taking on a project, applying a concept, and working through real-world challenges to build a practical solution is what excites me most about my work, especially in complex automation and production environments where the margin for error is small. This ability is strengthened by my technical expertise in identifying the right tools, technologies, and approaches (both technical and interpersonal) for the task at hand, as well as my leadership abilities.

Over 26 years of experience, I have come to understand that effective management depends on engaging with people, aligning technical teams with operational needs, and ensuring that solutions work not only in theory but in practice. Despite much of my work being technical in nature and often done in isolation, engaging with people remains essential for finding the best solutions and contributing to stable operations and consistent delivery.

While I started out as a shy and isolated individual, I have grown into someone who can take charge and help develop those around me. I have come to understand the value of emotional intelligence in the workplace, effective communication, and the shift from viewing businesses purely as systems to recognising them as groups of people working toward a common goal.

My time in a large organisation like Sibanye Stillwater has taught me a great deal about standards, procedures, proper governance, and (most importantly) safety in a high-risk mining environment where systems directly support production and operational continuity. I have also come to appreciate the value of collaboration and how effective delegation can significantly improve outcomes.

My core technical environment is built around Aveva System Platform (ArchestrA), where I design, develop, and maintain SCADA solutions that run continuously in live mining operations. The systems I work on range from process monitoring and scheduling around power demand to process control logic governing conveyors, pumps, and valves, through to reporting dashboards that give operational teams real-time visibility into plant performance. Python complements this work across automation tasks, custom tooling, and data processing. These are not sandboxed or test environments; they are live production systems operating around the clock, where reliability and precision are non-negotiable.

I have learned that a project or solution reaches its best version through active collaboration with all team members, delivering results that are on time, often exceed expectations, and ensure systems remain reliable, maintainable, and fit for purpose. This has been a key lesson throughout my career: working in teams is far more effective than trying to do everything alone.

While I remain naturally competitive, I have learned to let others shine and recognise that empowering people to reach their full potential is far more rewarding than completing a project on my own. In the end, I still enjoy the process of breaking down complex problems and building practical, working solutions.

Mining is a tough environment where system failures can impact production, safety, and operational continuity. It involves navigating high-pressure situations, working with strong personalities, and solving complex problems where there is little room for error. But I believe it has made me a better problem solver and leader by pushing my limits and continuously challenging me to grow.

Hobbies

When I’m not behind a screen or a camera, you’ll find me:

Education

Da Vinci Business Institute May 2023 – Oct 2024
Higher Certificate: Management of Technology and Innovation
NQF Level 5. 120 Credits
Achieved Cum Laude
Awarded Top Achiever for subject: Management of Technology, Innovation, people and Systems

Vaal University of Technology Jan 1999 – Dec 2001
National Diploma: Computer Systems Engineering
NQF Level 6. S1 to S4 plus P1 and P2

High School Senior Certificate Jan 1994 – Dec 1998
Matriculated with all subjects on Higher Grade.

Work Experience

Sibanye Stillwater – SCADA Software Developer Dec 2012 - present
SCADA Software systems design, programming, installation, and maintenance.
Digital Transformation. Digital Initiatives. Leadership roles and activities.
Programming and software configuration. Governance, Documentation. Audits.

Goldfields Kloof – Instrumentation Technician Dec 2007 – Dec 2012
Fire Detection monitoring system design, installation, and maintenance.
Instrumentation and control systems design, configure, installation and maintenance.

Des-Pro Technology – Embedded Electronic Developer Jan 2002 – Nov 2007
Embedded Electronic Developer and Firmware Programmer for mining equipment.
Configuration management and User documentation
Business documentation
Systems services in the field of telemetry equipment
Electronic manufacturing production systems

Time-line of Short Courses Attended and Education

2025

2024

2023

2022

2020

2019

Went back to Python and refreshed my Python skills.

2018

Mostly teaching myself Ruby and Web development

2017

2013, 2014, 2015, 2016

During this time I was teaching myself and using Python for all sorts of day to day automation.
I also did a lot of Web development using HTML 5, Bootstrap and PHP.

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

2006

2005

2004

2003

2001

1999

Subjects included:

(27 subjects in total)

1998

Subjects:

Received Merit Award for Academia

1990 ( I was in grade 4 (Std. 2))

First discovered the world of Electronics after I saw my father and another man build a CB booster from scratch and connecting it to a two way CB radio. I always had this urge to create, to build to make. I was hooked and went to the library and borrowed 6 electronic books which I mostly borrowed and returned over the next few years. When I started electronics in Std 7 and 8 I already knew most of the theory.