Jetline George Is In Excellent Hands

When The BUZZard caught up with Deon van Greunen on a wet Monday morning (but not quite as wet as the infamous Flood Monday of a fortnight before … more news on this elsewhere in this edition), he was just ‘moving his boat’.

Was he planning to ford the golf course to get to the clubhouse? Nope, but that’s the jovial tone, it seems, of most of Deon’s exchanges: light and sunny, he’s always ready to ‘make a funny’.

Except, that is, when talking about his business – or rather, the business that he and his wife Gillian have built up successfully over the past decade-plus.

‘Gill actually started our first Jetline store 12 years ago, so it’s all her fault,’ chuckles Deon, adding that theyrun both their George and Joburg stores as partnersin- print. The Van Greunens have owned Jetline in York Street since December 2019, coinciding with their move from Gauteng to Kingswood.

But they have retained their first Jetline franchise and are keeping a long-distance eye on that business from the comfort of their Kingswood abode.

The Joburg store in Stoneridge shopping centre is thriving after 12 years of trading, and is capably run by a trusted manager. In George, Gill and Deon are intricately involved in day-to-day operations, and supported by a team of five, including designers and front-of-house staff.

Quality is key

When asked about the secret of their success, Deon doesn’t think twice: ‘Quality printing, and never compromising on customer service. I always urge our team to pick up the phone for that personal touch, rather than correspond per email.’

The brand is owned by John Shalala – a qualified chartered accountant who worked in the financial services sphere before acquiring the trademarks and franchise agreements for Jetline Print franchises in April 2001. He then re-established the brand to become what is now a leading visual communications, multimedia and print service in South Africa. Deon says that John’s business acumen and loyalty to owners and shareholders of the country’s 40 Jetline outlets have been integral in the success of their stores.

‘Centralising the process has truly paid off,’ he adds, explaining that all printing is done at five factories located in Wynberg, and couriered daily from Gauteng to Jetline stores in all provinces.

Newest in the company’s impressive array of machinery is a state-of-the-art – and particularly extremely tremendously costly! – Heidelberg A1 Double-sided printer, which further enables Jetline to deliver on its ‘printing quality on demand’ promise.

Peas in a pod

Gill is a horticulturist who studied at UNISA, whereas Deon completed his degree at the University of Johannesburg (formerly RAU). Deon had a short stint as Johannesburg City councillor for Melville when he beat his lecturer by 43 votes in the 1988 election.

This came to an end with his transfer to Pietermaritzburg, which is where the couple’s paths first crossed in the early 90s.

Not long thereafter, they hit the skyways to Europe. A three-month adventure ensued – which still has them giggling at an array of happy reminiscences.

‘We bought an old Combi and traversed the UK before hitting mainland Europe in our red-and-white home on wheels. Towards the end of our trip, it was smoking so badly that we barely made it back to England,’ says Gill.

Deon’s qualifications in law, political science and psychology have stood him in good stead throughout his interesting career. After a stint at Unilever, where he met his soon-to-be wife (the Van Greunens celebrated 27 years of wedded bliss last April), he worked at Liberty Life; he then invested in a training company that specialises in behavioural assessments, with its head office in Denver, Colorado.

He has travelled the globe in his capacity as Limra and Loma associate, lecturing in exotic lands such as Sri Lanka, Korea, Ghana and Mauritius, to name a few.

But the Van Greunens are now so contentedly ensconced at Kingswood that they’ve only visited Joburg once since having made the estate their permanent home.

Procreation and recreation

The couple has two children, both of whom work in Gauteng – which, over the past two pandemic years, has precluded regular family reunions. But the solid bond between Gill and Deon seems to guarantee their harmonious togetherness, be it at work or at play.

‘We really do everything together,’ says Gill, ‘both in our professional lives and when relaxing. We met at work, and we still work together happily as a team, 29 years down the line.’

Both are keen golfers who thoroughly enjoy negotiating the challenging Kingswood course, and they both have several mountain-bike stage races under the belt.

‘When considering our move to George, I thought Oubaai would be the place to buy. But the proximity of Kingswood to all amenities and the absence of those winds known to lash courses closer to the coast were some of the factors that informed our eventual decision.

‘We’ve met many kind people during our relatively short time here, when walking our dogs along the estate’s pretty paths, when playing golf, and when dealing with management or the friendly staff at the clubhouse,’ says Deon.

Having survived two home invasions while living in Gauteng, the Van Greunens also laud the peace of mind underlying their existence in George.

They have never looked back, but they do look forward to meeting you at their Jetline emporium of all things print. Visit www.jetline.co.za for additional information.