PERSONALITY|SAJN
Getting to know… the Diamond Council’s
Joyce Bennett SA because our parents were ageing
What’s your favourite recreation?
and needed us near them.
Dining at my favourite restaurant,
I then worked in the mining industry until the gold price dropped
followed by a visit to the theatre or cinema.
drastically and I was retrenched. Who’s your biggest inspiration? How long have you been in-
Our late former President Nelson
volved in the diamond industry?
Mandela always inspired me with
I started working at the Diamond
his humility and kindness.
Secretariat in 1998. You were recently diagnosed
Bennett is no stranger to the industry, having been at the Diamond Council of South
How did you enter it?
with COVID-19. Can you share
I was employed by Alan Wedcliffe,
the experience with us?
who was running the Secretariat.
On 19 June, I started losing my voice.
He eventually emigrated to Israel.
I contacted my doctor, who couldn’t
The Secretariat shared offices with
see me physically and advised me to
the Jewellery Council of SA for a
go for a COVID-19 test. The result
number of years at that time.
was positive and my doctor told me to self-isolate for 14 days and dose
What do you love most about the industry?
myself with any flu medication. I found the kindness of my
Africa for 22 years. She tells
Definitely the people who work in
colleagues and family really helpful.
us what she loves most about
it. They’re truly passionate about
I also received a phone call each
what they manufacture and sell.
day from the Department of Health
the industry, her personal
asking how I felt. There’s nothing
philosophy and her journey
How has the industry changed
shameful about contracting the
to recovery after being
since 1998?
virus and one really needs support.
diagnosed with COVID-19.
Over the 22 years that I’ve been in
I was fortunate enough not to have
the industry – particularly the past
respiratory problems, but sometimes
Where did you grow up and go
five ones – I’ve seen major changes
I wondered whether I’d ever recover.
to school?
in it. The main one is probably the
I completely lost my appetite. After
I grew up in Johannesburg and
shrinking of the manufacturing side
about 10 days, I woke up one morning
attended Athlone Girls’ High School.
of the industry.
feeling well again. It was a real relief!
In the late 1970s/early ’80s my
On the 14th day of my self-isolation,
husband and I spent seven years in
What is your personal philosophy?
I went for another test – which was
London, where we were involved in
“Do your best at all times. You can’t
negative – and was pronounced fully
the fashion industry. We returned to
do more than that.”
recovered from the virus.
SA JEWELLERY NEWS – AUGUST 2020
53
