It’s a family rooted in Germiston which has lived through many ups and downs in the city.
The GCN met four generations of women from the family, namely Lida van Zyl, Rennie Greeff, Charise Greeff and Amorey Staschik (1), last Tuesday.
The Germiston connection started with Lida when she moved to Elsburg in 1963.
She met her late husband Nick (Jottie) van Zyl and the couple got married in Elsburg and made the area home.
Nick sadly died in 2000, but Lida continued to make Germiston home and now resides in Dinwiddie.
Lida and Nick had five children, namely Johan van Zyl, twins Rennie Greeff and Drienie Smit (who died in 2013), Kobie van Zyl and Esta van Zyl.
Lida is still active and works transporting children to school.
“I like to be active and keep myself busy,” she said.
She has nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
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After growing up in Elsburg, Rennie married Leslie and the couple did not stray far, they set up home in Elspark, where Rennie has lived for 26 years.
Leslie died in 2003 and Rennie, who does not work, looks after little Amorey in the afternoons and also enjoys spending time with her other grandchild, Juandré Greeff (10), the child of her son Wayne and daughter-in-law Melissa, who stay on the same property as her.
Charise, an internal sales consultant, and her partner, Jean-Pierre Staschik, have been together for 10 years and set up home in Parkrand in Boksburg.
They welcomed Amorey to the world on New Year’s Day, last year.
Amorey is the latest generation of strong women to join the family’s ranks and she is all smiles and as cute as a button.
In the mornings she attends nursery school in Elspark and then keeps her granny busy in the afternoons.
Lida added that her other daughter, Esta, was the first woman in South Africa to be chosen as a wrestling coach and she has achieved Protea Colours.
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