The woman who lit up Barberton with spirit, service and creativity: Flicka Goslett

Flicka Goslett, known to many in Barberton for her energetic spirit and dedication to community upliftment, has lived a life marked by resilience, creativity and service. Born in Brakpan on the East Rand, Flicka (née Greeff) grew up with her older brother Bert, who still farms near Nelspruit.

According to Flicka, Brakpan was a one-horse town and that horse was the Casbah Roadhouse owned and run by Sylvia Kongos, a dynamic Greek ‘Business Woman of the Year’. “She was a successful roadhouse and nightclub owner, rock band manager and songwriter.  She was my mentor and best friend.” Her example of female entrepreneurship and leadership left a lasting impression on Flicka.

After leaving school, Flicka embarked on a career that took her deep into the mining and engineering world, working her way up from secretary to second-in-charge of the high voltage copper cable division at Globe Electrical.

It was during this time that she met and married Michael Goslett and had two daughters, Cavell and Melani.

Flicka joined International Metal and Machinery, which introduced her to the scrap metal industry and sparked a long career in the reconditioning and resale of mining and industrial equipment. Her work brought her often to Barberton and the surrounding mines, where she formed a bond with the region and its people.

“One sunny day on my way to the Impala Hotel, I stopped to have a cigarette at ‘Jock’s Tree’ and fell in love. The road ahead, Sheba, was just a mass of red and purple flowering trees on either side of the road. I decided there and then, this is the place I want to call home,” Flicka said.

She left Johannesburg behind and moved to Barberton permanently, opening Belladonna Glassworks on the Heritage Walk and devoting her energy to stained and hot glass work, her lifelong hobby.

It was here that Flicka immersed herself in local projects and organisations, including the Rotary Club of Barberton, where she served as President in 2006-2007. She contributed countless volunteer hours to initiatives like the annual mountain bike race and served on the boards of Barberton Tourism, Umjindi Resource Centre, the Barberton Chamber of Business and other community committees.

As Project Head for the Local Economic Development Project, Umjindi Jewellery, Flicka helped bring jewellery making and design skills to Barberton’s youth. Working alongside Justice Matshele and the late Wixie Wikberg, they nurtured local talent, helping students like Mandla Shelembe and Mxolisi Ncongwane gain national recognition.

Flicka played a key role in guiding the transformation of local tourism and business structures, helping merge Chamber funds with the National Department of Tourism to form the Barberton Tourism and Biodiversity Corridor (BATOBIC) programme. The team facilitated the application for UNESCO World Heritage status for the Makhonjwa Mountains, which was granted in 2018, cementing Barberton’s place on the global geological map.

In 2016, it was time to pass the buck and Flicka sold her beautiful Barberton home and moved to Umhlanga, KwaZulu-Natal, to be closer to her youngest daughter Melani’s family. She continued her Rotary work, serving as President of the Rotary Club of Umhlanga. In 2023, she visited her eldest daughter, Cavell who lives in Stanford, a small Victorian village at the foot of the Klein River (Kleinrivier) Mountains, and fell in love again. She moved to Stanford, where she is now an active member of the Stanford Rotary Club.

Now retired, Flicka spends her days walking along the river that runs through the village, walking on the beach at Stanford Cove, visiting friends and enjoying life. Yet her legacy in Barberton remains woven into the town’s history, its landmarks and the many lives she touched through her decades of service and community spirit.