“Remain dead still.” JJ’s voice over the two-way radio was calm, but the undertone carried urgency. “Engines off. No movement. No sound. Only silence.” A moment later, the dry riverbed in which we stopped seemed to come alive. From the bush emerged a lone desert elephant bull – deliberate, immense, and impossibly close. The majestic […]
Into a land unbothered by time – A memoir Read More »
A year or two ago, we found ourselves at an (in-law) family gathering on a game farm in the Karoo. Clan members travelled from far, ready to reconnect, share stories, and possibly test the limits of familial patience. Upon arrival, we were greeted not with hugs and pleasantries, but with the tale of one of
A muddy challenge in the Karoo Read More »
A memoir by Johan du Preez, July 2017. An intervention on foreign soilI heard the explosion only after I fell to the ground. The sound was muted as if it came from afar, somewhere from the surrounding bush. My first thought was that someone was shooting at me. At that moment movement and time as
Operation Savannah – The battle of the casualties of the war Read More »
It was late in November 1975. I was the engineer troop commander (or the sappers, as we were referred to) during the advance by road of a battle group of the South African Army into Angola, destination Cela, a small town around 400 km south-east of Luanda. The convoy was a mix of all sorts.
Steaks in Sá da Bandeira Read More »
Hierdie storie gaan oor ʼn restaurant – die Skip Restaurant – wat op die onderste dek was van die Athlone Castle, ʼn skip op die Athlone-dam by Bethlehem in die Vrystaat. Eintlik gaan dit meer oor Oom Fred Prinlsoo – die destydse eienaar van die restaurant – en oor ʼn admiraal … Die Athlone-dam is
Admiraal Bierman en die Vrystaatse vloot Read More »
My klasonderwyser in Standerd 4 aan Hoërskool Bultfontein was Meneer Mostert. Hy was ‘n besondere leerkrag wat in die taal van vandag se jongmense waarskynlik as ‘old school’ gereken sou word. Vir hom was die leerling en sy of haar vordering al wat saak gemaak het. (Ja, destyds was ons leerlinge gewees, nie leerders soos
‘n Engel in ons midde toe ons dit die minste verwag het Read More »
Iets wat ek vir byna 50 jaar verswyg het, was die gebeure daardie Woensdagmiddag in 1970 toe ek geskiedenis gemaak het. My stilswye was nie as gevolg van nederigheid oor hierdie uitsonderlike gebeurtenis nie, maar eerder as gevolg van verleentheid oor die manier hóé ek geskiedenis gemaak het. Hier volg my storie … 1970. In
Die dag toe ek geskiedenis gemaak het Read More »
Stafsersant Jordaan was kwaad. Eintlik was hy meer as kwaad, hy was merkbaar ontstig. “En julle wil offisiére word!” Hy het soos ʼn profeet geklink wat nie heeltemal geglo het wat hy profeteer nie. “Julle kan nie eens eenvoudige paradegrondopdragte uitvoer nie, wat nog te sê om soos offisiere op te tree!” Ander mense verhef
Toe verloor Stafsersant Jordaan meer as net sy humeur Read More »
Bultfontein is waarskynlik die laaste Vrystaatse dorp wat elektrisiteit in die sestigerjare gekry het. Daar was altyd opgewondenheid wanneer ek saam met Pa en Ma by die familie op die buurdorp, Brandfort, gaan kuier het. Brandfort het elektrisiteit gehad en die nefies elektriese Scalectrix renmotortjies waarmee ons die ure omgespeel het. Daar was weemoed in
Oom Vên se liggies Read More »
“Ek bied judo aan as ‘n sport. Judo kan egter ook handig wees in selfverdediging.” Reeds met die intrapslag is dit duidelik dat die 75-jarige Jan Olivier van Stellenbosch (of Oom Jan, soos hy alom bekend is in judokringe en vir seker vir hom ‘n eretitel) nie maar net nog ‘n judoafrigter is nie. Met
‘n Halfeeu van judoafrigting en mentorskap Read More »
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