I was born at Vredendal, but grew up at Doringbaai, a small lobster and fishing community on the west coast. The local primary school only had 30 pupils in total, so going to Paul Roos with 30 pupils in one class, was quite a shock to the system. Our first day class teacher (1969) was Mr Volschenk (woodwork teacher, very strict) and at his classroom I first met all these new faces. Jannie Hanekom sat next to me and introduced me to others and made me feel welcome.
Over the years I played a bit of rugby and visited many destinations – Paarl, Bellville, SACS, Wynberg, Rondebosch, Franschhoek, HHH, Strand etc. We won a few games and lost a few; part of the character-building process and we often learn valuable lessons in defeat. Fortunately, the very talented U-19 A rugby team were proudly high achievers in the Western Province schools’ circuit. Their outstanding success made us proud and inspired many to work harder and keep improving our own performance, on and off the pitch.
At Paul Roos Gymnasium we were very fortunate to have excellent teachers that maintained a very high academic level of teaching. Mr David de Villiers, the Rector, was an inspiring and kind person, leading his very able team of staff including Mr Chris Kapp, Mr Ockie van Wyk, Mr John de Vries, Mr Andy Kritzinger, Mr Van van der Westhuizen, Mr Niel du Toit, Mr David Taylor, Mr Kobus Richter and Mr Sparks Esterhuizen, to mention but a few.
Mr Esterhuizen needs special reflection: He was a new addition to the staff and as the PE teacher he introduced a selection of performance related exercises. With great enthusiasm he pushed us to our physical limits and then beyond! It was often a case of blood, sweet, tears and lactic acid… this was all part of his character-building mission at PRG and the lifesaving See and Sand project. A larger than life tough character. Ps: He was more popular before, than after these intense PE sessions, assisted with his swinging ‘Josephine’ to keep us moving/faster/spark!
Other teachers were known for their strong discipline and relying on their cane/rod to reinforce high quality homework… I’m sure they meant it well and it did us no long-term harm.
On the school premises we were always safe, except when a senior pupil (Du Preez, the school champion javelin thrower) for fun and entertainment, threw lemons at speed at the juniors, coursing panic/havoc, and being on the receiving end was no joke. Politically, times were challenging and a fellow pupil, with his heart in the right place, had the foresight and floated the idea of a bridge-building indaba involving other cultural schools. We had matric exams to focus on, so it never came to fruition.
I was at boarder at Secunda Hostel (1969-73) and met wonderful mates including Harry, Dirk, Piet, Sampie, Barry, Aldert, Ernst/Pof, Tielman and Louis. Going out for special off-weekends, or Sunday-lunch invites, were great treats and I much appreciated the warmth and endless kindness of the Tielman Roos, J J Loots and David Krige-families.
With boys being (active) boys, we had early supper at 17h30 pm, and then after 22h/23h00, some became quite hypoglycaemic – so we had to become resourceful by scaling the fence of the next door ‘Proefplaas’ for some fruit-picking filling our pillowcases. Some supervising hostel teachers did not appreciate this, to put it lightly. We came off lightly as the police never became involved.
After school I went to do military training and then back to Stellenbosch to study medicine at Tygerberg Hospital and later Paarl Hospital. I then joined a medical practice at Panorama, Parow where I worked for 10 enjoyable years. During this time, I married Cecilia Fischer, and we were blessed with having 3 children: Bern-Mari, Robert and Eric.
In 1995, just after the excitement of the Springboks winning the Rugby World Cup, we temporarily moved to England for a few years to explore more of the European culture and broadening our horizons. I worked at various hospitals practising anaesthesia; it’s now 28 years later, and we are still here in the UK, but I’m now in my pre-retirement working phase.
My social sport activities include playing tennis, off road cycling in the local Hertfordshire forests and playing competitive bowls.
We spend our holidays mainly in the UK, Europe, Australia (Brisbane), where my daughter practices, and South Africa visiting siblings and other family. I often long to see my beloved South Africa, and when the SA sport teams loose badly, I don’t sleep well that night. Africa is and remains in my DNA.
Semper Splendidior!