Breyten Breytenbach says “die Bruinmense gebruik die Afrikaanse Taal op ‘n baie verbeeldingryke manier, ryk en geskakeerd “ - we use Afrikaans imaginatively, rich and nuanced.
There are varied views concerning Afrikaans and who ‘owns’ it. The views are yours, mine and the truth.

The Afrikaans that speaks to and for me:

Pieter Snyders my friend says in - ‘n Ordinary Mens: “ek drink oek die nuwe jaar, elke jaar in… van Krismis tot Krismis lekke gepis”. Deep descriptive, deep meaningful . . . and the current prevailing view that we are all gangsters. I dare you to say otherwise!

Never mind. All I am is crisp on top. Hair after all, even in our community, is a sensitive issue. Many women used a scarf as survival kit. In an emergency a plastic bag protects against the storm. . . Instant frizzy hair is our magic trick – coloured magic my broertjie.

Everything I do- rightly or wrongly- is in colourful, descriptive Afrikaans and spiced-up, without expletives.

In 1994 with the dawn of a Colourful South Africa on the horizon I could write as I spoke: “ hier’ie tjôklits is vir’ie mêrim met die naais smaail. . . ek smaail oek, al is ek haasbek, verstaan jy ! “

What a great start, challenge and honour to write dramas for Dr Kamla Patel’s Sathya Sai Afrika organization. With themes: Truth – Right Conduct – Peace – Non Violence  & Love. It was for their International Education in Human Values Program.

In 1997 I was a finalist in the RSG/ Sanlam Radio drama- competition. During the workshops I was privileged to be involved in studying the radio adaption of Adam Small’s Kanna hy ko hystoe under the direction of the maestro Robert Young.

My debut as dramatist and director was staging my first comedy drama “Gatiepie sien sy Gat . . . “ competing against national- and international artist. My first debut was at the 25th anniversary of the Standard Bank National Arts festival in Gahamstown where our great President Nelson Mandela opened the Festival and an hour later we were on stage at a theatre in the basement of the Monument Building basement outside of town with an attendance of only 22 people.

The next morning our review was in the Cue newspaper. WOW ! The following 5 shows were sold-out. Some was prepared to stand through the 80-minute show and bought tickets to get in. Sadly some had to turn back as standing space was limited. Afterwards we performed in theatres country wide.

(comtinued on page 2)