Rolbos

Living the simple life

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The Easter Express...a musical look at forgiveness.

The Easter Express…a musical look at forgiveness.

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It is never too late…even at 87!

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Revelations

Now that the lockdown allows inter-provincial travel and family visits, Gertruida was happy to hear that a distant niece, Mathilda Grove, wanted to pay a visit.

‘Mathilda is the epitome of the classic Old Maid Syndrome. Last time I heard, she was working at an old-age home in Paarl, where she took care of some old and infirm patients. A heart of gold, she has. A real gem.’ When Gertruida told the…

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Happy Wind # 23

Happy Wind # 23

Gertruida gets up to look at the sunset. It’s been a long day and the telling of the story has left her feeling drained, empty. She must finish it now – she owes that much to the group waiting to hear the end. Hopefully, she thinks, they’ll understand why – when she’s done.

Returning to her seat, she accepts a fresh beer from a pensive Boggel. The bent little barman has a sensitive ear for the…

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Happy Wind #22

President S Nujoma

‘When Mandela became aware of the plight of the Riemvasmakers in faraway Namibia, he gathered a small task force to investigate the issue.’ Gerttruida has just told them about Namibia’s independence. In Winhoek and Pretoria new bonds were formed. The National Party was a spent force and Sam Nujoma, the SWAPO president was keen to enhance the relationship with his southern…

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Happy Wind #21

 ‘While the whole Riemvasmaak community was forced to comply with the defense force’s demands to move, Geel escaped back to civilisation. He was an articulate, educated man in his sixties, respected for his entrepreneurial skills and the easy way he had with strangers. Mr Gibson, the manager CJ had appointed many years before, welcomed his friend from the Kalahari with open arms. Together they…

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Happy Wind #20

‘The move of the Riemvasmakers was a heartless, harsh, horrible affair. The defense force simply moved in and herded the people together. Some were made to watch as the authorities burnt down their dwellings, others were spared that inhuman scene.’ Gertruida tries to avoid thinking about the emotions the people must have experienced on the day. Yes, everybody knew she had been involved in the…

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Happy Wind #19

 ‘Susan and the young doctor had a most…unusual…courtship.’ Boggel senses the tension in Gertruida’s voice. She is obviously struggling to keep her tone level. ‘At first it was the health of old CJ. Then the vision and illness of old Andries. And then, the cluellest cut of them all: the forced removal to Khorixas, far in the north of  South West Africa. This sequence of tragic events was almost…

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Hapy Wind #18

Whenever Gertruida gets near the end of one of her lo-o-o-ng stories, she’ll order a round of Cactus Jack, like she does now. That usually serves as a sort of warning for the audience to steel themselves – the climax is near. And that could be happy…or sad. Whichever way it goes, it helps to be prepared.

‘You know, the young doctor simply sat down, took her hand very gently, and shared in her…

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Happy Wind #17

Susan Bothma

‘When Susan was twenty-one, she and Francina were sitting on their porch one sunny spring morning. Life was sweet. CJ Jnr wrote home every week, telling them about his happy life as game ranger. Because he had grown up among the mix of cultures in the Kalahari, he found working with Zulus quite easy. The two women were talking about his latest letter when Francina felt a twitch of…

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Happy Wind #16

‘To describe the mindset of the Bothma family back then, you only have to consider what the average farmer feels like today.’ Gertruida makes a vague gesture with her free hand (the other holding a cold one, despite Tannie Zuma’s decrees). ‘Abandoned. Forlorn. Angry. Depressed. Like today’s farmers, they were realists. The war was drawing to a close after more than 11,000 South Africans  – …

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Happy Wind #15

‘Andries removed the Eland stomach from the infected stump the next day. I think one may assume a Pseudomonas infection which caused osteitis.’ Gertruida, the one who knows everything, sometimes forgets that not everybody does. ‘In theory, he should have had a revision of the amputation. However, the attempt to treat it with thymus strips – a world first as far as I know – might have provided…

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Happy Wind #14

Eland Hunt

‘When Francina woke up that morning, she felt strangely detached from the scene in front of her. Drugged, is the word that comes to mind. CJ, her husband, was still prone on the Eland skin, but she immediately saw that he was better. The flush and rivulets of sweat of fever were gone. His head was resting on a rolled-up karos, facing her, his expression one of calm, relaxed sleeping.’…

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Happy Wind #13

‘The journey to the Northern Cape  was long and painful. CJ’s leg stump throbbed and the glands in his groin were swollen and tender. Near Upington he started sweating – when Francina placed a hand on his brow she glanced over at Geel. They both knew…’

Gertruida doesn’t have to tell them about the dangers. Molly (Loser’s wife) died of puerperal sepsis, didn’t she? ‘Blood poisoning’, the old…

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Happy Wind #12

‘Of course you can guess what had happened.’ Gertruida smiles broadly. ‘First of all: the Bothma couple realised that they were being used as puppets. The government had welcomed them back as if CJ had won El-Alamein all by himself  – which was very obviously devoid any truth. And Francina’s release from prison, the new dress and the hordes of newspapermen were all just window-dressing, a sham, a…

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Happy Wind #11

Field Marshal Jan Christian Smuts PC, OM, CH, DTD, ED, KC, FRS Prime Minister of South Africa, 1939 – 1948

 ‘The Smuts government had a problem, see?’ Gertruida, with her vast knowledge of everything, tries to sketch the situation in South Africa when CJ Snr returned. ‘With their pro-British stance, they lost a lot of Afrikaner support. In fact, had they not involved the country in World War II,…

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Happy Wind #10

‘Now, you know,’ Gertruida says, ‘That little CJ Jnr was only a boy. He knew his father was a soldier and that he was defending something in a faraway land. It was such an innocent, vague and romantic impression – he naturally assumed his dad would return with a chest full of medals and maybe even a souvenir for him.’

***

Oupa – with Geel as translator – took CJ Jnr to the waterhole. The boy…

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