In 1914 het ’n groep Afrikaners in verset teen die Unieregering gekom, aangevuur deur “Siener” van Rensburg se visioene wat vertel het van die ondergang van die Britse ryk.

Toe Louis Botha net ná die aanvang van die Eerste Wêreldoorlog aankondig dat die Unie Duits-Suidwes-Afrika sou inval, was die vet in die vuur en het honderde opstandige manne die wapen opgeneem. Volgens die joernalis L.E. Neame was dit “one of the most curious and dramatic incidents in the Great War”.

Naas die Groot Trek en die Anglo-Boereoorlog het die rebellie ’n prominente plek in Afrikanergeskiedsbeskouinge ingeneem. Dit is derhalwe nie verbasend nie dat daar reeds heelwat navorsing oor die opstand gedoen is, maar met Radelose Rebellie? ondersoek prof. Albert Grundlingh en dr. Sandra Swart aspekte daarvan wat tot dusver grotendeels verwaarloos is.

Was dit inderdaad so ’n vae, ongestadige verskynsel soos talle kommentators beweer? Was dit ’n redelose, radelose rebellie? Of het meer daaragter gesteek?

Schoeman het nie net elke teks in Afrikaans vertaal nie, maar voorsien dit ook van onontbeerlike voetnotas en insiggewende redakteursnotas waarin konteks, geskiedenis en betekenisverklarings gegee word. Schoeman het hom veral toegespits op tekste van plaaslike inwoners en boorlinge, eerder as die van besoekers of reisigers, en wys in sy voorwoord daarop dat hierdie bloemlesing dus die vroegste geskrewe letterkunde van Suid-Afrika bevat. Die tekste (telkens deur Schoeman in Afrikaans vertaal) gee 'n beeld van die Nederlandse koloniale tydperk in Suid-Afrika.

‘How can there be only one dedicated hospital in the country for our children?’

When Madiba asked this question, he sowed the seeds of a challenge that would grow into a legacy.

A seed may be small but its size is disproportionate to what it can become over time. The Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital was a project that seemed impossible when it was just an idea that started with ten people seated around a dinner table. As they discussed the state of healthcare in the country and shared their experiences, they realised that it was the children of Southern Africa who were the most disadvantaged by the lack of dedicated paediatric facilities. At the end of the evening a statement by the late Dr Nthato Motlana took hold and became the catalyst for a remarkable journey: ‘I will speak to Nelson,’ he said.

With South Africa’s first democratically elected president Nelson Mandela’s backing, the board of the Children’s Fund was inspired to take up the challenge to address this vital need. After years of global research and advice from experts in numerous different fields a Trust was formed to oversee the project and, critically, to set about raising the one billion rand it would take to build, equip and staff a state-of-the-art children’s hospital.

The stories behind the planning for, fundraising and building of the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital are inspiring, personal, and sometimes heart-breaking. It was a long and arduous journey, beset with difficulties, but the dedicated team’s commitment and courage prevailed to create a living legacy that will truly impact the lives of children for generations to come.

Today, the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital in Johannesburg is a proud testimony to a uniquely African story which honours the memory of a great statesman and celebrates the children for whom he cared so deeply.

This book is more than family history. It will open your eyes to how the British subjugated their colonies and Christian missions were used to promote British trade. It also deals with the fallouts from the clash between Christianity and local (Igbo) customs. It derives from the handwritten personal account of one of the early Nigerian Christian missionaries and explains some of these and more. Feed your curiosity!

Dis 'n fassinerende verslag van die lewe in maksimumsekuriteit-gevangenisse, met vars invalshoek: China was hondemeester, aan die voorfront tydens tronkgevegte. Gewapen slegs met 'n knuppel en sy hond moes hy messtekers en oproeriges afweer. Hy is 'n mensch, 'n ongeslypte diamant met hart en ondernemingsgees.

Hy herinner aan Bennie Griessel: hy rook en drink straf, sy huwelik is op die rotse, hy sukkel om gevoelens te wys, maar oor 'n hond wat doodgaan, grens hy. Sy eerste pos, toe hy net 16 was, was op Robbeneiland, waar hy 'n lang, breedgeskouerde gevangene met 'n vriendelike gesig gesien skerm het. Hy was self 'n bokser en kon sien die man het 'n besonderse tegniek, dat hy lig op sy voete soos 'n weltergewig was.

Die bokser was Nelson Mandela. Saans het Mandela deur sy tralies vir die seun hardgekookte eiers wat hy afgeskil het, aangegee, dan eet hulle saam en gesels. Mandela het hom altyd aaangepor om verder te gaan leer.