Christoffel Coetzee

Christoffel Coetzee. (1945-1999). Journalist, lecturer and novelist.

Biography
Christoffel was born in the Free State on 10 November 1945.

Youth
He matriculated at Sentraal High School in Bloemfontein

Training
He studied at the University of Stellenbosch. He obtained a masters degree in philosophy (cum laude). He was a Rhodes Scholar and studied at the University of Oxford.

Career
Christoffel worked as a research assistant at the London School of Economics for a time. He subsequently worked as a reporter and university lecturer. As a Namibian citizen he worked in Windhoek for many years. He died in Windhoek on July 17 1999. Coetzee lectured in political science at the University of the North in the year before he died.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
His controversial first novel Op soek na Generaal Mannetjies Mentz appeared to acclaim in 1998 and was adapted for the stage by Chris Vorster and the stage adaptation of his novel, opened at the Aardklop National Arts Festival in 1999. Ilse van Hemert directed with Sandra Prinsloo, Marius Weyers and Anna-Mart van der Merwe in the lead roles.

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