Rinie Stead

(1914-2010) Journalist, theatre archivist and theatre historian.

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Biography
Born Rinie Rens on 1 March 1914 on a small Dutch Reformed mission station in Malawi, to the reverend P.A. Rens and Magdaleen (de la Rouviére) Rens. Sent to South Africa for schooling from the age of 7, matriculated at the Hoërskool De Villiersgraaf in Villiersdorp and went on to study at the University of Stellenbosch, obtaining a BA degree in 1934.

Started her career as a journalist for De Burger in Cape Town and in 1937 was transferred to Port Elizabeth as part of the founding staff of Die Oosterlig. She became the editor of the women’s page on the new paper, but also acted as journalist, translator, reviewer and de facto editor of the arts page. Married Arthur Stead in 19** and later moved to the The Hague, where she and her family lived and her husband an attaché. They returned in 1964 to settle in Pretoria and she became a journalist at, and later the editor of, the Afrikaans scientific and cultural journal Lantern.

In 1973, after her retirement, she joined P.P.B. Breytenbach at the Human Sciences Research Council and soon took over from him as curator and head of the National Documentation Centre for the Performing Arts at the HSRC in Pretoria, where she helped to establish the large archives. Over the years wrote many articles on cultural matters, including an (unpublished) history the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) – of which an abbreviated version was published later. Retired in 1979, when Temple Hauptfleisch took over as head of the Centre.

TRANSLATE AND EDIT

Op 1 Maart 1914 in Malawi gebore op ‘n klein Nederduits – Gereformeerde sendingstasie, dogter van Eerw. P.A. Rens en Magdaleen de la Rouviére. Vanaf 7-jarige ouderdom na skoolkoshuise in Suid-Afrika gestuur. Matrikuleer aan die Hoërskool De Villiersgraaf op Villiersdorp. Studeer aan Universiteit van Stellenbosch met ‘n beurs en studentelening. Behaal BA-graad in 1934.

Begin joernalistieke loopbaan as redaksielid van “De Burger” in Kaapstad. In 1937 na Port Elizabeth verplaas as deel van ‘n klein baanbrekerspan om ‘n nuwe Afrikaanse koerant, “Die Oosterlig” te begin. Na huwelik met Arthur Stead in 1942, as vryskutjoernalis in Port Elizabeth, Oos-Londen, Durban, en Pretoria gewerk. Het vanaf 1947 gereelde uitsaaiwerk vir die SAUK gedoen. “Vroue Rubriek” die eerste daaglikse, nasionale radioprogram vir vrouens is deur haar van stapel gestuur, ge-organiseer en aangebied. Neem deel aan die heel eerste inter-stedelike, nasionale vasvraprogramme, eers in Durban, daarna in Pretoria.

Verhuis in 1953 na Pretoria. Verantwoordelik vir die vertaling van “The Prisoner of Zenda” in Afrikaans. Na ‘n paar jaar se deeltydse werk vir die kulturele tydskrif, “Lantern”, as permanente redakteur aangestel vir 8 jaar. Terwyl hoof van teaternavorsing by die Raad vir Geestes Wetenskaplike Navorsing, het sy 10 jaar daaraan gespandeer om die gesaghebbende reeks oor die teater in SA saam te stel en te skryf. In 1980 afgetree maar voortgegaan om gereelde lesings, radio praatjies en artikels, veral oor die teater in SA, te lewer.

Sterf op 22 September 2010. Sy laat ‘n broer, 3 seuns, 6 kleinkinders, 8 agter-kleinkinders en een agter-agter-kleindogter na.

Die baanbreker-joernalis en kultuurkenner Rinie Stead (née Rens) is verlede Woensdag in die ouderdom van 96 jaar in Pretoria oorlede. Sy het tot haar dood saam met haar oudste seun, Pieter, in ’n selfsorgwoonstel gewoon, self haar motor bestuur en inkopies gedoen. Stead het haar joernalistieke loopbaan in 1935 by Die Burger begin nadat sy haar BA-graad aan die Universiteit Stellenbosch verwerf het. In 1937 was sy lid van die stigtersredaksie van Die Oosterlig, die eerste Afrikaanse dagblad in die Oos-Kaap. Sy is in 1942 met mnr. Arthur Stead getroud, waarna sy as vryskutjoernalis en onder meer as uitsaaier vir die SAUK se Afrikaanse radiodiens gewerk het. “Sy het haar joernalistieke loopbaan as redakteur van die kulturele tydskrif Lantern afgesluit. Haar artikels oor die skeppende en uitvoerende kunste in Suid-Afrika is steeds ’n gerekende naslaanbron,” het me. Amanda Botha, ’n vriendin, gesê. Sy was ook die mentor vir verskeie ander Suid-Afrikaanse skrywers en joernaliste. Rykie van Reenen (skrywer), Audrey Blignaut (radiojoernalis en skrywer) en Johann van Rooyen (skrywer) is van die mense wat al saam met haar gewerk het. Stead het tot onlangs gereeld lesings, radiopraatjies en artikels oor die Suid-Afrikaanse teater gelewer, ofskoon sy al in 1980 afgetree het. Sy laat drie seuns, ses kleinkinders, agt agterkleinkinders en een agteragterkleinkind na. ’n Gedenkdiens word vandag om 11:30 in die kapel van die Hatfield Christelike kerk in Corobaylaan, Waterkloof Glen, in Pretoria gehou.

(1913-2010) Journalist, theatre archivist and theatre historian. Born Rinie Rens in *, studied at the University of Stellenbosch ?*) and became a journalist for Die Burger in 193*, moving to Die Oosterlig in 1937, to become editor of the women’s page, but also journalist, translator, reviewer and de facto editor of the arts page. Later moving the ** For a number of years she and her family lived in Den Haag, where her husband an attaché. They returned in 1964 to settle in Pretoria and she became a journalist at, and later the editor of, the Afrikaans scientific and cultural journal Lantern. In 1973, after her retirement, she joined P.P.B. Breytenbach at the HSRC and soon took over from him as curator and head of the National Documentation Centre for the Performing Arts at the Human Sciences Research Council in Pretoria, where she helped to establish the large archives. Over the years wrote many articles on cultural matters, including an (unpublished) history the National Theatre Organisation (NTO) – of which an abbreviated version was published later. Retired in 1979, when Temple Hauptfleisch took over as head of the Centre.

Her publications on South African arts and culture
Among her publications are articles on the following:

1956. "Afrikaanse toneel op kruispad". Brandwag, 20(6):24-26.

1967. "Portret van 'n toneelpionier: hulde aan P.P.B. Breytenbach". Lantern, 17(2): 2-19.

1969. "Raimond Schoop en die teater". Lantern, 18(4): 58-71. June.

1971. "Sip of Jerepigo: Patrick Mynhardt maak toneelgeskiedenis". Lantern, 20(4): 72-80. June.

1981. "Die Nasionale Toneelorganisasie". An unpublished manuscript of a history of NTO, held in the National State Archives, Pretoria.

1985 "Die toneel is belangriker as ek - 'n Persoonlike beskouing van P.P.B. Breytenbach", and "The National Theatre Organisation (NTO: 1947-1962)", (both in The Breytie Book: A Collection of Articles on South African Theatre Dedicated to P.P.B. Breytenbach. Johannesburg: The Limelight press: pp. 21-26; 65-72).

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