Dirk J. Mostert

Dirk J. Mostert (1897-1982) was a teacher, journalist, politician, Afrikaans writer, translator and amateur actor.

Biography

Born Dirk Johannes Jacobus Mostert 29 September 1897 op Middelburg, Transvaal, and went to a variety of schools. Studied at the Grey University College in Bloemfontein and became chairman of the Afrikaanse Studentebond and secretary of the Afrikaanse Taalvereniging.

Taught at Witbank, Grey College in Bloemfontein and at the Hoërskool Monument in Krugersdorp, later becoming a principal in Brits and Kroonstad. Among his pupils over the years were the columnist Joel Mervis, lawyer and politician Bram Fischer and actor/director André Huguenet.

Over the years became inter alia general secretary of the ATKV(1939-), and various other national organizations.

Elected to parliament in 1948 as a member of the Nationalist Party, where he served till 1966.

Married Ella du Preez of Witbank in 1921, and they had two daughters and a son.

His career as writer

Starting with a collection of Afrikaans poems (Elker siele) in 1925(J.L. van Schaik), he turned to prose, going on to produce numerous short stories, comic sketches (his "Oom Bart" stories being particularly popular), speeches, historical works and 6 novels.

His contribution to theatre

Mostert had a keen interest in theatre and was a member of, and actor for, the Grey Universiteitskollege-Toneelvereniging (or GUK Toneelvereniging), in the 1920s, also Chairman of the society in 1920. The society did Die Koerantskrywers in 1919, touring with it in the O.F.S., and he played "Dr Bols".

In the 1940s he translated Are You a Mason? into Afrikaans as Is Jy 'n Bokryer? for André Huguenet.