Pirow Bekker

(1935-) Poet, short-story writer, novelist and playwright. Born Petrus Jacobus ("Pirow") Bekker in Smithfield, where he went to school. Studied at the University of the Orange Free State (UOFS), obtaining a BA in 1956. After a short period as teacher, he became a journalist with Die Volksblad in Bloemfontein. After obtaining an BA Honnours degree in 1961 and a MA in 1962, he became a temporary lecturer in Afrikaans-Nederlands at the UOFS, the Bloemfontein Teachers' Training College and later the Stellenbosch University Departement of Education. In 1964 he became a lecturer in at the University of South Africa (Unisa) and in 1967 senior lecturer, obtaining his D.Litt et Phil in 1968. In 1973 became the head of the National Documentation Centre for Afrikaans Literature at the Human Sciences Research Council. In 1979 he retired to devote hiimself to farming and his writing.

Best known for his novels, stories and poems, he has also written a number of one-act plays published in collections for use in schools. These include Hitlers Slaap Ook (197*), *** and ****. In 1989 his one-act play was one of the winners of a competition te celebarete 150 years of the the Cape Education Department. In 1996 another one-act was awarded the third prize in the De Jager-HAUM Literary competition.

He also wrote a number of radio dramas, and his play Herberg by die brug won an Artes Award in 1991 for the best radio text. In 1992 Dis die haan was broadcast in Radioteater by RSG.