Monica Breed (1923?-2021) was a well known and beloved radio actress, director and presenter, and a playwright.

Sometimes also credited as Monica Breedt.

BEING EDITED

Biography

Born Wilhelmina Monica Breed on 28 March 1923 in the town of Reitz in die Orange Free State, the daughter of Abraham Liebrecht Breed en Philippina Johanna Cornelia Loots. She matriculated in Reitz, then completed a BA degree and a teacher's diploma at the Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys.

She joined the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 1947, and between 1949 and 1952 she travelled abroad, (mainly in Britain and Western Europe), also broadcasting from there. On her return to South Africa she worked in Cape Town as a language editor for Nasionale Boekhandel Beperk's book publishing section, before rejoining the SABC and from 1962 onwards worked as drama organiser for the Afrikaans service in Durban.

In this time she was also intimately involved with directing and performing in dramas for radio as well as the stage (the latter for amateur companies such as the Teatergroep in Bloemfontein, the Kaapstadse Amateur Toneelgeselskap (KAT) and Die Skerm in Durban).

She passed away in Pretoria on 25 May 2021.

Contribution to South African theatre, media, film and performance

In haar matriekjaar skryf sy saam met ’n skoolmaat ’n toneelstuk vir opvoering by die Matriek-afskeidsfunksie.

She started out as a teacher, and as a young woman was a member of the Bloemfonteinse Teatergroep. In 1947 she joined the SABC. Initially worked in Europe, returned in the 1960s to work at the SABC studios in Durban, and finally at the SABC head offices in Johannesburg.

She was for many years the presenter of the popular journal programme Vrouerubriek (lit. "Women's column") for the Afrikaans Service of the SABC, and also the presenter of a number of childrens' programmes.

For TV she was the voice of "Piet Muis" in the iconic TV puppetry programme Haas Das se Nuuskas and appeared in Liewe Heksie. She also had roles in the TV drama series such as Phoenix & Kie[1] (playing "Donna van Zijl", a carer; 1979) and Cul-de-sac[2] (playing "Ouma Visser"; 1987) and her film roles include Die Vlindervanger (1976).

She wrote the one-act play Gee Mekaar die Regterhand.

She later became the manager of the SABC Sound Archives, a facility which she took enormous trouble to maintain.

[JH/TH]