Ben Dekker

DEKKER, Ben. (1941-) Actor, artist, activist and politician. *** Studied philosophy and fine art at Rhodes University. Did a masters degree at UCT before turning to acting. Worked at The Space in the early 1970s, with roles in Gilgamesh and Othello Slegs Blankes. He did designs for Egoli: City of Gold by Matsemela Manaka (Soyikwa Theatre, 1979), **. Acted in a number of Afrikaans television dramas, English and Afrikaans films and radio dramas. Also writes short stories and poetry, and sculpts. Became notorious/famous in the early 1980’s for opposing the legendary Sir De Villiers Graaff for a parliamentary seat. In 1980 moved to a cave in Port St Johns and has lived there ever since. He has toured Africa from corner to corner, mostly on foot. (See Toffoli and Silber, 1989, Astbury, 1979 [www.go.co.za/2004/10/28/features/ben.html]. [TH]

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