Hans du Plessis

Hans du Plessis (1945-2024) was an Afrikaans academic, lecturer, poet, novelist, playwright and columnist.

Biography

Born in Pretoria on January 15 1945, he matriculated at Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool, Pretoria. He then completed a B.A. in Afrikaans and ** at the University of Pretoria (1963-1965) and started work as a teacher in 1966. In 1975 he obtained a doctorate in Afrikaans at the University of South Africa, going on to further studies at Harvard University in America with a bursary from the Human Sciences Research Council.

On his return he began work as a lecturer in linguistics, initially at UNISA, followed by a stint at the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU).

In 1981 he was appointed professor of Afrikaans at Potchefstroom University and in 1990 he became the founding Director of the ATKV Skryfskool (a school for writing) at the Northwest University.

He passed away in Potchefstroom on 25 October, 2024.

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

His dramatic writing includes Broerse (1997) and Liefde en Oorlog (a cabaret, 2000), both performed at the KKNK and at Aardklop, as well as theatres throughout the country.

Singer/composer Randall Wicomb also adapted Du Plessis's book, Innie skylte vannie Jirre as a musical.