Jan Hendrik Hofmeyr

From ESAT
Revision as of 13:20, 2 November 2012 by Miriamt (talk | contribs)
Jump to navigation Jump to search

HOFMEYR, Jan Hendrik (J.H.). (“Onze Jan”) (1845-1909). Cultural leader and politician. Born in Cape Town, he was educated at the South African College, and at an early age turned his attention to politics, first as a journalist. He was editor of the Zuid Afrikaan till its incorporation with Ons Land, and of the Zuid Afrikaansche Tijdschrift. By birth, education and sympathies a typical Dutch Afrikaner, he set himself to organize the political power of his fellow-countrymen. This he did very effectively, and when in 1879 he entered the Cape parliament as member for Stellenbosch, he became the real leader of the Dutch party. Yet he only held office for six months--as minister without portfolio in the Scanlen ministry from May to November 1881. A leading member of the Zuid-Afrikaansche Taalbond from 1883-1906. ***(Bosman, 1928; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hendrik_Hofmeyr_(Onze_Jan))


HOFMEYR, Jan Hendrik (J.H.) (1894-1948) Academic and politician. Hofmeyr was born in Cape Town. An intellectual giant, he graduated from UCT with an M.A. at the age of 17, and went on to Balliol College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Became the Chair of Classics at the South African College, Cape Town, and in 1917 professor at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, and later its Rector. He left the University in 1924 to become Administrator of the Transvaal till 1929. Then entered active politics and soon became the closest advisor to Jan Smuts. He acted as Prime Minister several times during the Second World War, in which Smuts was heavily involved and became Minister of Minister of Finance and Education . It is in this capacity that he is of importance for South African theatre, for it was he – through the offices of * Op’t Hof - who approved a government grant and a loan to found the National Theatre Organisation in 1947. ** (Tucker, 1997)


HOFMEYR, Jan Hendrik (J.H., or "Jannie"). (194*-) Professor and internationally renowned biochemist, composer, musician, cabaret artist and amateur actor. Having studied at the University of Stellenbosch, he became a lecturer and later professor and chair of the Department of Biochemistry at Stellenbosch. Hofmeyr was one of the composers and performers who helped launch the Afrikaans "Kabaret" tradition in South Africa through his work with authors, composers and directors such as Etienne van Heerden, Hennie Aucamp, Anthony Costandius, Herman Pretorius and Zoettje Hofmeyr in Stellenbosch. His classic scores for Hennie Aucamp and Etienne van Heerden lyrics for example have become standard items in Afrikaans popular music. Among the most notable cabaret productions he was involved with were Ekskuus vir die Wals (by Etienne van Heerden, 1984), 3-D (by Anthony Constandius, 1984), ** (by Hennie Aucamp, 198*), ** (by Hennie Aucamp, 198*), Die Sewe Doodsondes (by Hennie Aucamp, 199*). He was also an active member of the Libertas Theatre Club from early on (and chairman between 199*-1997?*), and acted in a number of productions by the Libertas Theatre Club over the years, and on occasion played older characters for the University of Stellenbosch Drama Department, where his wife Zoettje Hofmeyr was a lecturer. These include the psychiatrist in Equus (1988/9*??), ***


Return to ESAT Personalities H

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to Main Page