ADVERTISEMENT:
News - Date: 15 July 2011
On a recent trip to the United Kingdom, Charles and Bev Leach of Louis Trichardt had the pleasure of personally meeting Joe West and Keith Vaughan. Charles has been corresponding with these two men for several years whilst researching the history of the Bushveld Carbineers and Lt. ´Breaker´ Morant.
As a younger man, Keith Vaughan spent some years in South Africa and can still say "Totsiens!" with an acceptable Afrikaans accent, "but unfortunately still believes that elephants get drunk on marulas. He is obviously of Irish origin," said Charles.
Keith became interested in the Bushveldt Carbineers because of the involvement of a forefather who was an official in the BVC court martial held in Pietersburg during the Anglo Boer War. His research, coupled with documents and photographs in his possession, present an astonishing theory concerning the execution (or not) of Lt ´Breaker´ Morant in South Africa, which, if tested and verified, will open a new and dramatically radical chapter of the entire story. Keith has several friends in South Africa, including Prof Malie Smuts, a granddaughter of the Rev Heese who was shot, ostensibly by the Bushveldt Carbineers.
"We sincerely hope to see Keith in the Soutpansberg someday," said Charles.
Joe West lives in London and has been researching for many years, and in phenominal detail, the history of the Bushveld Carbineers, with emphasis on Lt Harry ´Breaker´ Morant. He is regarded as one of the foremost experts on this topic and has become well-known to many researchers and history writers over the world.
Joe was involved in the writings of two well-known Australian authors, namely Bill Woolmore (The Bushveldt Carbineers and Pietersburg Light Horse) who spent some days with the Leach family some six years ago, and also of Nick Bleszinski (Shoot straight, you Bastards!) who accompanied Commander James Unkles and the Australian Channel 9 TV team to the Soutpansberg in May 2010.
Charles was given Joe´s e-mail address several years ago by Andrew Bermingham from Bermuda. Charles and Joe have corresponded since then and Joe has provided Charles with a lot of vital information over the years.
Joe and his wife plan to visit the Soutpansberg later this year, with the specific intention of doing the Zoutpansberg Skirmishes Route and becoming fully aquainted with the actual sites of the atrocities committed by the men of the Bushveld Carbineers. "The Soutpansberg will be honoured by history researchers of such high standing visiting and touring the Soutpansberg and Lowveld," said Charles.
The question posed to Charles over the last six years of "When will your book be available?" can at last be addressed. The final manuscript has been presented for history content moderation and has been commended for its detail and accuracy. Additional copies were presented to individuals for initial editing and have received very positive comment.
"Now that the actual writing has been completed, the next step before finally going to press is the layout, design and the insertion of the many illustrations and photographs," said Charles.
Anton van Zyl has been with the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror since 1990. He graduated from the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg) and obtained a BA Communications degree. He is a founder member of the Association of Independent Publishers.
Search for a story:
ADVERTISEMENT
The economic conditions in Zimbabwe forced Tanaka Moyo (40) to legally seek greener pastures in Musina. He opted for a unique business plan, selling the wild jujube fruit to make a living. The fruit, called masau in Shona, is better known as mazwilu in Tshivenda.
As the unemployment rate in South Africa continued to rise, a group of women from Makonde village decided to start a community-based project to create job opportunities for themselves. However, it is very difficult to continue with the project without support from the government or the private sector.
At the age of 104, William Masindi Sadiki still has many stories to tell. Some of these are about his experiences during World War II, when he was part of the North Africa campaign. He is one of the few black soldiers from that era still alive, and he proudly pins his war medals on his chest on formal occasions.
The Rivoni School for the Blind in in Njakanjaka village in the Vhembe District has 167 learners from Grade R to Grade 12. The school was started in 2016 by the Rivoni Society for the Blind, founded in June 1975 at Elim Hospital by late Swiss doctor Erwin Sutter. The society later transferred responsibility for the school to the Department of Education.