Wanneer oom Gerris Coetzee (96) by sy huis uitstap hekkie toe, is daar geen kierie of gehoorapparaat nie. \u201cMoenie vir die honde bang wees nie, hulle het al vanoggend ge\u00ebet,\u201d skerts hy oor hul skaaphonde wat blaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oom Gerris van De Plaat op Velddrif het Sondag sy 96ste verjaardag saam met familie gevier. Die volgende oggend het hy \u2019n visnet begin boet (herstel).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEk wil nie meer verjaar nie \u2013 hier\u2019s te veel dinge wat ek nog wil doen,\u201d s\u00ea hy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy vertel met \u2019n helder geheue oor sy grootwordjare in hierdie einste omgewing. Hy is die oudste van \u2019n broer en \u2019n tweeling. Die tweede broer is op 91 oorlede, die tweeling leef nog. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy pa het buite die dorp geboer. Ons het grootgeraak met bokkoms en brood; ons was nooit ryk nie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die gemengde boerdery het gesorg vir oorlewing: varke, melkkoeie, hoenders, skape en koring. \u201cAs kinders moes ons alles doen \u2013 koring bewerk en in velsakke b\u00eare, snoek vlek, skaap of vark slag en afskraap, vet uitbraai, wors en kaiings maak, die vleis in \u2019n koelkamer hang, botter maak. Botter word in \u2019n groot wit emmer geb\u00eare, met die deksel bo-op. Wanneer die botter galsterig raak, moes ons dit aanhou eet. Of honger ly!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMa het fyn rekening gehou van ons geldsake. Broeis hoenderhenne is noukeurig dopgehou \u2013 geen wegl\u00ea-eier mag verlore gaan nie. Die eiers word met \u2019n pers pen gemerk en ma begin solank tel hoeveel kuikens daar behoort te kom. Wanneer die Jood met sy handelskar verbykom, raak hoenders en diervelle handelsgoed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Die Jood met die fuike onder sy kar; ruilhandel die aangewese manier van doen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMa se boekhouding het goed gewerk. Vir Kersfees kon ons \u2019n groot sak suiker (25 pond) koop van die velle-geld. In huise waar die geld nie mooi bereken is nie, was daar soms nie eens meubels nie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMet laagwater, wanneer \u2019n mens die Bergrivier se varswater\u00adfonteintjies kon sien, moes almal help drinkwater skep en aandra huis toe. Dit was ons enigste varswaterbron. Ma moes ver stap vir wasgoed was in vars water \u2013 omtrent 10 km na die kleigat anderkant die kruispad. Dan neem dit haar en buurvroue \u2019n hele dag lank. Later jare het waterlorries vir ons drinkwater aangery. Reservoirs en lopende water het eers gekom toe die visfabrieke hier begin.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy onthou die groot vloed van 1942, toe \u201cals weggespoel het. Selfs my oom se winkel, wat baie hoog bokant die rivier sit, was omring met water. Ek moes met \u2019n platboomskuit tot op sy winkelstoep roei en deur \u2019n venster klim om sy fles met geld te gaan haal. Die glasfles met sjielings, sikspense, tiekies en trippense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dit was dae van rivierlangs skool toe stap; 5 km verder. Hierdie Weskusseun van die 1930\u2019s was nie lief vir skool nie. Tog het hy matriek aan die Ho\u00ebrskool Hopefield voltooi. \u201cIn 1950 het ek en my broer op die diepsee begin visvang.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dit het \u2019n inkomste verseker, maar daar was lelike ongelukke \u2013 \u2019n ernstige gesigbesering, oorlewing wanneer jonger manne sterf, die keer toe hy in die see beland en \u2019n tou sy voet vasvang. \u201cEk het amper verdrink.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
N\u00e1 een lelike ongeluk \u201ctoe trou ek sommer daardie Desember met Joey\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy het vir hulle \u2019n huis gebou, presies hier waar hy saam met sy dogter Jo-Ann Willemse en haar gesin woon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToe leer ek alles van messel-, te\u00ebl- en loodgieterswerk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Hy was destyds diaken. \u201cOns het graag vir die kerk gegee. Al moes Joey koeke en terte bak in \u2019n houtstoof waarvan mens nie die hitte kan stel nie.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intussen vang hy gereeld harders, leervis, baar of kurper in die rivier, want \u2019n gebraaide vissie saans bly \u2019n voorreg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Op 96 stap hy daagliks 30 minute met hul spelerige skaaphonde, lees graag boeke oor die omgewing en geologie, het pas weer sy eie safe<\/span> gebou vir bokkoms droog, herstel steeds visvangnette. Sy spelerige kat en \u2019n plekkie waar hy met sy hande kan vroetel, hou hom gelukkig. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOns het grootgeraak met respek vir die natuur, is daardie fase nou verby?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Op 96 mis hy die swerms witgatspreeus wat laatmiddag oor die rivier gevlieg het, uitbundige paddakore saans, die jaar toe daar so baie fonteinpaddas was dat oorversadigde tarentale sommer paddas by hul bekke laat uithang het, Sondagmiddag se kuiertjies met bure en vriende \u2013 \u201cdie beste manier om die ou week af te sluit\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy onthou is nog goed, ek help soms mense met navorsing oor die ou dae.\u201d Hy wys na sy voorkop: \u201cEk moet altyd net eers die screen<\/span> regkry om te kan onthou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cO nee, ek drink nie pille nie, dis gif. Laas het die dokter my gehelp omdat my hartklop bietjie uit gear<\/span> geraak het. Ek eet min soetgoed, ek gebruik knoffel, rooibostee en min koffie. En saans die gebraaide harder of bokkompie.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Wanneer oom Gerris Coetzee (96) by sy huis uitstap hekkie toe, is daar geen kierie of gehoorapparaat nie. \u201cMoenie vir die honde bang wees nie, hulle het al vanoggend ge\u00ebet,\u201d skerts hy oor hul skaaphonde wat 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