Mrs. Rina “Merwe” turns 95!
Mrs. Rina du Preez, the iron woman behind the late legend Merwe du Preez, turned 95 years old during September!
“It’s all just grace,” she says as her knitting needles click against each other as she sits in the sun. She lives with her daughter, Helene, on the Ysrivier farm from April this year.
Rina looked forward to the birthday celebrations where she and her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would go “braai in the mountain”. That is Kouga mountain on the farm Kouga Poort where she and Merwe farmed, lived and ran a shop together for almost 60 years.
“Me and Merwe went for a drive on the mountain every Sunday and admired the natural beauty. It’s a very special place for me,” she says.
They met when she was still working in Patensie’s Post Office. “We became a couple the day Tjaart van der Walt’s body was reburied here in Cambria,” she says with a twinkle in her eye. They were married in 1952.
She remembers the mixed farming in the early years with vegetables, wheat and tobacco. But it was when the construction of the Paul Sauer Dam was started, that there arose a need for a general store especially for the people working on the dam. They started a big shop that sold everything from sweets to clothes. “Those were good times. We had a dairy and butchery and sold from magazines to stamps.” Long after the shop was rented out, Rina also farmed with pecan nuts and sold them to the Wimpy and Infood in Jeffreys Bay.
Rina and Merwe have a heart for the local missionary services in the valley and have been involved in this for years. She assisted him where, among other things, he was chairman of the Boerevereniging and served as senior elder. He was chairman of the Gamtoos Irrigation Board until he passed away in 2011.
And how does she stay so healthy and beautiful at 95? She believes in Cancer bush. “Every morning, I turn on my radio, make coffee and take a sip of my Cancer bush mixture. It is bitter but helps for everything,” she says.
“And stay on your knees. Everything is just grace.”
Tannie Rina “Merwe” word 95!
Tannie Rina du Preez, die ystervrou agter die ontslape legende Merwe du Preez, het gedurende September 95 jaar oud geword!
“Dit is alles net genade,” sê sy terwyl haar breipenne klik teen mekaar waar sy sit in die sonnetjie. Sy bly van April vanjaar by haar dogter, Helene, op die plaas Ysrivier.
Tannie Rina het uitgesien na die verjaarsdagvieringe waar sy en haar kinders, kleinkinders en agterkleinkinders sou gaan “braai in die berg”. Dis nou Kouga berg op die plaas Kouga Poort waar sy en oom Merwe vir byna 60 jaar saam geboer, geleef, en winkel gehou het.
“Ek en Merwe het elke Sondag gaan rondry op die berg en die natuurskoon bewonder. Dit is ‘n baie spesiale plek vir my,” sê sy.
Hulle het mekaar ontmoet toe sy nog in Patensie se Poskantoor gewerk het. “Ons het gekys geraak die dag toe Tjaart van der Walt se liggaam hier in Cambria herbegrawe is,” sê sy met ‘n vonkel in die oog. Hulle is in 1952 getroud.
Sy onthou die gemengde boerdery in die beginjare met groente, koring en tabak. Maar dit was toe die bou van die Paul Sauerdam begin is, dat daar ‘n beoefte aan ‘n algemene winkel vir veral die werkers van die dam ontstaan het. Hulle het ‘n groot winkel begin wat alles van lekkers tot klere verkoop het. “Dit was lekker tye. Ons het ‘n melkery en slaghuis gehad en het tot tydskrifte en seëls verkoop.” Tannie Rina het ook vir lank na die winkel verhuur is, met pekaneute geboer en dit verkoop tot by die Wimpy en Infood op Jeffreysbaai.
Tannie Rina en oom Merwe het ‘n hart vir die Plaasbediening in die vallei en was vir jare hierby betrokke. Sy het hom bygestaan waar hy onder andere ook voorsitter van die Boerevereniging was en gedien het as hoofouderling. Hy was voorsitter van die Gamtoosbesproeiingsraad tot hy in 2011 oorlede is.
En hoe bly sy so gesond en pragtig op 95? Sy glo in kankerbossie. “Elke oggend sit ek my radio aan, maak koffie en vat ‘n sluk van my kankerbossiemengsel. Dit is galbitter maar help vir als,” sê sy.
“En bly op jou knieë. Alles is net genade.”