Ampie Coetzee-The Giant For Afrikaans Literature.
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Ampie Coetzee (June 26 1939 — October 15 2020) was a literary scholar and professor of Afrikaans-Dutch at the University of the Witwatersrand and the Western Cape. As co-founder of the Taurus Publishing House, he was responsible for the publication of many important literary works for which more established publishers did not stand a chance due to the fear of censorship.
Abraham Jacobus (Ampie) Coetzee was born on June 26, 1939.
He grew up in Primrose, Germiston, where his father was a miner at the Rose Deep mine. After school, he studied at the University of the Witwatersrand, where from 1960–1967 he received the B.A. degree, the B.A. Honours degree and the M.A. degree, the latter with a dissertation on “The poet C. Louis Leipoldt and the Afrikaans critique”. He received his doctorate (PhD degree) in 1971 under the guidance of N.P. Van Wyk Louw with a study on “Rhythm and scanning”, which will be published later. His further studies are at the University of Ghent in Belgium.
He started working as a postgraduate assistant in the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch at the University of the Witwatersrand and was then a lecturer for eight years and later a senior lecturer at the University of Natal in Durban. He then returned to the University of the Witwatersrand, where he taught until 1986 and promoted to associate professor in Afrikaans and Dutch.
He plays a significant role in the period of strict censorship. In 1973 he, together with Chris Barnard, John Miles and Bartho Smit, gained control of the Johannesburg branch of the Afrikaanse Skrywerskring. With the ban on André P. Brink’s “Knowledge of the Evening” in early 1974, they set up a fund to defend the book and issue strongly-worded statements on the matter. When the other members objected to their views, they resigned, an action that indirectly led to the establishment of the Afrikaanse Skrywersgilde in 1975. Together with Ernst Lindenberg and John Miles, he founded the independent publisher Taurus in 1975, which aims to publish books that do not interest other publishers due to the strict censorship laws. Their first publication is “Moment in the Wind” by André P. Brink, and they also publish several of Breyten Breytenbach’s works. From the founding of the publisher in 1975 until its dissolution in 1990, he has been its director.
From the beginning of 1987, he has been a senior professor of Afrikaans at the University of the Western Cape. Here he delivered his inaugural lecture on October 31, 1990, under the title “The Afrikaans literature and national culture: Raka as a mediation model”. Ampie acted guest professor at the University of Essen, Germany, and also in the Netherlands at the University of Utrecht.
He is a member of the delegation that met the then still banned ANC in Dakar in 1987.
The University of the Western Cape awarded him its merit research scholarship in 1995 for his work on a descriptive theory for the literature of South Africa, which enabled him to conduct further research in the Netherlands. He periodically acts as a speaker at conferences, among others in 1993 at the Winter Forum at the University of the Witwatersrand and at the National Reading Circles Seminar in October 1993.
His second wife is the author Karin Cronjé, but they later divorced, after which he married Annegrett Erasmus. Ampie and Karin have a son, Marko. Marko is married, and they have two children. A. son and a daughter. Ampie and Annagrett have a son, Kobus. In 2008 he moved from Mowbray in the Cape to Wellington.
He died on October 15, 2020, at the age of 81.
Authors Note:
Ampie’s mother and my Grandma Swart (my Mother’s Mother) are sisters. Ampie was my Mom’s cousin and he was seven years older than me, the author of the article. As teenagers, we spent quite a lot of time together and Ampie often entertained us on his trek piano. Danie, Ampie’s brother was younger than Ampie and was also a very kind young man.
One afternoon, after school, Danie approached his older brother, Ampie, to ask for money to buy a new kind of candy at the shop, which was close to their home. Ampie gave Danie the bunch of Pennies he had and Danie went to the shop with his bike. It was Danie’s last ride as he was bumped by a truck that overtook him from behind. Someone who saw the accident happen, called Ampie’s mother, Hester, and she rushed to the scene. Danie died in her arms.
For Uncle Jan Coetzee, Ampie’s father, the farewell was too great and he died shortly afterwards. Hester took care of Ampie alone and provided for all his needs as much as possible. Hester was a beautiful woman and as a young boy, I was helplessly in love with her calmness and beautiful manners.
Ampie liked my Dad a lot and was especially fond of his Harley Davidson who was assigned to him by the police to do his Detective Work. My father always carried a bag of sweets with him and handed them out to the children. Ampie loved it and will remember “Oom Tok” (my Dad’s nickname) for that gesture.
And now Ampie, finally I want to tell you and Breyten Breytenbach and your families that we never considered you the viper in our bosom. We accept what you did, and the action you took was well-intended and carried out for a place for the Afrikaner and to prevent blood loss. I was part of the Afrikaner Population, but my politics were different and with more judgment on the black man and his place to rule over the white man!
FW de Klerk and the National Party conducted poor negotiations at Codesa and did not keep the promises of power-sharing for the new South Africa. The Afrikaner Establishment and the Mainstream Media appeased the largest part of the Afrikaner Population, and it was accepted without resistance. After the negotiations, the Afrikaner pulled at the shortest end of it. The ANC would, on the principle of one man one vote, seize all power in South Africa and today we can see the devastating consequences of this with State Capture, Corruption and destruction of Eskom, Prasa, SAA, Denel and many others. The Afrikaner was also disadvantaged at all our Universities and especially Stellenbosch where an Afrikaner betrayed the Afrikaners.
Ampie, you told me, when I put it to you, that Zuma would be appointed President in place of Mbeki “That if that happened, you would take your stuff and leave South Africa!” You have not, and Ramaphosa is not much better!
I suspect that you and Breyten Breytenbach must have been extremely disappointed in the political consequences for South Africa. However, rest assured that we realize it is not your fault and that you only wanted to do the best for South Africa and we will always honour you for that.
Rest in Peace, my cousin and friend!
Ampie Coetzee- Die Reus Vir Afrikaanse Letterkunde
Die liedtjie is vir my ‘n herrinnering aan jou Ampie:
Ampie Coetzee (26 Junie 1939–15 Oktober 2020) was ‘n letterkundige en professor in Afrikaans-Nederlands aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand en die Wes-Kaap. As medestigter van die “Taurus Publishing House” was hy verantwoordelik vir die publikasie van baie belangrike literêre werke waarvoor meer gevestigde uitgewers weens die vrees vir sensuur, nie voor kans gesien het nie.
Abraham Jacobus (Ampie) Coetzee is op 26 Junie 1939 gebore.
Hy het in Primrose, Germiston grootgeword, waar sy vader ‘n mynwerker by die Rose Deep-myn was. Na skool studeer hy aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand, waar hy van 1960–1967 die B.A. graad, die B.A. Honneursgraad en die M.A.-graad, laasgenoemde met ‘n proefskrif oor “Die digter C. Louis Leipoldt en die Afrikaanse kritiek”. Hy behaal sy doktorsgraad (PhD-graad) in 1971 onder leiding van N.P. Van Wyk Louw met ‘n studie oor “Ritme en skandering”, wat later gepubliseer word. Sy verdere studie is aan die Universiteit van Gent in België.
Hy begin werk as nagraadse assistent aan die Departement Afrikaans en Nederlands aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand en was daarna agt jaar dosent en later senior lektor aan die Universiteit van Natal in Durban. Daarna keer hy terug na die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand, waar hy tot 1986 onderwys gee en bevorder word tot mede-professor in Afrikaans en Nederlands.
Hy speel ‘n belangrike rol in die tydperk van streng sensuur. In 1973 verkry hy saam met Chris Barnard, John Miles en Bartho Smit die beheer van die Johannesburgse tak van die Afrikaanse Skrywerskring. Met die verbod op André P. Brink se “Kennis van die aand” vroeg in 1974, het hulle ‘n fonds gestig om die boek te verdedig en sterk bewoorde uitsprake daaroor gelewer. Toe die ander lede van die Skrywerskring teen hul standpunte beswaar maak, bedank hulle en dit was ‘n aksie wat indirek gelei het tot die stigting van die Afrikaanse Skrywersgilde in 1975. Saam met Ernst Lindenberg en John Miles stig hy in 1975 die onafhanklike uitgewer Taurus, wat ten doel het om boeke uit te gee wat ander uitgewers nie in belang gestel het nie weens die streng sensuurwette. Hulle eerste publikasie is ‘Oomblik in the Wind’ van André P. Brink, en hulle publiseer ook verskeie van Breyten Breytenbach se werke. Vanaf die stigting van die uitgewer in 1975 tot sy ontbinding in 1990 was hy die direkteur daarvan.
Vanaf die begin van 1987 is hy senior professor in Afrikaans aan die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland. Hier lewer hy sy intreerede op 31 Oktober 1990 onder die titel “Die Afrikaanse letterkunde en nasionale kultuur: Raka as bemiddelingsmodel”. Ampie tree op as gasprofessor aan die Universiteit van Essen, Duitsland, en ook in Nederland aan die Universiteit van Utrecht.
Hy is ‘n lid van die afvaardiging wat die nog verbode ANC in 1987 in Dakar ontmoet het.
Die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland het in 1995 sy verdienste-navorsingsbeurs toegeken vir sy werk aan ‘n beskrywende teorie vir die letterkunde van Suid-Afrika, wat hom in staat gestel het. om verdere navorsing in Nederland te doen. Hy tree gereeld as spreker op tydens konferensies, onder andere in 1993 by die Winterforum aan die Universiteit van die Witwatersrand en by die National Reading Circles Seminar in Oktober 1993.
Sy tweede vrou is die skrywer Karin Cronjé, maar hulle is later geskei, Ampie trou met Annegrett Erasmus. Ampie en Karin het ‘n seun, Marko. Marko is getroud, en hulle het twee kinders. ’n seun en ’n dogter. Ampie en Annagrett het ‘n seun, wat sy name dra maar word kortweg “Kobus” genoem. In 2008 verhuis hy van Mowbray in die Kaap na Wellington.
Hy is op 15 Oktober 2020 in die ouderdom van 81 oorlede.
Skrywers Nota:
Ampie se ma en my Ouma Swart (my Ma se Ma) is susters. Ampie was my Ma se neef en hy was sewe jaar ouer as ek, die skrywer van die artikel. As jongelinge het ons redelik baie by mekaar gekuier en Ampie het ons gereeld vermaak op sy trek-klavier. Danie, Ampie se broer was jonger as Ampie en was ook ’n baie gawe jongman.
Een middag, na skool, het Danie vir sy ouboet Ampie geld kom vra om ‘n nuwe soort lekker by die winkel, wat so entjie van die huis af was, te gaan koop. Ampie het vir Danie die klomp Pennies wat hy gehad het gegee en Danie is daarmee met sy fiets na die winkel toe. Dit was Danie se laaste rit en is hy gestamp deur ‘n vragmotor wat hom van agteraf ingehaal het. Iemand wat die ongeluk sien gebeur het vir Ampie se Ma, Hester gebel en sy het haar na die toneel gehaas. Danie het in haar arms gesterf.
Vir Oom Jan Coetzee, Ampie se pa was die afskeid van Danie, te groot en hy sterf kort daarna. Hester het alleen vir Ampie gesorg en sover moontlik in al sy behoeftes voorsien. Hester was ’n pragtige vrou en ek as jong seun was hulpeloos verlief op haar kalmte en mooi maniere.
Ampie het baie van my Pa gehou en was veral mal oor sy Harley Davidson wat deur die polisie aan hom toeken is om sy Speurwerk te doen. My pa het ook altyd ‘n tassie met lekkergoed met hom saamgery en vir die kinders uitgedeel. Ampie was mal daaroor en sal “Oom Tok” (my Pa se bynaam) vir daardie gebaar onthou.
En nou Ampie, ten laaste wil ek aan jou en Breyten Breytenbach en julle families sê dat ons julle nooit beskou het as die adder in ons boesem nie. Ons aanvaar wat julle gedoen het en die aksie wat julle geneem het goed bedoel was en uitgevoer is vir ‘n plek vir die Afrikaner en om bloedverlies te voorkom. Ek was deel van die Afrikaner bevolking maar my politiek was anders en met meer oordeel oor die swartman en sy plek om oor die witman te regeer!
FW de Klerk en die Nasionale Party het swak onderhandel by Codesa en die beloftes vir magsdeling vir die nuwe Suid Afrika nie nakekom nie. Die Afrikaner Establishment en die Hoofstroom Media het die grootste deel van die Afrikaner Bevolking gepaai en dit is sonder weerstand so aanvaar. Die Afrikaner het na afloop van die onderhandelinge aan die korste ent daarvan getrek. Die ANC sou op die beginsel van een mens een stem alle mag in Suid Afrika inpalm en vandag kan ons die verwoestende gevolge daarvan sien met Staatskaping, Korupsie en vernieting van Eskom, Prasa, SAL, Denel en vele ander. Die Afrikaner is ook benadeel by al ons Universiteite en veral Stellenbosch waar ‘n Afrikaner die Afrikaners verraai het.
Ampie, jy het aan my gesê, toe ek dit aan jou gestel het, dat Zuma as President aangestel sou word in die plek van Mbeki “Dat as dit gebeur jy jou goed sou vat en Suid Afrika verlaat!” Jy het nie en Ramaphosa is nie veel beter nie!
Ek vermoed dat jy en Breyten Breytenbach uiters teleurgesteld moet gewees het in die politieke gevolge vir Suid Afrika. Wees egter verseker ons besef dit is nie julle skuld nie en dat julle net die beste vir Suid Afrika wou doen en sal ons julle altyd daarvoor eer.
Rus in Vrede my neef en vriend!
