The Guitar Man Sings For His Breakfast

Jannie can sing, that was clear at the meeting last Wednesday when Jannie du Toit and Susan Mouton, accompanying him on cello, spoke to the club and then sang two songs before leaving for an appointment in Pretoria.
     Jannie du Toit has been in and around the Afrikaans music scene for decades, having started out at the then Randse Afrikaanse Universiteit (now the University of Johannesburg) in 1971. I know the feeling, I started there in 1972 and Linda in 1973.

Jannie du Toit belting out a tune at the meetings, which are normally more sedate than the
gathering last Wednesday

     Jannie owns the Agterplaas Guest House in Melville. Linda and I and I'm sure other members, notably Steve and Jenine (they're in the same church), have heard him sing over the years and his voice is just as strong at the age of 66 as it was way back when he started out in the music business 48 years ago.
     He spoke about a nasty experience on Mandela Day in July when he was accosted on his way back to his car after an appointment for the launch of Aardklop at the Market Theatre in Newtown and robbed of his cellphone. He was grabbed from behind and stabbed twice in the leg in the process of trying to resist, the second wound being quite deep.

Jannie with Susan Mouton, principal cellist with the JPO

     Security guards chased the perpetrator down and Jannie says the guy was mobbed and beaten by about 40 people before being taken by ambulance to hospital. By then the phone had already been passed on to someone else.
     He himself had to rely on a friend to take him for treatment at the Milpark hospital.
     Afterwards he thought that if Nelson Mandela could be forgiving after 27 years in jail, he should follow the example and has moved on from the incident.
     Jannie spoke of his career of 25 years with the pianist Christa Steyn, who died of cancer in 2012. They visited 25 countries and performed in at least 20 of those over the years.
     In the past few years he has performed with Susan, who is the principal cellist in the Johannesburg Philharmonic Orchestra.

Carl Chemaly at the meeting

     He is currently working on a new album of songs he has written himself, his first original album in some years. It includes a song titled Koffiekafeetjie about Melville, of which he sang an excerpt to the gathered members.
     He then sang the Mary Hopkin hit Those Were the Days and ended with a Jacques Brel hit Marieke, which he sang in English, Dutch and French and left the normally very vocal audience speechless. Or at least for a few moments.
     Before leaving he said he has put together a Brel show which is available should anyone wish to put on an event. There's food for thought.

Rusty van der Walt (back) and Michael Joseph

     We had a number of visitors at the meeting, including Rusty van der Walt and Michael Joseph from the organisation Wish Come True who aim to help in Steve du Plessis' dream of setting up a fund from which deserving students can be helped to further their studies and or research.
     Carl Chemaly, the Sheriff of Parkview as Paul calls him, also visited after an absence which included having a hip replacement at a relatively young age and Emilio Kiyeta Yamfu (I hope I got that right) from the DRC who is interested in Rotary and all it does. Who knows, we might be able to snare them both as members.

Emilio Kiyeta Yamfu came for a visit from the DRC

     Membership and all it encompasses, including gaining new members, welcoming and mentoring existing members and keeping members involved in club activities, were prominent at the Club Assembly on Saturday morning.
     The attendance was great and it was good to see members such as Zena Kimaro and Sam Deverneuil there, both of whom can't be at regular meetings due to work commitments.

Julian Nagy explaining (and extracting) strategy

     Julian Nagy put in a lot of work to keep the assembly structured and the debate going. He reminded us of decisions made five years ago which still hold true about the club (except the one where we wanted to have 40 - 50 members by now).
     If you couldn't make it and want to know more, speak to Julian or anyone else who was at the meeting. Minutes of the meeting will also be available once the board has approved them.

Renewing acquaintances ... Sam Deverneuil and Carin Holmes at the
first club assembly of the year

     The next board meeting is on Friday, 7 September at 4.30 at the Parkview Golf Club and is, as always, open to any member of the club just to to listen or to take part in the discussions.
     If there are any particular issues you want to raise, ask Joan Donet to add it to the agenda.
     Remember also that the Jozi Book Fair is on at the weekend, as per the email sent out yesterday. Please contact Frayne to go and help out.
     The new Rotaract club has already been active and joined the marshalling teams at the Greatest Train Race in Middelburg last Saturday, one of the coldest days in late winter. We owe them a debt of gratitude as those who have been there in previous years will remember how cold it gets at 4am in that part of the world.

The Rotaracters fighting off the cold in at the Greatest Train Race. From left are Alfred Kadunga, Monique Marques, Paulina Nqubeni, Victoria Adekomaya, Nadine Mitchell and Minenhle Majola

     Minenhle Majola reports that their experience in the Rotary family have been great since their inception on 1 August. They renewed their acquaintance with District Governor Charles Deiner in Middelburg, as the Rotary Club of Middelburg will also be heavily involved with their research projects for their postgraduate studies.
     Their visit for the Greatest Train Race was a learning curve, says Minenhle.
     "We got to witness at first hand how contemporary management aspects were applied for the success of the event; and the collaboration between the Rotarians and the community as a whole."
     Apparently they enjoyed the good old Rotary fellowship as well! Well done to the Rotaracters. They've also volunteered to help at the Jozi Book Fair at the weekend and later with the Golf Day.
     A Thought for the Week: Whatever you are, be a good one. - Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)