Growing up in Alberton: some notable residents

Nick van Zyl shares his memories of growing up in Alberton

Nick was born on June 24, 1948 in a hospital in Germiston, as Alberton had no hospital in those days. His parents moved to Alberton in 1951.They bought a house in the bottom half of Susanna Circle in Florentia (now renamed Pieter Uys Avenue extention).

His father was a local undertaker for a railway burial society and his mother had her own florist next to the Reno Bioscope (now Die Blou Meul) in Van Riebeeck Avenue, Alberton North.

He started his schooling at President Steyn in 1954 when he was five and a half years old. In those years, the school only took pupils up to grade three. Then he attended Paul Kruger School in Second Avenue on the corner of Gerrit Maritz Street. From 1961 to 1966 he went to Hoërskool Alberton in Florentia, next to the municipal cmemetery.

He remembers swimming in the Natal Spruit, surrounded by popular trees. There used to be a make-shift slide, used by the kids to slide into the river.

The Reno bioscope and Café, popular hang-out spots in Van Riebeeck Avenue, were the main type of entertainment for kids in the area.

The first roadhouse was opened in 1940 as a Mexican themed building in Voortrekker street, on the corner of St Austell Street. There were round stools at the counter, typical of an American diner style and a jukebox in the corner.

Piet Coetzer (declined to have his picture taken)

Piet was born on May 17, 1950. His parents lived in Alberton all their life. His mother’s maiden name was Appelgrein, one of Alberton’s pioneer families (one of the first families who moved here when Alberton was first established).

His father was a town council member for many years and Deputy Mayor in the 1950’s.

Piet grew up in New Redruth. He attended General Alberts Primary School, and afterwards Marais Viljoen High School that had opened in 1961.

He was in the same school team as Johan Strauss in 1962/1963. Johan became a Springbok rugby player in 1976.

From what Piet can recall, everyone had cows, chickens, sheep and even pigs in their yards. Cows provided fresh milk, and chickens eggs.

With the by-laws that changed in 1952, restrictions were placed on the type of animal that could be kept on the property. The laws were not always obeyed. “It doesn’t change the attitude or behaviour of people, unless someone puts in a complaint,”said Piet.

Mimi Sutherland

Mimi is known as Tannie Mimi. She was born on July 10, 1925 as Maria Catharina Fourie, growing up with three sisters and one brother.She attended Paul Kruger Primary School. She used the bus service to attend Helpmekaar Girls High in Braamfontein. The bus stop was at the Tampico Roadhouse.

In 1945 Mimi celebrated her engagement at the New Market Hotel in Voortrekker Street (where Barlows Motorworld now stands).

Mimi says,”No doors had to be locked. We could go to a function and be safe returning home. Everyone knew each other and was helpful. Our milk was delivered on the doorstep in glass bottles. I took part sports, and enjoyed music. It was a wonderful community, even though it was not a rich community. It was quite a struggle to get a job, but eventually over the years, the town started expanding, attracting industries.”

She married John Sutherland in the Eeufees Church in Van Riebeeck Avenue.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ladies wore hats- they were very smart. Ladies also wore gloves in church. According to Tannie Mimi, getting into a motor car meant getting

into a clean one.

Jessy Potter

Jessy married Samuel Rex Potter in 1955. She was a hatmaker. She farmed on the farm Southdowns, now part of Brackenhurst, after purchasing jersey cows from the Sunday River Valley near Port Elizabeth.

She was famous for her cheeses. She created cream cheese, but the Dairy Board made her change the name. Her cream cheese was a non-fat dairy product. Cream cheese had to have a certain percentage of fat. She cleverly changed the name to Creme Cheese.

She sold the farm in 1969 and then moved to Natal, where she died on March 13, 1991.

DID YOU KNOW?

The first milk recordings were done on her farm by Dr Bonsma, analysing milk in all aspects.

Andrew Hall

Andrew James Hall, born July 31 1975 and attended Hoërskool Alberton. He became a South African cricketer, playing for the national team from 1999 until 2007.

Fred Zeeli

Fred Zeelie was the first Albertonian to be killed in the Border War in 1974 (Angola).

Charlemagne Sam

The Sprinbok boxing champion, Charlemagne Sam, also known as Charles or Charl (76), was born and bred in Alberton. His family lived at 1 Penzance Street, New Redruth, on the premises of the Alberton motor scrapyard, where he and his eight siblings enjoyed spending time together. He worked at Ford Motor Company during the 1950’s and became the manager in 1959.

He achieved the honour of being Alberton’s first Springbok in 1958 at the British Empire Commonwealth Games in Wales.

André Pretorius

Fly-half Rugby player André Pretorius, born on December 29, 1978.

He attended Hoërskool Dinamika. He was the first Springbok who made his debut in 2002, he missed the World Cup in 2003 due to injuries and played for the Cats in 2005 and in 2014 he played for a French club.

Carike Keuzenkamp

Carike Keuzenkamp is a well-known South African singer. Her real name is Elizabeth Maria Magdalena van Zyl. She was born on March 3, 1947 in The Hague, Netherlands. Her father and mother were Carel Keuzenkamp and Rik Loomans. On July 13, 1968 she married Olaus van Zyl and together they have one son and two daughters.

In 2010 she received a SAMA Award for a lifetime’s contribution to local music.

Arnold Vosloo

Arnold Vosloo, born June 16, 1962, is a South African-born Hollwyood actor and was an Alberton resident, best known for playing Imhotep in The Mummy series, Darkman in the last two films of the Darkman series, and Zartan in the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra series. He grew up in Alberton North.