Cousins reunite after 66 years

“Her voice has not changed, I knew who she was as soon as she spoke.”

September 1, 2016

1 minute read

These were the words of Rina Scheepers, about the first time she and her cousin, Minnie Hertzog, spoke in 66 years.

The women last saw each other when the elder of the two, Scheepers, was wed, at the age of about 18.

That was around 1950.

“We never saw each other again after that,” the two concurred.

When asked why they have not seen each other for two-thirds of a century, Scheepers said: “We just drifted apart and went our own ways.”

Hertzog’s son, Munnik, wanted to surprise the cousins, by inviting Scheepers for a visit at his home, in Seventh Street, Northmead.

His brother, Eddie, brought their mother over for the reunion.

“My mother is on her way and doesn’t know her cousin is here,” Munnik said while anxiously waiting for the surprise to break.

Hertzog called her long-lost cousin late last year, after Scheepers’ daughter had found the other part of the family through Facebook.

“Minnie didn’t know it at the time, but I cried my eyes out after I got the call from her,” Scheepers said.

Munnik visited Scheepers while she was at her daughter’s house in Brakpan, in June.

“I knew he is family of mine, as soon as I met him,” said Scheepers.

Munnik said Scheepers cried at the news that he is Hertzog’s son.

“After that I decided to bring them together again and organised the surprise meeting at my home,” he added.

The two women got along like old friends back in childhood, recalling how Hertzog earned the nickname, “Old Six”.

“We played Ludo sometimes, and my dice always landed on six,” Hertzog said.

Scheepers lives in Johannesburg South, while Hertzog stays in Pretoria.

They were overjoyed to see each other, and said they wanted to meet again.