Home Nuus Krugerdag 2011 - Piet Rudolph
Sondag, 02 Oktober 2011 08:00
Ons huldig president Kruger van Transvaal en president MT Steyn van die Oranje Vrystaat
Krugerdag, hierdie jaar is op Maandag 10 Oktober. Dit is ‘n Boeregedenkdag. Omdat dit nie meer ‘n vakansiedag is nie en die meeste van ons mense darem nog werk, reël ons gewoonlik ‘n byeenkoms van Boere op die Sondag, die naaste aan die 10 Oktober.
Ons wil weer beklemtoon dat die byeenkoms, ‘n Boeresaamtrek is en nie gereël word in die naam van ‘n spesifieke groep of organisasie nie. Daar word ook nie fondse ingesamel nie. Ons kom bymekaar omdat ons Boere is en Boere wil bly.
Die verrigtinge vind plaas by die Balmoralkonsentrasiekamp-kerkhof waar ons jaarliks ook ander Boeredae hou en dit neem die vorm aan van ‘n kranslegging. Daar sal ook twee of drie kort toesprakies wees, hoofsaaklik oor ons Boere-erfenis. Die verrigtinge begin om 11:00 en behoort om 13:00 klaar te wees.
Balmoral is die plek waar daar oor die 400 vrouens en kinders deur die Britte om die lewe gebring is in die Anglo-Boere-oorlog van 1899-1902.
Die gevierde president Steyn het as student reeds sy gebondenheid aan die Boere van Transvaal, betuig in ‘n brief wat hy aan die Manchester Guardian geskryf het op 25 Januarie1881, terwyl hy in Engeland studeer het. Hy skryf:
During the last few weeks numerous letters have appeared in English papers, with the intention for prejudicing the minds of the English people against my unfortunate countrymen, the Boers of South Africa, especially of the Transvaal, who are portrayed as an ignorant, prejudiced, cruel and anti-English.
I admit an anti-English feeling did exist during the earlier part of the present century, caused by the oppression and wrong which culminated in the tragedy of Slagtersnek, and that feeling lasted until the English Government withdrew its authority from the country north of the Orange River in 1854. It must, however, be borne in mind that the estrangement was not at all on the side of the Dutch, and that the British Settlers were strongly prejudiced against us. During the last 30 years, however, a better feeling has grown up [sic] between the Europeans born in the country of English and Dutch extraction. The Boers living in the Orange Free State and the Transvaal are connected by ties of kindred and friendship with the best families in the Cape Colony, their sons and daughters are sent to educational institutions in Cape Town to perfect themselves and a large number of young Dutchmen come to England every year to study at the English and Scotch Universities. The result of this intercourse is a kindlier and more generous feeling between the Dutch and English populations in South Africa …
The struggle about to be entered upon will reopen the wound which has almost healed, and will destroy the only basis upon which a South African nationality can be formed which in time would lead to the much desired confederation of the various States.” MCE van Schoor - Marthinus Theunis Steyn (bls 29/30.)
Later sou Pres Steyn sy gewig by die Transvaal ingooi met die Anglo-boere-oorlog tot die bittereinde. Ons eer hom.
Sien u by Balmoral. Bring u kinders, familie en vriende en stoele saaam.
Opgestel en uitgegee deur Piet Rudolph namens die Aksie komitee, Orde Boerevolk.