Hoërskool Voortrekker is a

public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...

Afrikaans medium co-educational high school situated in the municipality of

Boksburg Boksburg is a city on the East Rand of Gauteng province of South Africa. Gold was discovered in Boksburg in 1887. Boksburg was named after the State Secretary of the South African Republic, W. Eduard Bok. The Main Reef Road linked Boksburg ...

in the city of

Ekurhuleni The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is a Metropolitan municipality (South Africa), metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng. The municipality itself is a large suburban region east o ...

in the

Gauteng Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...

province of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

. The academic school was established in 1920.

Founder

Ds. James Murray Louw studied for the ministry at Victoria College, Stellenbosch. The first Nederduitse Gereformeerde church in Boksburg was a wood and iron building on the corner of Market and Trichardts streets, opposite Market Square, where the Old Town Hall is situated. Ds. Louw was the second minister for the Boksburg congregation. He assumed duties in December 1898. When the Anglo-Boer War broke out, Ds. Louw left for the Natal front with the Boksburg Commando on 12 October 1899. For the next two and half years Ds. Louw stayed with the Republic forces. On 5 June 1902 Ds. Louw and the remnants of the Boksburg Commando laid down their weapons finally at Kraal station, just south of Heidelberg. Under his leadership, the "Klipkerk" was built in 1912. Ds. Louw was especially concerned about education and welfare of orphans. Immediately after returning from the war, he arranged housing for 20 Boksburg war orphans. The scoured earth policy of the British government had the consequence that there was an influx of Afrikaners looking for work on the coal and gold mines on the Witswatersrand. After the war Ds Louw started campaigning for the establishment of a secondary school for Afrikaans speaking children on the Witswatersrand. By 1938 Louw was frail and in poor health. As one of the last surviving preachers who had stayed with the Boer forces throughout the war, he was asked to deliver the sermon at the foundation stone laying for the Voortrekker Monument on 16 June 1938

History

Voortrekker High School was the first

Afrikaans Afrikaans (, ) is a West Germanic language that evolved in the Dutch Cape Colony from the Dutch vernacular of Holland proper (i.e., the Hollandic dialect) used by Dutch, French, and German settlers and their enslaved people. Afrikaans gra ...

school on the Witswatersrand. The school was started by a group of

Afrikaners Afrikaners () are a South African ethnic group descended from Free Burghers, predominantly Dutch settlers first arriving at the Cape of Good Hope in the 17th and 18th centuries.Entry: Cape Colony. ''Encyclopædia Britannica Volume 4 Part 2: ...

, under the leadership of Louw, who wanted their children to have an alternative to English schools. In April 1918 the East Rand School Council undertook a feasibility study to see if there are sufficient Afrikaans speaking pupils past standard five to justify an Afrikaans medium school. The survey confirmed the need for an Afrikaans secondary school. Through the hard work of Louw, the OOSRANDSE HOLLANDSE MEDIUM HOËRSKOOL was established on 29 January 1920. The school started in Nobby's Bar next to the Boksburg Lake with 67 learners and 6 educators. Mr. an Wyk was the acting principal. At the start of the second quarter Mr. AM Muller became the first permanent principal. At the start of the third quarter the school was renamed Hoërskool Voortrekker. In 1922 the school relocated to a shop in the Morris arcade.

In 1923 du Toit became the new principal and shortly afterwards the erection of a permanent school building began. On 30 July 1924 the new school buildings were officially inaugurated by Professor J. H. Hofmeyer, Administrator of Transvaal. VoortrekkerArk

In 1935 a fund raising was started to build an assembly hall and domestic science centre. Bernard Stanley Cooke was appointed as architect. Cooke died in January 2011 at the age of 100. Mr Cooke was responsible for many Art Deco buildings in Johannesburg including Escom House and buildings of the Rand Easter Show grounds. He was also responsible for the drawings of the Tower of Light at the show grounds.

Anton van Wouw Anton van Wouw (27 December 1862 30 July 1945) was a Dutch-born South African sculptor regarded as the father of South African sculpture.Burger, E. ''Die Huiselike Omstandighede van Anton van Wouw''. University of Pretoria, 1941, p. 21 Biogra ...

, South Africa most renowned sculptor was commissioned to create a bas-relief depicting the "Groot Trek". VoortrekkerRelief

Anton van Wouw’s work includes the statue of Paul Kruger on Church Square Pretoria, the Woman Memorial in Bloemfontein and statues at the

Voortrekker Monument The Voortrekker Monument is located just south of Pretoria in South Africa. The granite structure is located on a hilltop, and was raised to commemorate the Voortrekkers who left the Cape Colony between 1835 and 1854. It was designed by the a ...

. Building of the hall started in July 1936 and the building and bas relief was inaugurated on 9 December 1938. In 1974 a statue of a Voortrekker Boy and Girl by the sculptor P Potgieter was unveiled. VoriesSeunDogter

In 1976 a new hall was inaugurated. The hall was named after the principal T. S. Welman. In 1999 Voortrekker became a dual medium school.

Nobby's Bar

"Nobby Henrey was the personification of the Rand Pioneer. He was open-hearted, generous to a fault, his good deeds can hardly be counted, and many a Boksburg resident down on his or her luck have reason to bless the day they met him." Born in Cradock in 1861, Edward Barrett Henrey decided to try his luck at the gold diggings in Barberton at the age of eighteen. Unsuccessful, he returned home but the lure of gold got the better of him and he returned to the old Transvaal and eventually arrived in Elsburg in 1885. In 1886 when were auctioned off in Boksburg he selected a stand opposite the Old Post Office and there established what was to become the renowned "Nobby’s Bar." At the time he built the bar, he didn’t realise that his hostelry would eventually be situated in a prime position on the shores of "Montagu’s Folly," the Boksburg Lake, which became the "Beautiful Pleasure Resort of the Rand." "From the very beginning, Nobby’s Bar was the centre of social life to the Boksburg pioneers. Here most of the meetings took place. It was from here that the first alumni from Voortrekker High School were sent out and it was in Nobby’s Bar that the various churches held their services right up until the time first billiard table on the East Rand was imported and placed in position. In one of the outhouses he kept a pet bear sent to him by a friend. Nobby's Bar was the first premises for two high schools namely Voortrekker and Boksburg High schools. Unfortunately this establishment did not stood the test of time and there is no sign of it left or the building - Morris arcade

Principals

* Mr. A.M. Muller 1920 — 1922 * Mr. A.E. du Toit 1923 — 1951 * Mr. G.H.B. Dykman 1951 - 1953 * Mr. J.P. van der Vyfver 1954 -1957 * Mr. T. S. Welman 1957 — 1978 * Mr. C.J. Joubert 1978 — 1989 * Mr. C.P Viljoen 1990 - 1992 * Mr. M.P. van Heerden 1993 — 2018 * Mrs. A.F. Black 2019 -

School badge

The badge was designed by Mr. Saville Davis (former manager of ERPM). In 1932 the badge in its present form was accepted and the first were imported from Switzerland. In the same year the new colours (blue, green and yellow) were accepted and the motto “Voorwaart” was changed to “Vorentoe”. At the top of the badge is the ox–wagon a symbol of the Afrikaner nation and its rise. Beneath the ox-wagon is the Bible as the only light and guidance. The mealies are symbolic of the Highveld of Transvaal. The gold mine is the source of income and represents Boksburg.

School Anthem

Afrikaans

Hier benoorde die Vaal, waar die duine verrys In die hartjie van Voortrekkerland Pryk die vrug van ons arbeid, die bron van ons krag Bloei ons Voortrekkerskool op die Rand. Hoera, vir ons Voortrekkerskool op die Rand Ons hart en ons hand bied ons jou. Beur vorentoe, Trekkers van Voortrekkerland Wees sterk om te handhaaf en te bou. Beur vorentoe, Trekkers van Voortrekkerland! Wees sterk om te handhaaf en bou!

English

To the North of the Vaal, where the dunes reach up high In the midst of our Voortrekkerland Vaunts the fruit of our labour, the well of our strength Prospers Voortrekker School on the Rand. Hurrah, for our Voortrekker School on the Rand We bid you our heart and our hand. To the fore, you Trekkers of Voortrekkerland Be strong to up - hold and to grow. To the fore, you Trekkers of Voortrekkerland! Be strong to up - hold and grow!

Sport achievements

* 1923 Finalist Administrators Cup (Pretoria Boys High 17 Voortrekker 0) * 1934 Finalist Administrators Cup (Zeerust 11 Voortrekker 8) *1958 Joint Winner of Administrators Cup (Voortrekker 6 Lichtenburg 6)- Rugby *2013 Rugby (under 15) Beeld Trophy Winner *1958 Winner of Regional Inter-high Athletics Meeting

Notable alumni

Arts and entertainment

Jamie Uys Jacobus Johannes Uys (; 30 May 1921 – 29 January 1996), better known as Jamie Uys, was a South African film director, best known for directing the 1980 comedy film ''The Gods Must Be Crazy'' and its 1989 sequel ''The Gods Must Be Crazy II''. ...

(30 May 1921 – 29 January 1996) Afrikaans and International Film producer/director * Jans Rautenbach Screenwriter and ( 1936 - 2016)Afrikaans Film producer/director *

Tommie Meyer Thomas William Saymoir Meyer (28 February 1928 – 6 November 2017) was a Cinema of South Africa, South African film producer. Producing career His first movie as producer was released on 18 June 1969. He produced 33 movies between 1969 and 199 ...

Afrikaans Film producer/director *Jan Scholtz Film Producer and screenwriter *

Dawid Engela Dawid Sofius Engela (30 October 1931 – 25 November 1967) was a South African broadcaster, composer and musicologist. Early life He was born in Florida, a suburb to the west of Johannesburg, Transvaal (now part of the province of Gauteng). He ...

(30 October 1931 – 25 November 1967) was a South African broadcaster, composer, and musicologist *De Wet van Rooyen Opera Singer *Steve de Villiers Sports commentator and Director General of the SABC

Politicians

Barend du Plessis Barend Jacobus du Plessis (born 19 January 1940 in Johannesburg) is a South African retired politician and a former member of the now-dissolved National Party, as well as Minister of Finance in 1984–1992. Early life and education Du Plessis ...

Minister of Finance *Sakkie Blanche Minister of Welfare –MEC- Gauteng

Academics

* Professor Walter Marasas (1941–2012) University of Pretoria * Professor Desiree (Ferreira) Vorster Vice Rector University of Johannesburg * Professor Jan van Heerden University of Pretoria * Professor Estelle (Blanche) Swart University of Stellenbosch * Professor Leon Snyman University of Pretoria * Professor Nielen van der Merwe Wits School of Mining Engineering. * Professor William Reyneke University of Pretoria * Professor Chris Boshoff is Professor of Cancer Medicine at University Collega Londen, and Director of the UCL Cancer Institute * Professor Wayne Pearce University of Penn State

Business and community leaders

* Attie du Plessis Ex Chairman of

Gencor Gencor Ltd was a South African based mining company. It was formed in 1980 after the merger of the General Mining and Finance Corporation and the Union Corporation. Parts of the company are now owned by Gold Fields and BHP. History Gencor has its ...

and Sentrachem * Chantyl Mulder SAICA:2011 Most Influential Women in Business and Government and The University of Johannesburg's Ellen Kuzwayo Council Award * Marius Marais - developer of the MNet decoder

Sport achievers – National colours

Johan Steenekamp (*1935 +2007), Springbok Rugby player. Johan played 1 Test against the French as lock at the age of 22. The final score was SA 3 France 3. Jan Adriaan Smit (*1924 +) Springbok Shooting (1962-74)

Writers

* Cor Dirks (Vice-head master, although he did not go to school here) the writer of children books like "Die Uile" and "Die Otters"

References

External links

* * http://www.Boksburghistorical.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoerskool Voortrekker Educational institutions established in 1920 High schools in South Africa Schools in Gauteng Bilingual schools in South Africa 1920 establishments in South Africa Ekurhuleni