| Personal Details |
| Name: | Mrs David Hermanus Petrus du Toit |
| Born in camp? |
No |
| Died in camp? |
No |
| Gender: | female |
| Race: | white |
| Marital status: | married |
| Nationality: | Transvaal |
| Occupation: | farmer |
| Registration as head of family: | Yes |
| Notes: | Note #1626
Subject[ Transvaal: black sympathy; flight; mortality; deportation to Middelburg; elderly; hunger
Date[ 11-12 January 1900 [sic: 1901?]
Source[ Neethling, Mag Ons Vergeet? [3d edn, 1942]
Note[ p.57 Testimony of Mrs Anna Sophia du Toit, née Neethling, Klipkopjes, Pretoria
Refers to the great battle of Donkerhoek of 11-12 January 1900, during which her house was under fire. The English threatened to blow up they house, believing that there was a Boer officer inside. They were saved by ' 'n out swart skepsel - dit was asof 'n engel hom gestuur het', who spoke good English and assured the British that the owner was not an officer and that he was away on commando.
p.58 'Terwyl hy dit s^e, kniel die ou neer en bevestig dit met 'n eed. So is die huis gesppar gebly.'
The remainder of the account is devoted to their flight; they went north to the Bosveld, to the Olifants River. During the course of this period there were a number of deaths.
p.63 'Die dogtertjie wat die koors gehad het, het erg siek geword,
p.64 en ook my jongste kind. Menige dag het ek gevrees dat ek hulle hier in die wildernis sou moes agterlaat.'
On 17 December her 'skoondogter, complained that she felt sick. 'Sy het erger en erger geword. Omtrent elfuur het sy stuiptrekkings kedry en die middag om vyfuur het sy gesterwe. Dink tog hoe hartsser ons was! Daar sit ons ongered in die woestyn en op die wa l^e ons dooie.'
p.67 They trekked round for 8 months and eventually found refuge for 4 months on her brother-in-law's farm. Here they were taken on 7 July [her dates don't make sense]. She gives the usual account of the deportation, not allowed to take any food, given nothing to eat. They arrived at Middelburg camp on the evening of 24 July 1901.
They were put into a marquee housing 65 people.
p.69 'Die swaarste vir my was om my liewe ou moeder van twee-en sewentig jaar so te sien sukkel op die harde grond, en sy het oud geword op 'n verebed. Vir my was dit swaar genoeg, maar om haar in die toestand te sien was ondraaglik.'
She comments on the lack of food: 'Al om die derde dag het hulle vier ons 'n bietjei suiker en koffie, al ag dae 'n stukkie rou vlees en 'n beker meel vir elke volwassene en 'n halwe beker vir elke kind gegee. Om 'n kind te hoor huil: "Ma ek het so honger; gee my tog 'n stukkie brood", en niks te h^e om vir hom to gee nie! Ag, dan kon my hart van droefheid en smart breek.'
They were given nothing to make fires and had to scavenge in the sheep kraal. They were not allowed to wash in the stream, but had to carry their water away.
Subsequently they were moved to Balmoral.
] |
| Unique ID: | 88452 |
Unknown column 'Mrs_David_Hermanus_Petrus_du_Toit' in 'where clause' |
British Concentration Camps