Vaal Triangle Branch

Annual Report for the year 2005

We feel proud to announce that our branch is in it’s sixth year of existence

Management

Consists of eleven members,each with a distinctive assignment namely Stefan

Jansen van Vuuren as Vice-Chairperson ; Cecilia Fourie as Secretary and Newsletter

Editor; Derick Vorster is the Treasurer; Hentie Liebenberg is concerned with the membership affairs. Special projects,education,liaison and organising speakers is the duty of Johann Tempelhoff. Research and utilising of useful Resources, Grahame Naudé. Piet Lombard arranges Fieldwork and Visits to places of historical and genealogical interest. The Cemetery project and recording is the responsibility of Fanie Blignaut Pieter du Plessis and Whitey van Niekerk are the addisional members

Meetings

The members meet every third Wednesday of the month excluding July and December We utilise a lecture room at the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University for our meetings

The Management Committee meets at 18h00 and all the members from 19h00 to 21h30

During the year we had 10 Management meetings as well as 10 General meetings

The attention figures were 9-11 for management and between16 and 22 for the general meetings

Problems arising may be due to illness, holidays,transport ,not travelling at night and long distances, for members are scattered far and wide in the Vaal triangle region Lack of interest may also play a role

Members

We have 39 members on our E-mail and postal list and 22 enrolled GSSA members

Members do their research mostly on their own, in their own time and availability of resources At the meetings we get a chance to interact and exchange ideas, problems arising and information of genealogical matters Some members may even give a talk on their own research done The highlight of the event is the visiting speaker of the month We end the meetings socialising and to enjoy refreshments

We also attempt to attend meetings at other branches and receive newsletters

Whitey van Niekerk offered his assistance in establishing the Potchefstroom Branch

He is also involved in the Afrikaans translation of the genealogical Legacy Program

Financial Report

Derick Vorster keeps an eye on our financial matters He sees to our membership fees, travel allowance for speakers and orders the books for our branch

We utilise the services of Prof Pierre Lucouw Chartered Accountant of the University of the North-West

Special Projects

Prof Johann Tempelhoff presented courses in Genealogy to post-graduate students at the University. He also organised speakers at our meetings.

March 16th 2005 “ Feedback from the National AGM held in Cape Town”

Stefan Jansen van Vuuren (Branch member)

April 20th ,2005 Book discussion “Rankrose uit die Grou”

Me Hanneke de Bruyn-Jordaan

May 18th, 2005 Book review “Kuier in die Plaas kombuis” and Family history

Nico and Naomi Moolman

June 15th ,2005 Family research and interesting stories

Leon Ferreira (Branch member)

Aug 17th ,2005 Own research and visiting places of origin of his forebearers in SA

Pieter du Plessis (Branch member)

Sept 21st ,2005 His research in Dutch Indies Shipping Voyages 1595-1794

Grahame Naudé (Branch member)

Oct 19th ,2005 “Can we make Yesterday better?”

Prof Jörn Rüsen President of the Kulturwissenschaftliches Institute (KWI) North-Rhine-Westphalia in Germany

He is an extraordinary visitor at our University

Excurtions

As arranged by Piet Lombard

April 9^th 2005 Visit to Heilbron 1)Clover Dairy 2)Riemland Museum 3) Farming district 4)Presidents Koppie 5)Fraaihuis Kwekery and restorated building

May 14^th 2005 Kroonstad and tour with writer Dot Serfontein

Cemetery Project

Fanie Blignaut The project is well under way and thanks to the willing members who assist in documenting the graveyards Under the supervision and aid of Errol Dollenberg the recordings are available on CD ( Summary attached)

Library Cecilia Fourie and Engela Spaleck

We have acquired 60 books ,21 CD’s, Copies of Concentration Camp Death Notices,

Familia and Konteks magazines The SAG Vol 5-12 Geslagsregisters v d Ou Kaapse Families, de Villiers en Pama Vol 1-3, A-Z

GSSA members may use the facilities of the Ferdinand Postma Library of the NWU Vaal Triangle Campus at a reduced annual fee

Conclusion

A word of appreciation to all our branch members who contributed to make a success of our Genealogy and Family Heritage

Engela Spaleck

Vanderbijlpark: Chair-person