Literary and community contributions celebrated at Pluimpies

The Afrikaanse Taal en Kultuurvereniging's (ATKV's) Windhoek branch hosted the prestigious Pluimpie awards this past Friday evening with a glamorous ceremony at Arrebusch Travel Lodge. These awards are hosted in two categories: one for Afrikaans literary works and the other for individuals who have made an excellent, and oftentimes selfless, contribution to their community and country.

Among the big winners in the community category were the founder of Alzheimers Dementia Namibia (ADN), Berrie Holtzhausen, and South African actor and television personality, Hannes van Wyk.

Holtzhausen founded ADN even before he was personally diagnosed with dementia and has dedicated his life, alongside his daughter Sufrani Uys, to caring for alzheimers and dementia patients and creating awareness for these conditions, especially in rural Namibia. He is a vocal advocate against community action against so-called 'witches', believing that these individuals are not witches, but rather patients that need help. Uys received an Afrikoon-award on his behalf.

Van Wyk has made a different kind of impact, starting out as an actor and initially gaining a reputation for the role of Krynauw du Boisson in the soap opera Egoli. In Afrikaans-speaking circles he is best known for his work as the presenter of the South African magazine-style programme, Kwêla.

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