Nota aan die redakteur: Engels volg Afrikaans/English follows Afrikaans
Die DA het met leedwese en groot hartseer verneem van Martie Retief Meiring se afsterwe hierdie naweek. Sy was 89 jaar oud.
Haar loopbaan het oor sewe dekades gestrek, en in daardie tyd het sy ‘n ongelooflike bydrae gelewer tot die Suid-Afrikaanse, en veral Afrikaanse, nuus en politieke omgewing. Haar bydraes was toonaangewend, en transformatief.
Sy het haar hele lewe baklei vir wat reg is, en het deur haar rubrieke en nuusstukke die Afrikaanse taal- en kultuurgemeensap uitgebou en versterk. Sy was ‘n stigerslid van die Aardklop Kunstefees en is deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap Kuns en Kultuur vereer met die Viljoen Medalje. Daar was nie ‘n einde aan haar harde werk nie.
Tydens haar 1989-kandidaatskap vir die toe Demokratiese Party, het sy ‘n beginselvaste veldtog van stapel gestuur wat daarop gefokus was om die Nasionale Party te onsetel. Ek sal altyd met liefde terugdink aan daardie veldtog, en aan my flenterhande as gevolg van die plak en ophang van plakkate.
Sy en haar man, Hannes, het kort na die 1989-verkiesing Kaap toe verhuis, wat ‘n groot verlies vir ons in Pretoria was. Maar ek het nooit daardie veldtog vergeet nie. Ek het nooit vir Martie vergeet nie. ‘n Afrikaner wat my gewys het dat ons anders mag dink en wees. Jy mag glo in jou eie beginsels.
Ons sal nie gou weer ‘n joernalis soos sy sien nie.
In haar, verloor ons ‘n kulturele ikoon en een van ons groot stemme. Martie Retief Meiring se bydraes tot Suid-Afrika sal onthou word as onuitwisbaar, ikonies, en mees belangrik, altyd getrou aan haar beginsels. Ons diepste medelye aan haar dogter, Kabous, vriende en geliefdes tydens hierdie baie moeilike tyd.
The DA mourns the passing of Martie Retief-Meiring
It was with profound sadness that the DA learned of Martie Retief-Meiring’s passing this weekend, aged 89.
Her illustrious career spanned over seven decades, leaving an indelible mark on South African news and politics that can only be described as both industry-leading and transformative.
Throughout her career as a journalist and columnist she fought for what was right. Her endeavors included co-founding the Aardklop Kunstefees and being presented the Viljoen Medal by the South African Academy for Science, Arts and Culture. There was no end to her hard work.
During her 1989 candidature for the then Democratic Party, she ran a principle-based campaign focussed on unseating the National Party. I will always remember my time as part of that election campaign fondly, even if it was highlighted by my tattered hands from pasting, and putting up campaign posters.
Shortly after the 1989 election, Martie and her husband, Hannes, moved to the Cape, which was a massive loss to those of us in Pretoria. But I will never forget that campaign. I have never forgotten Martie. She was an Afrikaner that showed me we were allowed to think and be different. You may, and must believe in your own principles.
The South African media landscape will be hard-pressed to deliver another quite like her.
In her, we have lost a cultural icon, and one of our great voices. Martie Retief-Meiring’s contribution to South Africa can and will always be remembered as indelible, iconic and most importantly, true to who she was. Our deepest and most sincere condolences go out to her daughter, Kabous, her friends and loved ones in this difficult time.