Daniël Hendrik Celliers du Plessis (12 March 1898 – 13 July 1981) was the Head of the South African Railways and co-founder of the Afrikaner Broederbond.
Danie du Plessis | |
|---|---|
| Head of the South African Railways | |
| In office 1952–1961 | |
| Preceded by | Heckroodt, W.H.L.[1] |
| Succeeded by | Hugo, J.P.[2] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Daniël Hendrik Celliers du Plessis 12 March 1898 Colesberg, Cape Colony, South Africa |
| Died | 13 July 1981 (aged 83) Johannesburg, Transvaal, South Africa |
| Spouse | Susanna Seugnette du Toit |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | St John's College, Johannesburg |
| Known for | Head of South African Railways and co-founder of the Afrikaner Broederbond |
Roots and education
editDu Plessis was born on 12 March 1898 in Colesberg, Cape Colony. He was the son of Izak David du Plessis and Hester Cornelia Cecilia Lessing. Du Plessis and his family moved from Colesberg, to Parys, Orange Free State and then to Germiston, Transvaal. He studied Languages and Dutch literacy through St. John College in Johannesburg. He married Susanna Seugnette du Toit in 1928. Out of the marriage 4 children were born. He died in Johannesburg, Transvaal , South Africa on 13 July 1981.[3][4]
Career
editHe worked as an office clerk for a short while at an attorneys firm. In middle 1915 he started a career at the South African Railways. He worked himself up through the ranks and in 1952 he became the Head of the South African Railways, taking over from W.H.L. Heckroodt. He remained in that position until his retirement in 1961. Johannes Hugo succeeded him.[5] Highlights of his career included :
- 1946 – leader of a mission to South and North America to investigate the modernisation of the railways administration.[6]
- 1947 – Member of the Royal Commission to report on the status of Railways in Australia.[7]
- 1961 – After his retirement he was chairman of the government Commission on the status of third party insurance.[8]
Broederbond
editIn middle 1918, du Plessis, together with his school friend H.J. Klopper and two others founded the Afrikaner Broederbond. It took place in his house. The other two were H.W. van der Merwe and J.F. Naude. The organisation was founded to look after Afrikaner White interest. It focussed on poverty and was a male only organisation. H.J. Klopper was the first chairman. The organisation in later years became the Afrikanerbond, and is today a non-sexist, non-racial and non-secretive.[9][10][11][12]
References
edit- ^ "W Heckroodt General Manager". Transnet Heritage Library. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
- ^ "General Managers SAR&H/SATS". Retrieved 14 October 2018.
- ^ Book: South African Biography dictionary Part V. Beyers, C.J. 1987. Pretoria: Human Research Council
- ^ "Danie du Plessis is born (translated)". 11 March 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ "Retirement function".
- ^ Overseas mission (1946). 1947. OCLC 85934401.
- ^ "Report of the Royal Commission" (PDF). William H Wyatt Government printer. 1948. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
- ^ Report of the commission. 1963. OCLC 813431004.
- ^ Mashugane, K. (27 August 2018). "Opinion: If we're repeating history, focus on success". IOL. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ "Eeufees". Retrieved 25 October 2018.
- ^ Brummer, S. (27 September 1996). "Afrikanerbond attempts to adapt to change". Mail and Guardian newspaper.
- ^ Wilkins, I and Strydom, H. (1980). Broederbond: The Super-Afrikaners. Corgi Books. ISBN 9780552115124.
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