Late Oupa Dawid Kruiper’s dream comes true

From left: Billies Pamo (South African San Institute), Simon Hasjenda (X-K FM producer)
 and Riano Nduve (X-K FM presenter) at the water tap
in Andriesvale

By Moshe Maghundu

Librarian/Archivist of  X-K FM community radio station which broadcasts in !Xu and Khwe from SABC Platfontein.

Our late hero, Oupa Dawid Kruiper, had been fighting for a very long time for development around Andriesvale. 

He was a San elder and leader of the Khoisan community in the southern Kalahari Desert. He was also one of the main players in the land claim by the #Khomani San. He died in June 2012, and the burial service of  Oom Dawid Kruiper was recorded for the archives as well.

One of the major problems was not having drinking water sources. The community had to dig wells to get water. After his death, and media coverage of the challenges the communities face , his dream about running water became a reality.  

The team visited the family during the Kalahari Desert Festival.

The house of Dawid Kruiper’s sister

Poverty remains the biggest problem for these people. They struggle each day for food. As Bushmen they still try to survive from the Kalahari sand dunes, which is not an easy thing to do.

A positive development by the government is that the team of SASSA (social grants) is actively involved by registering the people around Andriesvale. We saw them working there, and we thank the government for their involvement and the good work of the acting premier of the Northern Cape.

From right, Mr Billies Pamo, Moshe Maghundu,
the Kruiper’s sister with her daughter, Mr Simon Hasjenda, Mr Riano Nduve.

I thought it will be good to take a photo with the Kruiper family as their issues of poverty has touched my heart. The hope remains that their problems would be addressed!

I told the X-K FM team of the water issues before we visited, and when they saw the tap, they all were very happy to see it!  (See photo on top)

I have been waiting for this opportunity to witness it myself. I visited the house of late Oupa Dawid Kruiper around 25th March 2013. I could see that the water that Oupa Kruiper had been craving for, had finally became a reality. 

I could even drink from the tap outside his house. 

It is a pity that Dawid Kruiper himself could not witness it, but his family appreciates the legacy he has left behind!

Related posts:

X-K FM archivist at the Kalahari Desert Festival 

The burial service of  Oom Dawid Kruiper, Andriesvale, Kalahari

In memory of Dawid Kruiper, tradional leader of the Khomani San

Blog post by Karen du Toit, Afrikaans Archivist at SABC Radio Archives.