OBITUARY: DERICK VAN DER WALT

Derick van der Walt

14 July 1958–24 March 2022

It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of Derick van der Walt, editor of SAPPO’s weekly and monthly newsletters and magazine, Porcus Prime Cuts, on Thursday 24 March 2022. Derick was admitted to ICU more than two weeks ago after sustaining serious head injuries.

Derick, a journalist by trade, was born in Virginia in the Free State on 14 July in 1958, but grew up in Johannesburg. His family relocated to Pretoria at the start of his high school career, where he matriculated at Afrikaans Hoër Seunskool. He obtained a BA (Hons) in Communication from Unisa and an MA cum laude in creative writing from the University of Pretoria.

Derick had been in the corporate communication business for many years and had a huge knowledge of the agricultural sector and its stakeholders, being involved in the industry since the days of the agricultural marketing boards.

He was the owner of Greenpepper Communication, a communication consultancy that has been producing corporate publications. He was also the co-founder of the SA Publication Forum, which is committed to improving and promoting corporate publications in South Africa.

He was not only an acclaimed agricultural journalist, but wrote creatively in his spare time and won numerous awards for his books; among others, the Sanlam Prize (three times), the MER Prize (twice), the Scheepers Prize, an ATKV Veertjie, as well as an international Ibby award. As an author, he was best known for the youth novel, Lien se Lankstaanskoene, which was filmed in 2012.

Derick’s family, colleagues, and friends have lost a remarkably talented but humble person. He was a kind and gentle soul, and his warm demeanour was infectious to everyone he met. The incredible body of work Derick had completed over his lifetime will leave a lasting legacy.

Derick is survived by his wife, Lenie, and three sons, Tjaart, Werner and André, and their families. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this difficult time. He will be sorely missed by the entire team at SAPPO.

Landbouskrywers SA

deur Magda du Toit

Dit is met leedwese wat ons die nuus van die afsterwe van Derick van der Walt moet deel. Derick is op 24 Maart in Montana Hospitaal oorlede na ‘n ongeluk wat tuis gebeur het sowat twee weke gelede. Ons gedagtes is met Derick se gesin, familie en vriende.  

Derick was gek oor alle soorte musiek, en hy het graag gaan fliek. Trouens, hy het nie sommer uitgemis op ‘n fliekgeleentheid nie en het fliekresensies opgeslurp. Hy was ook baie lief vir lees. Soos enige goeie landboujoernalis betaam, was Derick lief vir lekker kos, wat hy ook graag self voorberei het. Derick was ’n lojale Blou Bul-ondersteuner en het graag oor ‘n glasie wyn rugby gesels.

Derick was die eienaar van Greenpepper Communication in Pretoria, ‘n firma wat in die produksie van korporatiewe publikasies spesialiseer. Hy was bekend in landboukringe en was betrokke in die landbou sedert die vroeë tagtiger jare. Hy was vir jare redakteur van Porcus, die tydskrif wat deur SAPPO uitgegee is. Derick het ook elke Vrydag SAPPO se amptelik nuusbrief uitgegee.

Sy slag met woorde en liefde vir taal het ook uitdrukkig gevind in die boeke wat hy geskryf het. Derick was ‘n bekroonde skrywer van jeugverhale en van sy boeke is as voorgeskrewe boeke by skole gebruik.

Uit sy pen:

• Lien se Lankstaanskoene (2008, Tafelberg) is bekroon met ‘n Sanlam- en MER-prys, en het eervolle vermelding op die Ibby-ererol ontvang.
• Willem Poprok (2010, Tafelberg) is bekroon met ‘n Sanlam- en MER-prys, sowel as die Scheepersprys vir Jeuglektuur.
• Hoopvol (2012, Tafelberg) is bekroon met ‘n Sanlamprys en ‘n ATKV Veertjie.
• Daan Dreyer se blou geranium (2012, Kwela)
• Bambaduze (2015, Tafelberg)
• Tussen vriende (2018, Quellerie)
• Toring van Jasmyn (2019, Tafelberg)

Die landboubedryf het nie net ‘n kundige verloor nie, maar die taal- en letterkunde het ook ‘n begaafde skrywer verloor. Al was Derick nie ‘n man van baie woorde nie, is die spasie wat hy agterlaat groot.

Ek gaan Derick mis vir sy skerp sin vir humor, sy manier met woorde, en die manier waarop hy altyd ook ‘n klein bietjie bekommerd oor alles was. Ek wens ek kon die geleentheid gehad het om nog een glas wyn saam met Derick te geniet.