Van Breda
Updated: May 27, 2022
ENGLISH
VAN BREDA
LET ME TELL YOU THE SHORT VERSION OF THE STORY OF THE DARK SECRETS surrounding the descendants of the first mayor of the Cape.
DIRK GUSBERTUS VAN REENEN VAN BREDA
Van Breda was born in Cape Town, the second son of the first mayor of Cape Town, Michiel van Breda and his first wife, Catharina Geesje van Reenen. He married Susanna Hendrina Wilhelmina Meyer on 9 September 1828 in Cape Town. An angry woman as the legend tells it.
In 1839 he bought the farms Rietfontein and Buffeljagt in the Swellendam district, where he farmed mainly with merino sheep. After his father's death in 1847 and in 1851, Van Breda bought the two properties, Oranjezicht and Oudekraal from the deceased estate. Van Breda was a shrewd and intelligent farmer, apparently friendly and timid and was a member of the Legislative Council of the first elected parliament of the Cape Colony and a municipal commissioner of Cape Town. In 1860 he became chairman of the municipal council of Cape Town, in fact the role of mayor. He fulfilled the role for only one year, but between 1865 and 1866 he served a second term as mayor, and was the first to do so.
Unfortunately, two of his sons, Dirk Gysbert and the younger Dr Pieter Johannes Albertus, did not inherit their father's good nature. Both were known for their violent and abusive behavior towards slaves and even their own wives, and barely six months after their father's death had they killed both their wives, apparently only 17 days apart.
Dirk was apparently jealous of his young and beautiful wife, legend has it that the two boys inherited their mother's manners, I do not know how far this is true, but two boys killed their wives, and each has his own story ...
Dirk shoots his wife through the hand and abdomen.. Jacoba tumbles and leaves a bloodied hand mark behind, apparently years and years later they struggled to get rid of the mark ...
After 2 years of hush-hush and trying to hide it, he is sentenced to 5 years of hard labour...
Dr Pieter kills his wife, ends up in the insane house (that's how it was called, sorry) on Robbin Island, which I found afterwards is a marriage certificate of 1883 January the 12th, his happiness didnt last long, he died of natural causes on January 21, 1883 ... yes only a few days after his marriage.
Old Dirk Gysbert van Reenen van Breda died on his farm, Oranjezicht on 11 November 1870.
https://ozcf.co.za/about/history/
MORE TO THIS STORY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN HARD COPY
also: old trail of south africa book
Afrikaans
VAN BREDA
KOM EK VERTEL JULLE DIE KORT WEERGAWE VAN DIE VERHAAL VAN DIE DONKER GEHEIME rondom die nageslag van die eerste burgermeester aan die Kaap.
DIRK GUSBERTUS VAN REENEN VAN BREDA
Van Breda is in Kaapstad gebore, die tweede seun van die eerste burgemeester van Kaapstad, Michiel van Breda en sy eerste vrou, Catharina Geesje van Reenen. Hy trou op 9 September 1828 in Kaapstad met Susanna Hendrina Wilhelmina Meyer. N Kwaai vrou soos die legende dit vertel.
In 1839 koop hy die plase Rietfontein en Buffeljagt in die Swellendam -distrik, waar hy hoofsaaklik met merinoskape boer. Na sy pa se dood in 1847 en in 1851 koop Van Breda die twee eiendomme, Oranjezicht en Oudekraal uit die bestorwe boedel. Van Breda was 'n skrander en intelligente boer, glo vriendelik en beskroomd en was lid van die Wetgewende Raad van die eerste verkose parlement van die Kaapkolonie en 'n munisipale kommissaris van Kaapstad. In 1860 word hy voorsitter van die munisipale raad van Kaapstad, in werklikheid die rol van burgemeester. Hy vervul die rol slegs vir een jaar, maar tussen 1865 en 1866 dien hy 'n tweede termyn as burgemeester, en was die eerste om dit te doen.
Ongelukkig het twee van sy seuns, Dirk Gysbert en die jonger Dr Pieter Johannes Albertus, nie hul vader se goeie natuur geërf nie. Albei was bekend vir hul gewelddadige en beledigende gedrag teenoor slawe en selfs hul eie vroue, en skaars ses maande na hul pa se dood vermoor hulle albei hul vrouens, slegs 17 dae glo uit mekaar.
Dirk was glo jaloers op sy jong en mooi vrou, die storie loop, die twee seuns erf hulle ma se beneek-maniere, ek weet nie hoe ver dit waar is nie, maar twee seuns vermoor hulle vrouens, en elkeen het sy eie storie...
Dirk skiet sy vrou deur die hand en die buik.. Jacoba tuimel en los n bebloede handmerk agter, blykbaar word daar jare en jare daarna gesukkel om ontslae te raak van die merk...
Na 2 jaar se hush-hush en probeer wegsteek word hy wel tot 5jaar harde arbeid gevonnis...
Dr Pieter steek sy vrou dood, beland in die kranksinnige huis (dis hoe dit genoem was, jammer) op Robbin Eiland, wat ek daarna kry is n trou sertifikaat van 1883 Januarie die 12de, sy geluk duur nie lank nie, hy sterf van natuurlik oorsake op 21 Januarie 1883...ja slegs paar dae na sy troue.
Oude Dirk Gysbert van Reenen van Breda sterf op sy plaas, Oranjezicht op 11 November 1870.
https://ozcf.co.za/about/history/
