Totius-standbeeld verskuif vanaf NWU se Potchefstroomkampus
Gelykelik met ʼn skrywe van familielede van Totius, het die Administratiewe Buro van die Gereformeerde Kerke in Suid-Afrika (GKSA) in oorleg met die kuratore van die GKSA, ʼn versoek aan die Rektor van die Potchefstroomkampus van die Noordwes-Universiteit gerig om die Totius-standbeeld te verskuif.
Die Totius-standbeeld word aan die GKSA toevertrou vir plasing op eiendom van die GKSA in Potchefstroom. Die besluit oor die presiese plek sal geneem word ná die standbeeld skoongemaak en gerestoureer is.
Die GKSA het reeds met lede van die familie van Totius gekonsulteer. Enige navrae oor die voorgenome plek waarheen die standbeeld verskuif sal word, moet gerig word aan mnr Giel Erasmus, voorsitter van die Eiendomskomitee van die Administratiewe Buro van die GKSA. Sy kontakbesonderhede is geras@telkomsa.net of 082 494 5005.
Die Totius-standbeeld het sedert 1977 in die Totius-gedenktuin langs die Wasgoedspruit in Albert Luthuli-rylaan gestaan. In 2009 is die standbeeld deur die oorspronklike beeldhouer, Jo Roos, en sy seuns gerestoureer en skoongemaak. Die beeld is toe as deel van ʼn inisiatief om groot skrywers van Noordwes op ʼn spesiale manier te vereer, na die NWU se Potchefstroomkampus verskuif, waar dit tydens die 140-bestaanjaarvieringe, op 16 Oktober 2009, op die Kampus onthul is.
Totius was ʼn gevierde digter, Bybelvertaler en Psalmberymer wat ʼn belangrike rol in die geskiedenis van die voormalige Potchefstroom Universiteitskollege (PUK) en die Potchefstroomse Universiteit vir Christelike Hoër Onderwys (PU vir CHO) gespeel het. As professor in Teologie was hy gelykelik verbonde aan die PUK (en later PU vir CHO) en die GKSA se Teologiese Skool, waar hy student en rektor was, en ook vanaf 1951 die eerste kanselier van die PU vir CHO. Hy het ʼn sleutelrol gespeel in die verskuiwing van die Teologiese Skool vanaf Burgersdorp na Potchefstroom in 1905, waar die PUK in 1919 as selfstandige inrigting uit die Teologiese Skool ontstaan het.
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Relocation of the Totius statue from the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus
Simultaneously with a communication from family members of Totius, the Administrative Bureau of the Reformed Churches in South Africa (RCSA), in consultation with the curators of the RCSA, addressed a request to the Rector of the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University to relocate the Totius statue.
The Totius statue is being entrusted to the RCSA to place it on property of the RCSA in Potchefstroom. A decision regarding the precise location will be taken after the statue has been cleaned and restored.
The RCSA has already consulted members of the family of Totius. Any enquiries regarding the proposed location to which the statue will be moved, should be addressed to Mr Giel Erasmus, chairperson of the Property Committee of the Administrative Bureau of the RCSA. His contact details are geras@telkomsa.net or 082 494 5005.
The Totius statue had been located in the Totius Garden of Remembrance next to the Wasgoed Spruit in Albert Luthuli Drive. In 2009 the statue was restored and cleaned by the original sculptor, Jo Roos, and his sons. The statue was then moved to the NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus as part of an initiative to honour great authors of the North West in a special way, where it was unveiled on the campus during the 140 year anniversary celebrations on 16 October 2009.
Totius was a celebrated Bible translator and poet of the versifications of the Psalms and had played an important role in the history of the former Potchefstroom University College (PUK) and the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education (PU for CHE). As professor in Theology he was simultaneously attached to the PUK (and later the PU for CHE) and the RCSA’s Theological School, where he had been both student and rector, as well as the first chancellor of the PU for CHE. He played a key role in the relocation of the Theological School from Burgersdorp to Potchefstroom in 1905, where the PUK in 1919 developed out of the Theological School as an independent tertiary institution.