When I was asked to present this eulogy for Kobus , I agreed immediately. I will try to provide you with a balanced outline of his life and leave you to fill in the memories, anecdotes and experiences you recall , about my brother who was such a great guy!
Kobus was born on the 21st January 1950 in Sinoia (Chinhoyi). He was named after his Buitendag grandfather “Jan Jacobus” and coincidentally our father. He was the third child of Jan and Martha – Elise the eldest, then Hannes, followed by Kobus – 3 year age gaps. I followed nearly six years later. Kobus was part of the second generation of pioneers who settled in Melsetter originally. He developed his love of the country, farming, animals and hunting early on in his life. He attended Sinoia Primary School and then Sinoia High School. My sister and brother say that they were taught two English words on the way to school where they had to go into boarding – “Yes, which means ja,” and “No which means nee.” Our parents felt that this was adequate grounding. I get a clear picture of the “Hillbillies” with all the Buitendag and Ferreira cousins who also attended the same schools.
At high school Kobus excelled at sport and he represented the school in athletics (shot-put, discus, high jump and long jump), swimming, waterpolo and rugby. He proved to be a formidable force because of his size and he could run the 100 metres in 12.55 seconds. Kobus was a natural leader and he was selected as a school prefect – but he also had a love of living and fun which led to him being ‘de-preed’ – enough said. He left school at the end of 1968 whereupon he completed his national service and played rugby for Llewellyn Barracks.
Kobus wanted to go into farming and so had to complete a “practical year” farming for someone else before he went to Gwebi Agricultural College in the early ’70s – he played rugby for Gwebi and had a lot of ‘fun’ at college. Rugby formed an important part of his life and Kobus was selected to play for the ‘Goshawks’ but couldn’t due to his knee injuries.
He was an honorary Scotsman at Robbie Burns functions where he was renamed Kobus “Mac” Ferreira. He was godfather (peetpa) to a number of children, groomsman at a variety of weddings and an anchorman at stag nights and then… he met Cecile and got married in December 1985.
They farmed in Mazoe, where both Jan and Schalk were born in 1988 and 1990 respectively. Kobus became the family man he always wanted to be. The family moved to Norton, Zambia and eventually back to Zimbabwe where Kobus joined Cecile at Falcon College.
Kobus and Cecile were married for twenty six years before his passing and he was always devoted to his family and happiest with his family around him. Kobus is survived by his wife Cecile and their two sons Jan and Schalk.
We shall all miss him.
Albert Ferreira, writing in the Falcon Magazine, 2012