Tjaart van der Walt (academic)

Tjaart van der Walt (15 February 1934 – 22 February 2019) was the Rector of Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, a Bible translator and later a diplomat.

Tjaart van der Walt
TitleRector of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education
Personal
Born(1934-02-15)15 February 1934
Pietersburg, Northern Transvaal, Union of South Africa
Died22 February 2019(2019-02-22) (aged 85)
ReligionChristianity
NationalitySouth African
SpouseHeiltje Johanna Gertruida Snyman
Alma mater
Known forBible translation
Senior posting
Period in office1977–1988
PredecessorHendrik Johannes Jacob Bingle
SuccessorC.J. Reinecke

Personal life

Van der Walt was born on 15 February 1934 in Pietersburg, Northern Transvaal, South Africa. He was the son of Johannes Jacob van der Walt and Maria Jacoba de Klerk. He married Heiltje Johanna Gertruida Snyman on 30 December 1958. She was the daughter of Johannes Jurie Snyman and Maria Magdalena Venter. He went to school in Johannesburg and passed Standard 10 (Grade 12) in 1950 at Helpmekaar Boys School.[1][2]

Education

He obtained the degrees BA, BA (Hons) in Semitic Languages and ThB at the Potchefstroom University. He also obtained a BA (Hons) in Classical Languages at University of the Witwatersrand. He studied further at Protestant Theological University in Kampen, Overijssel, Netherlands and received a PhD from them in 1962.[3]

Career

On returning to South Africa he was a Pastor in the Reformed Church, situated in Krugersdorp. He then received a Professorship from the Potchefstroom University in New Testament Studies in 1969. From 1971 to 1973 he was the Head of the Theological Centre in Potchefstroom. He was appointed as Rector of the Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education on 1 May 1977 and retired on 31 December 1988. In 1983 he convinced the University's Board to allow black students at an undergraduate level. In his time as Rector the Faculty of Pharmacy and the Faculty of Engineering were established.[4][5]

Bible translation

He was involved in the official renewed translation of the Bible from Greek to Afrikaans.[6]

Other activities after being Rector

[7][8]

Ambassador to Bophuthatswana

South Africa in the era prior to 1994, when the first democratic election was held, had a "homeland" policy. One of these "homelands" or Bantustans was Bophuthatswana and Van der Walt was the last South African Ambassador to serve there. In 1994 he was appointed Administrator of the area for 6 weeks up until the election.[9][10]

References
  1. Kotze D.N.G (September 1979). "(Afrikaans) Ek blaai terug (translated: I page back)" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  2. "(Afrikaans)Die Snyman Familie (translated: The Snyman Family)page 106" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  3. "Prof Tjaart van der Walt Extraordinary leader". Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  4. Janse van Rensburg, F. and Smit, E.J. "(Afrikaans) Tjaart van der Walt: slaaf van Christus –δοῦλος Χριστοῦ (translated: Slave of Christ)" (PDF). Retrieved 23 July 2018.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. "(Afrikaans) Beleid en bestuur (translated: Policy and management)". nwu.ac.za. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  6. Kannemeyer, J. (17 August 2012). "(Afrikaans) Die geskiedenis van die tweede Afrikaanse beweging (translated: The history of the second Afrikaans movement)". Maroela Media. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  7. "rektor bring hulde". Herald Newspaper. 17 February 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  8. Lotter, G. (June 2006). "(Afrikaans) Die Messias het gekom (translated: Christ has arrived". Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  9. "Tjaart van der Walt". CKE. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
  10. "This day in History". Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 23 July 2018.
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