Lang Piet Mokoena - Translation

Tall Piet Mokoena was a very famous man in the community. As far as people were concerned, he was a perfect gentleman. A man that was 1,88m tall in his socks couldn’t be described as short hence the name. He was the father of the community and kind-hearted.

For members of the African Church of Zion where he was a minister it was a privilege to be lead by him. He was a dependable soul. Everything that was good. He visited the elderly and sickly and prayed for them. The deceased he buried for free, even people not from his church, especially the poor. Yearly, in winter, he gave away blankets to hundreds of people and for Christmas, groceries.

All these things didn’t go unnoticed. The people admired him. But there were also some unanswered questions: where did he get all the money? The furniture in his house was very beautiful and expensive. Even the clothes they wore were in high fashion – and their car a BMW. The other ministers felt uncomfortable and inferior in his presence. But everyone kept quiet because they were benefitting from his kindness.

The life in Matwabeng carried on peacefully – until that fatal night when the late night news on TV shook the community with the power of a thousand thunderbolts. At six that evening the police tried to stop a red BMW south of Bethlehem, but it speeded past. The police followed and fired warning shots when the car still didn’t stop. When it drove even faster, the police had to shoot at it.

Five shots later they saw the car driving off the road and into the bushes. At closer investigation, they found the driver was dead. They also found six bags of dagga and two firearms. Later they found that the weapons were used in previous robberies in shops in Bethlehem, Matwabeng and Marquard. The BMW was stolen six months before from a factory in Pretoria.

Tall Piet Mokoena was unveiled as the robber “The Mask” that day – the man that robbed and smuggled at night and was known as a minister in the day.

Hoofstuk 15 Die vuisgeveg

Hoofstorie/main plot

Martin voel Hugo sal nou stil wees noudat Brand 'n heldedaad verrig het

Martin feels Hugo will be quiet now that Brand did a heroic deed
Die hoof wens Brand geluk, maar Hugo spot hom steeds

The headmaster congratulates Brand but Hugo still mocks him
In 'n gesprek met Hugo, besef Brand Martin se blou oog is van 'n bakleiery tussen die twee

In a conversation with Hugo, Brand realises that Martin's blue eye was due to a fight with Hugo
Hugo boelie weer vir Stephan

Hugo bullies Stephan again
Brand spreek Hugo aan en dit ontlok 'n geveg

Brand reprimands Hugo and it instigates a fight

Die geveg:

The fight:
Hugo slaan terug met twee vinnige houe

Hugo hits Brand first with two quick jabs
'n Sirkel vorm om hulle

A circle forms around them
Martin se Brand moet Hugo se hande dophou en nie net storm nie

Martin says Brand must watch Hugo's hands and not just storm in quickly
Brand slaan hard terug

He hits back hard
Brand gly en hulle rol op die grond rond

Brand slips and they roll around on the ground
Wanneer hulle opstaan is beide bedek met grond en gras

When they get up, both are covered in soil and grass
Brand se neus bloei en Hugo se regteroog swel

Brand's nose is bleeding and Hugo's right eye is swelling up
Martin se mnr Vorster moet dit nie stop nie, want dan het Brand altyd verloor

Martin tells mr Vorster not to stop the fight because then Brand would have lost forever
Wanneer Hugo sy arms laat sak en stilstaan, stop meneer Vorster dit, want hy wil hom die vernedering van verloor spaar

When Hugo puts his arms down and stands still, mr Vorster wants to spare him of embarrassment and stops the fight
Hulle word geroep na die hoof se kantoor

They get called to the principal's office
- Meneer Vorster is daar en gee die redes vir die bakleiery: Brand is populer, intelligent, 'n goeie alteet, musikaal en weet wat hy wil he; Hugo is ook intelligent en 'n goeie rugbyspeler, maar is gewoond om sy sin te kry. Hulle was aanvanklik vriende tot Hugo besef het Brand gaan hom nie blindelings volg nie en hy toe vriende gekry het wat sou. Hugo het 'n boelie geword en het die klavier-ding gesien as 'n kans om Brand af te breek, want hy was bitter en jaloers.

- Mr Vorster is there and gives the reason for the fight: Brand is popular, intelligent, a good athlete, musically talented and knows what he wants; Hugo is also intelligent and a good rugby player but is used to getting his way. They were friends originally until he realised Brand won't blindly follow him and he made friends with boys who would. Hugo then became a bully and saw this piano thing as a chance to break Brand down, because he was jealous and bitter.
- Hy se dat die geveg die lug finaal gesuiwer het en hulle hoef nie gestraf te word nie

- He says that the fight has now cleared the air and they shouldn't be punished

Hugo en Brand loop weg en die saak is opgelos

Hugo and Brand walk away and the matter is resolved
- Hulle se elkeen vir mekaar die ander een slaan hard

- They say that the other one hits hard
- Hulle besluit om dit in die verlede te los

- They resolve to leave it in the past

Brand is tuis en kyk na die skildery
Brand gets home and looks at the painting
- Daar is donker wolke ver maar voor skyn die son

- There are dark clouds in the far but upfront the sun is shining
- Die draad hang slap en die hek is gebreek, maar die kremetartboom staan trots

- The fence hangs loose and the gate is broken, but the baobab stands out proudly above it
- Die tweespoorpad lei na dit waarin jy glo

- The two track road leads to what you believe in

Hoofstuk 14 - Brand verrig 'n heldedaad

Hoofstorie/main plot

Brand se ma publiseer twee kortverhale in 'n tydskrif en haar manuskrip vir haar kinderboek is deur 'n uitgewer aanvaar
Brand's mother publishes two short stories in a magazine and her manuscript for the short story is accepted by a publisher

Brand en sy familie besoek die skou
Brand and his family visit the show
- Meneer Vorster en Lizelle is saam en kuier gereeld
- Meneer Vorster en Lizelle are dating
- Daar is baie uitstallings: voertuie, juwele, plaasgereedskap, plante, gebak, handewerk, stoetdiere
- There are exhibitions: cars, jewellery, farm implements, plants, baked goods, handiwork, stoet animals
- Daar is ook perdespringnommers en hondevertonings
- There are horse jumping events and dog shows
- 'n Stoetbul wat nie mak is nie, gaan aan die optog deelneem
- 'n Bull that isn't tame, is participating in the event
* Brand se pa waarsku die eienaar
* Brand's dad warns the owner
* Die stoetbul verloor beheer as 'n klein dogtertjie deur die relings klouter en na die diere stap
* The bull loses control when a small girl climbs through the railings and walks to the animals
* Brand los sy eie bul by sy pa en meneer Vorster
* Brand leaves his own bull with his dad and Mr Vorster
* Hy gryp die bul aan die neusring en beveel die dogtertjie om pad te gee
* He grabs the bull at the nose ring and commands the girl to leave
* Hy kalmeer die bul en trek liggies aan die neusring
* He calms the bull and pulls lightly on his nosering
* Hy lei hom uit die arena
* He leads the bull out of the arena
* Die mense prys Brand vir sy braafheid
* People praise Brand for his bravery
- Brand se voet is beseer
- His foot is injuired
* Die dokter neem X-strale van die voet en dis net gekneus maar sal 'n paar dae pyn
* The doctor takes X-rays of the foot and sees its only bruised but will ache for a couple of days
- Lizelle vind uit Mnr Vorster het op 'n plaas grootgeword en is kwaad dat Brand haar nie gese het nie
- Lizelle finds out mr Vorster grew up on a farm and is angry with Brand for not telling her

By die huis kyk Brand na die skildery
- Hy hoop nou die paadjie lei na 'n plaashuis vol vrede, vreugde en geluk
At home Brand looks at the painting
- He hopes now the path will lead to a farm house full of peace, joy and happiness

Hoofstuk 13 - Hugo ry aan die pen

Hoofstorie/main plot

Meneer Theron roep Brand weer pouse
Meneer Theron calls Brand at break
- Hy wil weet of hy al van plan verander het
- He wants to know if he has changed his mind
- Die tweede periode na pouse roep hulle hom na die hoof se kantoor
- The second period after break the principal calls him
- Hy het Brand se ouers gebel om te hoor wat hulle daarvan dink - sy ma het gese dat hy moet doen wat vir hom belangrik is - die hoof stem saam
- He says he'd phoned Brand's parents and they said he must do what's important to him - the principal agrees
- Hy verduidelik vir die hoof sy probleem
- He explains the problem to the headmaster
- Hy is 'n baie goeie heelagter, maar daar is baie ander sterk spelers
- He's a very good full back but there are other strong players too
- Hy se Brand moet meneer Theron se standpunt probeer verstaan - hy is 'n puik afrigter en vir hom is rugby so belangrik as klavier vir Brand, die span kom vir hom eerste, hy het net die belange van rugby op die hart gehad
- The headmaster says Brand must try to understand mr Theron's scenario - he's a very good coach and rugby is NB to him, just like piano to Brand, the team comes first, he was just looking out for the interest of the sport

- Brand kom by die huis
- Brand arrives home
- Sy pa het uitgevind wie se bakkie dit wat van die mense wat hulle bulle skiet
- His dad found out who the owner of the bakkie is
- Die bakkie behoort aan dr Eksteen, Hugo se pa
- It belongs to dr Eksteen, Hugo's dad
- Hugo het Brand-hulle se diere geskiet
- Hugo has been poaching their animals
- Brand en sy pa gaan na Hugo-hulle se huis
- They go to Hugo's house
- Brand se pa verduidelik vir dr Eksteen die probleem met die wilddiewe, dat hy een van sy stoetbulle verloor het en die bure geen probleme het nie
- Brand's dad explains the scenario to dr Eksteen, that he lost a stoetbul and the neighbours don't have any problems
- Hugo se pa is kwaad, want hulle het baie van hulle eie diere om te skiet
- Hugo's dad is angry, because they have their own farm and animals to shoot
- Hugo se pa sal vir die bulletjie betaal, maar Hugo sal maandeliks van sy sakgeld aan dit moet afbetaal; die res van die jaar mag hy glad nie die bakkie bestuur of alleen plaas toe gaan nie; sy pa se as hy 'n probleem met Brand het, moet hy dit op 'n ander manier oplos
- Hugo's dad says he'll pay for the bull, which Hugo will pay back monthly from his pocket money; the rest of the year he may not take the bakkie or go to the farm alone; his dad says is he has a problem with Brand, he needs to solve it in another way

Hoofstuk 12 Oom Pieta se verhaal

Hoofstorie/Main Plot

Brand gaan gesels met oom Pieta oor sy probleme
Brand talks to Oom Pieta about his problems
- Brand is seker dat hy die regte besluit gemaak het
- Brand is sure he's made the right choice
- Oom Pieta se dis die probleem: seuns word grootgemaak om nie te huil nie en rugby te speel; musiek en kunste is vir vrouens; party mense sal hom aanvaar en ander sal hom spot - dis die harde werklikheid as jy bereid is om by jou oortuigings te staan
- Oom Pieta says it's a problem that boys are raised to not cry and just play rugby; music and the arts are for women; some people will accept him and others won't - its the hard reality if you stick to your beliefs
- Die woonstel ruik soos verf: Oom Pieta skilder:
- The apartment smells like paint: Oom Pieta paints:
* Hy is die een wat die skildery bo Brand se bed gemaak het
* He is the one who made the painting above Brand's bed
* Sy skuilnaam is Kruger Braun - dis die nooiensvanne van sy twee oumas - Kruger = sy ma se ma; Braun: pa se ma
* He paints under the name Kruger Braun - the maiden surnames of his grandmothers, Kruger on his mom's side and Braun on his dad's side
* Hy wou nie boer nie, maar skoolhou
* He never wanted to farm, but teach instead
* Die oudste seun boer gewoonlik, maar nou boer Brand se pa
* The elderst usually farms, but now Brand's dad farms
* Na baie rusies het oupa gese hy mag universiteit toe gaan
* After many fights his dad agreed that he may go to university
* Oom Pieta het rugby gespeel en saans skilderklasse gedoen
* He played rugby and did art night classes
* Die skilderye wat hy verkoop het, het vir die aandklasse betaal
* The paintings he sold, paid for the classes
* Hy het skoolgehou en in die geheim geskilder - selfs later toe hy skoolhoof was, het hy nooit vir iemand gese hy skilder nie
* He taught and painted in private - even later on when he became principal, he never told anyone
* Hy bewonder Brand se moed - hy's die eerste Barnard wat openlik die tradisie verbreek
* He admires Brand for being the first Barnard to openly go against the tradition
* Brand se oupa kon baie mooi sing, maar het geweier om voor mense te sing
* Brand's grandfather could sing well, but never did in public
* Brand se pa het skuldig gevoel dat hy die plaas gekry het
* Brand's dad felt guilty that he got the farm and not oom Pieta
- Oom Pieta het dus 'n woonstel gebou op die gronde sodat hy kan aanhou skilder
- Oom Pieta therefore built a flat on the grounds so he could stay there and paint

Hulle hoor 'n geweerskoot
They hear a gunshot
- Hy en sy pa ry in die rigting van Tshipise
- Him and his dad drives in the direction of Tshipise
- Op die Tshipise-Musina pad sien hulle die bakkie
- On the way there they see the bakkie
- Brand herken die nommerplaat en die bakkie
- Brand recognises the numberplate and bakkie

Hoofstuk 11 Brand kry die wind van voor

Hoofstorie/Main plot

Die rugby-onderwyser meneer Theron roep 'n vergadering daardie pouse
The rugby coach meneer Theron calls a meeting at break
- Brand woon dit nie by nie
- Brand doesn't attend it
- Meneer Theron roep vir Brand: Brand moet hom twee-uur daardie dag by sy klas kry sodat hulle kan gesels; Brand vertel hom hy kan nie bly na skool nie, maar meneer Theron se hy weet Brand saam met sy suster kan terugry
- Meneer Theron calls Brand: Brand must come to his class at 2 that day so they can talk; Brand tells him he can't stay after school, but meneer Theron knows he can drive back with his sister
- Brand gesels met meneer Vorster, wat aanbied om namens hom te praat - Brand se dis nie nodig nie
- Brand talks with meneer Vorster, who offers to talk on his behalf - Brand says it's not necessary
- Brand se vir meneer Theron dat hy eerder op die klaviereksamen (Graad 8 UNISA) wil fokus
- Brand says to meneer Theron that he is rather focusing on his UNISA piano exam
- Meneer Theron se hy laat die skool in die steek en hy't 'n verpligting teenoor die skool
- Meneer Theron says he's letting his school down and has an obligation
- Brand se sy verpligting is teenoor homself
- Brand says the only obligation he has is towards himself

- Hugo boelie weer vir Stephan- Hugo het iets van hom geneem en hy moet terugsmeek daarvoor
- Hugo bullies Stephan again - he took something of his and he has to beg for it
- Brand se Stephan moet wegkom en die item as gesteel aanmeld
- Brand says Stephan must get away and report the item missing
- Brand wil nie baklei nie - hy se hy's 'n Krugerkop, Klipkop (hy's hardkoppig)
- Brand doesn't want to fight - he calls himself a Krugerkop, Klipkop (stubborn)

Sussiekoning hoofstuk 6-8

Hoofstuk 6 – Die Groentjiekonsert

·         Daardie aand is die groentjiekonsert (That night is the grade 8 concert)

o   Brand se ouers en Lizelle gaan by vriende kuier gedurende die konsert (Brand’s parents and Lizelle go visit friends during the concert.)

o   Martin is daar om hom te ondersteun (Martin is there to support Brand)

o   Hugo en sy vriende kom kyk ook na die konsert (Hugo and his friends are also there)

§  Hy het gekom om na die “meester van klavierspel” (Brand) te luister (they came to watch the master of piano playing)

§  Hulle spring op terwyl Brand speel (They jump up while Brand plays)

§  Hulle skree: “Dis mooi, Brand, druk die klawers. Jy is tog te bang om rugby te speel.”

o   Brand wonder of hy nie regtig ‘n sussie is nie (he wonders if he isn’t really a sissy)

o   Lizelle se raad: (Lizelle’s advice)

§  Daar sal altyd iemand wees wat van hom verskil (there will always be someone who differs from you)

§  Hy moet dit aanvaar of sy besluit verander (you must accept it or change your decision)

·         Brand gaan loop die volgende dag in die veld (Brand goes and walks in the veld the next day)

o   Hy vind ‘n dooie koedoebul wat deur wilddiewe doodgemaak is (he finds a dead koedoe killed by poachers)

o   Roofdiere het aan die karkas geëet (wild animals ate at it)

o   Goeie stukke vleis is uitgesny (big pieces of meat have been cut out)

o   Sy pa het die vorige aand ‘n skoot gehoor (his dad heard a shot the previous night)

o   Hulle het die draad langs die teerpad weer reggemaak sodat motors nie onraad sal vermoed nie (the poachers fixed the fence so no one would notice)

Hoofstuk 7 – Waatlemoenfees

·         Brand vertel sy ouers hy gaan nie meer rugby speel nie (Brand tells his parents he’s not going to play rugby)

·         Sy pa is teleurgesteld, maar sê Brand moet doen wat vir hom belangrik is (his dad is disappointed but says he must do what is important to him)

·         Lizelle spaar vir ‘n Europese toer (Lizelle is saving for an European tour)

·         Brand bring ‘n waatlemoen skool toe om daardie middag na atletiekoefening te eet (Brand brings a watermelon to school that day to eat after athletics)

o   Hy rol dit in ‘n nat goiingsak en sit dit onder die pawiljoen (he rolls it in a wet bag and puts it under the pavilion)

o   Hy gaan pouses om dit nat te maak sodat dit koud bly (he goes at breaks to wet it so it will stay cold)

o   Hy en sy vriende gaan na atletiek om die waatlemoen by die swembad te eet (he and his friends go to the swimming pool after athletics to eat the watermelon)

o   Lindie-hulle is ook daar (Lindie and her friends are also there)

o   Meneer Theron kom daar aan en Martin stamp hom onverwags in die swembad (Meneer Theron arrives and Martin accidentally bumps him into the pool)

o   Hulle straf is om 1. Op te ruim 2. Die meisies moet opstelle skryf en 3. Die seuns moet die laaste stene by die verversingslokaal gaan lê (punishment: 1. Girls write essay 2. Clean up 3. Boys pack bricks)

o   Lizelle is baie ontsteld omdat sy moet wag vir Brand-hulle om klaar te maak (Lizelle is very angry because she has to wait for them to finish)

·         Daardie aand is daar nog ‘n geweerskoot (That night there is another gunshot)

o   ‘n stoetbul is geskiet (a bull for the show has been shot)

o   Die wilddiewe kom vinnig weg = hulle ken die area (the poachers know the area because they get away quickly)

Hoofstuk 8 - Debatsaand

·         Brand se ma skryf kortverhale (dis net ‘n stokperdjie) – (Brand’s mom writes short stories as a hobby)

o   Sy was voorheen ‘n tikster by ‘n prokureursfirma (she was a typist at a law firm)

o   Meneer Vorster redigeer die stories (Mr Vorster edits the stories)

·         Martin sit rooi rissie in meneer Theron se pyp in die klas (Martin puts chilli in mr Theron’s pipe)

o   Meneer Theron skree hardop op die stoep (he shouts on the porch)

o   Hy mag nie op die stoep rook nie (he’s not allowed to smoke there)

o   Martin se straf: ses weke detensie en hy moet sy kar was (punishment: 6 weeks detention and wash his car)

·         Debataand (debating evening)

o   Martin se tema: Gewone kwajongstreke word deesdae as misdade gesien (normal pranks are seen as crimes these days)

o   Hugo-hulle sing Siembamba vir Brand as hy opstap klavier toe (they sing a lullaby when he goes on stage)

o   Brand speel baie mooi (he plays very nicely)

o   Brand konfronteer Hugo en sê hy’s nie bang vir hom nie, maar slaan hom nie (Brand confronts Hugo and says he’s not scared of him but also doesn’t hit him)

o   Hy sê jou krag lê in jou persoonlikheid nie jou vuiste nie (He says your power lies in your personality not your fists)