••••
AREA F O C U S
Koppies
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moved to Spoorweg Street in 1987
and was upgraded in 2013.
HENDRIK DE KLERK
Hendrik de Klerk is really part
of the community. He was the
relationship manager for seven
years in the Koppies/Heilbron
district and was branch man
ager for six years before he was
transferred to Kroonstad recently.
One of his highlights is the 2015
award as Business Unit: Business
Offer (B-branch) of the Year. He
believes that an open door policy,
Christian principles and the four
pillars, namely customers, person
nel, suppliers and head office, are
key to success. He was very proud
of his staff and he depended on
Marina Zitzke, Hanna van den
Bergh, Christa Pretorius, Corné
Coetzee and Jaco van der Walt in
particular. He believes that every
branch, including Koppies, has
its own atmosphere and he is very
sad to leave Koppies. His advice
The Century of Grace (Eeu van Genade
1838-1938) memorial of the Ossewatrek,
which was celebrated in 1938, is located at
the NG Church Moedergemeente.
The current Koppies Hinterland branch is the company's third home in the town.
The first branch was already opened in the 1960’s after which the branch was
relocated at Noord Street with the current branch being erected in 1987 being
refurbished in 2013.
to staff is to go to work and back
home with excitement and a song
in their hearts.
WELL-KNOWN INHABITANTS
The well-known poet, Olga
Kirsch, was born in Koppies on
23 September 1924. She printed
a number of volumes of verse,
which include Negentien Gedigte,
Die Soeklig, The Book of Sitrya and
Oorwinteraars in die Vreemde. The
house where she lived is also still
standing.
Another well-known writer
from the area is Topsy Smith.
Older people will remember him
as the writer of the youth story
Trompie, and the television series
which followed the books. He was
also the writer of Saartjie, under
the nom de plume Bettie Naudé.
The older generation will remem
A Koppies welcome!
For years Hendrik de Klerk was the branch
manager at Koppies and he recently
moved to the Kroonstad branch.
18
JUN/JUL 2017 • SENWES Scenario
ber the TV-series in particular,
with the song by Anton Goosen,
Trompie en die Boksombende.
Topsy matriculated in Koppies.
Another well-known inhabitant
is former Senwes director, Tobie
Loubser
CHURCHES
One of the well-known church
es in the area is the old NG
Church, which was established
in 1908, after it broke away from
the Vredefort, Heilbron and
Kroonstad congregations. The
current church was inaugurated
on 18 May 1963. The cornerstone
of the NG Church Koppies-
Weltevrede, was laid on 16 March
1963.
EMILY HOBHOUSE
A memorial to the school which
was operated from 1909 to
1938 was erected at the old NG
Church. It was erected to pay
homage to the courage of two
women in particular, name
ly Johanna Rood and Emily
Hobhouse.
TREK BY OX-WAGON
A monument to commemorate
the Eeu van Genade (1838-1938)
which was celebrated in 1938 and
which related to the ox-wagon
trek, was erected on the old NG
Church premises.