The town that produced a knight
Laurens van der Post’s reputation has taken a dive after his death, yet there’s no denying the star power he enjoyed and the interesting life he led. Or the fact that he was born and grew up in Philippolis.
Sir Laurens was a journalist, writer, war veteran, philosopher, philanthropist, educator, and a good friend of Prince Charles and the godfather of Prince William. He spent a lot of time with the Bushmen of the Kalahari, who christened him “the white Bushman”. He wrote several books about his experiences in the Kalahari, and in 1955 the BBC commissioned him to make a documentary – The LostWorld of the Kalahari was broadcast on British TV in 1956. He was knighted in 1981.
A memorial garden was created in Philippolis in Sir Laurens’s honour and his ashes are interred here. Different sections of the garden represent different phases of his life. There is even a small labyrinth.
And in Sielskos, the restaurant next to the garden, there is a room filled with Sir Laurens’s possessions and books, including a copy of Margaret Thatcher’s autobiography, given to him by the former British prime minister. In it, she’d written, “To Laurens. With warm regards.”
Accommodation is available in the form of The Artist’s Retreat, where artists and writers can stay when they want to work on a project. If it’s not occupied, other visitors are welcome to stay there too. Contact 073 878 6820 (Elwena Pienaar, for enquiries about the restaurant or accommodation)