TRANSLATION OF ARTICLES IN EDITION 118/MAY 2014 OF THE “ONS HAANTJIE” NEWSLETTER OF THE HENNING FAMILY LEAGUE

Kmdt Izak Henning *1931/Cmdt Izak Henning *1931

Friday 20 May 1983 was a normal working day for millions of South Africans. On 16:30 hours that afternoon a powerful car bomb which was set by ANC terrorists (members of Umkhonto we Sizwe) exploded in Church Street, Pretoria between the Nedbank Building and Poyntons Building, which were both military headquarters. The bomb caused death and destruction under innocent people (military and civilian) who were busy going home after a days work. 19 people died and 217 were injured.

The car bomb with 40 kg explosives was set to explode on 16:30 hours and the Air Force Headquarters in the Nedbank Building was the target. Due to the fact that the bomb exploded ten minutes too early, both the operators of the bomb, Freddie Shangwe and Ezekial Maseko also died in the explosion. At least 20 ambulances were used to convey the dead and injured people to hospitals.

a1.b9.c1.d2.e3.f5.g1. Izak Jacobus Henning *1-8-1931 was one of the soldiers who died in this bomb explosion. He was a Commandat in the Air Force and worked at the Air Force Headquarters.

Olivier Henning, who compiled the Henning Family Cronicle, also served in the Defence Force. He tried to make contact with Izak's widow, Julet Anna (born Carstens) or their two daughters, but he did not succeed at that stage. In time both girls got married, and with new surnames this complicated the search. However, during November 2013 Olivier made contact with Chantal Steyn, the youngest daughter of Izak. She could supply us with photographs of her parents and grand parents and we could update the whole family's particulars in die Family Cronicle.

Photo 1: b9.c1.d2.e3.f5.g1. Cmdt Izak Jacobus Henning *1-8-1931 who died in the huge Church Str bomb explosion in 1983. He was a pilot in the Air Force. Here he can be seen in the cockpit of a Hercules C130 transport aircraft.
Photo 2: b9.c1.d2.e3.f5. Izak Jacobus Henning *24-6-1908, his wife Engela and their two son’s, Izak Jacobus *1931 and Sarel Jacobus Theron *1937
Photo 3: Marriage photo of Izak Jacobus Henning *1931 and his bride Julet Anna Carstens. Julet’s parents on the left and Izak’s parents on the right

Die liefde is ‘n wonderlike ding/Love is a wonderful thing

After they fell in love at first sight 62 years ago, b1.c3.d8.e1.f1.g2. Jan Hendrik Henning *30-4-1929 (uncle Jan)(85) and Hermina Elizabeth (born Wolfaardt)(aunty Hermien) of Club Village, Clubview, Centurion celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on 6 February 2014.

They met each other in 1952 on a farm in Kempton Park where both of them paid a visit from time to time. Due to the fact that Hermien was only 15 years old at that stage, Jan first got permission from her parents to visit her, which he did over weekends.

They got engaged on her 16th birthday and two years later, on her 18th birthday they got married in the NG Church, Kempton Park.

Jan is one of four children, while Hermien is the oldest of nine. “They are wonderful parents and grandparents and displayed much perseverance” their oldest daughter, Dina Eksteen said. The couple have four daughters, Dina (55), Marietjie (53), Hermien (51) and Tersia (46). They have six grandsons, Charl (28), Jacques (26), Heinrich (25), Weyers (23), Jan (23), Jamie (12) and one granddaughter, Marelie (18).

One of the highlights in the lives of her parents was to move into their own house, after 18 months of married life. They sold their car to could afford the house. Patience, trust and the mercy of God made their marriage work. Their advise to young people is to grow with your children and grandchildren and enjoy them. The birth of all their children and grandchildren were huge highlights in their lives. “We do not celebrate Valentinesday, but believe that we must appreciate each other every day".

Photo 4: b1.c3.d8.e1.f1.g2. Jan Hendrik Henning (85) and his wife Hermien (78) of Clubview, Centurion who celebrated 60-years of marriage during February 2014

Adv. Jan Henning se Mensstories uit die hof/The stories from the court about people by Adv Jan Henning. b6.c4.d1.e5.f5.g6.h2.

Jan Sarel Marthinus Henning (62) has been the Deputy Chief of the National Prosecution Authority (NPA) of South Africa until his retirement in 2006. He was one of the few white people who still served in such a senior position in the government service. Unfortunately Jan had to retire early due to medical reasons.

Recently (14 March 2014) an interesting article on Jan Henning appeared in the Beeld newspaper. We publish excerpts of this interesting article.

A State prosecuter hear the most beautiful and interesting stories, if he keeps his ears wide open. Due to this privilege Adv Jan decided to write a book on the ordinary people who crossed his road over the 39 years he served as prosecuter. Jan, the former deputy chief of the prosecution authority is busy with the biggest battle of his life — brain- and lung cancer have been diagnosed with him.

A tumour as big as a matchbox press on that portion of his brain which control speech. He started with chemotherapy, after he had two weeks of radiation to decrease the swelling. Brain surgery would be to dangerous. Jan does not know what the future holds for him, but he is calm.

"I started smoking in 1970 while in the Navy. I have been smoking for 43 years and it would not help to stop now. I do not worry about this or get upset. I had a full life. I do not blame anybody or anything".

The news of his cancer forced him to submit the draft of his book to a publisher. He had been busy with this book for the past year at his home in Lindley.

"I do not worry when this book will be published, as long as the nice stories would not go missing. This is my bequeathment to young prosecuters".

When Jan retired in 2006, his prosecuter colleagues gave him a laptop computer as a farewell present, with the message that he must use it to write stories about the court.

"The court-room itself has always been boring for me. I remember something when somebody tells me an interesting story. Over years, when I had to give lectures, I used stories to prove my point” tell the man who was member of the State's legal team which argued in favour of the retention of the death penalty in the Constitutional Court.

Jan did not use his laptop to write his book. Every morning at 04:30 he started writing his book page by page by hand. His oldest daughter, Hannali Labuschagne then typed the book. "I read stories we have never heard of. Our dad told us other stories, when we were children” Hanneli told us.

Jan says the best times of his impressive carreer was when he served as prosecuter in the courts at Brits and Kimberley up to Queenstown in the Eastern Cape. "In those days prosecuters had a burning passion to serve the public. I remember the days when experienced policemen also had to work as prosecuters. The police dossier often only consisted of short cryptic statements and prosecuters had to do their utmost to get the full story in front of the court.

Jan does not know if the passion he had for his job, still burns in the new young prosecuters. He does not think so. Jan would not reveal any of the ignominies of the NPA in his book. “My book does not contain any secret disclosures".

Jan knows the full story why Pres Jacob Zuma was not prosecuted for alleged corruption, but he would not expose this secret. One would think that the successful prosecution of Tony Yengeni by Jan and Adv Gerda Ferreira would be one of the highlights in his carreer, but it is not. Yengeni was the chief whip of the ANC in parliament and he was found guilty of fraud.

"When I was promoted to the new NPA in 1998 it was bitter sweet for me. On the one side, I could do something to improve the fate of prosecuters”.

He was always a fighter for better working conditions for prosecuters. As a young prosecuter in Kimberley in 1984 he brought the perilous circumstances they had to work under to the attention of the Minister of Justice.

"I always loved it to make other people angry and then tease them. The years at the NPA headquarters was not good for me, because it took me out of the courts where I worked every day with ordinary people and could hear their nice stories".

In his book Jan writes that he was not always a rolemodel for prosecuters. It happened from time to time that his could not control his emotions. The pain of the victim also became his pain.

Photo 5: Adv Jan Sarel Marthinus Henning(62) who wrote a book of all the stories of people he experienced during his term of service as a prosecutor

'n Henning Familie in Vancouver, Kanada/A Henning Family in Vancouver, Canada

We are aware of several families with the surname Henning in European countries, like Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Belgium and France. We are also aware of Henning's in Britain, Australia, Ontario Canada, USA, Argentina and Venezuela. A Henning family in Vancouver, Canada has now come to our attention.

The Head Quarters of Henning Gold Mines Inc. can be found in Vancouver. They do exploration work and the mine of gold in the British-Colombia province. The company was established by Bernhard (Bud) Henning *1912. Over a period of years he bought several pieces of ajacent land of more than 8 000 hectares in the Cariboo district. Initially he concentrated on the exploitation of water, oil and gas. During 1970 he acquired the necessary concessions for the exploitation of gold and other minerals. It soon became clear the Cariboo district held the biggest concentrations of gold deposits in Canada. Bud Henning worked hard and uninterrupted to ensure a comfortable and happy life for his family.

After his sudden death in 2002, after a stroke and there-after a heart attack, his daughter, Nadine and grandson, Paul took over the business. Today Henning Gold Mines Inc. are leaders in the Gold Mine Industry in Canada.

Photo 6:The Headquarters of Henning Gold Mines Inc. in Vancouver, Canada.After the death of Bernhard (Bud) Henning in 2002, his daughter and grandson took over the company

Amri Henning Presteer/Amri Henning performs well

The auditing company, Baker Tilly Greenwoods advertised in the newspaper Die Burger of 1 March 2014 that one of their clerks, b7.c8.d8.e5.f3.g2. Amri Henning *9-5-1988, daughter of Pieter Naude Henning and his wife Ingrid (born Kapp) of the farm Cashumi in the Tzaneen district passed the Professional Evaluation examination of the South African Institute for Professional Accountants (SAIPA) with a 100% pass rate. We wish to congratulate Amri with this exceptional achievement.

We reported on the achievements of Amri's father, Pieter Henning on the agricultural field in Newsletter 101 of February 2010 an Newsletter 108 of November 2011.

Photo 7: Amri Henning of the farm, Cashumi, Tzaneen

Sterftes/Deaths

b1.c3.d5.e9.f1.g1. Jacobus Stephanus (Cobus) Henning of Bloemfontein informed us that his mother, Mara Anna Hattingh *29-12-1948 died on 26 February 2014. She was married to the father of Cobus, Jacobus Stephanus Henning *6-11-1947, but they got seperated in 1977. There-after she married a Hattingh. She died due to a heart attack.

Photo 8: Mara Anna Hattingh (formerly Henning, born Beukes) *29-12-1948, mother of Cobus Henning of Bloemfontein, who died on 26 February 2014

'n Nuusbrokkie uit Noorweë/News from Norway. Rev Bjarne Fowels of Hjelmeland, Norway (74) is definitely one of our family league members who goes out of his way to ferret out news of interest to the Henning family. In this letter he tell about a medical practitioner with almost the same name as our league secretary.

When reading the Norwegian Medical doctor's magazine with the long name:

He signs his mail: Oliver Johannes Henning. Interesting, isn't it?

Geldsake/Money matters

Many thanks to Jan Andries Henning of Leraatsfontein, Witbank; Jan Hendrik Henning of Glenstantia, Pretoria and Past Antonie Henning of Rietfontein, Pretoria who continue to make donations to the family league by means of a monthly debit order. It shows you that with a small amount every month, which you do not feel anymore after a while, you have a much bigger influence on the finances of the family league, as with one big donation annualy. Due to the fact that you yourself install the debit order, you have full control over the transaction. You can decide when you want to increase, or decrease, or stop the debit order.

Many thanks also to everybody who made once off donations over the past three months. Your donation, irrespective of the size of the donation, is appreciated and contribute towards the survival of the family league. We gladly mention the names of members who contributed amply:

C B (Neels) Henning and his wife Bernice of Tampa, Florida, USA -$100.00, transferred in Rand, after bank charges, R944.00
P H (Piet) Henning and his wife Deirdré, formerly of Strand, but nowadays temperary abroad – R700.00
Dr M E J (Tjol) Henning and his wife Amanda of Lyttelton, Centurion – R500.00
Stanley Henning and his wife Mary-Ann of Dower Glenn, Edenvale – R500.00
M C (Marthinus) Henning and his wife Henesia of Welkom – R350.00
J S M (Jan) Henning and his wife Marieta of Lyttelton-Manor, Centurion – R300.00
G S (Gerhard) Henning and his wife Deirdré of Royldene, Kimberley – R300.00
G T (Gerhard) Henning and his wife Vanessa of Royldene, Kimberley – R300.00
P B (Pieter) Henning and his wife Hannetjie of Sinoville, Pretoria – R300.00
J A (Jan) Henning and his wife Engela of Frankfort – R300.00

Somebody deposited on 28 January 2014 an amount of R300.00 in the bank account of the family league without mentioning his/her name.

Then, the old German friends of the family league, Herbert and Margita Henning of Munich, Germany made a donation of R3 000.00 to the family league. The 82 years old Herbert is considering it to visit South Africa in October, specially to attend the Henning festival on 11 October 2014.

Renosterstropery in die Krugerwildtuin/Rhino Pouching in the Kruger National Park (KNP)

The shocking rhino pouching which occur from neighboring countries, is a deep concern for all responsible South Africans. If you look at the figures released from time to time, it looks as if we are loosing this battle.

However, the authorities do their best to combat this crime. A retired Army General has even been appointed to co-ordinate the actions against the poachers, who descend upon the KNP during the night. The SA Air Force is, therefore, used to track down the criminals from the air.

b7.c8.d8.e1.f2.g3. Warrant Officer Class 1 Alexander (Xander) Henning (50) is one of the men who is continiously on the tracks of these criminals. Xander was for many years an aerial photographer in the Air Force, stationed at the Air Force Base Bloemspruit, in Bloemfontein. He, however, resigned from the Air Force, but still serve in the Reserve Force. Since February 2012 he has been called up almost continuously as an aerial photographer in the fight against rhino poachers, as well as aerial border patrols on the Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Swaziland and Lesotho borders.

For the rino pouching he was initially called up to operate from the Air Force Base Hoedspruit, but lately they are stationed at the Sand River Military base inside the KNP. They reside in tents, caravans and A-Frame huts. They are deployed mostly at night – especially with full moon, due to the fact that the poachers mostly operate with full moon and then flee quickly back across the border.

The Air Force patrols use Cessna C208 Caravan aircraft equiped with Argoss camera systems. This camera is linked with a ground station in the vicinity. The men at the ground station therefore can see exactly what Xander and the air crew see from above.

The Argoss camera system has a video camera, which is used during the day and a TIS (Thermal Imaging Sensor) system for night useage. The TIS camera is very sensitive and see all movements of poachers very quickly. The camera also has a laser capability. With this the exact position of the poachers (co-ordinates) can be determined. The ground forces can now strike at the speed of lightning.

The whole KNP is covered by these air teams and they fly thousands of kilometres. When Xander and his colleagues see poachers on the ground, a film is made and they stay in the region until the ground forces or a helicopter arrives.

Xander say that he was employed eleven times since February 2011 and completed 273 hours in the air. He enjoyed every moment of this adventure.

Photo 9: WO1 Xander Henning at the Cessna C208 Caravan they use to spot rhino poachers
Photo 10: Xander at the Argoss camera system mounted under the aircraft
Photo 11: Xander at the control post in the aircraft, where the first pictures can be observed
Photo 12: The control room on the ground, where the same pictures can be seen
Photo 13: Two of the poachers who were observed by WO1 Alexander Henning from the air and there-after cornered by ground forces

You are requested to mark 11 October 2014 in your diary. This is the date of the next big Henning family festival, which is to be held at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria. It would be magnificent if all Hennings could attend. Please proclaim this festival to your family and all Henning's you know.