Rachel Isabella Steyn, 1905-1955

Abstract

After taking her severely incapacitated husband to Europe immediately after the cessation of hostilities to obtain specialist medical treatment, Mrs Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) in 1905 brought the partially recovered Pres Steyn back to South Africa. She joined forces with her husband to revive the defeated Afrikaner socially, spiritually and materially. Tibbie assisted her husband with establishing the Oranje School for Girls in 1906, and in 1907 the Oranje Association for Women (OVV) was formed with Tibbie as chairperson. Although she was English speaking by birth, she openly identified herself with efforts to promote Afrikaans as a cultural language. Alongside her husband she worked for the building of the National Women's Monument to commemorate those who had died during the war. During all these activities she conscientiously cared for the health and spiritual needs of Pres Steyn. After Pres Steyn's death in 1916 she emerged more forcefully in public life. After the First World War in co-operation with Emily Hobhouse she collected money for the needy in Central Europe. She was constantly occupied with alleviating the needs of people, e.g. by collecting small donations from her people who had been impoverished by the war. In this manner a home could be acquired for Emily Hobhouse and Mrs De Wet, widow of the famous war general, could be assisted in her need. In 1926 Tibbie also arranged the burial of Emily Hobhouse at the Women's Monument. As a leader among her people Tibbie experienced the tensions of the Rebellion and two world wars without becoming involved publicly. Despite sharp political differences between the two language groups and amongst members of her own fam~ly, she successfully maintained her role as binding force. She preferred acting behind the scenes. She was the patroness of many organisations, and while she was often involved in ceremonial situations she always performed her duties with grace. Among both English and Afrikaans speaking peoples she was held in high esteem and among Afrikaners she spontaneously became accepted as Volksmoeder. When she was 83 years of age the Government asked her to act as South Africa's official representative at the abdication of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands. She was accorded a state funeral at the Women's Monument when she died on 3 January 1955.

Nadat sy haar ernstig ongestelde man na die einde van die Anglo-Boereoorlog vir gespesialiseerde mediese behandeling na Europa geneem het, het mev. Rachel Isabella Steyn (Tibbie) die gedeeltelik herstelde pres. M. T. Steyn in 1905 na Suid-Afrika terug gebring. Sy het haar saam met pres. Steyn beywer om die verslane Afrikanervolk op maatskaplike, geestelike en stoflike gebied weer op te hef. Tibbie het pres. Steyn bygestaan met die oprigting van die Meisieskool Oranje in 1906. In 1907 het die stigting van die Oranje-Vrouevereniging (OVV) onder haar voorsitsterskap geskied. Hoewel sy van afkoms Engelssprekend was, was sy een van die eerstes wat Afrikaans tot skryftaal verhef het. Aan die sy van haar eggenoot het sy gewerk vir die oprigting van die Nasionale Vrouemonument om die gestorwe vroue en kinders van die oorlog te gedenk. Te midde van dit alles het sy nougeset gewaak oor pres. Steyn se gesondheid en sy geestelike welsyn. Na pres. Steyn se dood in 1916 tree sy sterker na vore in die openbare lewe. In samewerking met Emily Hobhouse samel sy na die Eerste Wereldoorlog geld in vir noodlydendes van Sentraal-Europa. Sy het haar voortdurend beywer vir die verligting van die lot van haar mense, o.a. met die insameling van halfkrone by 'n oorlogsverarmde volk. So is o.a. 'n huis vir Emily Hobhouse bekom, en is die nood van genl. De Wet se weduwee verlig. Tibbie het ook in 1926 die leiding geneem met die begrafnis van Emily Hobhouse by die Vrouemonument. As leiersfiguur het sy die spanning van die Rebellie en die twee wereldoorloe sonder enige omstredenheid deurleef. Te midde van skerp politieke verskille tussen die taalgroepe en onder haar eie familie tree sy met sukses as saambindende krag op. Hoewel sy geweldige invloed gehad het, het sy by voorkeur agter die skerms opgetree. Sy was beskermvrou van verskeie organisasies en waar sy dikwels by seremoniele geleenthede betrek was, het sy haar pligte met groot grasie vervul. Onder sowel Engelse as Afrikaners is sy sonder voorbehoud geeer, en by die Afrikaners het sy spontaan die eretitel van Volksmoeder verwerf. Op drie-en-tagtigjarige ouderdom is sy in 1948 deur die Regering afgevaardig as Suid-Afrika se gesant tydens die plegtighede verbonde aan die abdikasie van koningin Wilhelmina van Nederland. Sy is 'n staatsbegrafnis by die Vrouemonument gegee toe sy op 3 Januarie 1955 oorlede is.