Halfpad Hol

Halfpad Hol is die storie van vier karakters wat hulle lewensweg moet vind in die
godsdienstig-versplinterde landskap van post-apartheid Suid-Afrika. Die twee
manlike perspektiefkarakters is beide vasgekeer in ‘n gat; Coenraad fisiek onder
in ‘n myn, terwyl sy boesemvriend Henk se stryd tussen sy ore afspeel. Saam met
Tracy en Benita word hul oortuigings getoets rakende etiek in besigheid, die
huwelik en verhoudings. Daar is vertwyfeling oor die grootmaak van kinders,
verhoudings met bejaarde ouers en houdings teenoor tradisionele instellings.
Traumas weens die verlede se indoktrinasie beïnvloed steeds hul lewenskeuses.
Halfpad Hol bekyk die invloed van volksgodsdiens en die nadraai daarvan op die
psige van die enkeling.
***
Halfpad Hol tells the story of four characters finding their way in a world free of
the forced national religion during apartheid, stripped of the certainties of their
youth. The two male characters are both trapped; Coenraad underground in a
mine, and his friend, Henk, mentally. Together with Tracy and Benita their beliefs
are put to the test regarding ethics in marriage, relationships and business. They
are uncertain about raising children, relationships with elderly parents and their
attitude towards traditional institutions. They are still haunted by traumas from
their autocratic past. Halfpad Hol looks at the effect of the aftermath of national
religion on the psyche of the individual.

***

Amos van der Westhuizen matrikuleer in 1986 aan die Hoër Tegniese Skool Upington (deesdae
Duineveld). Aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat bekwaam hy hom as ’n wiskunde- en skeinatonderwyser
met ’n B.Sc en HOD. In 1993 beleef hy sy dienspligjaar ná van die ‘Nag van die Generaals’ en tydens die
chaos weens die moord op Chris Hani.
Sy onderwysloopbaan duur net twee jaar. Daarna was hy verkoopstegnoloog in waterbehandeling,
boer en makelaar, laasgenoemde sy huidige beroep danksy ’n CFP (nagraadse diploma in finansiële
beplanning, 2008) ook aan die UV.
Die skryfgogga byt hom so vyftien jaar gelede; hoofsaaklik kry dit eers uiting in koerantbriewe. Later skryf
hy op vryskut basis vir Volksblad, meestal profiele, en in 2017 verskyn ’n bundel nie-fiksie kortverhale, Kat in die Hoenderhok
(Crystal Lake Publishing) uit sy pen.
Amos van der Westhuizen matriculated in 1986 at Technical High School Upington (nowadays known as Duineveld). He
completed his studies as a science and mathematics teacher at the University of the Free State with a B.Sc and HED. He did his
national military service during the stormy 1993.
After two years he left teaching and became a sales technologist in water treatment, a farmer and a broker. This is his current
occupation thanks to a CFP (postgraduate diploma in financial planning, 2008) also at the UFS.
He started out writing mostly letters to newspapers. Later on he did freelance writing for Volksblad, mostly in the form of
profiles. In 2017 an anthology of non-fiction short stories, Kat in die Hoenderhok, was published by Crystal Lake Publishing.

ROMAN. FIKSIE
SAGTEBAND
213 mm x 137 mm
300+ bladsye
ISBN: 9781776172290