Wiener addressed members of the Garden Route Jewish Association (GRJA) at the Oudtshoorn Synagogue last Sunday. "I get to see the very best and worst of our judicial system," said Wiener who authored the book Killing Kebble and enjoyed a front row seat as the stories around the now infamous police commissioner, Jackie Selebi, Glenn Aggliotti and Brett Kebble were revealed.
"I remember sitting in the public gallery in court, looking at the unraveling nexus of businessmen, politicians and people involved in organised crime and wondering how we as a country managed to reach this point?" Wiener attributes her success as a journalist to the benefits of her Jewish upbringing in Pietersburg, which, she said, is similar to Oudtshoorn.
"My friends could never understand why I never had any cheesebur-gers (mixing of meat and milk which is contrary to Jewish dietary laws) or went out to parties on a Friday night (Sabbath starts at sunset). I benefited from my Jewish upbringing since it taught me to break bread with everyone, without bias or judgement, and to accept their viewpoints and backgrounds. This has made me a better journalist as I am able to engage with the broader community." Wiener interviewed one of the three self-confessed Kebble-hitmen, listening to detailed accounts of several killings including Kebble's murder. Most recently Wiener has interviewed the notorious Radovan Krejcir.
In his introduction, local businessman Clifford Miller, said that the first 100 Jewish families settled in Oudtshoorn between 1880 and 1890, hailing from Lithuania and various Eastern-European countries. In 1886 they managed to purchase land and in 1888 the cornerstone for the Oudtshoorn Synagogue was laid. In 1913 the advent of the motorcar (meant that as a car drove faster than a horse drawn carriage the women's fancy feathered hats blew off) almost brought an end to the af-fluence enjoyed from ostrich farming in the district. 600 Jewish families were in Oudtshoorn at the time, earning their livelihoods from ostrich farming, as professionals and businessmen.
The GRJA is a non-religious loose knit grouping of the Jews in the Garden Route that get together from time to time to renew friendships.
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From the left are Myron Rabinowitz (chairman, GRJA), Rabbi Moshe Silberhaft (Spiritual Leader to Country Communities), Mandy Wiener, Clifford Miller (chairman of the Oudtshoorn Jewish Community), Joan Miller and Mandy's husband, Shaun Maisels. Photo: Jacques Swart
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