Coetzenburg, Jannie Marais House
Painting by Hérine Fourie
Johann Willem Postma was born on 26 July 1907 at Epe, Netherlands.
He grew up in the village Winterswyk, district Gelderland, where he finished
school in 1925. He was a keen sportsman and excelled in soccer, basketball and
athletics. As a student of Sports at the University of Amsterdam he was
champion in 110m and 200m hurdle race. His other favourite sports were tennis,
hockey and baseball. He obtained a Sports Diploma, 1928, and a Teacher's
diploma, 1933.
Willem was trainer for the steamship company 'Nederland' from 1928 until 1930
and for the following five years taught school in Amsterdam. When at Montessori
Lyceum in Rotterdam, he also was trainer for the YMCA (1935-39).
Willem Postma moved to South Africa, with his wife and young daughter, and
joined Stellenbosch University in 1940. He was the first to
receive a PhD.Ed. at the Department of Physical Education in 1942.
1940 - 1946 : Head of the department
1972: Associate professor and representative of associate professors in the
senate of the University of Stellenbosch.
He retired in 1972, but continued his research on movement and aspects of
Sports education.
Johann Postma was honorary member and chairman of the SA Sports Association (Vereniging vir Gesondheid, Liggaamlike opvoeding en Ontspanning).
The farm was granted to its first owner, Dirk Coetzee, in 1693, after he had
already lived there for several years.
P. J. Marais purchased the farm in 1892 and remodelled the old homestead
completely in the Victorian style and added the grand verandah and balcony with
its colourful fretwork of wood.
Johannes Enoch Marais was born on this farm in 1851. He will always be
remembered as a philanthropist who gave generous help to many institutions in
Stellenbosch. He amassed great wealth on the diamond fields.
His legacy of 100 000 pounds to the Victoria College helped to lay the
foundation of Stellenbosch University in 1918. The Jan Marais bursary enabled
thousands of students to pursue their studies.
The building now houses the Sport Bureau and the Craven/Markötter Rugby Museum.