Tribute from Neil Brathwaite

I met JP through my wife June Good. She introduced me to Probus Groote Schuur in about 2015. Gradually we met at Probus meetings, at outings and later adventures. Once JP lead us on a three day trail at Grootbos near Stanford. 

In earlier times before 2015 Probus country tours were organised by Mike Veary and Peter Belonje. These fizzled out and JP revived them in 2019 calling them Probus Adventures. His first one was in 2019 and he did one every year until 2025. He did everything: Conceive the plan, settle who was going, book the hotels and meals on the road, organise the transport and handle the money. Baie werk nê? Allow me to record some memories. 

Probus Adventures: JP took us to Gifberg on two occasions. A lovely wild place. Once he lead a hike to a waterfall. After showing us the waterfall he confessed that he had hurt his back. No trouble. He ushered us safely home. On another occasion he arranged for the farmer to give us a lecture on Rooibos tea. This was done near a huge skuur met die trekkers en die threshing vloer sommer daar. Immediately after the lecture JP lead us into the veldt behind the farm, through rocks and bushes, up a small kloof, past a stream, over more rocks, looking down on a pool in the river, back again though and over more massive boulders and back to the farm. 

For the first adventure in 2019 he planned the trip, enlisted the 20 or so participants, corresponded with them, collected the money, used his own bank account, arranged all the accommodation and meals, the after dinner talks and more. 

On one occasion June and I were invited to travel with him and Annette in his old Landy. We won’t forget sitting for hours in the uncomfortable back seat straining to hear the stream of conversation from Annette in the front. At every overnight stop JP would carry our bags from the Landy to our rooms and back the next morning. 

Time was always of the essence. Leave at 8:00 after breakfast to get to one little dorp for tea at 11:00 then to the next one at 13:00 for lunch and then to the overnight by !8:00 for dinner at 19:00 and so on. On one occasion we all stopped at a high point looking out over a lovely valley and mountains. Prof John Rogers was asked to give a 20 minute talk on the neighbouring geology. This turned into 60 minutes.! We were all getting very anxious about the schedule. 

Memories of hikes with JP I like the Afrikaans for slow pace: Slakkepas. June first and then me later were conveners for slower easier hikes for the mountain club on a Tuesday. I imagine it was about 2012 when I was leading a hike on the contour path above Newlands. We were having a tea break on a rocky scree when JP and his group came past. After they had left Jos Van Gend imitated their slow shaky pace much to our amusement. Well my turn came soon when I laid down my duties at the mountain club and needed to find a group which would put up with my slakkepas. JP introduced me to his Saturday group. After a number of hikes JP very kindly and gently said I might enjoy his Tuesday group called Hibernia Hikes. They had some members who enjoyed a slower walk. Indeed I found a home there and am still enjoying my Tuesday hikes. What a blessing. 

On one of the Hibernia hikes about a year ago Tony Heher lead us up Farmer Pecks Valley between Muizenberg mountain and St James Peak. Frank van de Velde, Ann Cory, John Newmarch, Dennis and Mary Anne le Jeune, JP and others were with us. We started on Boyes drive above Muizenberg and climbed through a hole in the wall on the other side of the road. The path leads steeply up the valley and there was a North-West gale blowing in our faces, getting stronger as we went. About half way up Frank was blown backwards off his feet falling backwards into a bush. He gallantly soldiered on till the tea stop and opted to continue up. 

After another hour we had turned on to a path on the ridge leading to St James peak. I was some way ahead when Tony caught me up to say that Frank had collapsed. JP was at hand and attended to Frank and arranged a mountain rescue. JP was always thoughtful, kind and gentle.

On another occasion JP himself fell while climbing Elsies peak above Fish Hoek. He damaged his hip and was rescued by helicopter. His hip had to be replaced. After a month or two he was back on the mountain. 

Unfortunately, I never knew JP in his squash playing days. I loved the game and can well imagine how he darted about the court out maneuvering his opponent. He told me once that he had a difficult choice to make when a championship game clashed with the birth of a child. Annette told me that when they first met she did not like JP very much because he was a show-off, standing on his hands and playing his mouth organ. He played it once for us on an adventure. The two tunes were “Daar kom die Alibama” and “Lily Marlene”.

In early December 2025 we had our Christmas gathering for our Hibernia hiking group at Chartfarm. JP and Annette were there. Some weeks before I had a TAVI procedure. Trans catheter Aortic Valve Implacement. JP joked that I had infected him and he had to have his done in a few days. Being a doctor he had the very best working on him. “My valve cost R250 000” I said. “Mine will cost R45 000” said JP.  A few days later we got the very sad news that JP’s TAVI had gone wrong and he was no longer with us. His send-off at Kelvin Grove was worthy of the great man he was. 

Well the candle which burned brightly for nearly 90 years has been extinguished by the eternal wind. I will miss you sorely JP but I am glad you went quickly. 

Slaap lekker, my liewe maatjie.