BASIE van den Berg, one of Alberton’s excellent rugby players, died on Thursday, July 14.
He was one of the early 70s players and was part of the first team that won the Pirates Grand Challenge B-division and which was promoted to the A-division the following season. In the A-division Basie was in the Alberton first team that beat the mighty Diggers (which was regarded as one of the strongest rugby clubs in the country). Several Springbok and Transvaal players were in the Diggers team, at the time. He attended primary school at Laerskool Suidheuwels and then matriculated from Hoërskool JG Strydom where he played first team rugby and held the tenure of prefect.
After high school Basie played for the South Rand Rugby Club first team and then for the Alberton Rugby Club first team during the 60s and early 70s. He was also invited to attend the provincial trials for the Transvaal Rugby team (now called the Lions) during this period.
During his rugby career Basie played in both the flank and lock positions against and alongside many Transvaal provincial and Springbok players including Frik du Preez and Jan Ellis. His teammates also included Wally Rudman, Fanie Rudman, Hammer Engelbrecht, Roelf Berg, Paul du Randt, Koos Cordelier, Torrie van Tonder, Faan Venter and Barry de Lange to name a few.
He worked in banking all his life and his career in banking extended over a period of 44 years until he retired in 2010. At the end of July he would have been on pension for six years.
Basie started his career at Barclays Bank in the 60s at the Rosettenville branch. He then worked for Santambank as a manager in Commissioner Street in the Johannesburg CBD during the 80s. He also worked at Senbank and later at Trust Bank where he held various positions including credit manager and then branch manager at the Alberton branch.
Trust Bank eventually became ABSA bank where he also held various senior positions such as credit manager in the private banking division as well as branch manager. He retired at ABSA head office where he held a senior position as a stream lead for private banking in the financial services department at ABSA Towers in Johannesburg.
Throughout his career he received many outstanding achievement awards and long standing service awards for the various banking institutions. Among his academic qualifications he received a certificate in leadership from the California State University in the United States.
Basie was a resident of New Redruth during the 70s. During this time he met his wife Marie and they married in 1978. The couple lived in New Redruth for a few years and eventually bought a property in Brackenhurst during the 80s where he lived up until he passed away.
Basie’s funeral took place on July 21 at 12:00 at the NG Brackenhurst Church.
Many of his old rugby teammates and friends attended the funeral. The family estimated that between 450 to 500 people attended the service.
He leaves behind a wife, two sons and a daughter, a son-in-law and two daughter-in-laws. He also has five grandchildren.
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