Frans Hendrik Odendaal is in 1898 op Kimberley gebore. Hy
het sy jeugjare op Boshof deurgebring en matrikuleer in 1916.
Deur privaatstudie kwalifiseer hy in 1927 as prokureur.
Hy is in 1919 met Magdalena Petronella du Plessis getroud.
Uit hierdie huwelik is vier dogters gebore. Na h kart wewenaarskap
tree hy in 1948 met Magdalena Jacoba Truter in die huwelik.
Uit hierdie huwelik is twee dogters gebore, terwyl hy die dogters
uit Magdalena Truter se vorige huwelik wettiglik aangeneem
het.
In 1928 vestig Odendaal horn as prokureur op Nylstroom w~ar
hy by sy vennoot, adv J G Strijdom se politieke bedrywighede
inskakel. In 1938 word hy lid van die Nasionale Party van
Transvaal se Inligtingsburo. Gedurende die Tweede Wereldoorlog
was hy vir h kort tydperk Kommandant van die OssewaBrandwag
in die Waterberg. In 1948 is hy tot L P R vir Waterberg
verkies en in 1952 tot L U K. In 1958 is hy as Administrateur
van Transvaal benoem. Hy het geskiedenis in Transvaal gemaak
deurdat hy die eerste Administrateur was wat uit die geledere
van die Provinsiale Raad in die gesogte pas benoem is.
Odendaal het bekendheid verwerf as eerste voorsitter van TRUK
en vir sy aandeel in die bevordering en opbou van die kunste
in Transvaal. Insgelyks het hy kuns in Suid-Afrika op h ordelike
grondslag geplaas. Hy kan as een van die grondleggers van
georganiseerde streekrade vir die kunste in Suid-Afrika beskou
word. As Administrateur het hy horn verder onderskei as onderwysvernuwer
en bevorderaar van snelboumetodes in die provinsiale
geboue-program in Transvaal. Voorts het hy baie bygedra tot
die groat ontwikkeling op nywerheids- en verkeersgebied in
sy provinsie.
Tussen 1952 en 1966 was hy ononderbroke voorsitter van die
Nasionale Parkeraad. Hy was deels daarvoor verantwoordelik
dat di~ organisasie tot h winsgewende en ordelike besigheidsonderneming
uitgebou is. In die proses het hy natuurbewaring
in die hele Suid-Afrika bevorder. Hy was oak voorsitter van
die veelbesproke Kommissie van ondersoek na aangeleenthede
in Suidwes-Afrika en kan beskou word as die vader van vernuwing
en ontwikkeling in moderne Namibie.
Hy is in 1966 na h hartaanval oorlede. / Frans Hendrik Odendaal was born at Kimberley -in 1898. He grew
up in Boshof where he matriculated in 1916. Through private
studies he quaiified as an attorney in 1927.
He married Magdalena Petronella du PlessLs in 1919. Four
daughters were born from this marriage. In 1948, after a short
period as a widower, he married Magdalena Jacoba Truter. Two
daughters were born from this marriage, while he legally adopted
Magdalena Truter's two daughters from a previous marriage.
In 1928 Odendaal settled at Nylstroom and practised as an attorney.
He became involved with the political activities of his partner,
adv J G Strijdom, and in 1938 he became a member of the National
Party's Bureau of Information. During the Second World War he
acted for a short period as Commandant of the Ossewa Brandwag in
the Waterberg district. In 1948 he was elected M P C for Waterberg
and in 1952 became M E C. In 1958 he was nominated as Administrator
of Transvaal. He made history by becoming the first Transvaal
Administrator to be selected from the ranks of the Provincial
Council.
Odendaal distinquished himself as the first Chairman of P A C T
and for promoting the performing arts in Transvaal. At the same
time he placed the performing arts on a sound footing in South
Africa. He can be regarded as one of the founders of regional
councils for the performing arts in South Africa. As Administrator
he excelled as educational innovator in his province, and he also promoted
quick building methods in the provincial building programme.
He also contributed towards the development of industries and
transport in his province.
For the entire period between 1952 and 1966 he was chairman cf
the National Parks Board. Due partially to his edeavours, the
Board was developed into a profitable business organisation.
In the process he played an important role in developing and
promoting nature conservation throughout South Africa. He was
also chairman of the commission of enquiry into the affairs of
South West Africa and can be considered the father of development
and renewal in modern Namibia.
He- died of a heart attack in 1966. / History
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/17976 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | De Villiers, Johan Willem |
| Contributors | Grobler, J. C. H., 1941-, Malan, S. F. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | Afrikaans |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
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