Annique Theron

Last updated

Wedding day photo of Hendrik Meiring and Annekie Theron Troudag 1950.jpg
Wedding day photo of Hendrik Meiring and Annekie Theron

Annique Theron (born Anna Elizabeth [Annekie] Heystek in North Transvaal, April 18, 1929 - Pretoria, February 22, 2016) was a South African businesswoman best known for her line of cosmetics and health care products featuring rooibos as a main ingredient.

Contents

Youth

Theron's father was Antonie Marius Heystek (1903–1981), and her mother was Anna Susanna (née Jordaan, 1908–1997). Her paternal grandfather was Antonie Marius Heystek (1872–1933), who married twice and had 16 children. [1]

Theron, born on the eve of the Great Depression, grew up on Mooikloof farm near Potgietersrus, where she lost her family while still young. The traumatic event spurred her to study in and move to Pretoria, where she met her future husband, Hendrik Meiring Theron (Licthenburg, North Transvaal [now North West Province], April 10, 1922 - Warmbaths (Bela-Bela, North Transvaal [now Limpopo], September 20, 1990). [2] She wanted to become a doctor, but since her parents could not afford to send her to university, she became a secretary. After her wedding in 1950 (she was 21), her firstborn, Henk, was born in early in the 1950s, and her second son, Marius, two years later. Theron already wanted to start a business, a rarity for women at the time.

The family's first daughter, Suzette (married name Ferreira), was born more than 12 years after the last son, and the fourth child, Lorinda, early in 1967. Lorinda was colicky as a baby and weakened by allergies. On April 8, 1968, when Lorinda was 14 months old, Theron heated rooibos tea and combined it with her bottle milk, finding the child's condition instantly improved. Crediting the rooibos for the results, she set out to make the world aware of the healing power of this native plant.

Rooibos wealth

She was at first met with skepticism, but was undeterred by the lack of resources and support. In 1971, she began Annekie Theron Ondernemings, which several years later was renamed Forever Young (Edms.) Bpk. The company manufactured health and skin care products made from rooibos extract. To give the products an international flair, Annekie named the line Annique. [3]

Annique received two gold medals in 1997 from the World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva. For her development of the Annique products, Theron was also named Female Inventor of the Year.

Theron, whose husband died in 1990, was 72 when she earned her doctorate in alternative medicine from the Commonwealth Open University, fulfilling in a way her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. In 2005, she set up a new headquarters in Irene, Pretoria, and the following year the 35th anniversary of the business was celebrated with a special rejuvenation cream. Ernest du Toit was appointed chief executive of the company on February 1, 2008, and two years later the Theron family sold the company. With the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the business in 2011, the name was changed once more to Annique Health and Beauty. As of 2016, the company employed 15,000 consultants and marketed 200 products.

Theron published her autobiography, Manna – My verhaal van rooibostee en wonderwerke ("Manna - My story of rooibos tea and miracles") in 2009.

Death

Her memorial service was held on Sunday, March 3, 2016, in the auditorium of the Moreleta Park Reformed Church in Pretoria. [4]

Court battle over the name rooibos

In 1994, Theron registered the word "rooibos" as a trademark in the United States of America for $40 (at the time around R140). In 2001, she offered the rights to use the trademark free of charge to a business partner, Virginia Burke-Watkins. This led to anger in the South African rooibos industry when exporters found out they could not market their product in America under the name "rooibos". Theron told Hanlie Retief of Rapport that the rooibos industry had subjected her for years to "absolute, blatant discrimination." She reported that "Ever since 1968 the bureaucrats of the industry have wanted to keep me away from rooibos. They stalled my packers' license for 16 years so I couldn't ship and pack the tea." She viewed the trademark as sweet revenge, telling Retief: "Now I keep them out of America." [5]

The resulting lawsuit between Rooibos Beperk, which processed and marketed rooibos tea, and Theron and Burke-Watkins' Forever Young, dragged on until 2005, when the American owners of the trademark agreed to cease using it there. Burke-Watkins, a good friend of Theron, would thereafter market the Annique products in America through her company, Burke International.

A dispute arose when Burke-Watkins sent letters to American distributors of rooibos tea ordering them to either cease marketing it or compensate her company. The South African producers claimed rooibos was a generic name never registered as a trademark. Finally a Missouri district court ordered Burke-Watkins to cancel her trademark. She at first decided to appeal, but later abandoned the idea. The dispute ravaged local products with R6 million in legal costs and eve involved the provincial government of the Western Cape. [6]

Family conflicts

In 2010, Theron's youngest daughter, Lorinda, brought a suit in the High Court of South Africa in Pretoria against her mother and other trustees of the Manna Forever and H.M. Theron Trust. She wanted trustees (including her mother) removed from the board so new ones could be appointed. She also wanted to ban them from trading on a property that was already on the market for R10 million, namely the headquarters of Forever Young. [7] She later dropped the suit.

In August of that year, Annique Theron sued Lorinda's husband, Armand Danie Theron (née Fick, but took his wife's last name) after alleging, among other things, that she had poisoned her late husband. The order demanded Armand Danie Theron not "assault, threaten, intimidate, or harass" Annique Theron (then living in Kyalami) or three of her children - Henk, Marius, and Suzette Ferreira - and their families. After the second court order was granted, Henk Theron explained to Beeld about the May order: "In a nutshell, Lorinda claims that I and [Dr. Theron], and to a lesser extent [Marius and Suzette] have 'stolen' her inheritance." He claimed that Armand Danie Theron was the "driving force" behind Lorinda's lawsuit. [8] In 2014, Lorinda and Armand were estranged and she was reconciled with her family and made peace with her mother.

Sources

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charlize Theron</span> South African actress (born 1975)

Charlize Theron is a South African and American actress and producer. One of the world's highest-paid actresses, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. In 2016, Time named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rooibos</span> Species of plant in the family Fabaceae

Rooibos, or Aspalathus linearis, is a broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's fynbos biome.

<i>The Broons</i> Scottish comic series

The Broons is a comic strip in Scots published in the weekly Scottish newspaper The Sunday Post. It features a Brown family, which lives in a tenement flat at 10 Glebe Street in the fictional Scottish town of Auchentogle or Auchenshoogle.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danie Craven</span> South African rugby union footballer, coach and administrator

Daniël Hartman Craven was a South African rugby union player (1931–1938), national coach, national and international rugby administrator, academic, and author. Popularly known as Danie, Doc, or Mr Rugby, Craven's appointment from 1949 to 1956 as coach of the Springboks signalled "one of the most successful spells in South African rugby history" during which the national team won 74% of their matches. While as a player Craven is mostly remembered as one of rugby's greatest dive-passing scrumhalves ever, he had also on occasion been selected to play for the Springboks as a centre, fly-half, No.8, and full-back. As the longest-serving President of the South African Rugby Board (1956–93) and chairman of the International Rugby Board, Craven became one of the best-known and most controversial rugby administrators. In 1969, Craven sparked outrage among anti-apartheid activists when he allegedly said, "There will be a black springbok over my dead body". Craven denied saying this and in his later career promoted coloured training facilities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality</span> Metropolitan municipality in Gauteng, South Africa

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality, also known as the City of Tshwane, is the metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of northern Gauteng in South Africa. The metropolitan area is centred on the city of Pretoria with surrounding towns and localities included in the local government area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa (NGK)</span> Christian denomination in South Africa

The Dutch Reformed Church is a Reformed Christian denomination in South Africa. It also has a presence in neighbouring countries, such as Namibia, Eswatini, and parts of Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. In 2013 it claimed 1.1 million members and 1,602 ordained ministers in 1,158 congregations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Piketberg</span> Place in Western Cape, South Africa

Piketberg is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa, located about 80 km east of Saldanha Bay. The original spelling of the name was "Piquetberg". The town is in the foothills of the Piketberg mountains, a range of low mountains formed from Table Mountain Sandstone.

This is a list of alleged sightings of unidentified flying objects or UFOs in South Africa.

Carellina Pieternella (Lina) Spies is an Afrikaans poet and academic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liza Brönner</span> South African singer-songwriter

Liza Brönner is a South African singer and songwriter. Her music is performed in both Afrikaans and English. Brönner is also a stage actress. Her debut album, Onderstebo was released on 21 September 2009 by EMI. This album has been repacked on 29 March 2010 with four new songs as Asemloos and also released by EMI. Her third album, Vir eers is dit net ek... was released on 1 September 2011 by HIT Records. In May 2013, Liza won the reality program searching for a replacement actor for the stage production (musical) Liefling. She plays the lead role across from Bobby van Jaarsveld playing Jan in the musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hoërskool Voortrekker (Boksburg)</span> Public school in Boksburg, Gauteng, South Africa

Hoërskool Voortrekker is a public Afrikaans medium co-educational high school situated in the municipality of Boksburg in the city of Ekurhuleni in the Gauteng province of South Africa. The academic school was established in 1920.

Events in the year 2014 in South Africa.

Marthinus Versfeld was a South African philosopher. From 1937 to 1972 he taught at the University of Cape Town. He was celebrated as researcher, enjoyed the recognition of the South African literary community and was known as an opponent of the Apartheid system. His work ranged from scholarly books to playful essays on issues like ethics, anthropology, the meaning of life.

Dis ek, Anna is a 2015 South African Afrikaans-language drama produced by Palama Productions based on novels by Anchien Troskie : Dis ek, Anna and Die Staat teen Anna Bruwer. Set in modern-day South Africa, it tells the story of Anna Bruwer, who avenges years of abuse suffered at the hands of her stepfather and the court case that ensues. Written by Tertius Kapp. Produced by Niel van Deventer. Directed by Sara Blecher and starring among others Charlene Brouwer, Marius Weyers, Nicola Hanekom, Morne Visser, Drikus Volschenk, Elize Cawood and Eduan van Jaarsveld.

Amanda Cecilia Swart is a South African biochemist who holds a professorship in biochemistry at Stellenbosch University. She is known for her research on rooibos, a herbal tea popular in South Africa, has been funded by the South African Rooibos Council in her research, and is frequently quoted in South African media promoting the reported health benefits of rooibos.

Margaret Joan Roberts was a South African herbalist and author of over 40 books on herbs and related topics. Margaret Roberts brought herbs into South Africa over 60 years ago and gave lectures about the benefits of herbs and healthy living, her motto was to 'Educate and Inspire'. The Margaret Roberts Herbal Centre in De Wildt, North West Province was developed by Margaret and is named after her, this continues with her daughter Sandy Roberts who has worked with Margaret for 32 years. Margaret has lent her name to product ranges including food ranges, toiletries, gifts, kitchenware, stationery, textiles, seeds and books. The Margaret Roberts Herbal Centre is known to be one of the top ten gardens in South Africa. Margaret is well known for her Margaret Roberts lavenders which she cross cultivated over 15 years and which is endemic to South Africa, also known for her Ginger Rosemary, High Hopes Basil and Margaret Roberts Rose, all of these varieties are named after her.

Cecile Cilliers was an Afrikaans freelance journalist and writer. The writer Madeleine van Biljon is her sister. She is predominantly known for her essays, but also published among others a children's collection and a number of religious books. She was involved in the N.G. Kerk and was the first non-ministerial woman to be elected vice-chairperson of the Sinodal Committee. In addition to her performance of the Christian Network Television's Program Focus Point, she also presented the television program Boeksusters on KykNET with her sister, Madeleine van Biljon.

Kristen Raath, is a South African actress and musician. She is best known for the role "Amorey Welman" in the soap opera 7de Laan.

Marguerite van Eeden is a South African actress and photographer. She is best known for her Afrikaans-language film roles in Vaselinetjie and Vergeet My Nie.

Izel Bezuidenhout is a South African actress. She began her career as a child actress. She is best known to international audiences for her roles in the films Flatland (2019) and Wild is the Wind (2022).

References

  1. "Genealogical profile of A.M. Heystek" . Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  2. "Biographical sketch on Geni.com" . Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  3. "(af) Huilende baba lei haar tot sakeryk". Beeld . 26 April 2009. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 1 March 2016.
  4. "(af) Groot gedenkdiens vir 'Moeder van Rooibos'". Maroela Media. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  5. "(af) Annekie/Annique in die TEEstorm". Rapport. 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  6. "(af) Skikking bereik oor gebruik van 'rooibos' in VSA". Rapport. 19 June 2005. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  7. "(af) Dogter vat familie in hof aan oor trustbates. Regsgeding oor die 'flagrante verbreking' van trustee se pligte". Die Burger . 27 May 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.
  8. "(af) Hof hoor sy vrees skoonseun. Hy dreig Annique-stigter glo met bewerings dat sy gemoor het". Beeld. 5 August 2010. Archived from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2016.