2008. Post Apartheid: Fraser Esslemont and Carer Letters 2005

My June 2005 letter to Fraser's Durban curator / administrator: "Thanks for the copy of Fraser's 17th Curatorship Estate Account received recently.

I appreciate what you have done for Fraser. It gives me peace of mind, as I am unable to help Fraser financially, nor even visit him, as our finances after ten years' residence in NZ are still precarious.

I'm alarmed by the negative balance in Fraser's account. As Fraser is a survivor, and as he has longevity history on both maternal and paternal sides of his family - relatives have lived to over 90 years old - I would appreciate your projections / planning of Fraser's finances to include Fraser outliving us all. Fraser could easily live to be 90 years old.

If you have not already done so, I would appreciate it very much if you would consider and expedite future higher rates of interest of Fraser's investments. The more interest earned on Fraser's investments the best for everyone concerned...

PS. Last Saturday the All Blacks gave the Lions a hiding in Christchurch. Foul weather helped."

Fraser Esslemont's September 2005 Sunnyside Farm dispatch: "Please forgive me for not writing sooner. I procrastinate with letter writing for months on end. Your birthday card I sent I dont want to deface with writing on it. From me a belated happy birthday and a voorspoedige nuwe jaar. You will have many more birthdays. [Et tu bro].

I received the photos you kindly sent on 20 March 2005. The 5 principals at Burnside High must have a big job controlling 2500 pupils. [Luke's new school]. Northlands High battled with 1000 pupils in 1972. Does Luke have a troublesome class? [No]. Jake's graphic design course would have been finished at varsity. Which Varsity? [Natcoll, local graphic design college]. Jake plays guitar and Luke plays piano. You and Leah must suffer with them practising, when they do practise. [Leah maybe. Me no: deaf].

Please inform me exactly how your pc works. It must help Jake and Luke with their graphic design course and high school studies. Congratulations on having lived 10 years in a new land. There must have been many ups and downs. [Yes].

Thank you for the jade pebble. [From Birdling Flats beach]. This will be a treasure on this farm. Ill handle it as a family heirloom. You will see it again. I wont have the jade carved. Possibly two rings made of it later. Could one make two earings from this pebble? [Yes, hard stone].

I did receive old photos and slides of my overseas trips. Thank you. Receiving your letters is a pleasure because I am somewhat isolated doing farming. Please let me know what happens with Jake's graphic design. It will be a difficult field to enter." True.

Fraser's Zulu social worker's letter September 2005: "Fraser Esslement [sic] is doing fine at Sunnyside Farm. He is a very responsible client [Client!] in the Workshop, he helps to pack the boxes of washers that are delivered to contract companies and he also works in the garden.

Mentally he is stable and he is taking medication properly. Fraser's behaviour is good, as I never received any incident report since I started in March this year. [So what? He's decertified]. He is getting on well with residents and also respects the Staff members. [Fraser was always sociable. Why couldn't Town Hill work that out over 9.5 years?]

We will inform you of any changes or new things that is happening. He posted a letter to you about two weeks ago. I hope you received that now. Sr... often encourages him to write, but I don't think it is something he likes to do!!!"

The Zulu social worker didn't last long.

Copyright Mark JS Esslemont.

See The Great South African Land Scandal by Dr. Philip du Toit.