A dark chapter has befallen the rugby-mad residents of Khomasdal township following the shock death of one of the most colourful rugby icons of all times. The sudden death of former Villagers and Western Suburbs prop Theo Hess just two days after his 78th birthday has sent shockwaves amongst the community and those who came to know him as an easygoing, multitalented bloke.
Theo also cut his teeth in the dog-eat-dog industry of live music performance with the now-defunct Jimmy Grand Six ballroom and Comets pop bands back in the day. Apart from chasing the oval ball during the much-despised apartheid era in his adopted land South West Africa, he was equally home thumping the four strings ‘guit’ (bass guitar) with relative ease.
A Jack of all trades, Theo excelled in the classrooms, he was in real life a much sought-after qualified chartered accountant. His death has left a massive void in the various communities he served with a great measure of aplomb. May his gentle soul rest in ancestral power.
Born in the upmarket suburb of Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa in 1946, Theo came to the then-South West Africa (SWA) as a fairly young fellah barely out of his pair of short pants with his bookish parents to start a new adventure in the Land of the Brave.
Although he was more into playing live music, fronting Khomasdal pop ensemble Comets alongside his inseparable buddy Dennie Waggie, Theo was a talented athlete who excelled in almost everything he laid his hands on.
The bulky forward played club rugby for Khomasdal outfit the Villagers Rugby Club. Theo was a founding member of Western Suburbs Rugby Club, sharing the prestigious captain’s armband with eternal buddy Deon Waggie between 1971 and 1979.
When local authorities sanctioned an exhibition rugby match between the Blacks Central Invitational Fifteen and their white counterparts, Theo was thrown in the mix of things to test his strength and God-given talent against the superior whites fifteen.
With racial supremacy at stake, Theo and his determined teammates came out unscathed, gallantly showing their mettle. The fired-up Khomasdalers narrowly won the tightly-contested tie by 20 points to 18 in a no-holds thrilling match at the Suidwes Rugby Stadion in Namibia’s commercial hub Windhoek.
Theo will be best remembered for his exploits on the rugby field for his courageous display in the historic triumph against the strong Currie Cup-A campaigners Griquas side.
The selected Central Rugby Invitational Fifteen, made up of coloreds/basters players surprised friend and foe, dispatching the hosts by 10 points to 8 on their home turn in Kimberley in 1975.
In-between chasing the oval ball, the big-frame forward juggled his daily duties between balancing financial books and playing bass guitar for the live music performing band. He toured Cape Town with the famous Jimmy Grand Six band where they stunned the crowd with their new style of ballroom music (‘Langarm’), in township lingo.
Theo played a pivotal role in the composition of the famous waltz ‘Ricky’. The song was named after his then girlfriend Ricky January, a young gorgeous lass whom he met and fall over head with whilst playing live music in the coastal town of Walvis Bay.
During the band’s return journey to Windhoek, Bro Theo was completely hypnotised by the beauty of his newly-found love, and was completely under the ‘influence of love’, totally absent-minded.
As has become customary practice, there are no dull moments with musos, the usual ‘gwarra’ (banters) did not escape Bro Theo. ‘Heita Bro, verlang jy vir Ricky of wat’s jy so bek af’?…(’Hi Bro, do you already miss your newly acquired missus Ricky, or why are you so reserved’?.
Admittedly, it was jokingly resolved to compose a song in honour of Ricky in an effort to soothe his love pains.
That’s how the hit waltz ‘Ricky’ came into existence, and as they say, the rest is history.
And guess what…..as it turned out, Theo got hitched to his gorgeous lass Ricky, a salted schoolteacher by profession. The pair has been inseparable ever since. What a fairytale journey of a great man of substance.
The band was so popular that it broke racial barriers, dishing out live music at previously no-go areas for non-whites in establishments such as the Berg Hotel in Klein Windhoek.
Comets were the preferred resident band at the popular Star Hotel in Khomasdal. Go well Bro, your spotless legacy remains intact. This information was contributed by Theo’s eternal buddies Robbie Thompson and Dennie Waggie.
Paying homage to unheralded football icon
Daniel Petrus Kubas 1948 – 2024
Founder member of exciting Nomtsoub outfit Chief Santos Football Club in 1969, Daniel Kubas was a schoolteacher by trade, juggling his precious time between the classrooms and football fields.
Though he was originally from Grootfontein, Kubas played club football for Tsumeb-based teams Etosha Lions and Chief Santos Football Club. Tellingly, the well-respected educator was amongst the defectors from the Lions of the North that broke ties with Etosha Lions to form Chief Santos after an ugly fallout with team management.
He arrived in the Copper Town with fellow school teacher and homeboy Engelhard ‘Larney’ Gariseb, and the pair immediately announced their arrival with breathtaking performances that left their opponents green with envy.
Daniel was a devastating speedy winger who operated chalking the left flank. His trademark ball supplies contributed towards many goals. Truth be told, any footballer who shared the same dressing room with the legendary Chippa Moloi deserves a certain measure of respect. Some of his celebrated teammates were Elphas Sabatha, Larney Gariseb, Archie Ochurub and Selle Auhumeb.