As South Africa gears up to celebrate 100 years of Afrikaans as an official language, RSG (Radio Sonder Grense) is set to launch a brand new afternoon drama series, Sending van Vêr.

Scripting the journey is celebrated writer Eben Cruywagen, who has crafted 23 episodes that will captivate audiences. The finale, highly anticipated, will air on 8 May—marking a century of Afrikaans.

In the lead-up to these momentous celebrations, RSG has been busy creating engaging content to highlight the significance of the Afrikaans language.

Since May 2024, Cruywagen has been commissioned to breathe fresh life into classic tales while also introducing new narratives that reflect the colourful tapestry of Afrikaans.

Select adaptations from this initiative are currently available as podcasts, including titles such as Die Sprinkaanbeampte van Sluis, Ou Leeumelker, and Gelykheid en Broederskap.

Cruywagen has expressed enthusiasm over the project, explaining that his aim is to showcase the creativity and versatility of Afrikaans with a touch of interstellar adventure.

A tribute to Afrikaans’ power of imagination

He stated, “With this series, I wanted to showcase the creativity, versatility, and adaptability of the Afrikaans language, as well as its ability to create neologisms—even in a quasi-scientific realm, such as in the distant future.”

Acknowledging Afrikaans' power to evolve, he hopes this unique space journey through algorithms will inspire listeners to appreciate the language's imaginative potential.

The inspiration for Sending van Vêr owes much to C.J. Langenhoven’s influential work, Loeloeraai, widely regarded as the first Afrikaans science fiction tale.

Langenhoven championed Afrikaans as an official language and whose themes resonate throughout Cruywagen’s new series. Loeloeraai himself makes a brief detour back to Oudtshoorn in 1923, intertwining historical context with contemporary storytelling.

Groundbreaking radio

Under the direction of Johan Rademan, Sending van Vêr promises to be a groundbreaking radio experience, intertwining education and entertainment.

Rademan noted, “Cruywagen skilfully uses dialogue as an educational tool—not only to engage with the current discourse on language and its 100-year journey but also to dissect and project bold assumptions and conclusions.”

The production aims to evoke the allure of classics while entertaining modern listeners with a structure that creatively bridges historical and futuristic narrative elements.

The captivating story follows Loeloeraai, played by DeKlerk Oelofse, who embarks on an odyssey from an alien galaxy to Earth, seeking vital resources while unwittingly engaging with local actors in a drama of cosmic proportions.

Central to his journey are characters like Sagmoedige Neelsie (André Terblanche), who yearns for Afrikaans recognition, and Didius Deelman (Enrico Hartzenberg), a budding space enthusiast from Stellenbosch University.

However, the mission takes a dark turn when they discover a secret agenda involving a geneticist (Wilhelm van der Walt) intent on erasing the gene responsible for human speech. The ensuing chaos thrusts Didius and the others into a fast-paced adventure that sees them spiralling 3,000 years into a dystopian future, underlining the dire consequences of losing their linguistic heritage.

As the narrative hurtles towards its climax, our heroes return to 1997 to thwart the geneticist, ensuring the preservation of Afrikaans for generations to come. By the time they revisit the Taalmonument (Language Monument) in the year 5025, Afrikaans has transcended earthly boundaries and is now celebrated as an intergalactic language, a testament to its resilience and creative spirit.

Sending van Vêr will air every weekday until 8 May 2025 on RSG and rsg.co.za

Episodes will also be available as podcasts.

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