The Grey years were very good to me. So, after military service in the air force, I started an academic career at the University of the Free State, followed by post-degree studies at the University of Pretoria, where I ended up with a PhD in International Relations.
Through Minister Pik Botha, I started a career in diplomacy and served as a diplomat in Washington DC, USA; as Deputy Chief of Mission in Canberra, Australia; and as South Africa’s Ambassador to Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Thereafter I spent a number of years as South Africa’s Ambassador to Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Panama. For a few years, I was heading the Foreign Policy, Research and Analysis Unit in the Department of Foreign Affairs. I was also involved with the constitutional negotiating process and personal assistant and advisor to President Nelson Mandela. In 2015, I retired at 65 from the public service. Lately I am involved in private foreign policy research.
Ek en Judy is 1975 getroud en ons het twee kinders. Ons dogter, Leandi, woon en werk in Johannesburg en ons seun, Henry, en sy vrou, Amy (‘n Amerikaner), woon en werk in Boston in die VSA. Ons kleinkinders, Gianna en Christian, is mal oor Suid-Afrika en kuier graag saam met hulle ouers by ons, waar hulle handevol biltong en dik steaks geniet.
Ons woon sedert 2008 in ’n pragtige natuurlandgoed in die midde van Pretoria-Oos. Ons geniet Pretoria se klimaat in verglyking met dié van Bloemfontein waar ek gebore en grootgeword het.