Die Biltong Ou en sy Ma

Writer & Photographer: Hedda Mittner.

This biltong business can be traced back all the way to 1963 when we first started making biltong on the farm,” says Mariaan Beyleveldt, the widow of past Overstrand Mayor Theo Beyleveldt and now the proud co-owner, with their son Jaco, of the biltong shop at the Village Square called ‘Die Biltong Ou’.

Jaco Beyleveldt, (aka die biltong ou) with shop assistant Kim Bishop and his mom, Mariaan Beyleveldt, in their shop where they sell 100% local biltong with an authentic, South African flavour.

Mariaan grew up on a farm in the Free State, where her father farmed with sheep and cattle near the small town of Verkeerdevlei. She was the only girl, with four brothers, the youngest of whom later took over the family farm. Interestingly, it turns out that Mariaan’s late husband was not the only mayor in her life – her grandfather was the mayor of Verkeerdevlei for many years and also owned the Algemene Handelaar (general dealership) in the town.

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