Steve Hofmeyr

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Steve Hofmeyr

| image = Steve Hofmyer crop.jpg

| caption = Steve Hofmeyr in 2007

| image_size =

| background = solo_singer

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1964|8|29}}

| birth_place = Pretoria, South Africa

| origin =

| instrument = Vocals

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

}}

| years_active = 1989–present

| label = Big Heart Productions

| associated_acts =

| website = {{URL|stevehofmeyr.co.za}}

| spouse = Natasha Sutherland (m. 1998; div. 2008)

Janine van der Vyver (m. 2014)

| current_members =

| past_members =

}}

Steve Hofmeyr (born 29 August 1964{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0389417/bio|title=Steve Hofmeyr Biography|publisher=IMDb|access-date=14 July 2020}}) is a South African musician, writer and actor known for his prominence in the Afrikaans music scene.{{cite web |url= http://mg.co.za/article/2013-10-10-red-october-march-steve-hofmeyr |title=Red October march calls for end to black-on-white violence |date=10 October 2014 |work=Mail & Guardian |access-date= 22 December 2014}} Outside of music, he is best known for his long-running role as Doug Durand on Egoli: Place of Gold, as well as his controversial statements and turbulent private life.

Early life and education

Hofmeyr was born on 29 August 1964 in Pretoria, the eldest of five boys to parents Stephanus Johannes Hofmeyr and Catharina Olivier. His grandfather whom he is named after, Steve Hofmeyr Sr., was a leader in the Ossewabrandwag.{{cite news |last1=Green |first1=Phyllis |date=7 March 2014 |title=Steve Hofmeyr gesels oor sy nuwe boek |url=http://www.sarie.com/lewe-liefdes/boeke/steve-hofmeyr-gesels-oor-sy-nuwe-boek/#/ |work=Sarie |language=af}}{{cite news |last1=Ebersöhn |first1=Piet |date=25 July 2012 |title=Eerste sportredakteur was Oxford Blue én owerste van Stormjaers |url=http://perskor.blogspot.de/2012/07/eerste-sportredakteur-was-oxford-blue.html |language=af}} Receiving his primary school education in Pretoria and Hennenman, he later attended Grey College in Bloemfontein and underwent compulsory military service for two years following graduation.{{Cite web |title=Steve Hofmeyr {{!}} TVSA |url=https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5487 |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=www.tvsa.co.za}} He studied drama at the Technikon Pretoria, but dropped out in 1986 to focus on his acting career.

Controversies and legal issues

=News Cafe Controversy=

In January 2007, there were reports that one branch of the News Cafe restaurant chain would not play Hofmeyr's song "Pampoen". The managing director of the company that owns the franchise denies that this is company policy and points out that many Afrikaans acts, such as Karen Zoid and Arno Carstens have performed at News Cafe.{{cite news | author = Eagan Williamson | title = News Cafe begin 'n ander (Afrikaanse) deuntjie sing | url = http://www.news24.com/Beeld/Suid-Afrika/0,,3-975_2051223,00.html | work = Beeld | date = 4 January 2007 | access-date = 8 January 2007 | language = af}}

=Racism=

On 12 May 2011, Hofmeyr released the lyrics to his new song called "Ons sal dit oorleef", which means "We will survive this". The song is controversial, because Hofmeyr threatened to include the ethnic slur "kaffir" in the lyrics of the song.{{cite news | url=http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2011/05/13/steve-hofmeyr-spits-venom | title=Steve Hofmeyr spits venom | date=12 May 2011 | access-date=17 May 2011}}

Hofmeyr removed the offensive word in his song, citing that the word would offend his black friends and colleagues.{{cite web|last=Sapa|title=K-word will offend my black friends, says Hofmeyr|date=17 May 2011|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2011-05-17-kword-will-offend-my-black-friends-says-hofmeyr|access-date=20 May 2011}}

In 2011, he made public that he supports the Afrikaner advocacy group "Expedition for Afrikaner Self-Determination" (Onafhanklike Afrikaner Selfbeskikkingsekspedisie, OASE).{{cite web|publisher=OASE|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjTmH5OXGvA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211222/CjTmH5OXGvA |archive-date=2021-12-22 |url-status=live|title=Steve Hofmeyr Supports OASE|date=8 September 2011}}{{cbignore}}

Hofmeyr was heavily criticised after performing the former South African national anthem, Die Stem, at the Innibos cultural festival in Nelspruit in July 2014.{{cite web |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/hofmeyr-sings-die-stem-at-innibos-1.1716416#.VJgh814C8|title=Hofmeyr sings Die Stem at Innibos |date=8 July 2014 |publisher=iol News |access-date=22 December 2014}} He went on to perform the anthem on international tours, and encouraged white South Africans to continue singing it, stating that it did not contain any form of hate speech.

In October 2014, Hofmeyr wrote and published a tweet stating that he believed that black South Africans were the "architects of apartheid" on his public Twitter account. This prompted a significant public backlash.{{cite web|title=Hofmeyr faces Twitter backlash after Apartheid post|url=http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Hofmeyr-faces-Twitter-backlash-after-apartheid-post-20141028}} One of Hofmeyr's critics was puppeteer Conrad Koch through his puppet Chester Missing, who launched a campaign calling on companies to stop sponsoring Hofmeyr. On 27 November 2014, Hofmeyr failed to acquire a final protection order against Koch and his puppet in the Randburg Magistrate's Court.{{cite web |url=http://www.bdlive.co.za/national/2014/11/27/steve-hofmeyr-0-chester-missing-1|title=Steve Hofmeyr 0, Chester Missing 1 |date=28 November 2014 |publisher=Business Day |access-date=22 December 2014}}

Hofmeyr has given statements indicative of apartheid denialism,{{cite news|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2014-10-30-chester-missing-questions-steve-hofmeyr-sponsorship|access-date=11 April 2015|title=Chester Missing questions sponsorship of 'apartheid denialist'|work=Mail & Guardian|agency=SAPA|date=30 October 2014}} leading various journalists and political analysts to label him a "disgrace to South Africa".{{cite news|last1=Dawjee|first1=Haji Mohamed|title=Steve Hofmeyr: 7 books from his library|url=http://mg.co.za/article/2014-10-29-the-library-of-a-right-wing-afrikaner-nationalist|access-date=3 November 2014|work=Mail & Guardian|date=29 October 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Cronje|first1=Frans|title=Steve Hofmeyr, you're a disgrace to South Africa|url=http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71654?oid=236445&sn=Detail|website=PoliticsWeb|access-date=3 November 2014}}{{cite web|last1=Gous|first1=Nico|title=Hofmeyr in onderonsie oor 'white trash'|url=http://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/hofmeyr-in-onderonsie-oor-white-trash-20161110|website=Netwerk24|access-date=10 November 2016}}{{Cite web|url=https://mg.co.za/article/2014-07-16-die-stem-steve-hofmeyr-and-a-die-hard-sense-of-idealism|title = Steve Hofmeyr, 'Die Stem' and living in the past|date = 16 July 2014}}

=Views on LGBTQ+ issues=

Hofmeyr criticized Disney's plan to have more inclusive characters, suggesting this was a way of teaching children "bestiality" and that the "+” in LGBTQ+ could be inclusive of relationships with animals.{{Cite web |title=SA Human Rights Commission wants R500k from Steve Hofmeyr for LGBTIQ+ comments |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2022-04-13-sa-human-rights-commission-wants-r500k-from-steve-hofmeyr-for-lgbtiq-comments/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=TimesLIVE |language=en-ZA}} The South African Human Rights Commission has set out demands for Hofmeyr to pay an amount of R500,000 to an NPO who fights for the rights of the LGBTQ+ community, post a formal apology to the LGBTQ+ community, serve 20 hours of community service at an LGBTQ+ center, and attend a workshop on diversity and inclusivity. As of October 2023 there is no evidence of Hofmeyr committing to such obligations.{{Cite web |last=SAHRC |title=Steve Hofmeyr faces music from Human Rights Commission over Disney bestiality comments |url=https://www.sahrc.org.za/index.php/sahrc-media/news/item/3074-steve-hofmeyr-faces-music-from-human-rights-commission-over-disney-bestiality-comments |access-date=2022-11-26 |website=www.sahrc.org.za |language=en-gb}}

=Claims about murders of white South Africans=

{{Further|Crime in South Africa|White genocide conspiracy theory}}

Hofmeyr has made numerous claims relating to murders of white South Africans. Hofmeyr has claimed that whites, and in particular Afrikaners, are being "killed like flies", posting on Facebook that "my tribe is dying". Hofmeyr also posted a picture of a "World Cup soccer stadium" which he claimed could be filled by the number of whites murdered by blacks. Africa Check, a fact-checking organisation has found Hofmeyr's claims to be "incorrect and grossly exaggerated", pointing out that whites are in fact "less likely to be murdered than any other race group". Lizette Lancaster from the Institute for Security Studies told Africa Check that "Whites are far less likely to be murdered than their black or coloured counterparts." While white South Africans account for nearly 9% of the population, they account for 1.8% of murder victims.{{Cite web|url=https://africacheck.org/reports/are-white-afrikaners-really-being-killed-like-flies/|title=Are SA whites really being killed 'like flies'? Why Steve Hofmeyr is wrong}}

=Removal from MultiChoice networks=

On 30 April 2019, all content with Hofmeyr was removed from all MultiChoice networks, most notably DStv after Steve's song "Die Land" (The Land) was removed from an award show category by Multichoice's request.{{Cite web |title=From racist tweet to viral rant: The Steve Hofmeyr drama unpacked |url=https://www.news24.com/channel/News/Local/from-racist-tweet-to-viral-rant-the-steve-hofmeyr-drama-unpacked-20190503 |access-date=2022-03-17 |website=Channel |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/304688-dstv-bans-any-content-with-steve-hofmeyr.html|title=DStv bans any content with Steve Hofmeyr|date=2019-04-30|access-date=2019-04-30}} In response, Hofmeyr called for a boycott of Multichoice,{{cite web|url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2019-05-21-i-insist-on-my-boycott-steve-hofmeyr-hits-back-at-being-debated-on-kyknet/|title='I insist on my boycott': Steve Hofmeyr hits back at being debated on kykNET|date=2019-05-21|access-date=2019-06-03}} calling for fans to destroy their DStv boxes.{{cite web|url=https://mybroadband.co.za/news/broadcasting/305150-gone-with-dstv.html|title=Gone with DStv|date=2019-05-05}} Due to this, fellow Afrikaans singers Bobby van Jaarsveld and Bok van Blerk boycotted a number of televised award shows and concerts in solidarity.[https://www.iol.co.za/entertainment/music/local/afrikaans-artists-boycott-ghoema-awards-in-solidarity-with-steve-hofmeyr-21552448 Afrikaans artists boycott Ghoema Awards in solidarity with Steve Hofmeyr], IOL, April 18, 2019

= Legal issues =

In December 2008, Hofmeyr poured a cup of cold tea over Huisgenoot magazine editor Esmaré Weideman at the Miss South Africa finals, reportedly due to him blaming her and two other journalists for his recent divorce.Philip de Bruin, News 24 (South Africa),[http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,,2-1225-1242_2443046,00.html "Steve gets shir-tea with editor"], 17 December 2008 [https://web.archive.org/web/20090204080823/http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,,2-1225-1242_2443046,00.html (Archived link)] Weideman and Hofmeyr subsequently sued each other for assault and invasion of privacy respectively, but both withdrew their claims in 2011.{{cite web |title=Hofmeyr and editor end legal stand-off |url=http://www.legalbrief.co.za/article.php?story=20110411082345874 |url-access=subscription |access-date=26 September 2013 |publisher=Legalbrief}}

On 19 December 2013, Hofmeyr was arrested in Bronkhorstspruit for driving 169 km/h in an 80 km/h zone, and was released on bail of R500. He was subsequently fined R10,000 in the Bronkhorstspruit Magistrate's Court on 23 January 2014.{{cite web |date=23 January 2014 |title=Steve Hofmeyr fined R10 000 for speeding |url=http://www.channel24.co.za/News/Local/Steve-Hofmeyr-fined-R10-000-for-speeding-20140123 |access-date=11 April 2015 |work=Channel24.co.za}}

Personal life

Hofmeyr identifies as a Christian.{{Cite tweet |number=269659340179374080 |user=steve_hofmeyr |title=En sonder geloof is dit onmoontlik… |access-date=17 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230321173433/https://twitter.com/steve_hofmeyr/status/269659340179374080 |archive-date=Mar 21, 2023 |url-status=live |lang=af |url-access=limited |url=https://twitter.com/steve_hofmeyr/status/269659340179374080}}

Hofmeyr married actress Natasha Sutherland, whom he had met on the set of Egoli: Place of Gold in 1998. They have two sons, Benjamin and Sebastian. The couple divorced in 2008 following revelations of his affairs with several women, including with fitness instructor Janine van der Vyver, for the entirety of their marriage.Philip de Bruin, News 24, [http://www.news24.com/News24/Entertainment/Local/0,,2-1225-1242_2443465,00.html "Steve 'needs psychiatric help"], 17 December 2008{{cite web |title=Hofmeyr pays up in time for wedding |url=http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/hofmeyr-pays-up-in-time-for-wedding-1.1636171#.U6RvXk3QdaS}} Following a legal dispute between him and van der Vyver, they later reconciled and married on 26 January 2014.{{Cite web |last=Heever |first=Megan van den |date=2024-02-13 |title=Steve Hofmeyr: Who are his children, baby mamas? [photos] |url=https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/celeb-news/local-celebs/steve-hofmeyr-wife-mistress-affair-children-devon-latest/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=The South African |language=en-ZA}} Their daughter, Romy Lee, was born 19 June 2017.{{cite web |title=Congrats, pa! Steve Hofmeyr is a dad for the sixth time |url=https://www.timeslive.co.za/tshisa-live/tshisa-live/2017-06-19-congrats-pa-steve-hofmeyr-is-a-dad-for-the-sixth-time/}}

Hofmeyr has a total of six children with five different women, and his turbulent private life has drawn frequent media attention.{{cite web |title=Steve Hofmeyr |url=http://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=5487 |access-date=11 April 2015 |publisher=TVSA}}{{cite web |date=22 May 2012 |title=Q&A: Steve Hofmeyr |url=http://rollingstone.co.za/opinion/item/903-qaa-steve-hofmeyr |access-date=16 July 2012 |publisher=RollingStone Magazine}}

Discography

Desertbound (1989){{cite web|title=CD Discography|url=http://stevehofmeyr.co.za/website/multimedia-links/cd-link|publisher=Steve Hofmeyr Official Website|access-date=23 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140728225518/http://stevehofmeyr.co.za/website/multimedia-links/cd-link|archive-date=28 July 2014|df=dmy-all}}
Only Me (1990)
Steve (1991)
No Hero (1992)
Tribute (1993)
Tribute Volume 2 (1994)
The Hits/Die Treffers (1994)
Decade (1995)
Close to You - single (1997)
True to You (1997)
Die Bloubul - single (1997)
Southern Cross (1999)
Die Bok Kom Weer (1999)
Beautiful Noise (2000)
Grootste Treffers Volume 2 (2000)
Engele Om Ons (2001)
Toeka (2003)
Toeka 2 (2004)
Grootste Platinum Treffers (2005)
Laaities & Ladies (2006)
Waarmaker (2007)
Go Bulle Go - EP (2008)
Sings Kris Kristofferson (2008)
Solitary Man – Songs of Neil Diamond (2009)
Duisend en Een (2010)
Haloda (2011) (SA No. 16{{cite web|url=http://www.rsg.co.za/ |title=SA Top 20 |publisher=SABC |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120119062749/http://www.rsg.co.za/|archive-date=2012-01-19}})
25 Jaar se Bestes (2012)
Toeka 3 (2014) (SA No. 1{{cite web|url=http://www.rsg.co.za/ |title=SA Top 20 |publisher=SABC |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024035421/http://www.rsg.co.za/|archive-date=2014-10-24}})
If you could read my mind (2015) (SA No. 2{{cite web |title=SA Top 20 |url=http://www.rsg.co.za/3 |publisher=Recording Industry of South Africa |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151130095606/http://www.rsg.co.za/|archive-date=2015-11-30 |access-date=25 October 2019 |language=af |df=mdy-all }})
Skree (2017) (SA No. 1{{cite web|url=http://www.rsg.co.za/ |title=SA Top 20 |publisher=SABC |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171115165359/http://www.rsg.co.za/|archive-date=2017-11-15 }})
The Country Collection (2018) (SA No. 1{{cite web|url=http://www.rsg.co.za/ |title=SA Top 20 |publisher=SABC |access-date=25 October 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104030921/http://www.rsg.co.za/|archive-date=2019-01-04 }})
The Country Collection Vol. 3 (2019)
Mamba (2024)