Fans forgive Joost
2009-11-08 22:44
Pretoria - Joost van der Westhuizen has been forgiven - at least by the supporters who attended the launch of his book in Pretoria at the weekend.
Van der Westhuizen seemed relaxed, wearing jeans and a blue cap, as he chatted to fans waiting for him to autograph their books at the Menlyn Park shopping centre.
Here and there grown men and women had tears in their eyes when they greeted him.
Marius Pretorius and his son, Marinus, 21, came all the way from Middelburg in Mpumalanga for the opportunity to see Joost.
"We're big Blue Bulls supporters. I have a lot of compassion for Joost, for what he's going through.
"He and his family have some very hard work to do now. Right now he needs the support of the people closest to him very much," said Pretorius.
He feels the time has come for people to stop casting stones.
We all make mistakes
"If you ask me, if Joost makes it through this crisis, he'll be an even bigger role model in future than he was before."
Elize Henn from Hermanus who is visiting in Pretoria, also had the opportunity to meet Joost. "He's only human. We all make mistakes. It's as simple as that."
Cornél Haywood of Pretoria said: "I can forgive Joost. The Lord was sent for sinners. Joost has confessed, so we should forgive him seven times 70."
Haywood said he'd also been through hell in his lifetime. "But I came to know the Lord and I now look up to Him each and every day. My advice to Joost would be to do the same."
Another supporter, Anel Mocke from Pretoria, said: "We all have skeletons in the closet and none of us has the right to judge. If Joost has learned from his mistakes, anyone can forgive him. It all depends on him now."
'Oh gosh'
David Gemmell, writer of the book Joost - The man in the Mirror, said he's surprised by the overwhelmingly positive reaction.
Besides Joost's confession in the book, Gemmell thinks it's also just a "lekker" book full of humour and anecdotes.
He expects the Afrikaans version, translated by the singer Chris Chameleon, to have equally impressive sales.
Representatives of the publishing house would not reveal how many copies of the book have been sold thus far.
Regarding his involvement with Joost and the writing of the book, Gemmell said that since he met Joost, they've had an emotional journey.
He has much appreciation for the fact that Joost didn't want to change anything regarding the book's content.
"Only once, where I had written 'Oh, God', he asked if we could change it to 'Oh gosh'."
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