Nicolaas van Rensburg interpreted from symbolic dreams and visions to make hundreds of “predictions” across a lifetime that began on the Western Transvaal Frontier in 1864 and ended after decades of tumult in 1926.
Believers in the prophesies of the Siener (Seer) — who remain legion today — consider that he predicted the First World War, the rise of Bolshevism, the AIDS pandemic, the rise, fall and rise of the Afrikaner nation amid race war, and, most ominously, apocalyptic world war.
Klasie, as he was called in his youth “was a fragile, timid and intense child,” as South African journalist and essayist Max du Preez describes him.* He carried an air of unfathomable sadness — as one might if burdened by a too much knowledge and insight. His first vision came when he was seven and his father was away from their farm. A neighbor arrived to warn Klasie’s mother Annie that a Koranna (mixed race) bandit gang led by a bad actor called Skeelkoos was poised to raid the farm.
Du Preez describes what happened next:
“She made arrangements to flee, but Klasie told her that God had come to him in a dream and told him that He would protect them, but that they had to stay right there on the farm that night. When Klasie refused to leave, his mother decided to remain there, with her three other children. Klasie stayed awake with her all night. In the first morning light, they saw Skeelkoos and his henchmen near the house, but they never attacked. For no apparent reason, the men suddenly ran away. Nobody knew why Skeelkoos and his gang didn’t attack that night or what scared them off.”
When the Second Anglo-Boer War broke out in 1899, Nicolaas rode out with his brother on commando, under the leadership of Koos de la Rey. He had terrible visions of the British burning out the Boers, which would not come to pass for over a year yet — visions that left him in a distraught state.
He wasn’t the easiest fellow to be around in camp or laager, but his comrades came to value him as he seemed to be able to predict where British troops were or were not — a useful talent in wartime.
Not everybody found him credible. The hard-headed, practical, well-educated Deneys Rietz considered him a charlatan. In his memoir, he recounted what he referred to as a “lucky hit” by the Boer mystic.
“(Van Rensburg was) … a prophet, a strange character, with long flowing beard and wild fanatical eyes, who dreamed dreams and pretended to possess occult powers. I personally witnessed one of the lucky hits while we were congregated around the General’s cart. Van Rensburg was expounding his latest vision to a hushed audience. It ran of a black bull and a red bull fighting, until at length the red bull sank defeated to its knees, referring to the British. Arms outstretched and eyes ablaze, he suddenly called out: See, who comes?; and, looking up, we made out a distant horseman spurring towards us. When he came up, he produced a letter from General Botha, hundreds of miles away.
“General de la Rey opened it and said: “Men, believe me, the proud enemy is humbled”. The letter contained news that the English had proposed a peace conference. “Coming immediately upon the prophecy, it was a dramatic moment and I was impressed, even though I suspected that van Rensburg had stage-managed the scene. Of the general’s sincerity there could be no doubt as he firmly believed in the seer’s predictions.”
Van Rensburg’s visions included the deaths of his own children in a British concentration camp.
Du Preez recounts that:
“Siener once described to a friend the physical experience of a vision. He felt pressure in the back of his head and became dizzy. Then he lay on his back with his eyes closed and his hands behind his head. He sensed a blurriness in front of his closed eyes, which became denser until it felt like storm clouds milling about, and then he started to see things. Everything appeared in the form of symbols, and, uneducated man that he was, these symbols all related to his tiny world: animals, farm implements, scenes from nature. And all in color.”
As with Nostradamus, it is easy to retrospectively attribute accuracy to symbolic visions after an event has occurred: “Of course this meant…” His 1911 image of a vast thunderstorm breaking over Europe and raining blood isn’t mysterious after August 1914.
“Lucky hits” or true “Sight”? One’s own makeup and biases will determine how much credence one lends to prophets and seers. The Siener retains a following to this day, particularly among Afrikaners of conservative and deeply religious bent. He is highly regarded among the Suidlanders, who have created the world’s largest non-state civil defense organization in the world (see suidlanders.org) in anticipation of civil war and white genocide in South Africa — developments van Rensburg is interpreted to have envisioned.
Certainly, recent proposals for land expropriation and the declaration by Julius Malema, leader of the radical SA Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF party) that they are “cutting the throat of whiteness” bode ill for the future of the Siener’s people.
I believe something uncanny was going on with Nicolaas van Rensburg. I have known people who truly seemed to be tapped into some other level of insight or intuition. And I have known people who claim intuitive powers who are entirely full of shit. Van Rensburg was clearly not working a con. His visions did not lead to personal prosperity, and were occasioned by a great deal of pain. What they were, I cannot say. Perhaps as we learn more about the function of the brain and of the nature of consciousness, we will discover insights into the nature of people like the Siener.
* Of Warriors, Lovers and Prophets: Unusual Stories from South Africa’s Past, by Max du Preez.
Traven Torsvan says
A violent white supremacist group embracing bizzare mysticism isnt too strange. The Nazis had their own occult crank theories about lost aryan civilizations in Antarctica and a warped version of Buddhist prophecy
https://studybuddhism.com/en/advanced-studies/history-culture/shambhala/the-nazi-connection-with-shambhala-and-tibet
Botha says
Traven Torsvan. Why don’t you get the hell off this website. You clearly are not of Boer descent and no respect for out right to freedom of association and self determination. We shall reclaim out country with the help of our Almighty God. Best you keep your ignorant and derogatory opinions to yourself.
Matthew says
This story is an uncanny one all right. I’m not sure we can really know the truth of his visions.
Norman Andrews says
Being able to predict where enemy troops were,reminds me of something I read about Lozen the female apache warrior, if I recall right she was a ” seer” as well.
Norm.
JimC says
Lozen was regarded as having this Power — as was Geronimo.
Jason Betzinez recalled that Geronimo suddenly grew agitated while on a raid and told his compares that U.S. soldiers had raided their base camp. This turned out to be true.
“I cannot explain it to this day,” Betzinez wrote, “but I was there and I saw it.”
Matthew says
Abraham Lincoln supposedly dreamt of his death before it happened.
People who do dangerous work sometimes develop instincts that are uncanny.
JimC says
Forgot about the Lincoln premonition. That was a spooky one.
felonious monk says
You can’t live the past, but the past lives with you. Look at that man’s face
that is one old soul. I recently heard someone describe photography as the
first draft of history. So to add a few more shades of grey:
Jeremy Harding.At the Pompidou: David Goldblatt. LRB 26 April 2018
JimC says
A lot of pain in those eyes.
Estelle Kuys says
You are very illeterate if you think their is a resemblance between occult and prohecies. Occult is from satan and will take you to hell and back. Prophecies are given by the one and only God and is confirmed by other prophets or Christians. The prophwcies in thr Bible are coming one of the other to full realization. Better to learn who God is before Jesus comes.
JimC says
Perhaps you should spell illiterate correctly when accusing others of being illiterate.
George says
he is not a prophet but a person who believe in A white leader of the Caliphate that will be born in German who will be a monster that will rule After world war 4 World War 3 is not Amargeddon white people dont know their bible well Its true German will rule the world for A short time as God decide to take away world leadership from white Monsters and give it to Other race in the next thousands of years These empires will rule the world each in their time China After German world War 5 Holland German will disappear USA destroyed they will be weak to fight no longer Important power Then After China it will be South America After Africa Black people will rule the world then After others Then After Russia will fight World War in the space for 80 years then rule the world then after India After Turkey then After Arabs Then After Syria then After Spain when Syria will experience end time destruction not false teaching of Mother Shipton Nicolaas Van And Nostradamus who believe and Worship German Leader Monster I will expose it soon
Barry says
You do not have a clue what you talking about. He was a prophet from God. God spoke to him everyday that is where is predictions came from. Everything he predicted was true and still. God never lies.
Mayo says
This is lies war world 3 is not the last one white racist Boers are lying they are aliens all Anglo Saxon they use Alein Powers to fight war this is a vision i was Given a Revelation about the future White people are preaching imperialism Liers jesus they worship is this Greman leader who will come after world war 4 Republic of Europe he is not the antichrist world war 3 and 4 are not amaggeddon lies of white people they deleted stuff in the bible about these Empires That will rule after German world war 4 german will create world war 5 then in the next 1000s of years China Japan will rule the world for a long time then they will create Israel then after world war 6 South america will rule the world restore Israel by the way Israel must fullfill Ezekiel 23 white people are racist who worship a white image from german Then After Afrika Black jews will rule the world for 500 years in it is zulu igbo Kenya and ethopia they will restore Israel then After new Europe Then After Russia will fight world war 7 in Zepphaniah 1 then The prophet will come down to recreate Israel and Large spain both will be like Europe in size then India turkey will rule the world for 1000s of years Revelation 2 and 3 then New lands new race will be created then after new race will rule the world then After Arabs will rule daniel 11 then after Syria will rule the world then after Large Spain will the the world restore Israel all races no white people they will not exist because of sins evil they did aliens then ammaggeddon 666 then Gods return
Michael Curtis Sprague says
Above all else –Trust God
George says
i believe world war 3 and 4 will happen west will win it by witchcraft then they will fall after during german republic of europe baba vanga mentioned world war 3 and 4 will start in a calender like 1982 so 2021 has got days similar to 1982 i was given this thursday 14 october 1982 so thursday 14 october 2021
George says
nicolaas van rensburg was correct that world war 3 and 4 will happen he said is the last one he was wrong he must say it is the last one white people will fight and win after they will never win another war witchcraft of Queen hillary clinton will help them with their Jesus chiren from German