BARBER TO THE BOKS

He's been cutting hair for almost 50 years. But it's the more than 40 jackets and signed jerseys from Springbok players whose hair he's done that make him a cut above the rest

- ROSS MICHAELS

JOOST van der Westhuizen's shorts hang on one wall alongside a pair that once belonged to Ollie le Roux. On another, Francois Pienaar's famous Bok jersey is proudly displayed near one that Ian MacDonald wore in his day.

Springbok paraphernalia is everywhere here - jerseys, flags, books, autographed photographs, hundreds of caps, rugby balls, jackets, scarves and ties cover every available surface.

If not for the barber chairs in the middle of room, you'd be forgiven for thinking you'd stepped into a rugby museum.

This is Bennie's Barber Shop in Newlands, Randburg - the place where Bennie Botes earns his living surrounded by one of the biggest private collections of all things Springbok in the country.

Bennie has more than 40 Springbok jackets and signed jerseys on display, all given to him by the players themselves.

Many of them have also had their locks lopped here, including Hennie le Roux, Japie Mulder, Ian MacDonald and Kobus Wiese.

When he opened the doors to his shop 18 years ago, it looked like barber shops everywhere, Bennie says - plain white walls like in a doctor's consulting rooms.

A friend suggested he try something different, and Bennie's Barber Shop started life as a sports-themed business.

"We brought in all sports," he recalls.

"We had cricket bats, we had fishing rods, you name it, we had everything.

But at the end of the day rugby dominated.’’

Rugby-mad Bennie would go to matches and when word of his barber shop got out, players would come in for a snip and a shave.

Players and people from all walks of life started donating Bok gear and mementos, and the walls of Bennie’s shop were soon full and fascinating.

‘‘Almost all of this is from players – these jerseys you see aren’t ordinary jerseys. There are quite a few caps, ties and rugby balls and so on. And everything is gifted, I haven’t bought anything.