I. D. du Plessis

Izak David du Plessis, who published under the name I. D. du Plessis (25 June 1900, in Cape Town, Cape Colony – 11 December 1981 in Cape Town), was an Afrikaans-language writer. A successful writer in many genres, he is included among the Dertigers.

Du Plessis was instrumental in ensuring that the Bo-Kaap remained a Cape Malay area, during Apartheid (which also resulted in the non-Malay residents being formally removed from the area in terms of the Group Areas Act). He also advocated for the establishment of the University of the Western Cape for so-called Coloured students, and he was the first Chancellor. In 1937 his anthologies Vreemde Liefde (Strange Love) en Ballades (Ballads) received the Hertzog Prize for poetry, while in 1962 he received the Scheepers award for Youth literature. From the University of Cape Town, he received an honorary degree. On 11 December 1981, he died in Cape Town.