Handri Loubser (joined 2012)
Handri was born in Swakopmund and matriculated in 2007 from Namib High School. She started singing lessons with Wilna Liebenberg when she was about 7 years old and has been singing since then. She is a qualified Chef and specialized in Pastry and worked in the Cape at Blaauwklippen Wine Estate as the Head Pastry Chef. She came back to Swakopmund in 2012 and has been singing in the Cgals Chamber Choir since then. She now works at Horse Mania Trading. When she is not at work she is at the stables.
Handri has been on two overseas tours with the Cgals, once to Latvia and once to Russia, both for the World Choir games where they did really well. She also went to Namibia’s neighbour country, South Africa for the World Choir Games in Tswane. She was also part of the group that came second at the ATKV Animato Competition in South Africa in 2013. She enjoys singing in the choir because it is a way to express herself and also challenges herself! To her the Cgals are like a family and they all support each other in their everyday lives outside choir as well. She is proud to be able to sing in this choir.
Handri’s hobbies include photography, cooking, being outdoors camping and spending time in nature and with animals.
Rita Maree (Coetzee) joined 2023
Rita has 4 children…the oldest are twins whom are both married and the younger daughters are both students. She is also a proud grandmother of 2 lovely grandchildren.
Her family life has always centred around finding and developing each one’s individual full potential through their talents and passions. Music has played the strongest roles in their life and all her children did music…either singing and/or other instruments. Getting together after a long break is normally around a piano, drums etc. They basically cover the full spectrum – from soprano (opera and musical), 1st alto, 2nd alto, falsetto and her son with a deeper male voice. Her son, however, chose to get rid of his energy levels via sport. The girls support him again in joining that side for fun. Music and sport are their spheres of happiness to find balance and peace.
Rita is an introvert but love people… and can even be the heart of the party…. but then go back to her cave. She is a radiographer by career and also do Cranio Sacral Therapy in her free time, which is her passion. To bring change and support health and wellness truly makes her happy.
All her children left the nest and being single, she needs to get active and creative again. The choir is just the place for that!
Sammy Neumann (joined 1998)
Sammy has been working in the tourist industry for many years and is currently working at Hotel Prinzessin Rupprecht as Hotel Manager.
Sammy has been a member of the Cgals Chamber Choir since 1998 and is the longest singing member of the group. She took part in all of the examinations, competitions and tours of the Cgals, except for one examination which she missed in 2017 as this was scheduled the same time as the Karate World Championship in Canada. It was a privilege for her to sing at the World Choir games in Latvia/Riga, Russia/Sochi and South Africa/Tswane, not only singing as a second alto but also as the soprano soloist in Coulais’ “In Memoriam”.
Sammy has her own Goju Kai Karate School in Swakopmund and has been teaching Karate for the last 35 years, a sport that she has been participating in for 45 years!
She choreographed many dances and performed on a regular basis on the Swakopmund Carnival stage for 26 years. She also organized many fundraisers for various organisations over the years.
Barbara van Rooyen (joined 2015)
Barbara Van Rooyen (born Louis) was born in Karl Bremer hospital in Cape Town (SA), grew up with her grandparents in Riviersonderend for 5 years, then moved to Genadendal with them where she went to Primary and Secondary School. She matriculated in 1978 and then qualified as a Social Worker at the University of the Western Cape in 1 982. After working for 8 years as a Social Worker in Bellville, Barbara moved to Walvis Bay in June 1991 after getting married. She worked for the SA Government in Walvis Bay before Walvis Bay was handed over to Namibia in 1994. From then she worked for the Namibian Government as Chief Social Worker for Erongo Region until she retired.
Barbara had the privilege to obtain a Masters Degree in 2018 from the University of Namibia. She had a fruitful career with many milestones and because of her love for people, she would do it all over again.
She became a widow since 20 March 2003 when her husband died in a tragic car accident between Usakos and Karibib. She had to raise her daughter and son alone, they becoming exemplary adults and she is a proud grandmother of three.
Barbara is now retired and gives her time to her family, but is still very active in activities in her church and community.
Her motto in life is: never, but never give up.