Mike Meintjes

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21/10/1933 - 11/9/2012

Mike was born on the 5th August 1933 in Durban and was introduced to Scouting in 1939 when they lived in Mafeking. It was here at the age of six years he became a member of the 1st Mafeking Cub Pack.

Later the family transferred to Cape Town and settled in Sea Point where Mike attended Kings Road Primary School and later Sea Point Boys High School. It was at Sea Point Boys High that he got his nickname 'cheese' when his friend pronounced this surname Mine-Cheese. He later attended Wynberg Boys High School matriculating in 1950.

After the move to Cape Town Mike continued with his Cubbing when he joined the 7th Green and Sea Point Cub Pack.

He then moved up to Scout section and when he turned twelve was invested as a Scout. This he really enjoyed and looking up to his role model Scoutmaster gained many badges and was introduced to mountain hiking and the outdoors. Many a Saturday was spent in the Camps Bay Glen test passing.


In 1951 Mike attended the 7th World Scout Jamboree in Bad Ischl, Austria with 83 South African Scouts. They then returned to England for a ten day coach tour of Britain, but for Mike the highlight was an invitation to Windsor Castle where both Princess Elizabeth and the Chief Scout of British Commonwealth and Empire Lord Rowallan invested him as a King Scout.

At eighteen he became a Rover Scout and was appointed an Assistant Scoutmaster. Mike became Scoutmaster of the 7th GASP in the early 1950's a position he held for many years. He received the Long Service Medal in 1971 and the 60 year Bar in 2004.

For fifteen years he ran Scout camps, many of them held on a farm outside Piketberg and this was at the expense of using his personal annual leave. Mike on these camps was always careful not to supress the youthful exuberance but always within the bounds of safety.

Many a Scout was introduced to hiking when Mike created the 'Outdoor Club'. They had to attend a certain number of hikes to qualify as a member and to remain a member had to keep up attending meets.

Mike's service to Scouting was acknowledged when he received the Certificate of Merit in 1972 and the Medal of Merit in 1982.

Mike met his wife Irene in 1952 and they were married in December 1957, she was also part of the 7th GASP Group, being their Cub Mistress for many years. Married for more that 50 years she provided a calming influence in his very busy life and they produced four children with his son Mike in 1979 achieving the 'Chief Scouts Award' on par to his dad's King Scout Award.

Mike was a person who throughout his life kept the values he had acquired in his youth. He lived life to the full – he never had a bad word to say about anyone and a large number of folk who he came into contact with had the highest regard for his mentorship and friendship. He was always doing things for other people to enrich their lives.