Life after Pep

After departing Pep in 1982, Renier spent 10 years residing in Europe and eventually returned to the Mandela-era South Africa in 1996, when he launched another business venture. He finally retired from business in the year 2000. 

Renier left Pep officially in March 1982 while remaining on the Board of Pep and in close contact with Christo Wiese. As he walked away from the Pep headquarters for the last time on 28 February 1982, for first time in more than 30 years he finally had time on his hands to pursue those interests beyond business for which he never had time.

The first project that he wanted to finish was his new house in Vygeboom, Durbanville, something which has been on the drawing boards for many years and was finally completed in 1983.  The house was built on a large five hectares property which Renier acquired piece by piece since 1974.  It was a three level house with eight bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, space for five offices, a wine cellar, a pool and tennis court. The garden was filled with hundreds of large trees, a vineyard and an orchard with almond, orange, lemon, peach, apricot and fig trees. The house and office had a permanent staff of four to six. He also fulfilled a long-standing dream to own a Rolls Royce and bought the Silver Spur version in 1983. 

Foremost among his other immediate goals was to travel and to see more of the world. For the next two years he spend most of his time outside of South Africa, mostly in Europe, where he attended tennis lessons and French tutoring in the south of France, paraglided above a beach in Greece and visited archeological sites like the Palace of the Knossos on the island of Crete. At this time Renier spend the largest part of each year outside of South Africa and he gradually came to the realization that he would like to actually live in Europe for a while, not just as a tourist, but as a resident with a firmly-established base and with the necessary funds to live a comfortable live-style. Renier and Alice formally emigrated from South Africa in March 1985. 

They obtain residency in Switzerland and rented an apartment in the Swiss ski-resort of Andermatt, about two hours south of Zurich. They actually spend little time in Switzerland, preferring the warmer climate of Portugal. Although Renier and Alice retained their residency in Switzerland for several years, they received residency and citizenship in Portugal and shared their time equally between Estoril in Portugal and Marlow in England from the late 1980s to 1995. The houses were furnished and he kept cars at both locations for use during his frequent visits. He had a boat called ‘Ramkat’ which he left at its mooring in front of the house in Marlow on the river Thames. Apart from shaping his plans and strategy for an active return to the South Africa and to the business scene, Renier was actively involved in the trading money markets and bonds and building up his capital. He also used these years to build up a network of overseas contacts. 

After 12 years outside of South Africa, Renier and Alice formally returned to South Africa early in 1996 with great expectations of being home again with family and for Renier, to formally launch the new business ventures which had had been planning for years and for which the groundwork was already laid. Under new President, Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s two-year old fledgling democracy was characterized by a spirit of reconciliation, rapid economic growth, international acceptance and boundless opportunities, albeit facing huge socio-economic obstacles. By end of 1997 Renier had transformed his vision into a company called Harwill, consisting of seven factories, a research and development division, a world-class cleanroom, two companies listed on the JSE, a black empowerment partner, close to 250 employees and with the company almost at a breakeven financial position.  However, five years later the companies were under provisional liquidation.

Renier retired finally to Langebaan in the Western Cape where he bought a house and where he lived until 2013. He is currently living in Durbanville, close to his family and friends.
  

As a gesture of appreciation of Renier’s role in the founding of the Foundation for Community Work and his role in opposing the apartheid policies of successive National Party governments, in 2008 Beulah Fredericks arranged for Renier to have a private meeting with Nelson Mandela. Renier traveled to Mandela's Johannesburg office, where he finally met a man his has admired for decades. According to Beulah, the former President greeted them in Afrikaans and offered them ‘tea or Cuban rum’ – the two men had an animated conversation for half-an-hour, with Renier expressing his admiration and thanks to Mandela for his sacrifices and conciliatory role followed by discussions about family, children and grandchildren. Above, see a YouTube video of Renier speaking about his philanthropic efforts after receiving the 2011 Inyathelo Award for Lifetime Philanthropy. See also inyathelo philanthropyawardees.