Annette du Plessis
Annette Joan du Plessis (born 11 February 1949) is a South African-born diplomat, artist, and administrative official currently serving as the Duchess of Anniestown within Pantonia. Since her appointment, she has held many significant titles, including Minister of Transportation and Ambassador. Outside of her political duties, she is a prolific artist and former educator in the arts.
Annette Joan du Plessis | |||||||||||||||||||
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 Annette working at the Anniestown Embassy in Milnerton. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Annette Joan du Plessis February 11, 1949 Mowbray, Cape Town, South Africa | ||||||||||||||||||
| Nationality | South African, Pantonian | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Title | Duchess of Anniestown | ||||||||||||||||||
| Term | 2022–present | ||||||||||||||||||
| Predecessor | Position established | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Children | 4 (including Lee-Anne, Jason, Angie, and Daniel) | ||||||||||||||||||
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Early Life and Education
Annette was born at the Mowbray Maternity Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa, to Leon du Plessis and Eleanore Harriet du Plessis. Her father, Leon, was a noted sportsman who received South African colors for rifle shooting, while her mother was known for her baking and caring temperament. Annette grew up in the Lansdowne area alongside her two brothers, Leon Junior and David.
Her early years were filled with creative solitude and practical lessons. At age six, she was known to secretly draw underneath the kitchen table. An important moment in her childhood occurred at age eight when her father discovered her crying over a flat bicycle tire; rather than fixing it for her, he insisted that she learnt how to fix it herself, a lesson in self-reliance that characterized much of her later life.
Annette attended Lansdowne Primary and Lansdowne High School. During her primary years, she navigated the complexities of apartheid-era South Africa; she famously drew the ire of her family for using a subway tunnel designated for Black citizens because it provided a faster route to school.
In high school, she was a social and active student, playing hockey and excelling in "Domestic Science," where she first mastered the skills of cooking and sewing. She was known to be talkative in class, often passing notes and occasionally receiving detention for her social nature.
Career
South African Service
Before her involvement with Pantonian administration, Annette maintained a diverse professional portfolio. She has worked as many professions including: a Bank Teller, a Real Estate Agent, and a Pottery Teacher. In the early 2020's, she moved to Milnerton to assist her daughter, Angie, in the administration of her swim school. Despite periods of family politics, she remains a central figure in the school's operations.
Pantonian Service
Following the establishment of the Anniestown, Annette was appointed the title of Duchess. Her transition into Pantonia's government saw he establishment of the first Pantonian Embassy on Christmas Day, 2023, serving as the Ambassador for the state. Later on she would see herself taking on the role of Minister of Transportation. Along with overseeing the conceptual frameworks for regional transit, her primary role was in the woodwork and design for Dassenberg road signs.
Personal Life
Annette has been married twice. Her first marriage was to Gregory Taylor, with whom she had two children, Lee-Anne and Jason. Following Taylor’s early death, she married David Fialkov, and the family moved to Camps Bay, where they had two children, Angie and Daniel. Though she and Fialkov later divorced, they eventually resumed living together in Milnerton in 2025.
Interests and Philanthropy
A lifelong artist, Annette is a painter of both canvas and stones. Her domestic life is characterized by her care for five cats and her skill as a competitive Scrabble player. She remains active in charitable works, specifically using her sewing skills to repair and fix children's clothing for various organizations.