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 talented artist and former educator in the arts.
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Duchess 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 renowned sportsman who received South African colors for rifle shooting, while her mother was known for her baking and caring personality. Annette grew up in the Lansdowne area with her two brothers, Leon Junior and David.
Her early years were interesting, to say the least. 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 found her crying over a flat bicycle tire; rather than fixing it for her, he insisted that she learnt how to fix it and promptly showed her how to, one of many practical lessons he would teach her in the following years.
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 was faster to get to school through it.
In high school, she was a social and active student, playing hockey and excelling in Domestic Science, where she mastered cooking and sewing. She was also known to be talkative in class, often passing notes and occasionally receiving detention for her social nature.
Career
South African Service
Before her work within Pantonia 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 support her daughter, Angie, in the administration of her swim school. Despite times of family politics, she remains a central figure in the school's operations.
Pantonian Service
Following the establishment of Anniestown, Annette adopted the title of Duchess in 2022. She was later appointed the role of Ambassador following the establishment of the first Pantonian Embassy on Christmas Day, 2023. Later on she would see herself taking on the role of Minister of Transportation. Along with overseeing regional transit, her primary role was in the woodwork and design for Dassenberg road signs. Annette is also competing as an athlete for the upcoming 2026 MOF eGames.
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
Annette is a painter of both canvas and stones. She has painted many artworks in her life, one of her most notable works is a recreation of "Girl with a pearl earring". She is also known for one of her more recent works, "Koffiehuis", which is a creative South-African interpretation of Van Gogh's Sunflowers.
She cares for five cats and is a competitive Scrabble player in her free time. She also participates in charitable works, using her sewing skills to repair and fix children's clothing for various organizations.
Gallery
