Profile of a Jet-set Porsche Enthusiast: Peter van der Spuy
Former pilot to Nelson Mandela talks about his passion for Porsche.
Peter van der Spuy is a die-hard Porsche fan and one of the most acclaimed jet pilots for business travelers, politicians, and celebrities. Recently, Porsche’s Christophorus magazine talked to van der Spuy about his life, which he most enjoys behind the wheel of a Porsche.
To have secured a place on Nelson Mandela’s office wall was fortuitous. The now-famous photograph captured the senior leadership of the African National Congress (ANC), and Mandela asked for a copy of this photograph from van der Spuy. “I gladly obliged,” says van der Spuy with a chuckle. There’s an unmistakable touch of pride in his voice. The image from the year 1993 shows the lanky pilot with Mandela in front of a private airplane, surrounded by the senior leadership of the ANC at the time. “One day, Mr. Mandela called and asked for this photo, as it was one of the last ones that showed the leadership together,” recalls van der Spuy. “I sent him a copy of it in a beautiful frame and I understand that it ended up in his office.”
In the pilot’s house in the Cape Town suburb of Gardens, South Africa, the photo hangs above van der Spuy’s work alcove—a space whose furnishings say a good deal about his second passion, after flying: The office chair is a repurposed seat from his old Porsche 911 Turbo. And on a counter comprised of a winglet—the tip of the wing on a Gulfstream jet—there’s a race suit, shoes, gloves, and a jet-fighter-style helmet. Not for his next flight, but for the next start by recreational race-car driver van der Spuy in his Porsche. These items share his living space with a redundant lounge suite from the refurbished yacht of the famous Hollywood actor, Nicolas Cage, which was donated to van der Spuy. Another memory from his travels across the world.
The South African has flown Arab sheikhs, Russian oligarchs, Hollywood stars—and countless illustrious politicians and global captains of industry. It is they who feature most prominently on van der Spuy’s personal wall of fame. Present in each picture: Peter van der Spuy himself, whose moustached mien in the older photos gives him the air of Tom Selleck’s Magnum, PI. Today the man with the alert eyes, fit physique, and sun-drenched complexion perfectly embodies the motto of baby boomers around the world: 60 is the new 50.
‘I always appreciate the highest levels of technology—in vehicles as much as in jets. Porsches are the best-built sports cars in the world. Porsche and my job are closely intertwined.’
But how did his connection to the political elite of the country come about? “A good friend of mine was an ANC member—one of the few white members in the 1990s who fought against apartheid and supported Mr. Mandela’s course. I had helped out as pilot for a confidential endeavor of Mr. Mandela prior to the negotiations with President F. W. de Klerk. Some time later, Mr. Mandela thanked me and said, ‘I have to travel a lot in the coming period; can you fly me?’”
And that’s how van der Spuy came to fly one of South Africa’s most prominent politicians all around the country on his mission to abolish apartheid. “Mr. Mandela was an unsurpassed bridge builder. Once, we were in his home region of Transkei in today’s Eastern Cape province. They were holding a traditional celebration in his honor. I was the only white person present in his inner circle and it was then that I experienced the ‘Madiba Magic’ that touched so many people across the world. In accordance with tradition, Mr. Mandela, the revered leader, was given the first piece of char-grilled ox. And what did he do? He passed it on to me. I was completely stunned and whispered to my neighbor, ‘What am I supposed to do now?’ He whispered back, ‘Eat it. That’s the greatest honor that he can bestow on you.’ That’s how Mr. Mandela was.”
The South African is just about to launch into the next anecdote when the ringing of his cell phone interrupts the proceedings. It’s the mechanic who regularly maintains van der Spuy’s Porsche. After all, he’s been racing in the GT series for the past five years. He also takes part in hill climb races. “I had to wait until I earned enough money; it’s not a cheap sport by any means.” But he’s all the more successful for it today.
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