2 BELOVED FAMILY MEN OF MARICO DISTRICT AND A BUSINESS WOMAN DIE AFTER MANIAC CHAUFFEUR DRIVES “LIKE A MISSILE” ON WRONG SIDE OF ROAD – N4 RUSTENBURG Two brothers of the Zeerust area in North West, both deeply committed Christians and dedicated family men, well know in the Marico area, will be buried in the family cemetery on Sunday after their lives were cut short much too early when they died in a head on motor vehicle collision on the N4 highway near Rustenburg on Saturday at around 0600.
The 2 brothers, Joubert and Arend Keulder, were well known for their love for each other and for their families. Arend (66) and Joubert (62) were inseparable friends since they grew up on a farm near the Botswana border. The brothers were on their way to a doctor in Pretoria. Arend recently had a knee operation so his brother decided to take him for a check up as he could not drive himself.
A businesswoman and doctor, Thandi Ndlovu (64), was a passenger of the vehicle that drove at an enormous speed according to eye witnesses, overtaking cars the whole time. The chauffeur of Ndlovu’s car also died in a massive head on collision when the chauffeur was overtaking cars on a bend , at a section of the road with double barrier lines, driving on the wrong side of the road when he collided head on with the Renault Duster being driven by the Keulders.
Ndlovu’s car was a black Mercedes Benz. Ndlovu was on the way to a funeral in Rustenburg. All the occupants, except Ndlovu, died instantly in the massive collision that left mangled car wrecks and shattered and almost unrecognizable bodies. Ndlovu died a few hours after the collision.
A witness who wanted to remain anonymous told Netwerk24 that the Mercedes almost pushed her sister off the road before the collision. She drove past the collision later. The Keulders did try to swerve out and were driving on the yellow line already but did not manage to get out of the way in time.
Arend retired a couple of years ago as a Lt. colonel in Correctional Services and started to farm with cattle after that. Joubert Keulder worked for Eskom and was a high voltage electrician stationed in Zeerust. He was due to retire in September.
The Keulder brothers sister Annelize le Grange told Maroela Media that the brothers were talented singers and simply enjoyed when they could sing. Annelize also told Maroela Media that messages of comfort and tribute to the Keulder brothers poured in on social media afterwards and that that is indicative of how respected and loved the men were in their community.
Someone described them as the “gentlemen of Zeerust”. Someone else wrote that they might not have been VIP’s but that they were just normal salt of the earth people, God loving men. Men who served God and lived for their families . The Keulder brothers funeral service will be on Sunday at 1200 in the NG Church, Burhmansdrift, where after they will be laid to rest.
Arend was described by friends as a meticulous official of Correctional Services who always did his best. He was also described as a soft person who loved a good joke.
Joubert was described as a perfectionist and very competent high voltage electrician. Like his brother he liked to laugh and was known throughout Zeerust for his strong tenor voice. Joubert leaves his wife Alta and sons Arend Jr and Francois who lives in Australia behind . His other son Joubert also died in a motor vehicle accident 2 years ago.
Arend leaves his wife Maggie, daughter Nicolene and son Kobus behind.
Dr Thandi Ndlovu leaves her 2 adult sons Onkgopotse and Keabetswe behind. Sources for this report – Netwerk24 and Maroela Media.
This report was brought to you in a sincere attempt to honor the 2 innocent victims of a reckless driver.
It is brought to you against the background of near blanket coverage and tributes which poured in on mainstream media for Dr Ndlovu whilst the 2 Keulder brothers were ignored although they were law abiding and productive members of society, much loved and much needed by their community and especially family.
This report is brought to you with full recognition and sympathy for Dr Ndlovo ‘s family. But we can never ever ignore innocent victims like the Keulder brothers. They did not have to die.
Dr Ndlovu did not need to die. But the truth of this matter is that only Dr Ndlovu could have told her chauffeur not to drive like a maniac. The truth of the matter is she did not. And that decision to ignore reckless and criminal behavior by her driver led to her own death and that of the totally innocent Keulder brothers.
RIP to all of them. But let’s not allow the truth to die with them.
