A student from Sol-Tech in Pretoria was killed in a head-on collision on his way to his parents’ house in Potchefstroom this past weekend.
JD van den Berg’s (23) family suspected trouble when he was still not at home and did not answer his mobile phone early Friday evening. His parents Johan and Marlucia van den Berg and older brother Marco decided to look for him. They came upon the scene of the accident about 20 kilometers outside Potchefstroom, on the Rysmierbultpad.
“When we got over the hump, I saw the red and blue lights. I had a feeling… but a guy doesn’t know,” says Johan.
The accident scene was already cordoned off.
“I could see it was two Toyota Hilux vans that collided with each other and one van looks like mine. I drove into a farmer’s farm, all the way down the wire, to about 20 or 30 meters from the van.”
Johan gave his registration number to a police officer and that officer confirmed the worst.
“I climbed over the wire and walked over to JD. He was no longer with us,” says Johan.
JD was thrown from the van during the collision and pronounced dead at the scene.
“He was only 23 years old.”
JD studied as a millwright and was almost done with his studies. He would soon begin his practical training as a millwright.
“He was so looking forward to it,” says his father. “His guy toolboxie was already packed.”
JD served as a student council member for sports at Sol-Tech and has been commuting between his parents’ house in Potchefstroom and Pretoria where he has been coaching three days a week.
“He loved his rugby very much,” says his father. “He was a free spirit. He did his things his way. He was a real old dreamer.”
Johan tells his son, who initially went into education, has been a different person since he started studying at Sol-Tech as a millwright. “I could see he had found his way.”
JD’s fellow students said goodbye to Grens, as he was known on campus, during a ceremony on campus on Monday. A flag also hung at half-mast on campus all day in honor of this beloved student.
Paul van Deventer, managing director of Sol-Tech, said at Monday’s farewell ceremony that JD would always fulfill his obligations at Sol-Tech before driving home. “We already talked to him about the late driving, but he wanted to get to his family. His family was important to him.”
JD was supposed to talk to his fellow students on campus this morning about an upcoming rugby tournament he had organised.
“Grens was one of our leaders at Sol-Tech, a stalwart who tackled his SR membership with passion, but always with a smile. His passion was rugby,” Van Deventer said this morning during his speech to the students of Sol-Tech.
“Grens would have come to talk to you this morning about the rugby arrangements and everything that lies ahead. Grens arranged shirts to be sponsored by his father for the rugby. When I contacted his father on Saturday, his father said he would please still sponsor the shirts, because that is what Grens would have wanted.”
Several messages of condolence were read during the ceremony on campus this morning.
“Border my friend, my heart is broken. You were such a wonderful person with the best sense of humor. You always knew how to push my buttons but your sly smile made me realize that you are just a joker. You were always there when we needed you and we could always count on you. We will miss your jokes, your serenades, your dry sense of humor, your rugby guidance, your hugs and your socializing sessions…
“Rest easy, Border.” reads a message from a fellow SR member.
