Johan van der Merwe, singer and chairman of Overvaal Stereo 96.1 in the Free State, died on Monday afternoon after a short illness.
After numerous tests, Van der Merwe was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma on 4 December this year.
Ferdi Steyn, a music promoter from Artist Village, says Johan was an incredible and beloved businessman, singer, husband, father and friend.
“One could always pick up the phone and say buddy, I need advice or guidance, and he would love to share his knowledge with you.”
Stephanie, Johan’s wife, informed fans and listeners at the request of the station manager, Ignaz Streicher, on 6 December about Van der Merwe’s condition.
“Johan just suddenly felt bad at the beginning of November; we thought it was the flu or Covid-19, but days later he ended up in the intensive care unit with pneumonia.
“However, he was very strong and soon fought that bug off… or so we thought.
“He was back in the intensive care unit within a day and everything just suddenly started to get worse. A few days later he was placed in an induced coma and on a ventilator, something none of us could have ever imagined or expected.
“They tested everything, but his illness remained a mystery for a long time until the last resort… bone marrow tests,” writes Stephanie.
“The time we had to wait for the results was absolutely unbearable, as if time just stood still. On December 4th, they sent back one result, but there were more tests to follow. Johan was later diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
Many condolences have since poured in for the artist.
“Stephanie and children, family and friends, our prayers are with you all, the loss is great, as well as for the entire team of Overvaal Stereo where Johan served as chairman for many years.
“We will all miss you very much and remember all the good times with you.
“Rest in peace, Vale, until we meet again,” Steyn wrote in a post on Facebook.
Stephanie thanked everyone for their support and prayers.
“The children and I just want to thank every person, every group, even people we don’t know, who prayed so hard for him every day and every medical staff member who fought hard with us for his health, with all our hearts and soul thank and praise. I never realized Johan was so loved all over the country.”
Van der Merwe has done numerous previews for famous artists, including Steve Hofmeyr, Kurt Darren, Leani May, Bok van Blerk and Karlien van Jaarsveld.
Since his music career in 2005, he has performed all over South Africa – from Johannesburg to the Cape and at numerous festivals, including the KKNK and the Eastern Cape Performing Arts Festival.
Van der Merwe’s first album was Bushveld flowerfollowed by Shadow of a man and then Stick to me. His latest official album is titled All for nothing.
