Picture: Gert van Niekerk / Facebook
The Afrikaans community have lost yet another legend in the film and theatre industry. Louis van Niekerk, who was well-known for his role as Festus in the Afrikaans soapie Getroud met Rugby, passed away in the Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg on Tuesday afternoon.
Condolences have been pouring in for van Niekerk’s son, Gert van Niekerk, who himself is a legend in the entertainment industry. Gert is a SAFTA winning director best known for his work on several South African telenovelas and soaps including Egoli, Binnelanders, The Wild, The Estate and Isidingo.
According to Gert’s life partner, Marinus Haakman, the veteran actor received morphine on Tuesday before he passed.
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Actress Hanna Grobler took to Instagram on Wednesday to pay tribute to her ‘on-screen’ father. Hanna played the role of Kiki Beltrame in the Afrikaans soapie Getroud met Rugby. Van Niekerk was her father Festus Arnoldus Koekemoer.
Sharing a photo from one of these scenes from Getroud met Rugby, Hanna wrote: “Rest in peace uncle Louis… You were a great dad on set. Learned so much from you… thank you for your caring heart.”
Actor Sean van Noordwyk also shared a beautiful tribute to Louis on his Facebook account on Wednesday. Sean was Reitz Bekker in Getroud met Rugby.
“To wake up with the news of Uncle Louis. He was the first one to take me under his wing and mentor me on the set of Getroud met Rugby. His love and passion for theater was something I aspired to.
Siener in die Suburbs, Amalia, Son. Maan. Sterre were just a few of his roles that I admired as a young artist. My last day on set when I said goodbye to everyone… he whispered in my ear, ‘You made the best decision’. Where I then thanked him and said, ‘I’m going to make uncle proud.’
RIP Uncle Louis! And thank you for what you meant to me in my life.”
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