Night vigil planned to remember homeless man hit by bus while sleeping

A night vigil will be held on Friday, June 1, at 5.30pm for Gert Jordaan, the homeless man who was killed yesterday, Wednesday 30 May, by a bus on the corner of Bluff Road and Old Mission Road, the Southlands Sun reports.

The bus struck Jordaan and his friend while they slept on the verge of the junction.

Jordaan’s friend, Vernon Barnard, was fortunate to get away with mild injuries, and is said to have recovered well from the incident.

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The deceased had been a pupil at Dirkie Uys High school in the 80s, and is survived by his mother, who lives in a nursing home in Lydenburg.

Jordaan, according to ward 66 chairman of the comittee’s vulnerable groups and gender subcommittee Zoe Moore, had stayed in the Lydenburg squatter camp for a certain period. Moore described Jordaan as well-known in the community. In his adult years, he fell into alcoholism.

Moore told The Citizen they had to visit the informal settlement to obtain Jordaan’s ID number to proceed with formalities, such as the creation of a death certificate for him.

“Those who wish to join the night vigil are asked to meet on the grass island in Bluff Road at 5.30pm for a short tribute to his life,” Moore said.