The Afrikaan community has lost another legend in the film and theater industry. Louis van Niekerk, best known as Festus in the Afrikaans soap opera Married to Rugbydied at Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg on Tuesday evening.
Condolences to van Niekerk’s son, Gert van Niekerk, who is a legend in the entertainment industry. Gert is a SAFTA winning director known for his work on several South African telenovelas and soap operas incl Egoli, Binnelanders, The Wild, The Estate and Need it.
According to Gert’s life partner, Marinus Haakman, the veteran actor received morphine on Tuesday before he died.
See also: PICTURES: At the premiere of the new Afrikaans series ‘Mooiweer en Warm’
My condolences to Louis van Niekerk
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 soap opera Married to Rugby. From Niekerk his father was Festus Arnoldus Koekemoer.
Share a photo of one of these scenes from Married to RugbyHanna wrote: “Rest in peace Aunt Louis… You were a great father 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 as Reitz Bekker in the Married to Rugby.
“To wake up to the news of Uncle Louis. He was the first person to take me under his wing and mentor me on set Married to Rugby. Love and passion for theater is something I aspired to.
Seer in Suburbs, Amalia, Sun. moon. star those are just some of the roles that I admired as a young artist. The last day on set when I said goodbye to everyone… he whispered in my ear, ‘You made the best decision’. Whereupon I thanked him and said, ‘I will make my uncle proud.’
RIP Uncle Louis! And thank you for what you have done for my life.”
NOW READ: Minnie Dlamini dragged for taking a seat next to Connie Chiume