Province in tribute to car crash victim
|Published
100525. Cape Town. Two different (old and new)ways of spelling Buitengragt street. Picture Henk Kruger 100525. Cape Town. Two different (old and new)ways of spelling Buitengragt street. Picture Henk Kruger
Cape Town - The woman who died when her car was hit by two alleged hijackers during a police chase has been described as a loving mother who was passionate about her job.
Corne Booyens, 41, mother of two and a deputy director in the provincial local government department, helped to manage the province’s Thusong shared services centres.
Heinrich Magerman, a director in the department, paid tribute to Booyens during a local government standing committee meeting in the legislature.
“It’s a massive loss to the department and the provincial government,” Magerman said. “Corne was a committed and dedicated worker. Before joining the Thusong unit… she worked in the head of department’s office and was well liked.”
Magerman said staff were shocked by news of Booyens’ death.
“But we will remember the good memories,” he said. “She really enjoyed her job. She got the team energised and built good relationships over the years.”
Booyens, from Melkbosstrand, died when two alleged hijackers crashed into her Opel Corsa at the intersection of Buitengracht and Strand Street at about 5am on Monday. She was on her way to work.
Local government standing committee chairman Johann Visser asked MPLs to observe a moment of silence in memory of Booyens.
“It’s a sad day and we send our condolences to the family,” he said.
Local Government MEC Anton Bredell’s spokesman Peter Pullen said local government head Dr Hildegard Fast was devastated.
“They worked closely together. It was a big shock,” Pullen said. “Staff are receiving counselling and will be given the necessary support. The department has also been in touch with Mrs Booyens’s husband. We have extended our condolences.”
Two men, from Nyanga and Philippi, were arrested at the scene of the crash.
Police spokesman Captain FC Van Wyk said the flying squad received a call from Skytrack about a hijacked Toyota Avanza.
The vehicle, which had been hijacked in Nyanga, was travelling towards Cape Town when police started following it.
The suspects refused to pull over and a chase ensued. In the city centre, they ran though a red light at the intersection and crashed into the passenger side of the white Corsa, Van Wyk said.
They would appear in Cape Town Magistrate’s Court once they had been charged.
Cape Argus