Kimberley – Two women, including a prominent Windsorton business owner, have died following an accident on the N12.
Gerty Phyffer-Davids, owner of the N12 Outspan Ranch Motel situated just outside Windsorton, and a friend from Kuruman, Cavel Michaels, were driving from Kimberley towards Windsorton on Sunday night when the vehicle they were travelling in, a Toyota Fortuner, crashed into the veld.
Phyffer-Davids, who was driving, apparently lost control of the vehicle and was flung from the vehicle into the veld, where she died on the scene. Michaels was rushed to hospital by ambulance but died later in Kimberley Hospital.
While the cause of the accident is still unknown, it is suspected that one of the vehicle’s tyres burst, causing the driver to lose control.
Phyffer-Davids’ husband, Amos Davids, a well-known Windsorton resident, was on Monday still in shock following the death of his wife.
He said that his wife, together with Michaels and her husband, Lloyd Molele, had travelled to Kimberley on Sunday afternoon to visit him in hospital, were he had been admitted on Saturday after taking a fall at the N12 Outspan Ranch Motel, which he co-ran with his wife.
“They didn’t know that I had been discharged but we made plans to all travel back to Windsorton. Gerty and Cavel travelled in the Toyota Fortuner, with me and Lloyd following shortly behind in my own vehicle, which had been at the hospital. The last time I saw them was at the Shell Ultra City, where I paid to have the Fortuner filled with petrol and they left. We also filled up and then left for Windsorton. Just before the Riverton Station turn-off, Lloyd told me that he saw a truck in the veld. I said that we should turn around and see if we could assist, as it could be our wives lying there, but he urged me to ‘have a little faith’ and we drove home."
“At home, the women were not there. I was at home for about one and a half hours, struggling to get my phone on to contact my wife, when a police officer showed up at the door and said he had bad news – my wife had been involved in an accident."
“We went to the scene, where we heard that Gerty had died, and then to Kimberley Hospital, where we were told that Cavel had also succumbed to her injuries,” Davids said on Monday at his Windsorton home, where dozens of family members and friends were supporting him.
“This is a massive blow to not only me but especially our two boys, aged six and 13.The whole thing still feels like a dream, I can’t believe she is gone. I will miss her terribly.”
Davids added that the N12 Outspan Ranch Motel would be closed for the rest of the week and that his wife would be buried on Saturday at the NG Kerk Windsorton.
Phyffer-Davids’ sister, Mimie Mienies, described her sister as a real “go-getter” and successful businesswoman, who even appeared in the April edition of Glitter magazine following a huge weight-loss success.
Police spokesperson, Captain Sergio Kock, on Monday confirmed the incident and said that police in Kimberley were investigating a case of culpable homicide.
Kock further urged anyone with information about the incident to contact Detective Warrant Officer Desmond Markgraaf on 082 302 0407.