1996 – Kimberley's Worst Aviation Disaster

On the afternoon of 26 July 1996, tragedy struck when a Beechcraft Baron aircraft crashed on the grounds of Kimberley Prison, just off Schmidtsdrift Road. All five men on board were killed, making it Kimberley's worst aviation disaster.  The aircraft had been assisting in the search for a truck hijacked earlier that day from Pyramid Warehousing, a local Kimberley business owned by Gerrit Bezuidenhout. Rather than remaining on the ground, Bezuidenhout joined the search flight himself. Shortly before 4.00 pm, witnesses noticed the aircraft making an unusual noise before it entered a spin. Despite the pilot's obvious efforts to regain control, the aircraft crashed and was destroyed on impact.

Those who lost their lives were:

• Cyril Robinson (38) – experienced pilot and owner of the aircraft.
• Gerrit Bezuidenhout (34) – businessman, former Kimberley City Councillor and owner of Pyramid Warehousing.
• Peter Slater (32) – South African Police captain.
• Charles Dippenaar (23) – South African Police constable.
• Arrie Taljaard (28).

The loss was felt across Kimberley. Families, colleagues and friends mourned five men who had set out to assist in recovering stolen property but never returned home. Investigators examined the wreckage in the days that followed, while the community reflected on one of the saddest days in Kimberley's aviation history.

Did You Know?

The Beechcraft Baron crash of 26 July 1996 remains the worst aviation disaster to occur within Kimberley itself.

2000 – Remembering Brian Hermanus

Brian Hermanus, the province's MEC for Sport, Arts and Culture, was killed in a motor vehicle accident on the gravel road between Britstown and Vosburg while travelling to Calvinia. His private secretary, Mervin Erlank, also lost his life.

Although many remembered Brian Hermanus as a respected politician, Kimberley knew him first as an exceptional sportsman. Raised in Florianville, Hermanus emerged during the apartheid era as one of South Africa's finest swimmers. In 1972, he and fellow Kimberley swimmer Shreef Abass were selected among the country's leading swimmers for advanced training in London. During the tour, Hermanus equalled a 100-metre time achieved by world and Olympic champion David Wilkie, demonstrating talent that many believed could have taken him to the Olympic Games had South Africa not been excluded from international competition.

His sporting ability extended beyond swimming. At school and provincial level, he also excelled in rugby, football, tennis, table tennis and athletics. As MEC, Hermanus remained passionate about creating opportunities for young people through sport. He frequently expressed his belief that: "A child in sport is a child out of court." Today, his contribution is remembered through the Brian Hermanus Swimming Pool in Kimberley, named in honour of a local athlete whose achievements inspired generations.

Did You Know?

Brian Hermanus was regarded as one of South Africa's finest swimmers of his generation, despite never having the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games because of apartheid-era sporting isolation.