Coetzee died in January this year and left a sizable amount of money to the zoo. This enabled the zoo to build the Zieta Coetzee Reptile Centre, and have a mural painted in her honour in the zoo’s owlery. Owls were Coetzee’s favourite birds.
At the unveiling of the reptile centre and mural, her friends gathered and spoke of her love of animals and children.
Natalie Leschinsky and Bommie Reddy, who were her neighbours and friends in Edenvale, said she would always feed the local birds. “She would buy them fresh fruit and 10kg of feed and in the morning she would throw it around her yard,” said Lechinsky.
Reddy said she appreciated what the zoo did with the funds they received from Coetzee. “What I see now is absolutely fantastic. She didn’t have children, so she used her life to benefit those who were less fortunate than her,” said Reddy.
Another friend, Maggie Blom, gave a moving speech about the life and times of Coetzee. She and Blom had known each other for 19 years at the time of her death. “As a child I used to sit with her in her garden and we would watch the birds. I was not surprised at all when I found out about her donation to the zoo, this is typical of her,” said Blom.
Eddy van Eck, co-owner of the zoo, said the reptile centre was just the first phase in their grand scheme. “The pond is still under construction,” said van Eck. “The reptiles in the new centre will be able to drink and cool off in there once it is done.”
Mike Jankelowitz, executor of Coetzee’s estate said he was impressed by what he saw. “I am absolutely certain that she would have loved what I saw today. She was a low-key person who was always part of a process that would treat animals with respect and love,” said Jankelowitz.
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