‘A great tree has fallen”. That’s how friends and family have described the death of Johan Charles Benade (72). Mr Benade, according to family members, passed away peacefully at his home in the Champagne Valley just before 4am on Sunday, February 22.

In a tribute to Mr Benade, his wife and children say that he clearly expressed that he did not want a burial or memorial service after his passing.
“He wanted, in true Johan fashion, for everyone to ‘just have a party’,” family members said. To honour this request friends are asked to raise a glass at 7pm on Tuesday, February 24 and bid Mr Benade a happy journey. “We, as a family wish to thank all our friends and community members for all the assistance and love that we received over the past three years, and especially, the past few weeks,” said family members.
Mr Benade spent his childhood years in Kimberley and moved to KZN as a young man. Here he met his wife Leonora and raised their three children Eugene, Valda and Therese. Mr Benade served the South African Police since the early ’70’s as a Warrant Officer in the CID division. The family settled in the Champagne Valley in 1993 where Mr Benade managed his company Berg Security.