Community hero loses battle against Covid-19
For nearly a decade Piet Stroebel was a member of the Amandasig Action Group in the north of Pretoria.
A local hero in the north of Pretoria lost his battle against the dreaded Covid-19 virus last week.
Piet Stroebel (59) was a well-known member of his community and community watch groups in Akasia.
He was an active member of the Amandasig Action Group (AAG) for nearly eight years, and for most of those years he had often patrolled the streets to keep his community safe both day and night.
Stroebel and his wife Zelda tested positive for Covid-19 last month.
“We tested positive on 24 June,” said Zelda.
“I can’t even say that Piet was that ill. It was very much like having a bad flu, and Piet kept saying he is ‘okay’.”
Last Thursday, Zelda took her husband to see the doctor.
“His oxygen levels were very low and the doctor called for an ambulance to take him to the hospital,” said Zelda.
On Friday morning, she received a call from the hospital.
“Around 02:30 I got the call… ‘Sorry, we have bad news’,” Zelda recalled, in a broken voice how she was informed of her husband’s death.
Stroebel was a hero not only in his community, but also to his daughter Janelle (24) with whom he shared a close bond.
Member of the AAG, Tracy Schoeman, said Stroebel served his community loyally for several years and set a good example for others, offering his own time – without compensation – to keep his community safe.
“Rest softly Oom Piet. Janelle and Tannie Zelda; our hearts are hurting together. May our Father hold you tight in this time of hurt,” Schoeman wrote on Facebook.
More messages of condolences from friends and community streamed in on social media.
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