Family mourns loss of Danville “liggiehuis” founder
"The pain is unbearable and it still feels unreal."
The Danville community in Pretoria is mourning the death of Brenda van der Merwe, who was known for her iconic “liggie huis”.
Van der Merwe passed away on Wednesday morning.
Her daughter, Jacomien, said the family were still struggling to come to terms with her death.
Van der Merwe and her daughter Jacomien started the “liggiehuis” in 1993 to draw the community’s attention to the charity work they did for the disadvantaged in Pretoria West.
“The pain is unbearable and it still feels unreal,” Jacomien said.
“My mother is in a better place now and we will always miss her.”
She said the exact cause of her mother’s death was not clear as yet, but she suspected it was due to kidney failure.
“Although she was in pain, she still stayed strong. A month ago, she was in hospital for the whole month where she was told her kidneys have weakened.”
When asked what would be the one thing she would tell her mom before she died, Jacomien said it would be to thank her for her teachings on how to be kind and to always give to others.
The liggiehuis spread Christmas cheer to families who flocked to the Van der Merwe home to see the lights.
In 2019, they decided not to switch the lights on after they thought the area was becoming unsafe.
Jacomien said this was also the time her mother’s health worsened.
She said the local community have been very supportive of the family since her mother fell ill.
“We are thankful for the continued support the community showed during this time.
“We continue to receive messages of condolences and support. This helps ease the pain because of the large support we receive.”
The family also asked for privacy as they made funeral arrangements.
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