Boutique boss drowns in flood

2008-01-25 07:10

Virginia Keppler

Pretoria - The continuous rain of the past few days has claimed the life of a man from Orkney Crescent in Faerie Glen, who was washed away by the raging waters at Pienaar's River causeway east of the city.

Geoffrey van der Byl, 32, a boutique manager, got out of his car about 16:00 on Wednesday, presumably to move a log off the road, when he was carried away by the water.

The police's diving unit took his body from the river at 11:00 on Thursday morning.

According to Geoffrey's father, Philip, the divers said that if it had not been for the sniffer dog that helped with the search, they may not have found the body as soon as they did.

Geoffrey's friend of the past few years, Donovan Wagner, 33, his father, and his father's girlfriend, Marianne Dye, were at the river when the body was found.

They wept as they bent over his body.

Even police divers struggled

Philip van der Byl said: "I asked the police whether we could see his body for a moment. They were hesitant at first, but then agreed."

Boschkop police spokesperson Sipho Mabena said: "An old man who was also trying to drive across the bridge, saw the water sucking Geoffrey in and called the police."

Inspector Proppie Louw of the police diving unit said they arrived at the causeway shortly afterwards, but the water was too dangerous for them to go in.

"The current was too strong and there were too many logs, branches and trees in the way, making it very dangerous," he said.

The diving team resumed their search on Thursday morning. "Even we battled to stay afloat," said Louw.

Just before he was swept away, Geoffrey had visited his father's girlfriend for about three hours.

She said: "He was such a good person. He always called me Sweetie."

Van der Byl said his son had been to see whether Dye had enough money for petrol, as she was due to take him to the airport on Wednesday. "He had to go and see people who sell boutique stocks in Piketberg."

Gran 'will be devastated'

"Geoffrey and Donovan were planning to open a boutique in Cape Town. They had great plans," said Van der Byl.

He said his son was very popular.

"He had a good heart and was the type of person who would move mountains for you.

"Now I have to phone my mother (Rhoda van der Byl, 84). She'll be devastated. It isn't right that a parent should bury his children," he said.

Wagner was too shocked to speak to the media.

- Beeld