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Bloody trail led to Kerkorrel
14/11/2002 08:38 - (SA)
Jackie Pienaar and Thinus Ferreira , Die Burger
Cape Town - A bloody trail led police to the body of Johannes Kerkorrel hanging by his belt from the branch of a wattle tree. He had deep cuts to his forearms and his neck.
Those close to him said Ralph Rabie (his real name) died in the same way a friend of his had, years ago.
A canoeist spotted Rabie's bloodstained car about 13:00 on Monday and alerted police. Trackers from Faure found the body.
A trail of blood led 30m from the car through shrubs and over dead branches to a bed of leaves. Four pools of blood indicated where he had rested, before he staggered another 50m to the tree where he hanged himself.
Rabie's longtime companion, Demetrios, said "financial circumstances" might have led to the singer's death.
He said Rabie was "physically and mentally fit". "It seems financial circumstances might have led to this."
'Let us mourn with dignity'
Close friends supported Demetrios and Rabie's mother, Anne, at their smallholding outside Stellenbosch on Wednesday evening.
Demetrio said: "I have lost a trustworthy and loyal friend. We've been business partners, friends and soul mates for the past six years. Like everyone else, I am shocked by this terrible loss.
"The public is mourning Johannes Kerkorrel. But I would like to request that they and the media allow his friends and family to mourn our beloved Ralph with dignity."
Behind the closed curtains of her son's house, Anne, with tears in her eyes, told of her conversation with her son on Monday evening.
"I didn't notice anything. Ralphie wasn't sad or depressed," she said.
Rabie's ex-wife, An, was heartbroken about his death.
She said she knew Ralph was depressed, but always believed that it was part of his artistic temperament. "I never knew it was that bad."
The singer's only child, Ruben (19), is writing matric exams in George. An said it was difficult for her son. She was trying to protect him so that he could finish his exams, she said.
Rabie had regular contact with his son and had phoned him just last week. Neither she nor her son had any idea that he was so depressed as to consider suicide.
She said they would be at Rabie's funeral.
Rabie dedicated his second album, Bloudruk, to them.
Rabie's body was taken to Hermanus where a post-mortem was to be done within the next few days.
- Die Burger
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