South Africa Youth Sportsmen Tiaan van Heerden and Anka van Schalkwyk Die in Road Crash

• Tiaan van Heerden and Anka van Schalkwyk, died in a car crash in South Africa in the early hours of Saturday, 22 August
• Tiaan, a former Hoërskool Kirkwood first-team rugby captain who had just turned 21, was the brother of the school's current head boy
• Anka, a hockey player from Hoërskool Despatch, had been dating Tiaan since late 2024, with both schools issuing tributes following the tragedy

Two Eastern Cape schools are mourning the loss of a young couple killed in a car crash in the Kirkwood area during the early hours of Saturday, 22 August.

Tiaan van Heerden, a former rugby captain at Hoërskool Kirkwood, and Anka van Schalkwyk, a hockey player from Hoërskool Despatch, both died after the vehicle they were travelling in lost control.

A third person was behind the wheel at the time of the crash and survived with minor injuries.

The exact cause of the accident and the identity of the driver have not been officially disclosed by authorities.

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Tiaan matriculated from Hoërskool Kirkwood in 2023 and had recently celebrated his 21st birthday. During his time at the school, he served as captain of the first-team rugby side and also represented the Kirkwood Rugby Club.

Both the school and the club issued tributes in his memory following news of his passing.

"He will always be remembered as a friendly and hardworking young man," Hoërskool Kirkwood wrote in a Facebook post.

He is survived by his parents and his younger brother, Ulrich "Uli" van Heerden, who currently serves as the school's head boy for 2026.

Anka, who also matriculated from Hoërskool Despatch, was recognised by her former school as a standout hockey player. The couple had reportedly begun dating in late 2024.

The tragedy comes barely a month after a similar incident involving a teenage couple from St Stithians, drawing renewed attention to road safety among young South Africans.

Source: YEN.com.gh