Identity
Person No.
33547
Old ROH no.
1484
Service No.
01221530PE
Last Name
First Name
Dirk Johannes
Initials
D J
Date of Birth
Unknown
Est. Birth Year
Age at Death
53
Military Service
Rank
Major General
Regiment
Unit
Secondary Unit
Air Force
Defence Force
SADF 3,263
South African Defence Force
Death Record
Date of Death
Cause code
AA 1,738
Aircraft accident
Cause of Death
Killed in aircraft accident, crashed following mid-air collision with Piper Pa-31 Navajo ZS-KTX over Swartkops., in Swearingen Merlin 4A #ZS-JLZ. The collision occurred when returning from Namibia and on final approach to Waterkloof Air Base and the Navajo was on final approach to Wonderboom Airport
Grave Reference
Location
Notes
Husband of Mrs. S. J. M. van Niekerk, of Pretoria. Major-General D. J. van Niekerk was a veteran of the Korean War and had been decorated several times. For his role in the Korean War he held the Korean Medal, the Korean War Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. He had also been decorated with the Southern Cross Medal, the SADF Service Medal and the Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal. General van Niekerk joined the SADF in 1947. In 1958, after a period in Korea, he as promoted to lieutenant. He rose to major-general in 1977 when he took up the post of Chief of Staff, Logistical Support. He had a BSc (Engineering) from the University of the Witwatersrand.
Citations
Unknown
External References
Stories 1
Major-General van Niekerk was killed on July 14 1982 in Pretoria. He was on board a Merlin VIP transporter when it collided with a Piper Navajo. A total of 12 people were killed in the accident. At the time General van Niekerk was Chief Director, Logistical Support of the SAAF. The collition occured when the SAAF Merlin turbo-prop was returning from Namibia and was on final approach to Waterkloof Air Base and the Navajo was on final approach to Wonderboom Airport. Others killed in the accident was Major-General JM Crafford (Deputy Chief of Staff, Finance, SADF), Mr KK Pretorius (Secretary to the Treasury, Department of Finance), Mr N Bothma (Accountant-General, Department of Defence), Captain JIT de Villiers (pilot of the Merlin), Sergeant A Niemand (Air Hostess on Merlin). I was General van Niekerk's driver from 1977-1979.
Dedications 1
Major-General DJ van Niekerk was a veteran of the Korean War and had been decorated several times. For his role in the Korean War he held the Korean Medal, the Korean War Service Medal and the United Nations Service Medal. He had also been decorated with the Southern Cross Medal, the SADF Service Medal and the Chief fo the SADF Commendation Medal. General van Niekerk joined the SADF in 1947. In 1958, after a period in Korea, he as promoted to lieutenant. He rose to major-general in 1977 when he to up the post of Chief of Staff, Logistical Support. He had a BSc (Engineering) from the University of the Witwatersrand. I was his driver for 18 months and will always remember him for the way he and his family accepted me into their home as part of the family.