FROM PROM TO FUNERAL

The father of the Grade 12 learner who died in a horror car crash in Brackenfell together with three other victims has described how he now has to change matric ball preparations for a funeral instead.

It had been 17-year-old Perth Keaden Eksteen’s dream to wear a white double-breasted suit with glitz and glam like P Diddy while his family was to be donned all in black.

Perth’s father, Mark, told Cape Argus they would now be placing his body into a white coffin and that they would be dressed in black and be driven in a hearse for his funeral, which is expected to take place on 16 August, depending on finalisation of the DNA testing.

Perth was one of four people killed in the tragic car accident on Saturday evening when their vehicle crashed into a tree in Cecil Morgan Road and caught fire, while two other victims were taken to hospital.

Perth was a learner at Fairmont High School including Daniel Jansen van Rensburg who was also a former learner of the school, Adrian Le Roux and Kiara-Joy Daniels, all lost their lives in the accident.

Grieving dad Mark said: “On Saturday, I had the photographer here, showing him where he was going to take photos for his matric dance.

“My wife just said, we are thinking of it now… he wanted a white suit, like a P Diddy type of suit, double-breasted, with some bling on the suit, and all of us must wear black, so that he can stand out.

"Now I am to bury him in a white coffin and all of us will be wearing black."

Perth’s mother, Sian who sat next to her spouse during the interview, and was overcome with tears and emotion, recalling how her mother had given the name “Perth” for their first son.

Mark shared how he and his son, and his friends shared friendship and fellowship and that he would often give them a scolding if needed.

He said: “My house was always full of his friends every weekend and some of his friends used to call me dad or father because that is how I was with them.

“If they were out of hand, I would put them in their place.

“It was dominoes, or I would braai for them.

“I told them, if they are here, sleeping over on a Saturday, I didn't care what congregation they were part of , I said the Sunday is church, if they didn't like it, I said they can go home the Saturday evening but whoever was staying over is going to church and some of  the boys would bring their church clothes with them.

“He was doing confirmation class in Durbanville and his Matric ball was to be on October 3 and he would have turned 18 in December.”

Raithby Universal FC via their Facebook page also shared their condolences to Phillip Daniels Fabe on the passing of his daughter, Kiara-Joy Daniels.