A generator explosion at a popular Marine Drive coffee shop in Gqeberha has claimed the life of the 62-year-old owner Jo-Ann Pieters.
The incident left the Summerstrand community reeling after a routine morning on Monday turned deadly.
Police spokesperson Capt Sandra Janse Van Rensburg confirmed that Pieters sustained severe burn wounds when a generator reportedly exploded at her coffee shop in Marine Drive, Summerstrand, at about 12.45pm on Monday.
“She was transported to a private hospital by ambulance. Upon arrival at the hospital at about 12.57pm, she was admitted to the trauma unit but succumbed to her injuries shortly thereafter,” she said.
No foul play is suspected. An inquest docket has been opened and investigations are ongoing to determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident.
Tributes have since poured in on social media, with many customers remembering Pieters as a warm and attentive host who built personal connections with those who visited the café she owned with her husband.
One social media user wrote: “Jo-Ann, you are much loved and will be remembered in the community of Summerstrand and beyond. I will always remember your lovely handwritten messages on each coaster that would be on each table when we would get our coffee.
“You will be truly missed. May God be with you and your family and friends left behind.”
The Herald
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