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OBITUARIES

PEET VAN DER MERWE

Peet van der Merwe, founder of Greenacres Landscapes, passed away
on 8 July 2021 due to Covid related complications. He was 67.

He joined the South African Landscapers Institute (SALI) in the early
1990s and received his first Gold Award at the 1995 SALI Awards of
Excellence. Under his leadership, Greenacres Landscapes received 45
awards - 16 Gold, 15 Silver, 10 Bronze and one Merit – over a period of
26 years. By 1998, Peet was entering up to eight projects a year into
the annual SALI Awards of Excellence.
Landscape architects such as Lucas Uys, Neville White, Daniel Rebel
and Christine Cilliers-Walker trusted Peet implicitly to implement
their designs.
Many remembered how thrilled he was when Greenacres won the
top award for the specialised landscape construction of Loftus Park,
Pretoria, in 2019. Morne Faulhammer, SALI national judge at the time,
said that Peet never shied away from a complex project and that he
was prepared to go ahead and make it happen. His work included
private residences and corporate projects in Gauteng and the Cape.
Landscape SA extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends,
staff and colleagues. LSA

JONATHAN GOUWS

The South African Nursery Association (SANA) has announced the
sad passing of Jonathan Gouws of Blue Jay Marketing. He was an
integral part of the green industry and recently nominated vice chair
for the SANA KZN forum. In addition, he was part of the SANA Bursary
Committee for a number of years, adding value and input to ensure
the future sustainability of horticulture in South Africa. He was also
part of many trade shows and will be remembered for his diligence
and friendliness. He was always prepared to help in moments of crisis
and was a positive, inventive thinker.
Jonathan’s support to the KZN administrators has been invaluable.
He had also been involved in promoting ‘Life is a Garden’ on behalf of
SANA, a mammoth task which he thoroughly enjoyed.
He touched many peoples’ lives, each in a special way, and will be
remembered for his goodness and positive outlook on life, as well
as his willingness to always assist. His passing is a great loss to the
industry.
Landscape SA extends its sincere condolences to his family, friends,
staff and colleagues.
Obituary by Tanya Visser, supplied by Paul Vonk, SANA President. LSA

2 Landscape SA • Issue 103 2021