ICC
The world renowned cricket umpire, Rudi Koertzen, and three other people were killed in a head-on collision near Riversdale on Tuesday morning.
The 73-year-old Koertzen from Despatch in Nelson Mandela Bay was on his way back home from Cape Town after a golf weekend.
His son, Rudi Koertzen Jr told Algoa FM News that his father died on impact.
"He went on a golf tournament with some of his friends, and they were expected to come back on Monday, but it seems they decided to play another round of golf", Koertzen Jr said.
Koertzen was born in Knysna and worked as a clerk for South African Railways until he became an umpire in 1981.
He was appointed to several high-profile matches and retired in 2010.
Koertzen was also well known for his "slow index finger" he used to indicate that a batsman was out.
He officiated in 331 internationals including 108 test matches.
Paying tribute to Koertzen’s contribution to cricket, CSA Chief Executive Officer, Pholetsi Moseki said: “The passing of this titan is a sad loss for the game. Koertzen’s contribution to Umpiring, to which he spent the better part of his life speaks volumes about his selfless dedication and commitment. “With his demise, another curtain of a rich legacy has fallen, but will never be forgotten. In his honour, let’s decree to embody his passion for umpiring and unearth a crop of umpires who will carry the fortunes of the game into the future.”
