Rehoboth prepares to mourn Oom Dap

THE Rehoboth community is preparing to bury one of its best-known political figures, Dap Izaaks, this weekend.

Izaaks (72) died in the Roman Catholic Hospital in Windhoek at around 12h30 on Thursday. He was hospitalised after sustaining internal injuries during a car accident on October 9.Izaaks and his son Kleindap (40) were on their way to a cattle auction at Rehoboth when a vehicle hit their bakkie from behind.The Rehoboth leader’s daughter, Johanna Engelbrecht, told The Namibian yesterday that her father’s funeral service would be held at the Rhenish Missionary Church at Schlip close to Rehoboth.He will be laid to rest on his nearby farm, as was his wish.A special memorial service would be held at the Hermanus Van Wyk Memorial Hall at Rehoboth on Wednesday night, she said.”It will be especially for people who might not be able to make it to the farm for the funeral,” she said.The memorial service is scheduled to start at 20h00.The funeral will start at 08h30.In his 40-plus years in the political arena, Izaaks served as Speaker of the Rehoboth Town Council, Acting Baster Kaptein and Mayor of Rehoboth.Former Rehoboth mayor Koot Louw yesterday described the late Izaaks as “a unique, individual person who was desperate in his fight for justice”.”Rehoboth was almost everything to him, and I think that’s why he became so popular with members of the community.”Engelbrecht said her brother Kleindap, although still experiencing some pain, was okay after the accident.He was hospitalised after sustaining internal injuries during a car accident on October 9.Izaaks and his son Kleindap (40) were on their way to a cattle auction at Rehoboth when a vehicle hit their bakkie from behind.The Rehoboth leader’s daughter, Johanna Engelbrecht, told The Namibian yesterday that her father’s funeral service would be held at the Rhenish Missionary Church at Schlip close to Rehoboth.He will be laid to rest on his nearby farm, as was his wish.A special memorial service would be held at the Hermanus Van Wyk Memorial Hall at Rehoboth on Wednesday night, she said.”It will be especially for people who might not be able to make it to the farm for the funeral,” she said.The memorial service is scheduled to start at 20h00.The funeral will start at 08h30.In his 40-plus years in the political arena, Izaaks served as Speaker of the Rehoboth Town Council, Acting Baster Kaptein and Mayor of Rehoboth.Former Rehoboth mayor Koot Louw yesterday described the late Izaaks as “a unique, individual person who was desperate in his fight for justice”.”Rehoboth was almost everything to him, and I think that’s why he became so popular with members of the community.”Engelbrecht said her brother Kleindap, although still experiencing some pain, was okay after the accident.