Rugby legend Chester Williams succumbed to a suspected heart attack on Friday 6 September 2019 in Cape Town. The former Sprinbok player had been working as a coach, after retiring from the sport, at the University of the Western Cape (UWC).
Chester is well known for being part of the 1995 national team that won the Rugby World Cup against New Zealand in the final. The winger played for the Springboks from 1993 to 2000 and was the only non-white player on the team during the 1995 world cup.
Condolences have been pouring in from South Africans across the country including Minister of Sport, arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa who visited the Williams family in Cape Town.
‘Yesterday I visited the family of our fallen hero Chester Williams to comfort them and let them know that the whole nation mourns with them. We will forever be indebted and grateful to him for his role as a champion of social cohesion, nation-building and transformation in sport’, he tweeted.
Chester is the fourth member of the 1995 Springboks team to pass on following the deaths of fellow team mates, in previous years, Joost Van der Westhuizen, Ruben Kruger and recently James Small.
His memorial service will take place on Wednesday 11 September 2019 at the University of the Western Cape.
