STATEMENT BY FREE STATE RUGBY

Harold Verster, managing director of the Toyota Free State Cheetahs

Free State Rugby and the Toyota Free State Cheetahs have lost a great friend and supporter with the passing of Dr. Johan van Zyl, chairman of Toyota South Africa.

This is such a sad loss and we offer our condolences to his wife, children and grandchildren, family, friends and colleagues.  We honour his memory, legacy and cordial cooperation. His leadership, contribution, encouragement and unflinching support for Free State Rugby proved invaluable over many years. We salute his enormous contribution to Toyota, our naming sponsors, and the motor industry as a whole – in South Africa and internationally.

Johan shared our passion for the Cheetahs.  He was a pillar of support in tough times for Free State Rugby and always encouraged us to persevere and move forward. Without his personal role, it would have been difficult for the Free State to find such a remarkable sponsor as Toyota and to have retained their partnership over so many years.  We will miss Johan, but will always remember him with the highest admiration.

Dr Johan van Zyl addressing the Toyota Cheetahs players at the launch of the Toyota sponsorship in 2011.

VERKLARING DEUR VRYSTAAT RUGBY:
Harold Verster, besturende direkteur van die Cheetahs.

Vrystaat Rugby en die Vrystaat Toyota Cheetahs het 'n baie groot vriend en ondersteuner verloor met die dood van Dr. Johan van Zyl, voorsitter van Toyota Suid-Afrika.

Ons is hartseer en bied ons innige simpatie en troos aan sy gesin, persoonlike en werkfamilie aan. Ons eer sy nagedagtenis, vriendskap en die altyd aangename samewerking. Sy leierskap, bydrae, aanmoediging en onwrikbare steun vir Vrystaat Rugby was vir ons oor baie jare goud werd. Daarby salueer ons sy reuse bydrae tot Toyota, ons naamborg, en die motorbedryf in geheel - in Suid-Afrika en internasionaal.

Johan het ons passie vir die Cheetahs gedeel  Hy was 'n steunpilaar in moeilike tye vir Vrystaat Rugby en het ons altyd aangemoedig om te volhard en vorentoe te beweeg. Sonder sy persoonlike rol, sou dit vir die Vrystaat moeilik gewees het om 'n besondere borg soos Toyota te bekom en ná jare steeds as vennoot te hê. Ons sal Johan mis, maar hom altyd met die hoogste waardering onthou.