Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Iconic South African singer and songwriter PJ Powers said she would not be able to look at photographs of Chester Williams while performing 'World in Union' at the former Springbok's memorial service at the University of the Western Cape's Bellville campus on Wednesday.
LIVE | Springbok legend Chester Williams remembered
Williams, who won the 1995 World Cup with the Boks, died suddenly on Friday at the age of 49 after suffering a heart attack.
Powers, speaking to Sport24 at the service on Wednesday, revealed that she had been close to Williams ever since meeting him at the 1995 World Cup.
"I was incredibly close to him and Maria (Williams' wife), way after the World Cup," she said.
"This one is a hard one.
"I can't look at any pictures because I can't sing World in Union with a lump in my throat."
Powers opened up on what made Williams such a memorable and likeable figure.
"Chester was a magnificent rugby player, but we all know that," she said.
"The reaction has been very deep for Chester and it's because everybody knew that he was a good, good man.
"He loved rugby, he loved Maria and his children and we got friendly in 1995 and it continued. He supported me and he came to a lot of shows when I was in Cape Town.
"We'd have lunch or dinner and he was just a pleasure to be around. He saw the good in life, and we need people like that so badly in our country right now.
"It is with great sorrow that I'm here."
— Lloyd Burnard (@LloydBurnard) September 11, 2019
We're here at UWC Bellville for the memorial service of @Springboks legend Chester Williams. This is the programme for the day. Proceedings due to get underway at 13:00 @Sport24news @News24 pic.twitter.com/c2u29Eq17Y
