One of the oldest living people in the world, Fredie Blom dies at the age of 116.
The Capetonian who celebrated his birthday in May 22 died in his home in Delft on Saturday.
According to Western Cape community development officer, Gadija Francis, Bloom died peacefully.
“He passed on this morning from natural causes. We think that it was his age and I don’t suspect anything to do with Covid-19,” she said.
He said the community is mourning the death of Bloom.
“This is an extremely sad time for everyone in Delft … I said to Ouma Blom’s wife this morning, he is now in good hands. We must thank God for the life that he lived.”
According to Bloom’s personal identity document, he was born in the Eastern Cape town of Adelaide on May 8, 1904. That means he witnessed two world wars and saw the fall of apartheid.
He lived through the Spanish flu pandemic, which killed his sister, and remained unshaken by the Covid-19 pandemic that reigned in 2020.
He spent most of his life working on farms around Cape Town, and was married to his 86-year-old wife Jeanette for nearly 50 years.
