A memorial service for former Springbok athlete Louie Zimmerman will be held tomorrow, hours after the court appearance of a 28-year-old man charged with her murder.
Zimmerman, 75, who was awarded national colours for netball and athletics, was bludgeoned with a brick at her home in Port Alfred in the Eastern Cape on Wednesday.
She died en route to hospital.
A bicycle, pair of running shoes and handbag were stolen from the house.
Athletics coach Karen Zimmerman said: "My mom was the type of person who would have given the killer the bike if he had just asked for it. She was one of the town's most beloved residents. Everyone knew her because she was always out there coaching kids in the townships."
South African marathon champion Lusapho April, 29, who is being coached by Karen Zimmerman, discovered Zimmerman senior's body.
"Lusapho was staying with my mom while recovering from an injury. He left the house to buy a newspaper and was gone for less than an hour. When he returned, he found her lying there and pressed the panic button. Within minutes, the police, security services and ambulance arrived."
Zimmerman lived long enough for give the police a description of her attacker.
A suspect was arrested after being spotted by residents in nearby Nemato township riding a bicycle.
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