Image: Fredlin Adriaan
Some of Port Elizabeth’s well-known DJs, artists and personalities will band together tonight to host a benefit for one of the northern areas more prominent entertainment figures.
Colin Kannemeyer, 52, better known as “Junior”, who is the previous owner of The Blue Note in Gelvan Park, fell ill last month.
He was rushed to Greenacres Hospital where doctors discovered a blister around his colon had erupted, causing septic shock.
He had to undergo an emergency operation when he was diagnosed with diverticular disease – a condition in which small, bulging pouches develop in the digestive tract.
Kannemeyer, who also owned Tarantino’s nightclub in Port Elizabeth, was on life support in the ICU before undergoing a second operation.
He keeps falling in and out of consciousness.
Junior is not aware of the event that will see DJs like Sham Da Funk, Bena B, Eazy E and Clibo, along with Patrick Lindoor, Algoa FM’s Kay-Cee Rossouw and Queenie, offer their various skillsets for free.
It will be held at the Malabar Community Centre tonight to help pay the hospital bill, which sits at R750 000.
Kannemeyer’s son and Bay DJ, Dexter “Dexter K” Kannemeyer, 29, of Parkridge, said the news of his father’s illness came as a shock to the family.
“My father is a very giving person. He is family orientated and goes above and beyond for everybody,” he said.
“We decided to host this event to honour and support my dad.
“Once people learned about it, more and more DJs and artists came on board, which speaks volumes of the type of person he is.
“It was great and very overwhelming to see everyone, the old-school DJs and the new DJs, coming on board to help my dad.”
He said the toughest part of the ordeal was hearing his father’s chance of survival was 10%.
Entertainer Patrick “Tururu” Lindoor, 41, of Uitenhage, who will be performing, said when he learned about the event there was no doubt in his mind that he would help out.
“I started my career [in the 1990s] at the Blue Note when it was still a restaurant,” he said.
“There were only about 10 or 15 people at first, but in less than a month, people struggled to get in on a Thursday night.”
Algoa FM presenter Roch-Le Bloem, 26, of Newton Park, said: “Any family member who needs support, I would definitely want to be a part of that and give of what I can.”