The news of Mynie Steffens’s death hit South Africa like a blow to the heart. One moment, she was a vibrant television presence — a chef who brought energy, warmth, and personality into people’s homes. The next moment, she was gone, killed in a helicopter crash at just 43. The shock was instant, and the grief that followed was deep and widespread. People didn’t just lose a TV figure; they lost someone who felt familiar, approachable, and full of life.
On Monday, November 10, Steffens was flying a helicopter over a citrus farm near Patensie in the Eastern Cape. It was a routine pest-control flight, something she had done many times before. Steffens wasn’t a casual pilot — flying was a passion woven into her life just as naturally as cooking. She often posted cockpit photos and videos, combining adventure with the joy of mastering something challenging. But that morning, something went terribly wrong.
Investigators later confirmed that the helicopter struck power lines during the operation and crashed into an open field. Photos from the scene showed the aircraft shattered, its frame torn apart from the impact. Authorities soon confirmed what the images already told everyone: the crash was fatal. Steffens didn’t survive.
Tributes poured in immediately — heartfelt messages from fans, colleagues, and friends. Their words all circled the same truth: Mynie Steffens mattered to people. She wasn’t just a chef on TV. She had that rare ability to make viewers feel connected to her — warm, bold, charismatic without trying. She made you feel like you could sit beside her firepit and share a meal.
She became a household name through her hit show Speel met Vuur — Play With Fire. The title fit her perfectly. She cooked with flames, with instinct, and with a confidence rooted in joy. Her style wasn’t pretentious or complicated — it was grounded in South African tradition, community, and fun. People didn’t just watch her cook; they watched her live.
Her longtime friend and co-host, Aldi van der Walt, spoke publicly through her grief. The two had known each other since high school, long before TV fame. Van der Walt described Steffens as “a big heart, a gentle soul, the glue that kept people together.” Their reunion to create their VIA show wasn’t a business move — it was a full-circle friendship, two women building something they loved.
“Mynie lived life to the full,” Van der Walt said. “She always had ideas that turned into successful projects. She made time for anyone, from any walk of life — that was who she was.”
What made Steffens unique was how friends and strangers described her the same way. Even people who never met her said she felt familiar — like someone who would pull up a chair, pour a drink, and ask how you really were. That generosity of spirit came through every episode.
Her network, VIA TV, released a statement that captured her essence: “You were adventurous until the end. With Play With Fire, you showed us how to approach life with curiosity and bravery. Sleep softly.” It was true — she lived with a fearless openness that inspired people.
She wasn’t just a TV personality. In 2021 she published Mynie Plays with Fire, a cookbook celebrating the rugged beauty of open-fire cooking in South Africa. It wasn’t a superficial project — it was her heart on paper, filled with recipes tied to memories, places, and the thrill of outdoor cooking. She wrote with humor, enthusiasm, and authenticity.
Her work — on screen or on the page — was unmistakably hers. She brought people together. She kept things honest. She made cooking feel joyful and fearless.
Her death leaves a gap in South Africa’s culinary and entertainment world that cannot be filled. Not because the industry lacks talent, but because she brought something entirely different — a rare mix of authenticity, courage, and kindness.
What makes her loss even harder is the way she lived. She wasn’t reckless. She wasn’t seeking danger. She was simply doing what she loved — working outdoors, piloting her own helicopter, living life on her own terms. She lived intentionally, shaped by joy and passion. And her life ended in the very environment she loved.
In the days after the crash, fans shared stories: meeting her at markets, watching her behind the scenes, trying her recipes for the first time. These weren’t celebrity encounters — they were memories you’d expect about a neighbor or friend. That was her impact.
For her family and friends, the loss is immeasurable. For colleagues, it’s a reminder of how special she was. And for fans, it’s the end of a connection that felt personal.
Steffens’s legacy will not be the crash. It will be the heat of a firepit, the smell of wood smoke, the laughter in a lively kitchen, the bravery of trying something new, the steady confidence of a woman who followed her passions without apology.
She lived boldly. She cooked boldly. She flew boldly. And she leaves behind a community grateful for the spark she shared.
Mynie Steffens was 43. She lived fully, honestly — and with fire until the end.