TV host and pilot Mynie Steffens dies in shocking helicopter accident

Cape Town – Pilot, author, and DStv cooking show host Mynie Steffens died in a helicopter crash on Monday morning while spraying crops near Patensie in the Eastern Cape.

She co-hosted the popular VIA channel programme Speel met Vuur, a dream she realised after reconnecting with childhood friend Aldi van der Walt 16 years later.

Eastern Cape police confirmed the accident occurred just before 8am, and an inquest has been opened.

News24 reported that the single‑occupant Robinson R22 helicopter is believed to have struck power lines, fatally injuring Steffens.

Beloved DStv chef Mynie Steffens dies in helicopter crash in Eastern Cape

Mynie Steffens, pilot, author, and DStv cooking show host Mynie Steffens died on Monday morning in a helicopter crash while spraying crops on a farm near Patensie in the Eastern Cape.

Steffens co-hosted… pic.twitter.com/Q0HNKPKYvn

— RaiZel (@landbourainier) November 10, 2025

According to IOL, Steffens’ childhood friend Aldi van der Walt described her as a vibrant, compassionate, and kind-hearted person who “lived life to the full” and left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

“Mynie lived life to the full,” she said.

“She was always full of ideas that had transformed into successful endeavours, and then executing that with success, winning over people as she went along,” the report quoted Van der Walt as saying.

“She could make time for people from every walk of life, and that was her priority.

“She had a big heart, gentle soul, the glue that kept people together.”

A pilot was killed when her helicopter crashed on a farm outside Patensie on Monday morning.

The pilot, Mynie Steffens, was a well-known TV presenter, author and flight instructor. https://t.co/AvffeqmITz

— The Herald NMB (@HeraldNMB) November 11, 2025

Steffens’s love for cooking over fire began at age 10, according to her publisher, Penguin Random House.

The Kouga mayor and the farm owner where the crash occurred expressed their shock and condolences. Security company Exec Ops, who responded to the scene, stated that details are limited due to ongoing investigations.

Steffens’s sister, Lanie, did not comment immediately. Friends and colleagues remember her for her warmth, humor, and the impact she had on both her personal and professional circles.