TV Host and Chef Mynie Steffens Dies in Helicopter Crash at 43
Television host and chef Mynie Steffens, best known for the VIA TV show Speel met Vuur (“Play With Fire”), has died at 43 following a helicopter crash in South Africa.
On November 10, Steffens was flying a helicopter that hit power lines and crashed on a citrus farm near Patensie, Eastern Cape, according to authorities. She was conducting a pest-control flight when the accident occurred.
Her co-host and longtime friend Aldi van der Walt described her as “a big heart, gentle soul, and the glue that kept people together,” adding that her death was “a massive shock.”
VIA TV paid tribute on Facebook: “Rest in peace, Mynie Steffens. You were adventurous until the end. With Play With Fire, you showed us how to approach life with curiosity and bravery.”
Beyond television, Steffens authored the 2021 cookbook Mynie Plays with Fire, featuring South African barbecue recipes. She often shared her passion for flying on social media.
Rest in peace, Mynie.