John Walton with his wife Tolini, and family.

John William Fox Walton (63), the owner of the Ca Bella Pacific Construction, a Tongan based company, was killed in a plane crash in Pretoria, South Africa on Thursday 22 August.

John was flying in a three-week "extraordinary self-flying Safari tour of the African Continent." John's family reported that John had teamed up with Richard Primrose to take the lead of a convoy of aircrafts at the end of the Safari tour before they returned home to New Zealand, when the accident happened on August 22.

John is survived by his wife, Tolini, six children and four grandchildren.

During his daily skyping with his family in New Zealand John reported that he was "absolutely loving" the safari, and emailed his family and friends photographs of Africa.

John and his company Ca Bella Pacific were involved in the construction of some of Tonga's landmarks buildings, such as the renovation of the Royal Palace, the LDS Church temple at Liahona, the Royco Building, the Molisi Tonga building and the OG Sanft Building.

He retired and returned with his family to Auckland, New Zealand, last year.