Former Hawthorn and Brisbane player and sporting filmmaker Robert Dickson's eight-year-old son Gabriel has died in a South African hospital.

Dickson, 45, and his other son Byron, 5, were killed after their car crashed between Sun City and Pretoria last week while on holiday from Australia.

Dickson's wife Dusty and Gabriel were injured in the accident and were being treated in hospital.

Gabriel's death on Tuesday was made public in an AFL statement in Australia on Wednesday.

"The families of Robert and Dusty Dickson regretfully and with great sadness wish to inform relatives and friends that their beautiful boy Gabriel passed away peacefully, surrounded by family on Tuesday, April 14," it said.

"A memorial service for Rob, Gabriel and Byron will be held at a future time back in Melbourne.

"Dusty and her family are thankful for your support, thoughts, prayers and love through this horrific time.

"The family will arrive back in Melbourne next week, and will provide a further update at that time."

Robert Dickson worked on a number of film projects for the AFL and recently completed The Essence of the Game, a program tracing Hawthorn's rise to the premiership last year.

Dickson was on a family holiday when the accident happened.

He was due to join the AIS AFL Academy tour of South Africa next week.

Dickson played 17 games for Hawthorn from 1988-90 and two games for Brisbane in 1991.

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