Nine of the 12 victims of a horrific bakkie crash that took place near Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape have been laid to rest at Putuma Junior Secondary School outside Elliotdale.
Twelve people who were coming from a prayer service died when a bakkie they were traveling in overturned after the driver lost control on a sharp curve. It’s alleged that the driver of the bakkie did not have a licence.
The Mdadlana, Makhubalo and Msobomvu families have suffered a huge blow as the crash has cost each of them two members. They were part of the families that agreed to bury their loved ones in a mass funeral service. Three of the twelve deceased were laid to rest earlier last week. The devastated families are finding it hard to come to terms with the loss.
“When some of our members did not come home that evening we approached the police who told us about the accident. They then took us to the mortuary the next day. What hurt us the most was finding them in the mortuary,”says a grieving relative.
“We’ve been complaining about this road that ever since it was tarred there have been crashes in this road. We want government to please address the issue of this road. We want speed humps on this road,” adds another relative.
The Road Accident Fund (RAF) assisted the families. Regional Marketing manager Bongie Nyengane says:
“As the Road Accident Fund, the consoling arm of government, we make sure that when such tragedies occur, we go to the families and assist where we can. So in this incident all the 12 people who died in the accident have been assisted by the Road Accident Fund. So funeral expenses in terms of transportation as well as storage of the bodies have been assisted by the Road Accident Fund.”
Transport MEC, Weziwe Tikana, concedes that the use of bakkies as a mode of transportation is a huge challenge in the province.
Last year, five people died in Ngcobo after a bakkie they were traveling in overturned just a few minutes from town. Tikana says government is doing its best to address the issue.
“It’s indeed a challenge for us because people are still using bakkies which are not suitable to transport people. But they are bringing up their challenges, challenges of unemployment, challenges of roads. We are working tirelessly as government to address the challenge of roads. It will take us a long time but we will engage the owners of bakkies who we believe are owners of taxis.”
MEC Tikana has urged motorists to obey the rules of the road at all times. He has issued a stern warning to those who drive without drivers licences.
