No mother's love for Sindi

Baby Sindi has lived the past year without her mother.

She was three months old when her mother was killed after a 40-ton 18-wheeler truck ploughed into four taxis and two cars on Fields Hill, Pinetown, KwaZulu-Natal exactly a year ago.

A friend, who was babysitting the child on the day of the crash, yesterday said Sindi was being cared for by an aunt.

"She is growing so well. An aunt, who is a teacher, has been taking care of her. Sindi has a nanny and a good life, but she'll never know her mother," she said.

Sindi's mother was a taxi passenger on her way home from her first day back at work after maternity leave when she was killed.

"Sindi's mother, Deli Msomi, was my best friend. She loved her baby so much. I have visited Sindi many times. When she is older, I will tell her what a wonderful woman her mother was," the friend said.

A day after the crash, Sindi's elderly grandmother approached an NGO-run Pietermaritzburg children's home to take care of her, but changed her mind when she learned that her granddaughter might be fostered. She died a few months after the crash.

Families of the 24 victims killed in the horrific crash "have slowly been picking up the pieces".

Thembisa Nompula lost her 22-year-old sister Nombifuthi.

The two sisters usually travelled together, but on that day, Nompula finished work early.

"In January, I bought a car. It had been our dream. We used to talk about all the places we would drive to. I have a car but no sister."

Nompula said her family did not follow court proceedings against the driver of the truck, Swazi national Sanele Goodness May.

"We forgave him a long time ago."

In a letter from prison on Wednesday, May said: "I am very sorry about what happened.

"This will haunt me for the rest of my life. My condolences to all the families.

"Only God knows why he allowed this terrible accident to happen. Please don't hate or judge me. I beg of you to please forgive me."

May, facing 24 counts of culpable homicide, is expected to enter into a plea bargain at the Durban High Court on September 17.

His defence is that the truck's brakes failed.

But Gregory Govender, owner of Sagekal Logistics, said the truck was roadworthy.