Family of Limpopo accident victim devastated
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. The family of one of the nine victims killed in a road accident in Limpopo on Tuesday morning is devastated by the loss of a relative.
Mathari Sefoka was among the people who died when a minibus taxi in which she was travelling collided with a truck. The accident happened on the R579 road between Lebowakgomo and Jane Furse at around 7am.
All nine victims were passengers in the taxi. Seven other passengers sustained serious injuries and were taken to the Lebowakgomo Hospital for medical treatment. Sefoka’s brother-in-law‚ Obed Leshilo‚ said they were still trying to cope with the loss.
He said Sefoka had a bright future ahead of her and that her family was looking to her for support going forward. Sefoka is the younger sister of Leshilo's wife.
“The whole family is still struggling to come to terms with the loss of their daughter. It is painful because she perished while en route to work‚ where she was doing an internship‚” said Leshilo.
He said Sefoka‚ who hailed from Thabampshe section of GaMasemola village near Jane Furse‚ had just begun an internship at the department of education's circuit offices in Lebowakgomo.
“She left home to return to work and promised to call upon arrival. And now this. The family is saddened‚” said Leshilo‚ adding that his wife was still too traumatised to speak.
According to the chairman of the Jane Furse Taxi Association‚ Magomarele Mokgoatjana‚ the taxi in which the victims were travelling did not have a permit to operate on the route.
“We are saddened about the loss of lives on our roads. However‚ we are deeply worried about the taxis that continue to ignore our calls to get permits in order to operate on the roads as they put the lives of our people at risk‚” Mokgoatjana said.
He said there were several taxis using fraudulent permits to operate on the roads in the area and that the operators were warned to refrain from doing so.
“We appeal to government to intervene as a matter of urgency because if legal permits are being used‚ the association is able to lend a helping hand to assist those families who had lost their loved ones‚” he added.
According to police spokesman‚ Lieutenant-Colonel Moatshe Ngoepe‚ a case of culpable homicide has been opened against the truck driver. He said the process was still underway to identify the victims of the fatal accident.
The truck driver and his crew had sustained minor injuries.
TMG Digital/SowetanLIVE
Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package. 