The mother of a Rockland Primary School pupil in Carletonville says she doesn't blame the driver of the taxi involved in a horror crash that killed him and nearly a dozen children.
“Even if he did survive the accident, I'd tell him that I don't blame him. It's not his fault, he loved our children so much and may his soul rest in peace,” 32-year-old Nomathemba Sesing told TimesLIVE Premium a day after the horrific accident.
Her son, Lethabo Kgothatso Sesing, was among 11 children who died on Wednesday morning after a minibus taxi transporting children to Rockland and Laerskool Blyvooruitsig was allegedly rear-ended by a Ford Ranger, causing the taxi to roll and catch fire.
He was nine years old and in grade 4. His sister, who survived the crash, was shaken but physically unscathed.
Sesing opened up about her loss during a visit by Merafong municipality and Gauteng department of education officials.
She described her son as an “angel” who was soccer-mad and his father's best friend.
“Lethabo was a naughty child but bubbly and full of jokes. He would make light of every situation, but we were used to him and accepted him as he is.
“I'd always get complaints from his teachers about his naughty behaviour, but ultimately I'd be able to get him in line and get him to do his homework. And I was impressed with his second-term results. I lost an angel,” she said tearfully. Lethabo was her only son.
Sesing explained that she was alerted to the accident by a neighbour whose children attended the same school but used a different scholar transport.
They rushed to the scene and were able to identify the surviving child among the photos presented to them. She also thought she had identified Lethabo, but this was not the case.
“We arrived at the scene and discovered that the driver had passed on, he was such a nice guy,” she said.
Sesing explained how her daughter, who was playing with her cousins during the visit and seemed unfazed by the hive of activity at her home, managed to get out of the vehicle before it caught alight.
The 12-year-old broke the rear windscreen but couldn’t return to save her brother, something she blames herself for.
“She’s always felt responsible for him. She wanted to go back to the taxi, but it was already on fire and there were teachers at the scene who didn't allow her to go back to save her little brother,” the pained mother of three revealed.
The department also visited the Hlalele family, who lost four children in the fiery crash.
They were Reneilwe, 7, Thato, 8, Hlompho, 11, and Sihle Hlalele, 12.
Education MEC Matome Chiloane and his transport colleague Kedibone Diale-Tlabela addressed the media after a meeting with the family. Diale-Tlabela said the four children were using this particular transport for the first time on the day of the crash.
Diale-Tlabela said the department was yet to determine whether the taxi was licensed to transport children.
“This was private scholar transport, so we don't have much details because the driver also passed on in the accident and the car is burnt. But the team is busy doing investigations so we can give answers,” she said.
The children's uncle, Aviwe Manqa, said their major concern was what happened leading up to the accident. Manqa said they did not want to speculate but would rather let government carry out its investigations.
“We only want the investigation to be fast so we can get closure and start healing,” he said.
He described the children as respectful and well-loved, both at home and in their neighbourhood.
DNA testing will take place on Friday for the families to identify their children, Chiloane confirmed.
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