adminPamela Shumba Senior Reporter
GRIEF stricken mourners wailed, screamed and rolled themselves on the ground when nine of the 12 bodies of the Botswana accident victims arrived for burial in Malila village in Tsholotsho yesterday. Some of the mourners lost consciousness as hundreds of villagers gathered at Ward 16 in Tsholotsho to pay their last respects to the accident victims, who perished in a road accident two weeks ago, along the Palapye-Martin’s Drift Road in the neighbouring country.
Eleven people died on the spot and another victim, Wellington Donga, 29, died in a Botswana hospital on Wednesday.
The bodies arrived in Tsholotsho in the early hours of yesterday before a mass funeral wake was held. Two of the victims from Bulilima in Matabeleland South were buried on Wednesday.
In Malila village, the community was split into two at about 9AM and the bodies were buried one after the other, as families struggled to come to terms with the tragedy.
Douglas Mlilo, who lost a son Liston, a daughter Nozithelo and a daughter-in law Sharon Moyo, told Chronicle about how devasted he was over the death of his children.
The couple Liston and Sharon left behind two children while Nozithelo left one child.
“They were working in South Africa and they had come home for the holidays. I have never been so shocked in my life and this tragedy is something that I’ll always live to remember. God knows how I’m going to fend for myself, my wife and my grandchildren because these children were the breadwinners of the family,” said a sobbing Mlilo.
“My wife and I are HIV positive and my children were making sure that we get medication and food to keep us going. Now that they’re gone, I don’t know how we’re going to survive. What is heart-breaking is that they have left young children behind. This means that I’ll have to look for a job to try and fend for the whole family.”
The driver of the vehicle Menson Ncube, 36, who left behind two wives and nine children was also buried at the same village.
His brother Freedom Ncube said it was difficult for the family to accept that his brother was gone.
“This is the most difficult moment for us. He has left behind a very young family and he was the only bread winner. The youngest of his children is eight months old. It’s going to be a difficult task to raise his children,” said Ncube.
“He was a hard working man, who had been in the transport business for the past six years, and during his free time, he would mould bricks and build houses for the community, just to make sure that his family was catered for.”
Tony Mbi Sibanda, grandfather to another victim, Langelihle Sibanda, 22, said: “She has left two little children behind. Only God knows why this happened because Langa and her peers were only trying to make their families survive. This is the most tragic thing that has happened in this community. I hope God gives us the strength and means to take care of the orphans that have been left behind.”
The families expressed gratitude to Kings and Queens Funeral Services, the entire community, the political leadership and the government for the assistance it rendered in the repatriation of the bodies and burial expenses.
Tsholotsho District Administrator Nosizi Dube said the government gave the families $200 each, while Kings and Queens provided the coffins and transport from Botswana to Tsholotsho.
She said the Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko and his family donated fuel and food, while Orap and Lord Hunters also chipped in with food to feed the mourners.
Minister of State for Matabeleland North provincial Affairs Cde Cain Mathema urged communities to acquire birth certificates for their children so that they did not struggle to acquire identity cards and passports.
Ward 16 Councillor Patrick Ngwenya said he had introduced a campaign targeting the youth to encourage them to acquire proper documentation when they decide to go out of the country.
Kings and Queens chief executive officer Reuben Phiri said his company had decided to give back to the community by assisting the bereaved families with repatriation.
“Most of our policy holders are from Tsholotsho and Plumtree and we’ve been working with these people very well since we established this service in South Africa. We therefore saw it fit to assist in making sure that the bodies are brought back home and receive decent burial,” said Phiri.
Most of the survivors are reportedly in a critical condition.
Online Reporter