admin
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
REMAINS of a 42-year-old woman burnt to ashes after being trapped in a Toyota Quantum that caught fire in an accident along Beitbridge-Bulawayo highway were buried on Thursday at Bulawayo’s Luveve Cemetery.
Sibonokuhle Zodwa Sibanda of Entumbane was among three people killed while several others were injured when two vehicles, they were travelling in were involved in a head-on collision near Malala Village in Beitbridge on Sunday afternoon.
Two other people who were in a Toyota Corolla which collided with the Toyota Quantum and was reportedly carrying mourners heading to Beitbridge, died at the hospital while several people were injured.
A sombre atmosphere engulfed Exodus Funeral Parlour at Kelvin West, where the funeral service was held with only family members allowed to view the remains.
Sibanda’s two daughters aged 26 and 16-years-old, held by relatives, sobbed uncontrollably as they approached the white coffin that held the remains of their mother.
Mr Thabani Sibanda, brother to the deceased, said death robbed them of a breadwinner.
“I’m the only one left now since we were born in a family of three, two sisters and myself. The eldest Siphiwe died in 2002 and now Zodwa, who is the one who was looking after us has gone. The way she died really hurts us. I can only imagine the pain she went through as was she was trapped in the burning car,” said Mr Sibanda.
He said Sibonokuhle was on her way from South Africa to take her 16-year-old daughter to a boarding school when she met her death.
“If only she had been patient and not swapped cars when he got to the border. From what we are told, the vehicle she was travelling was delayed at the border and she asked to get into the Quantum that she went on to die in, after notifying the people she left Johannesburg with that she was in a hurry to take my niece to school. The owner of the vehicle she died in, Mr Cosmas Mhlanga came to pay his respects and assisted with R1 000. He even attended the funeral,” said Mr Sibanda.
Police said nearly 2 000 road traffic accidents were recorded over the festive season.
During the same time between December 15, 2021 and January 5 last year, 102 people died while 478 others were injured in 1 914 accidents recorded.
-@ZililoR
Online Reporter