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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Reporter
HOPE Sibanda (4) was born a twin and was described as a girl with a heart of gold and an infectious smile.
Nigel Rusike (26), a popular Bulawayo DJ was described as a person who was passionate about his career.
Hope and Nigel who were cousins were buried yesterday side by side at Athlone Cemetery in Bulawayo after they died last week in an accident that left four relatives including the driver and Hope’s twin sister Haily, hospitalised.
Hope was Bulawayo City Council Engineer Howard Njabulo Sibanda’s daughter.
Bulawayo police provincial spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube confirmed the fatal accident and said the car burst a tyre while travelling from western suburbs.
“There was a lady, who was driving along Cecil Avenue due south and the other car was travelling in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the car’s tyre burst and led her to veer to oncoming traffic. We are investigating this but it’s a mechanical fault,” said Insp Ncube.
He said the car had six people and two died on the spot.
“There were six people in the car when the accident happened. Two died on the spot and the rest were rushed to the hospital. They were travelling in a Toyota Passo. Investigations are in progress,” said Insp Ncube.
According to sources, the driver was tasked to collect her relatives in the western areas and take them to the Sibanda home in Khumalo suburb. However, tragedy struck when the car was involved in a head-on collision along Cecil Avenue in Morningside suburb.
Scores of people including Bulawayo Mayor Councillor Solomon Mguni, his deputy Mlandu Ncube, senior council officials, city socialites such as DJ Nospa, Mduduzi Mdlongwa, Msheznana, Magesh and Madlela Sikhobokhobo came to pay their last respects.
Representing the Sibanda family was Mr Joshfard Tshuma, grandfather to Hope who said the family was devastated by her and Nigel’s tragic death.
“She was loved by all, had a heart of gold, an infectious smile and became a beacon of hope for the entire family. Every visitor to the Sibanda home would fall in love with her inquisitive mind, and openness to issues,” he said.
The little girl was an ECD B pupil at St Thomas Aquinas Primary School in Khumalo.
She was an eager learner who had just started swimming lessons at the time of her death.
A teacher at the school, Mrs Stella Mtuke representing the headmaster Mr Donnington Munemo gave a moving eulogy of
Hope, describing her as an angel who brought love and radiance to the school.
“Hope was a flower plucked before its bloom in the eyes of men, but not in God’s eyes. The hopes and dreams we had for Hope and Nigel were of this world but God has destined them for much greater in heaven,” said Mrs Mtuke.
Cllr Mguni said: “We, as a city are devastated at the loss to the Rusike and the Sibanda family in such a tragic manner. We mourn with both families as these two were very young, hope born in 2018 and Nigel in 1996. Very tragic. We stand with you Sibanda and Rusike families,” said Councillor Mguni.
During body viewing both the Sibanda and Rusike families were inconsolable.
The convoy to the cemetery was long and when it got there the two coffins were taken out of the hearses, with Hope being carried by her sisters who were dressed in matching outfits, and Nigel by his brothers and relatives, who also had matching outfits.
The Roman Catholic church choir sang songs of comfort as the coffins were being lowered and then the pair was buried.
A Chronicle news crew visited the Sibanda family home on Monday and both families declined to speak to the media as they were still mourning.
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