adminThupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Consulate in South Africa has released the names of Zaoga band members based in South Africa who were killed in a road accident in Pretoria on Thursday morning. Moments of Praise band members, not More Praise band as earlier reported, died near the Nellmapius off-ramp in Irene when their vehicle collided with a speeding car, a year after they rose to fame with their song Zaoga Yafamba.
It emerged yesterday that four were band members while the fifth victim was their friend who attended AFM church in Johannesburg.
Zimbabwe’s Consul General to South Africa Batiraishe Mukonoweshuro identified the victims as Isiah Ringisai, 33, (Nyanga), Naison Sithole, 24, (Chipinge), Mark Abiding Zhakata, 24, (Harare), Tawanda Makwavarara, 24 (Murehwa) and Praise Gombakomba (Buhera), whose age was not given.
He said Makwavarara was a member of the AFM church in Johannesburg while the rest were members of the praise and worship band Moments of Praise who attended Zaoga Church in the same city.
Mukonoweshuro said the Road Accident Fund would facilitate their repatriation today and the victims’ respective churches were assisting.
“This has been a terrible period for our nationals travelling on South African roads. The tragedy is more depressing and saddening coming soon after another nine lives were lost in a similar manner in Mokopane” said Mukonoweshuro.
“These young singers had a real promising future and it was unfortunate for them to perish at such a tender age. Our thoughts and prayers go to their families, relatives and all those who knew them”.
He said a memorial service was expected to be held for the five at AFM Germiston and the mayor of Pretoria Kgosietso Ramakgopa had been invited.
Online Reporter