Village battles to grasp horrific deaths

17 of the deceased were from Verena

A dark cloud is hanging over a small Mpumalanga village following the deaths of 20 people, including 18 pupils, who were all burnt beyond recognition following a taxi crash last Friday.

At least 17 of the deceased were from Verena in the Thembisile Hani local municipality near Emalahleni.

The taxi driver and two other children who also died were from Wolvenkop, less than 5km from Verena.

Women clad in head wraps with doeks thrown around their shoulders were seen walking around the quiet streets of the village. This is a sign of a village in mourning.

Women, sometimes in the company of men, go from one house to another to offer their condolences.

“The community also feels the pain of the affected families. Their children were also our children,” resident Maki Mbonani said.

Another community member, Sophie Nkosi, said this was the most tragic accident to have ever occurred in the area.

“I have never seen anything like this. I do not think as a community we will ever forget what happened. As a mother, I feel so much pain. Losing a child is not easy,” Nkosi said.

In the Masilela home in Verena C, Caliwe Masilela mourns the death of her husband Wonderboy, who died with their only children Ayanda, 8, and Nkosinathi, 14.

Tears streamed down Masilela’s face as she sat on a mattress with a huge blanket over her shoulders in one of the bedrooms.

The 34-year-old has now become a widow.

“All I do is think about them,” she said weeping.

“On Thursday night, Ayanda was too scared to sleep alone in his bedroom. He shared a bed with me.

I cannot get this out of my mind. I depend on sleeping pills to help me sleep,” she said.

In some of the bereaved families’ homes, the voice of a preacher could be heard from afar. Neighbours, relatives and churchgoers burst out in song.

Bontle Masuku, 6, did not survive the crash either.

“The fact that they burnt to ashes is too hard to deal with,” said Bontle’s grandmother, Thandi Masuku.