A father’s anguish
“They all had bad injuries on their heads” Pastor could identify his daughter only by her feet
“I prayed that they would drive safely‚ but they didn’t make it,” pastor Norman Kobese said yesterday as he recalled his last conversation with his daughter Siyasanga Kobese.
She was one of the five people killed in a car crash on the N6 near Queenstown, Eastern Cape, on Saturday. The rising star was travelling with former YoTV presenter Akhumzi Jezile, actor Thobani Mseleni and Skhumbuzo Mbuthuma from Urban Brew Studios IT department. The fifth person is yet to be named.
Siyasanga was known for her stint with Joyous Celebration, her hit song Noya Na and her role in Zabalaza.
Kobese left a sermon yesterday to speak about his daughter’s death, only a day after he had burst into tears identifying her crushed body by her feet.
“I went to the scene. I couldn’t stay there. Not even for an hour. It was bad. From there we went to the forensics.
“All of them had injuries on their heads. “My daughter‚ I recognised her feet. She was my daughter‚ she grew up with us. So when I saw her feet‚ I knew it was her. I didn’t need to see the rest of her.
“She was going to MC a wedding and was going to go past our house .... ”
Kobese said it was upsetting to see his daughter’s body. Not only because she was dead but because she was in her underwear.
“She was naked. I couldn’t understand why. She was wearing a panty. Nothing else.
“We asked what happened to her clothes but police could not say. They said they are only responsible for the scene of the accident. But there was my daughter‚ naked.”
Kobese said the accident happened after they passed the junction to Sterkstroom on their way from Johannesburg to Engcobo.
“They were five in their car and, according to the police, there was a car in front of them towing a BMW. When the trailer had a puncture, the
driver failed to control the car and the trailer hit their car, killing them on the scene.”
He described his daughter as a creative person who was always thinking of her family.
“She is my only daughter. She is the middle child.
“I am a beekeeper and she worked with me and my bees. As soon as she would get any money‚ she would send some to us.
“She would never forget to send us money.”
He said she played a big part in their family and that her loss would be felt forever.
“My son‚ the eldest one‚ has a child. Siya did everything for that child. School fees‚ uniforms, textbooks. We don’t know what will happen now.”
He said he had always been proud of his daughter and never doubted her skills and talent.
“Some people would look at her and say: ‘That girl is playing.’ But I knew she wasn’t. I knew she had talent. I knew she had a good heart.”
A preacher was helping them deal with the loss.
“Somebody had to go [and identify the body] and it was me‚ whether I liked it or not.
“My wife has not been able to stop crying. We couldn’t sleep last night.
“It’s unreal‚ this thing but I am not afraid of death. My daughter is just around the corner and I believe I will meet her
again.” humorous and energetic.
Another friend, Sibabalwe Bingwa, said he also learnt the news on Twitter.
“I was having a relaxed Saturday at home when I logged in on Twitter and learnt the news. Still in shock, I refreshed my timeline to double check and I saw my friend’s name. I felt so weak, I didn’t want to believe it. I called friends to check the last time they had spoken to him and they confirmed he was no more,” he said.
Bingwa said Mseleni was in the process of building his mother a house. “A happy soul, loved fun and his friends and definitely had so much love for his mother,” he said.
“I will remember Thobani as one young man who was fearless, who pushed himself and worked so hard to be where he was.”
Urban Brew Studios chief executive Veronica Duwarkah said: “We are all devastated and utterly shocked, but we will try to remain strong during this time.”
Head of bouquet at SABC1 Clara Nzima said: “It is with immense shock and deepest sorrow to learn of the untimely passing of Akhumzi [Jezille, a former YoTV who also died in the accident].
“A colleague, an exceptional talent ahead of his time, a friend to many.
“On behalf of SABC1 and the SABC, we wish to send our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and fans. We have truly lost a gem. May his precious soul rest in peace,” she said.
Speaking on behalf of the Jezile family, Percy Vilakazi said they were humbled by the love, support and prayers they had received from all corners.
Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa also sent his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives.
“It is with deep sorrow and profound grief that the we learnt of the deaths of bright young stars and the future of the country’s arts and creative industries,” Mthethwa said in a statement.