Johannesburg - “I wish this whole thing was a dream. We don't understand when they say the bus ejected her. The picture of that terrifies us.”
These were the words of Zandile Sithole, the sister of one of the people who died when a bus ferrying ANC supporters veered off the road in the Free State on Sunday.
It was returning to Gauteng from the ANC’s 2016 local government manifesto launch in Port Elizabeth when it rolled several times, ejecting several passengers and leaving many others trapped beneath it.
On Monday, hymns echoed through the streets of Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, near the home of Gugu Sithole, 33, one of the victims, as congregants comforted the bereaved family.
The family were inconsolable. “Our mother has not said much since the accident. She is shocked,” said Zandile, Gugu's older sister.
In a poignant moment, Gugu’s 10-year-old son kept asking why her mother was not around for his birthday on Monday.
“We don't what to tell him. It pains me so much,” said Zandile.
Gugu was the breadwinner in the family. She has three siblings and was a branch executive committee member in ward 63.
Gugu’s younger sister Joyce said: “My sister was born an ANC volunteer, like the rest of us. We followed in our mother's footsteps. This community and family lost a leader. We are devastated.”
This comes as authorities are still searching for answers about the cause of the accident.
According to one of the survivors, Godfrey Mofokeng, passengers who had been sitting at the front of the bus saw the two drivers took turns driving, both on the way to and from Port Elizabeth.
He said most of the volunteers were ANC Youth League members.
Free State police said this allegation would form part of their investigations.
“Some of the statements we received were that the drivers were fatigued and swopped seats while the vehicle was moving. We are investigating if that is true or not,” said Free State police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thandi Mbambo.
The Star