Home for disabled mourns two residents’ death in crash
According to Ferreira the white Hilux bakkie that caused the accident was not on the scene when the metro police arrived
TWO East Rand Protective Workshop residents were killed in an accident just after Atlas Road last Friday evening around 11pm. Fifteen workplace residents were travelling in a mini bus when it was reportedly hit by a bakkie.
Edwin Aspinall (55) and Annemarie van Aswegen (48) were airlifted to different hospitals but were declared dead on arrival due to severe internal injuries.
Elizabeth Kirsten, also a resident at the workshop, suffered severe head and back injuries but is in a stable condition in the intensive care unit at the Sunshine Hospital in Benoni. The remaining passengers were also taken to hospital for treatment.
“A group of about 30 of our residents were coming back from a show that they went to watch at the Nelson Mandela Theatre in Johannesburg when their bus was hit by a white Hilux bakkie from the right side, the driver lost control of the bus and the bus rolled to the side of the road,” explained Naas Ferreira, executive director at the East Rand Protective Workshop.
According to Ferreira the white Hilux bakkie was not on the scene when the metro police arrived.
“The first bus that transported the rest of the residents were home first and started wondering where the others were, they went back to go and look for them and found the mini bus lying on the side of the road. The bystanders that stopped to help had already phoned the ambulance,” said Ferreira. “The residents have walked a long path together and are shocked and saddened at the news. The residents are receiving counselling.”
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The East Rand Protective Workshop provides a permanent, physically and emotionally healthy and creative environment for mentally disabled adults on the East Rand.
Edwin had down syndrome and was described by everyone that knew him as a very hard worker who always wanted to help out where he could. “He worked in our garden and swept the whole place daily,” said Ferreira. Edwin’s memorial service will be held at Herfsland where his mother resides on Friday at 2pm.
Annemarie was a mentally disabled adult that resided in the workplace and was described as the bling girl. “She loved pretty things and always made jewellery for everyone, she was just to happy to be in her room keeping herself busy with her beads,” said Ferreira. Her memorial service will be held at the Kempton Park Dutch Reformed Church on Friday at 10am.
