LIMPOPO – Eight of the 13 victims who tragically lost their lives in the R40 road crash near Hoedspruit were laid to rest on Saturday, April 20, during a mass funeral held at the Tsakani village Sports Ground.

The deceased laid to rest include Yvonne Mashego (29), Cornelia Sekome (50), Kgatlego Makine (12), Gift Kamogelo Mathebula (46), Lindisi Vivian Mathebula (43), Shadrack Monkie Makine (55), Mercy Julia Dilebo (53), and Loveness Nukeri (21). Most were employees at Le Bamba supermarket in Hoedspruit.

Ten of the victims hailed from Acornhoek, while three were residents of Hoedspruit. Two victims remain unidentified.

The funeral followed a two-month wait for DNA testing to identify the severely burned remains, delaying the burial process.

“It took two months of waiting for the DNA results before we could begin to bury our loved ones,” said Katlego Makine, a family representative of 12-year-old Kgatlego Makine, a learner at Drakensig Primary School. “We are grateful to everyone, churches, community leaders, and the government, for their support. It hasn’t been easy, but their help gave us strength.”

Mpumalanga Premier Mandla Ndlovu, who attended the funeral, pledged continued government support for the grieving families.

“Sometimes we put on brave faces, but it’s not easy to lose a loved one,” Ndlovu said. “We’ve already started offering counselling and will continue until families are emotionally stable and supported.”

Mpumalanga MEC for Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Jackie Macie, urged motorists and pedestrians to be more vigilant.

“90% of road accidents are caused by human error,” Macie said. “Drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists must adhere to the rules of the road. We all have a role to play in creating safer communities.”

The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Saturday, February 8, near Kapama, when a taxi and a bakkie collided and caught fire with passengers still inside.