Ramathuba: Limpopo begins Transport Month on a painful note
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba urged road safety after 12 people, including a child, died in a tragic R81 crash near Ga-Sekgopo.
LIMPOPO – Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba has made an emotional appeal for safer driving following a tragic accident on September 28 that claimed twelve lives.
The crash, involving a minibus taxi and two trucks, occurred on the R81 in Ga-Sekgopo. The victims, who were returning from a prayer conference, were laid to rest in a mass funeral attended by the Premier and other provincial officials.
At the Mahumani Multicultural Heritage event later that day, Ramathuba expressed deep sorrow, saying the tragedy cast a dark shadow over the start of Transport Month, which focuses on raising road safety awareness.
“We are starting Transport Month on a very sad and painful note,” she said.
Among those who died was the minibus driver, a young father who regularly transported the group to their annual conferences. Ten mothers, many of whom were breadwinners and central to their families, also perished. Ramathuba shared a poignant story of a grieving husband unsure how to raise his children without their mother. “You can build a double-storey house, but without a woman or a mother, it remains just a building, not a home,” she said.
A seven-year-old child, described as a “precious baby,” was also among the victims. Ramathuba noted that the child was born after long prayers, making the loss even more heartbreaking.
The premier urged drivers to be cautious and responsible, warning that reckless behaviour like speeding or dangerous overtaking can lead to irreversible loss.
She called on everyone to pray and prioritise safety as Transport Month begins.
