The member of J.B. Marks’ mayoral committee for sports, arts and culture died in a head-on-head collision on the Ventersdorp road last Wednesday.
The councillor, Moeder Sarah Mokae was travelling with Kinsley Mothobi, an employee in the infrastructure department who also died in the accident. According to Yvonne Maqoboza, the acting director of the department of community safety and transport management in the municipality, the MMC’s Mazda SUV collided with a Mazda bakkie and caught fire at about 15:00. ‘One vehicle was travelling to Ventersdorp and the other, to Potchefstroom. Five people died, including a 6-year-old child who passed away in the hospital. The cause of the accident is not known but the police are investigating a case of culpable homicide,’ she reported.
The council spokesperson, Willie Maphosa says Mokae and Mothobi were burnt beyond recognition.
The 42-year-old Mokae became an MMC during the mayoral inauguration on 17 September 2016.
We will miss her infectious laugh
Her aunt, Mammy Louw described her as friendly, people’s person. ‘We will miss her infectious laugh. Even though she never had her own children, she loved spoiling ours. She was forgiving and never held a grudge.
Mammy says the family is heartbroken, particularly at the way she died. ‘That day, I called her and sent her messages but she did not reply. I knew something was wrong because we spoke every day,’ she said.
Council grants Mokae an official municipal funeral
The executive mayor, Kgotso Khumalo has declared that Mokae will have an official municipal funeral reserved for serving executive members.
The memorial service will be held at the Madiba Banquet Halls at 14:00 on Thursday. Her funeral will take place at the banquet halls on Saturday. The procession will leave from No. 1573 Raditsabeng Street at 06:30 and the service will start at 07:00. Councillor Mokae will be buried at the heroes’ acre in the industrial sites’ cemetery,’ said Jeanette Tshite, senior media relations officer.
The municipality lost a third employee in a car accident last week. Abel Moile was an electrician in Ventersdorp.
