“Beautiful roses have returned home to God”
Cries of mourning filled the air as family members and friends struggled to cope during the service.
“God lent these kids to us to nurture and water like roses and He has decided to pick them.”
This was just one of the sentiments at an emotional memorial service at the Madiba Banquet Hall yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 25 August) that remembered the lives of the five Vyfhoek Primary girls who passed away during last week’s tragic accident.
Cries of mourning filled the air as family members and friends struggled to cope during the service. Emergency and counselling services were on hand to assist the families as needed during the service.
Family representatives of Tebogo Reamogetse Motsemme (12), Thendo Noxolo Lewane (8), Christina Lerato Mashai (9), Oreneiloe Seroalo (8) and Palesa Thekiso (6) each gave impactful tributes. The grief-stricken parents were inconsolable as the words hit deep.
These were some of the tributes from family representatives:
“Tebogo (Motsemme) wanted to be a nurse. In an instant she was taken away from us. What happened is unbelievable. In this time we must keep loving each other. Let’s hold on to Jesus.”
“I drove all the way to school when I heard the news. I couldn’t bear to see my sister (Thendo Lewane’s mother) like this. We are deeply hurt.”
“Christina (Mashai) was a child who had humor, loved God and going to Church. She always smiled and was well loved by her family. She was just lent to us. We send our condolences to all the families.”
“Oreneilwe (Seroalo) was a beautiful rose lent to us. The will of the Lord prevailed, and we must continue even if it is difficult,” said Neo Seroalo, a representative of the Seroalo family.
“Palesa (Thekiso) was just a little young girl and we looked forward to spending many years with her. We are pleading with the Lord to strengthen us in this time.”
The Executive Mayor of JB Marks Municipality, Gaba Ka Qhele, also expressed his condolences to the families and emphasised that the tragedy has brought the whole municipality together.
“When we come together and show our support it lessens the burden of pain. Potchefstroom came together to raise funds for the families, but no money in the world will bring the children back.”
“I rushed to the school when I heard the news of the accident last week. It happened to my city’s children and I felt a deep sadness. It is important to mourn in this time and to show compassion. Life is really short,” he added.
The head of the School Governing Body of Vyfhoek Primary, mr. Sandile Getyes, was also visibly moved by the terrible event that claimed the lives of the five learners. He stated that he was grateful that teachers managed to pull his own child out of the way when the accident occurred.
“We want to thank the community at large for their support. The Lord gave me a message that each corner of Vyfhoek got hurt. The Lord says that we must not stop praying,” added Getyes.
The principal of Vyfhoek Primary, mr. Corrie Smit, gave an emotional speech where he mentioned that he also lost his own daughter two years ago during childbirth.
“I can relate to your pain. I know how it feels to lose a child. I lost my daughter during child birth two years ago. I also had the same question, “why God why,?” This past Sunday, God gave me the instruction to share a passage from 1 Peter 3: 8-9:
“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. 9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”
