Family left in shambles after double loss

The mood in the Sebone home is sombre following the funerals of three-year-old Botshelo and 59-year-old Annah Sebone, who died a day apart after tragically being hit by a taxi on the morning of 1 March.

According to Patricia Sebone, Botshelo’s mother, who seems strong at the moment, the day started like any other Wednesday morning. Her mother, Annah Sebone, woke up and checked whether Patricia needed anything before she started getting ready for work.

“She did this every morning and every time, I would ask her for a cup of tea,” Patricia recalls. On this particular morning, their mother was looking for the insurance book. “She wanted to make sure she found it and did not forget to take it to work before bathing my daughter for creche that morning,” Patricia explained.

Upon leaving the house, Annah realised she had forgotten the insurance book and quickly rushed back to collect it before continuing to walk Botshelo to school.“Even though she struggled to make ends meet, our mother refused to fall behind on things like rent and insurance,” Masetshego Sebone, the second of five siblings, explained.

What happened next was beyond what the family would ever have expected. Minutes after Annah left to collect the book, someone came running to the Sebone home, calling out that a minibus taxi had hit Annah and Botshelo.

READ MORE: CHILD DIES AND GRANDMOTHER INJURED AFTER TAXI ACCIDENT

At the time, only Patricia and her younger sister Oumanyana were home. Patricia frantically ran to the scene to witness what had happened. “I noticed that my child was lying there, unresponsive, but my mother could at least move her hands,” she recalls.

“When I tried to get closer, they would not let me. The last thing I remember was collapsing in shock and being rushed to the hospital.”

Masetshego was already in a taxi on her way to work when she received a call that there had been an accident in her street and that she urgently needed to return. She usually leaves the house after her mother and Botshelo, but they were running late and she left before them. “The accident scene was extremely chaotic,” Masetshego recalls. “There was a fight about who was driving the vehicle. Some bystanders were distraught when they saw the accident. I vividly remember seeing my niece’s head cracked open and her being covered by a blanket,” she said.

Botshelo was declared dead on the scene, while Annah had a fighting chance and was rushed to Potchefstroom Hospital. At about four o’clock the following day, Thursday, 2 March, the family received a call that Annah had succumbed to her injuries. Masetshego says although she saw that her mother had sustained severe injuries, her death came as a shock.

They hoped she would be able to hold on for them. “When I visited her in the hospital, she kept blaming herself for Botshelo’s death and was terrified that others would also blame her,” she explained.

Still trying to make sense of it all, Patricia says her mother and daughter were very close. “No matter where she went, she was always with my child. They loved each other wholeheartedly,” she said. However, even though Botshelo was often happier spending time with her grandmother, she particularly wanted to spend time with her mother (Patricia) the week before she passed.

“She would usually spend time with my mother (Annah) or play outside, but in her last week of life, she nagged her mother (Patricia) for attention. We did not think much of it,” Masethsego said. Masetshego worries that this will forever be a painful memory for her younger sister. The family says their mother was strict but extremely loving. Botshelo was a sweet child who came across as shy but felt comfortable as she got to know you.

David Sebone, the third of the siblings, says the community’s support has kept them going. “Ever since we got the news, people have been walking in and out of our home and offering us a shoulder to cry on. We are so grateful for everything,” he said.

What upsets the family the most is that the accident happened in their street and was caused by someone they know. “Although it was an accident, we are still trying to make sense of it all. We will start working towards forgiving him once we are ready,” Masetshego said.

Patricia added that she wants her daughter and mother to know that she loves them very much and is grateful for the time she spent with them. “I am thankful for the love my mother had for my daughter and the role she played in my life,” she concluded.

If you are interested in assisting the family in any way, call Masetshego on 061 431 4026 or Patricia on 083 9841 877. According to Captain Aaje Botma, police spokesperson, a case of culpable homicide is being investigated. “The grandmother and her granddaughter had stopped on the pavement when a taxi allegedly stopped in front of them and then reversed and ran them over,” she said. The 19-year-old driver is expected to appear in court on 31 March 2023 after receiving R500 bail.