Black weekend for Limpopo

As Limpopo was still getting to grips with the death of yet another Member of its Executive Council in an accident on the N1 highway on Saturday night, the news broke of four Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) staff members and supporters having survived an accident closer to home less than 24 hours later.
According to information the accident that claimed the life of Agriculture MEC and African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL) Provincial Chair Joy Matshoge occurred on the N1 highway South in the vicinity of the Nyl Toll Plaza on Saturday night. A source explained that she was apparently heading to her home in Modimolle prior to Sunday’s party activities and mini-rally at Ephraim Mogale Stadium forming part of a three-day mass mobilisation programme attended by Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa. Sources alluded to the fact that the vehicle she was driving veered off the road, leading to the crash. According to the Provincial Police the accident occurred around 21:30.

Upon enquiry Provincial Government Spokesperson Phuti Seloba told Polokwane Observer that a technical team was meeting at the time before briefing the inter-ministerial committee tasked with organising funeral arrangements later this morning.
Yesterday evening Polokwane Observer was notified of an accident scene some 15 km from Polokwane along the road to Modjadjiskloof involving four occupants, among whom three employees based at the party’s provincial office and a relative to the driver. According to EFF Provincial Leader Michael Mathebe the driver of the vehicle, Elias Mahlobogwane who is a messenger at the party office, was seriously injured and rushed to hospital with the other occupants. Elias’s brother, Stanley, as well as Dodo Moshwane and Karel Mohloane, who are both employed at the EFF office in Polokwane were discharged the same evening, he added. Mathebe mentioned they were on their way to Tzaneen to drop off Moshwane, who had to organise a march to the court building this morning, when having to swerve out for a motorcyclist driving without lights. In an attempt to avoid a crash the driver steered the vehicle to the left and lost control. The car subsequently plunged through a fence on the opposite side of the road and overturned.
ANC Legislature Member Dan Sebabi confirmed that he was first to arrive on last night’s scene on the Modjadjiskloof Road and had notified the emergency services of the accident. He passed the scene on the way back from a funeral at Ga-Kuranta at around 20:30, it was learnt.
In the meantime Polokwane Observer was informed of two young motorcyclists, Pieter Potgieter and Nicky du Preez, who reportedly died in a crash on the N1 North highway outside Polokwane in the early hours of Saturday when their motorcycle collided head-on with a bakkie. They were travelling in the direction of Polokwane when the accident occurred, sources confirmed.

Story and photos: YOLANDE NEL
>>observer.yolande@gmail.com

Featured photo: One of the occupants injured in the accident on the road to Modjadjiskloof on Sunday evening rushed to an awaiting ambulance.