MOKOPANE – A vehicle collision claimed the lives of seven people on December 24 along the R518 (Marken road) near the Mogalakwena bridge, between Tinmyne and Masodi village.

The event occurred at approximately 09:30 when a light delivery vehicle travelling from the direction of Mokamole crashed after striking a bridge barrier.

Six people of which four men and two women, were certified dead at the scene. Five adults and two children who sustained injuries were transported to a local hospital for medical treatment.

Search recovers seventh victim

Following the crash, police divers launched search operations along the nearby river amid fears that additional occupants may have been swept away by the water. On December 26, the body of a seventh male victim was discovered more than one kilometre from the initial accident scene, between Tinmyne and Masodi village.

The deceased were transported by forensic pathology services. Reports further indicated that one woman died upon arrival at the hospital, while an eleven-month-old infant who had been transferred to Mankweng Hospital succumbed to injuries on December 30.

A man was later discharged with minor injuries, while the driver and three other victims, including a child, a woman and a man, remain hospitalised.

Police are investigating cases of culpable homicide, and investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident are ongoing.

In a joint intervention led by Mogalakwena Mayor Ngoako Taueatsoala, supported by Major General Masenge and provincial police commissioner Lieutenant General Thembi Radebe, officials visited the scene.

Motorists were advised to use alternative routes as the road was closed to allow rescue and recovery operations to proceed.

Officials visit affected families

On December 26, Taueatsoala, accompanied by various roleplayers, paid condolences to the Manamela family, who lost four relatives, as well as the Kgadima and Mojela families, who each lost one family member.

During the visit, the mayor was informed that divers had recovered another body linked to the accident. The family was subsequently notified and invited to identify the deceased, who was confirmed to be from the Mamatlakala villages and not a member of the Manamela family.

Families expressed gratitude for the mayor’s visit, describing it as a gesture of compassion and solidarity during a period of profound grief amid the festive season.

Families mourn as victims are laid to rest

January 3 marked a deeply painful day for the families and the broader community as the victims were laid to rest.

“This day marks a moment of profound sadness as the community bids farewell to those taken too soon. The municipality joins the families and the community in mourning this painful loss. May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace, and may their memories remain a source of strength to those they leave behind,” Taueatsoala said, adding that the municipality mourns alongside the affected families.