WATCH: Gas leak victims left in limbo, DA turns to embassies for help

Families who lost loved ones in the toxic gas leak disaster in Angelo informal settlement on July 5 are still battling to get help to transport the bodies to their countries of origin for burial.

The families raised the issue about the lack of financial support during a visit to the area by the DA leadership in Gauteng on July 11.

According to the bereaved families, although some local and provincial government officials promised to support the affected families when they previously visited Angelo, nobody has yet come forward to offer help to repatriate the bodies of the 17 deceased.
The majority of the deceased is originally from Mozambique, a few are from Zimbabwe and one South African, whose body was transported to his hometown of Bochum, Limpopo, yesterday (July 11).

Expressing their grief and frustration at not being able to transport and bury their loved ones, the families pointed out that their wish is to bury their loved ones in their home countries where the rest of their relatives and friends are fretfully waiting.
Last week, 16 people died on the scene after poisonous gas was released into the atmosphere from gas cylinders believed to be linked to illegal mining in the area. Another person died in hospital.

The leak allegedly occurred when illegal miners were trying to release the toxic gas from the cylinders to cut them open for use in the illegal gold refining plant located within the community of Angelo.

A survivor, Patrick Manganye, who hails from Zebediela and was among the people who were rushed to hospital after inhaling the toxic gas, lost four loved ones – his wife Clesta Ndlovu (29) who hails from Zimbabwe, four-year-old child Lenmore Ndlovu and his brother-in-law Siziwe Dube (who was in his 20s) and his child Thembelihle Dube (3).

“We have spoken to several undertakers who quoted us an estimated R30 000 for transportation of the four bodies together. This is beyond my means because I don’t have the funds they are asking for,” said Manganye.
“With the help of relatives, we have so far managed to raise at least half the amount but need another R15 000 to transport all of them to Zimbabwe. I am pleading for help to raise this money.

“The government told me that failure to transport them to their country of origin would mean that they would all be buried in one grave at a local cemetery. The family is opposed to this, saying it is against their cultural beliefs.”

As opposed to the figure (three) she had previously given, Judith Manyisi said that including both her immediate and non-immediate family, she lost six relatives in the same yard.
They are also desperate for assistance to transport their loved ones to Mozambique.

Her family members who died are Jeremiah Shivuri (34), Benedito Shivuri (24), Bonifassi Shivuri (18), Lazarus Mondlana (36), Samito Manyisi (19) and her daughter-in-law Naira Manyisi (20). Manyisi’s 48-year-old cousin is still in a serious condition in hospital.

“We have spoken to the undertakers and been quoted about R15 000 per body if they are transported separately,” she said.
“They offered a discount by charging between R6 000 and R8 000 per body if they are transported altogether.
“The situation has been giving us sleepless nights. I am unemployed and I don’t know where we will get the funds needed.”

Meanwhile Syfred Sebyeng is the only South African citizen who died in the gas leak tragedy.
The family described Syfred as a people person who enjoyed cracking jokes most of the time.
“We will never forget this tragedy and hope the truth will one day come out because we need to know the truth to get closure,” said his sister, Juliet Manaka.
Syfred will be laid to rest in Limpopo on July 15.

DA intervention
The DA provincial leader MPL Solly Msimanga said that it would be engaging with both the Mozambican and Zimbabwean embassies, as well as the South African government over the repatriation and burial of the bodies.

“Part of what the DA will be doing to assist the families is writing to the embassy of the two countries to find out what kind of assistance they are willing to give for the repatriation of the bodies.
“If we are unable to repatriate the bodies or if this is not an option for the embassies, I think we are going to have to have a conversation with both provincial and local government to see if we can offer the families indigent burials.

“I am hoping later this afternoon (June 11) or tomorrow (June 12) once we have an answer, we will be able to communicate the situation. We are not going to have people lying in mortuaries forever without the families getting answers,” Msimanga said.
“We need to get answers; we need to get them assistance in putting their loved ones to rest. What do we do? We can’t just throw them away. We need to show that we are human.

“The most unfortunate part is that the premier was here last week and the only thing that was given to the families was food parcels, no follow-ups.
“Now people are left to their own devices. They are very poor families and need assistance.

“I’m told that there was a promise by the premier that there would be permanent policing around the mining holes but that only lasted a day.
“We are told that right now illegal mining operations have already restarted, which makes the community vulnerable to a similar disaster.”

The DA team that visited Angelo included provincial leader MPL Solly Msimanga, political head for the Germiston constituency MP Michele Clarke, Gauteng Shadow MEC for Community Safety MPL Crezane Bosch and Gauteng spokesperson for Community Safety MPL Ruhan Robinson.