MBOMBELA – Culture, Sport and Recreation spokesperson, Sibongile Nkosi said, ”The aim of the commemoration is to acknowledge, celebrate and preserve the memory of those who died in the accident in which 63 passengers perished in one of the most horrific railway accidents in South Africa. The accident happened when a train ferrying migrant workers from Mozambique derailed in a narrow bridge in Emgwenya, formerly Waterval Boven on 16 November 1949.”
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The dead passengers were buried in a mass grave in the area, which has since been developed into a memorial to honour the memory of those who died 69 years ago. The memorial site was recently damaged by vandals. “Despite the vandalism of the memorial site, we will not be discouraged in our bid to keep the memories of these miners alive,” added Nkosi.
The Department of Culture, Sport and Recreation together with the Mozambique government has been working hard to keep the memory of the deceased alive. In 2006, the South African Heritage Resource Agency erected a memorial in the graveyard. The Department unveiled a commemorative stone at the disaster site in 2010. This was done to ensure that the disaster site is developed and promoted as a tourist destination and preserved for future generations.
