The Westdene tragedy and the heroes we must remember

The image of a yellow double-decker bus, its sides emblazoned with ads for matches, being hauled from the water of the Westdene Dam in Joburg, will forever be etched in the memories of many.

The date of 27 March, 1985 will live on in the memories of many… and in the nightmares of others.

Like all tragedies it was senseless… even more so because the 42 victims had not even been able to take their first steps on life’s road to adulthood.

For them, there would be no matric farewells, no university graduations, no nervous days at their first jobs, nor even more nervous walks down the wedding aisle or tense moments waiting for a baby in a maternity theatre.

That’s what was taken that day. But more than that, it was the day the laughter died with them, when the innocence of all those connected with the awful event would have vanished.

To this day, there has been no explanation for the crash, which happened as the bus, driven by Willem Horne, drove on to the dam wall. He survived the crash but could remember nothing that happened.

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He was later tried in court for culpable homicide but acquitted on all charges, something which angered many.

There was also bickering later about compensation money among some of the parents.

But it was the heroism of all the volunteers, who repeatedly plunged under the water in frantic efforts to rescue the 72 teenage passengers which should never be forgotten.

Among them was Petrus Lucas Koen, who, after surviving the crash and sinking, went back to rescue his cousin and five fellow pupils, before drowning himself.

There were others who were prepared to lay down their lives that day to save others.

And that selfless commitment to helping others in need should be the real legacy of the Westdene tragedy.

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