Murdered bus driver’s final ‘good morning’

Johannesburg handyman Shadrack Meraeng’s usual commute became a nightmare experience on Tuesday morning, when he, bus driver Neho Motaung, and a group of about 50 unsuspecting commuters were ambushed by unknown gunmen, also armed with a petrol canister.

It was still dark, and Meraeng had just boarded the passenger bus in Lawyley, south of Johannesburg.

As usual, Meraeng said, he occupied a seat behind the “ever greeting and humble” bus driver.

“Mr Motaung, whom we all had gotten used to, seemed to know all the passengers.  He greeted all of us as we embarked, some by name,” Meraeng remembers.

“But little did we know that he was saying his final ‘good morning’ to us.”

It was around 5am when all Meraeng could hear was: “Boom! Boom!”. The frightening sound of gunfire soon led to screams for help and the wailing of women.

“We all took cover under seats. But when fire broke out from the front of the bus, I was the first to run out through an open door.

The aftermath of the attack on a Stabus bus in Lawley, which left the driver dead. Picture: Supplied

“Other commuters jumped out through windows for safety, sustaining injuries. Trapped in the burning bus, was the driver, with us unable to do anything to save him – a scene I will never forget in my entire life,” said Meraeng.

He added: “The attack happened so fast in the cover of darkness and there was no sign of who was behind the ambush.”

France Odendaal, of Stabus, the passenger bus company Motaung, 58, served for 11 years, was at the scene minutes later, but could not save him from the bus wreckage.

Odendaal said: “When I got to our burning bus at about 5.07am, I ran to the passenger door.

“Neho was still alive with his hand up. But it was too late to save him – flames had already engulfed the entire bus.

“After being shot, the bus was set on fire. According to passengers, the attackers first poured petrol on him, setting the driver and the bus on fire.

“They are aware that our buses have cameras and they wanted to do away with evidence. This was a callous killing of a good family man and a breadwinner by people without a soul.  I helplessly watched him burning to ashes. He was a wonderful and joyful man.
“You could be angry but you would end up laughing because he was not an angry man. He wanted to see people around him happy – always reaching out to help others. We are all devastated about what happened.”

After months of rivalry between Stabus and taxi drivers in Lawley, Odendaal appealed to Police Minister Bheki Cele and Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula to intervene.

“This is the first such attack after months of being intimidated by minibus taxi operators who would sometimes stop in front of the bus, calling on commuters to come out and threatening drivers,” said Odendaal.

Motaung’s memorial service will be held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, followed by a funeral next Saturday in his hometown of Deneysville, Free State.

Police are still investigating and no arrests have so far been made, according to Gauteng police spokesperson Brigadier Mathapelo Peters.

brians@citizen.co.za

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