Week of mourning declared in KwaZulu-Natal after fatal road accidents

A “dark cloud” is hanging over KwaZulu-Natal as the provincial government declared this week a week of mourning after 21 people died in three motor vehicle accidents this weekend.

A two-vehicle collision on the R622 Mooi Plaza on Greytown Road claimed the lives of 12 people, while a crash on the R74 Kranskop Road involving uMkhonto Wesizwe Party (MK party) members left 10 people critically injured and six dead. Others died in a crash at Stanger along the N2.

Cases of culpable homicide have been opened for the accidents, and investigations are continuing.

‘Dark cloud’ hanging over KwaZulu-Natal – MEC

Following the accidents, KwaZulu-Natal premier Thamsanqa Ntuli called on all road law enforcement agencies to execute all possible measures to reduce road carnage across the province.

Speaking at a media briefing on Monday morning, MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said this was the most carnage seen on the province’s roads under the seventh administration.

“There is a dark cloud hanging over the province following the deaths of 21 people in separate road accidents,” Duma said.

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“No amount of words can express our deepest sympathies to the families for the pain and irreparable loss of their beloved ones.”

The MEC announced interventions for the affected families to assist them during this agonising time.

The interventions include:

• Assigning a team of officials to visit all families, starting from Monday
• Consulting with families to ensure that the deceased are provided with a dignified funeral
• Coordinating with Road Accident Fund (RAF) visits to individual families to explain a package of assistance provided by the Department of Transport under such circumstances that are beyond the family’s control
• Determining, in consultation with families, days and locations for a memorial service and funerals for the victims
• Working with the Department of Social Welfare to assign social workers to the affected families to provide, on a continuous basis, psychosocial services
• Assigning social workers to the bereaved families to provide psychosocial services during the funeral ceremonies

Week of mourning

“The trauma that families are experiencing will take many years to heal, but we are hopeful that the support offered by the government and the people of KwaZulu-Natal will give them enough strength and courage to fight over the storm,” the MEC said.

The provincial government has also called on religious leaders in the province to embark on a week of prayer.

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“We must pray to God to give families strength. As the people of KwaZulu-Natal, members of community, neighbours, and friends, we are called upon such road accidents to dig deep from the soul of our very being,” Duma said.

“Let us, once again, say to the people of this country and the world that we are guided by the spirit of Ubuntu.”

Watch the KwaZulu-Natal transport briefing here:

Meanwhile, in the terms of the R622 crash, the department revealed after the briefing that four of the deceased were foreign nationals from Lesotho.

The department said it was working with the Saps to trace their next of kin and to confirm other details.

It will also approach the Lesotho High Commission in Pretoria through the Department of International Relations and Corporation (Dirco) to discuss the repatriation of the mortal remains of their citizens.

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