LIMPOPO – The Village Hall entrance was simply furnished with a central round table and a brass bowl of subdued-coloured flowers. Also on the table were the first time released photos of each of the deceased – Maria Modipane (42), Elizabeth Maponya (50), Samuel Makwela (49), Thomas Selomo (56) and Johannes Phekgwana (33).
Read more: Five people killed in horrific R71 collision near Haenertsburg
James Turner, Head of CPF, was MC. One of the deceased, Samuel (or Sam), was very close to James. Sam and James’s family go back three generations. James started off by saying, “I really shouldn’t be talking,” as he struggled to contain his raw grief. “Last night I couldn’t sleep. I turned to the dictionary to look up the word ‘accident’. The meanings were unforeseen event, occurs unintentionally, a mishap or misfortunate especially one that lands up causing a death. And that’s what this was. An accident.”
James and other speakers also remembered Zelda van der Westhuizen from Tzaneen, who died in the other car.
Reneilwe Malatji was the Sepedi/English interpreter while Jonathan Meintjes conducted the prayers and sermon.
Interspersed were the voices of the hauntingly beautiful Limpopo-based Martin Luther Kantorei conducted by Dudu Rachidi.
Locals Mara and Fred Hermann, who are caravanning throughout South Africa, sent a message of condolence to Sam’s family. “He was the best gardener and a good man.” Chrissie Davidson: “Quiet, honest, reliable. Sam used to hold the garden shears, make like it was a gun, and aim at the vervet monkeys. They’d run.”
Unfortunately Sam’s elderly mother was ill and couldn’t attend the memorial.
Sally van Aardt had known Lizzie (Elizabeth) for 19 years. Sally had seen Lizzie through having her own daughter taken away in a similar accident. She’d also watched Lizzie’s joy with her own grandchildren. Lizzie was indispensable in several homes in and around the village.
Michelle Britten tearfully spoke of her friendship with Johannes. “Johannes helped me through the pain of losing my husband. He helped me through the pain of loss.”
Maria’s mother said she was proud of her daughter in the local SAPS. She thanked the Haenertsburg community, on behalf of all five families affected, for its support.
The service ended with the choir singing the South African national anthem.
The memorial service programme summed up this loss -You touched the lives of the Haenertsburg community in so many important ways and will be sorely missed by everyone.
