By Elmon Tshikhudo and Maanda Bele
The news of Monday afternoon's bus crash in the mountain near the tunnels came as a shock to many families who had lost loved ones. For the Sinyosi family of Tshirolwe Extension 3 in Nzhelele the news was especially devastating as they had lost two of their beloved members.
Ms Shoni Sinyosi (44) and her eight-year-old daughter, Pfufho Sinyosi, boarded the doomed bus at Louis Trichardt on their way home from work that fateful day. She worked as a manager at the Do Light bus company.
Family spokesperson Pastor Ndwamato Joseph Sinyosi said the tragedy had left the family in a lot of pain. "Shoni was a pillar of strength in the family, a unifier who participated in all family activities and was loved by all. This is a great loss, and she will always be fondly remembered," he said.
Sinyosi further called on bus companies to service their fleets regularly and to ensure that the buses were in a roadworthy condition. He also called on traffic officials to be strict on the roadworthiness of buses.
The mother and daughter will be buried on Friday.
On Tuesday, the Limpopo MEC for Transport and Community Safety, Ms Florence Radzilani, confirmed that 21 people had already died as a result of injuries sustained in the accident (On Thursday, 16 February, this number rose to 22 after another body was discovered by police divers at the scene). Radzilani and her team visited some of the local hospitals that were treating the injured patients.
Besides the 22 passengers who passed away, 10 passengers were reported to have sustained serious injuries. Sixteen passengers escaped with moderate injuries, while 35 sustained minor injuries. Passengers with injuries were transported to the Louis Trichardt, Elim and Siloam Hospital for medical attention.
Radzilani expressed her gratitude for the speedy response of law enforcement and emergency services, and the dedication of health practitioners who are tending to the injured passengers. She also said that she would do her best to ensure that her department concluded the investigation on the accident, so that the victims could make claims against the Road Accident Fund.