LET HIM REST
The 45 Easter pilgrims who died while travelling to Moria in South Africa in March this year have been buried, and it is now time to let go and allow grieving families to heal, Kgosi Segale Gobuamang of Thamaga village has advised.
Gobuamang said this on the backdrop of the ongoing public bashing of deceased Ogaufi Noonyane of Thamaga, whom many have been accusing of possible neglect in the accident. Noonyane was the driver of the bus that crashed and burnt to ashes with the 45 passengers, and early indications suggested that the driver lost control of the bus leading to it plunging off the Mmamatlakala Bridge.
Reports say people have been talking in hushed tones, both in Thamaga and Molepolole, of the nature of driver the youthful Noonyane was, with some even taking to social media to air their suspicions that in his youthful exuberance and inexperience, he must have miscalculated the curves on the road leading to the bridge, and with the weight of the load he was carrying, failed to get the bus back on track from their suspect speeding. Fourty-six (46) people were aboard the bus but only an eight-year-old girl miraculously survived. It is against this background that Kgosi Gobuamang has called on people to disabuse themselves of the street talk that he said could potentially prove harmful and hurtful not only to the driver's family, but to the rest of the affected families and friends as well.
“It is now time to let grieving families start the healing journey. All those that have been having ideas or thoughts of blaming the driver for the tragic incident should desist from making remarks about the matter. Nobody calls an accident unto themselves. I do not think our son caused that accident deliberately to an extent he can be crucified even in death,” Gobuamang remarked.
Kgosi warned the public to be very mindful of the words they utter because they have potential to evoke certain emotions and also scratch on the already open wounds.
Although he did not know Noonyane personally, he has interacted with the family since news of the tragedy broke and he is very thankful for the cordial relationship the family has had with government until burial day.
“The family requested without fighting government that Noonyane be buried in Thamaga next to his family and not in Molepolole like the other 44 who were buried at Ga-Ranta cemetery.
“Government understood where the family was coming from and granted them their wishes; there were no fights about the matter,” he said.
On the day of burial this past Saturday, friends and family members had already filled the family home as early as 0500hrs, ready to bid one of their own farewell.
However, his body had been taken back to Molepolole to be part of the others where government was hosting a mass burial service in honour of the deceased. It was when the funeral procession made way for Garanta
Cemetry in Molepolole that Noonyane's family transported his body back to Thamaga where they proceeded straight to the cemetery for burial.
A family spokesperson told this publication then that they had on Friday done all that needed to be done, and that there was nothing left for them to do at home when the body arrived.
On the sidelines of the burial ceremony, other people reiterated Kgosi Gobuamang's words, saying drivers are never appreciated until a mistake happens and people then amplify the rare misdeeds. They described Noonyane as a reliable driver who was trusted by the company to transport the pilgrims. They too called on gossipers to be sensitive to others when they discuss the matter.