Moving funeral service held for family and children killed in Richards Bay horror crash.
|||Richards Bay - More than 2 000 mourners attended the funeral of four members of the Petersen family and the Ngubane siblings, at Umhlathuze Sports Ground in Richards Bay on Saturday. All died in a car accident.
The accident killed Roderick Petersen, 43, a maths teacher at Empangeni High School, his wife, Ronelle, 40, a clerk at a local hospital, and their two children, Josh, 11, and Amy, 6.
Two other children, eight-year-old Simphiwe Ngubane and his 11-year-old sister, Sinakhokonke, also died in the crash last Sunday.
The Petersens leave behind Ronelle’s daughter, Bianca, while Sinakhokonke and Simphiwe are survived by their parents.
The accident happened at about 11.45am after a church service at the Open Door Assembly in Richards Bay.
The Petersen family’s VW Jetta was involved in a head-on collision with a municipal water tanker on the N2 at Honey Farm.
Neighbours, family friends and colleagues sobbed uncontrollably when a kilted piper led the six coffins into the church, while playing Amazing Grace on his bagpipes.
In an emotional and moving funeral service people filled the marquee to pay their respects.
The mourners included teachers, pupils, fellow congregants, neighbours and government officials.
Calvin Robinson described Roderick, his friend of 25 years, as someone who had always executed his duties well.
“He loved his mother, he loved his family, and he loved his wife. He was a gentle spirit,” said Robinson.
Another friend, Reagan Richolas, said: “I want my friend back. I want to go on that fishing trip we had planned for December.”
Thulani Ngubane, Simphiwe and Sinakhokonke’s uncle, said: “These kids left a legacy. They respected their parents, teachers and fellow pupils in their schools, and we are proud of them for that. We have accepted that they had a short, but well-spent life.”
The mayor of Mhlathuza, Elphas Mbatha, said it had become commonplace to lose loved ones on the roads.
“But as common as it is, it is unacceptable, because these are lives that could build South Africa,” he said.
Mbatha said accidents could be prevented, and that motorists should be considerate towards one another.
Education MEC Peggy Nkonyeni said: “Words to comfort the bereaved fail me because I have lost two of my children in a similar incident. Memories linger, birthdays remain birthdays without parties, but tears.
“It is with deep regret that we bid farewell to our own - an educator and learners. It is difficult and shocking to believe that a municipal truck did this. We are investigating, because as the government we are very concerned about truck drivers on our roads,” she said.
Richard Benson of the Road Safety Campaign called on the government to take urgent steps to improve road safety.
“We have written numerous letters to (President Jacob) Zuma’s office with no response,” he said.
“The previous minister of transport said if speed could be reduced on our roads, we would reduce the carnage, but no road safety measures have been implemented.”
Meanwhile, a mass funeral for the 30 people who died in an accident on Moloto Road, near Kwaggafontein in Mpumalanga, this week is being held at Matshiding Sports Ground this morning. - Sunday Tribune
amanda.khoza@inl.co.za