By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
African National Congress (ANC) President Cyril Ramaphosa visited the victims at Mankweng hospital and bereaved families of the bus crash that claimed lives and others injured at the weekend.
The accident occurred along the R71 road in Magoebaskloof in the early hours of Saturday, 13 January, claiming five lives and leaving others with severe and minor injuries as they were on their way to the ANC 112 anniversary rally in Mbombela, Mpumalanga.
Fullview previously reported that six lives were lost, according to minister of police Bheki Cele.
Preliminary reports indicate that three busses were traveling one behind the other when the third bus rammed the second bus and overturned into a gorge.
Ramaphosa paid a courtesy visit to patients in Mankweng Hospital, had a site inspection of the hospital MRI and had a meeting with five families of the deceased comrades and ANC leaders in the province and the sub-region before meeting patients who were discharged from the hospitals.
He wished the victims well on their recovery as they recover and said the provincial government will offer comprehensive support towards the victim’s recovery.
“We call upon law enforcement agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the accident,” he said.
After the visit to the hospitals, Ramaphosa thanked the hospital staff and the management for their hardwork and hospitality.
He said from the remarks of the patients they said they were pleased with the manner inwhich they have been treated and the professionalsm showed by nurses, doctors and the general staff. Raphosa said the patients said the hospitals are clean and they were pleased by the hospital condition that they said was conducive to healing.
“And I saw that our healthcare system does rise to the occassion when we have disasters. And I literally saw the National Health Insurance at work. This is precisely what we always wanted with our health system.”
The President proceeded to visit the families of the victims who died to console and offer words of condolences.
He expressed his compassion and support to the victims, bereaved families and villagers, saying that the ANC has lost its loyal members.
“We have said that we will take the responsibility for all the arrangements that need to be made to put them to rest, and we will take over, of course, with your cooperation and participation, your guidance and your leadership in the whole process of burying them.
“And we have also said that we will be supportive in all efforts, whether for social psycho-analysis or assistance, we will be very supportive.”
ANC’s second deputy secretary general Marupene Ramokgopa said preparations for memorial and funeral services have already commenced and details will be announced in due course.
“The organisation will make sure that our fallen comrades do get a dignified farewell,” she said.
The party has only a few months in which to persuade voters to give it yet another chance to govern South Africa.