When Fhulufhelo Makhado was driving his sick wife to Tambo Memorial Hospital on Monday, he was stuck in a traffic jam caused by a wreck on the N21. Unbeknownst to him, his nephew was involved in the accident until a life-changing call at the hospital.
Makhado said he left home at Geleba, at about 7.40am, rushing his sick wife to the hospital.
He encountered heavy traffic congestion, which he estimated delayed him by seven minutes.
“There was a lot of traffic on the road, we had to slow down,” he recalled, as he told IOL News.
“I was driving on the left lane, and as we approached the accident scene, we were diverted to the fast lane to pass through.”
As Makhado drove past the wreckage, he noticed a vehicle at the scene, but was focused on navigating the fast lane.
He continued to the hospital without giving it much thought.
Upon arrival at the hospital, he asked the security guard for entry. His phone rang several times, but he said didn’t answer because he was busy talking with the security guard.
Once inside the hospital parking lot, Makhado checked his phone and saw that the calls were from an unknown number.
“When I checked the phone, I found that it was an unknown number. I told myself that I would return the call after my wife was admitted.”
Soon after, his wife’s phone rang, and the caller asked to speak with Makhado.
The caller was Nomsa Nhlapo, who informed him that his nephew, Lubanzi Nhlapo, aged seven, had been involved in the accident on the N21 westbound just before Putfontein Road off-ramp - the same accident scene Makhado had passed earlier.
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The City of Ekurhuleni Disaster and Emergency Management Services spokesperson William Ntladi confirmed that all the victims were schoolchildren.
The children were travelling in a Toyota Verso from Daveyton to various schools when the crash occurred.
Four of the children, together with the driver of Isuzu, were also injured and rushed to the hospital.
Makhado immediately recalled passing the scene and thought, “I didn't think it was Lubanzi’s scholar transport.”
After realising the gravity of the situation, he rushed back to the accident scene, and this time traffic jam had worsened than before as he passed earlier.
He said he had to stop the vehicle along the Kingsway road, and run to the scene, fueled with concern for his nephew.
Makhado said when he arrived, people were already gathered at the scene, some of whom he knew.
“I told them that I am the great-uncle of one of the children involved in the accident, but they tried blocking me from getting through,” he told IOL News.
However, he eventually made his way to the scholar transport vehicle, where he saw his nephew at the back seat.
But, sadly, Lubanzi had already passed away.
At the accident scene, schoolbags, shoes were scattered along the bloodstained road. As some families were called to the scene to identify their loved ones, tears were just flowing down from their faces.
Makhado said since Lubanzi’s death, the family has been struggling to come to terms with their loss.
He said Lubanzi loved playing soccer and admired professional football stars.
“He would ask me when I was going to buy him a shirt of his favourite players, Kabelo Dlamini of Orlando Pirates and Kayliam Mbappé, who plays for Real Madrid.”
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When asked what he would remember about Lubanzi, Makhado recalled that he was always eager to go to the playground and play football.
“He would always want to go to a training session and play soccer. Someone, he would even play football at the park with my child, who also loved soccer,” Makhado said.
He reminisced about what Lubanzi used to say to him: “He would tell me that he wanted to train so that he could be fit to play football. I am really going to miss him. . .”
Makhado said the family would find peace only once they come to terms with what happened to their child.
“The authorities had told us they are still busy with the investigations. But we really wish to know what exactly happened on that fatal crash.”
Makhado added that the family had already started with the funeral preparations, with the funeral service scheduled for Saturday, March 15.
Lubanzi, who was a Grade one learner the the Rynfield Primary School, will be laid to rest at the Lala Ngoxolo Cemetery, after his service at his mother’s home at Shongwe.
Gauteng MEC of Education Matome Chiloane has since visited the families of the children who died and extended his condolences.
Other children who died were, Khetelwe Zulu, Hlompho Mofokeng, Kgosi Malatjie.
Khethelwe and Hlompho, were siblings and in Grades 1 and 3 at Tom Newby Primary School.
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