The small town of Keimoes in the Northern Cape is grieving the loss of nine loved ones who were among the victims of Monday’s bus crash on Vanrhyns Pass in the Western Cape.
By Mandilakhe Tshwete
THE TOWN of Keimoes in the Northern Cape is grieving the loss of nine loved ones who were among the victims of Monday’s bus crash on Vanrhyns Pass in the Western Cape.
The construction workers had spent the weekend with their families and on Monday were on their way to Ceres where they worked at the Scatec solar energy farm.
The bus they were travelling in, owned by TP Williams Vervoer, reportedly had a tyre burst and then veered off the road and rolled down the slope, landing at the foot of the mountain.
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The accident happened between Vanrhynsdorp and Calvinia at around 5pm, leaving 10 people, including the driver, dead, with 29 injured people taken to hospital.
One of the dead, Sebastiaan Nimeerhoudt, 28, had worked for Scatec for a year.
His distraught sister, Desmone Nimeerhoudt, said: “My brother had been working in Kenhardt for the same company and this year he started working in Ceres. He came back for the weekend, in fact, all of them came back.
“They would come back to the area for a weekend because they worked for a month. Sebastiaan was always happy to come home because he was working away and so he would appreciate spending time with us.”
Desmone said she heard the devastating news from Sebastiaan’s colleague.
“A guy from his workplace informed us that my brother was one of those who didn’t make it,” she said.
“We have not yet been to the hospital to claim his body because no one has come to us, we only spoke to the mayor. We want to know what happened. After we were told of the accident, we didn’t hear anything else.
“People are broken, none of us expected this, it’s tragic for all of us.”
Kai !Garib mayor Marshall Matthys said that the entire town was in mourning.
“Everybody is mourning, in an emotional state; we tried to comfort those affected during the church service on Wednesday morning. Most of the deceased are from Keimoes and one is from Upington,” said Matthys.
“We will have a mass memorial service on Sunday, where our MEC for Social Development will be in attendance.”
Western Cape police spokesperson Joseph Swartbooi confirmed that the bus driver died in the crash.
“The driver of the vehicle that left the road on Monday on the Vanrhyns Pass is among the 10 victims who were sadly declared deceased,” said Swartbooi.
“The circumstances surrounding this incident now form part of an investigation by integrated specialists to confirm the cause of the crash.
“We appeal to all to allow the investigating team time to conduct their investigation without interference in a bid to present a true and accurate report.”
National Department of Transport spokesperson Collen Msibi sent the department’s condolences to the bereaved families.
“The RTMC (Road Traffic Management Corporation) will investigate the cause of the crash working together with the local traffic authorities,” he said.
