REMARKS BY NJ MAHLANGU
Master of ceremonies
Families and friends of the bereaved
And the injured
Representatives of the Government of the United Kingdom
Germany and Cananda
Members of community of Piet Ritief and Sourounding arrears
ladies and Gentlemen
Our gathering here today is testimony that we believe in the healing power of God. It is testimony that we believe that God will, through his power, bind our wounds and cause them to heal faster.
Your wounds are very deep. Your loss is profound. You lost
loved ones. You are separated from those whom you rared so much about.
You will never again be able to touch, laugh and share a meal with those who
were so dear to you.
Where you expect to see someone at the breakfast table; preparing to go to work or doing other household work in the kitchen or the garden, they will not be there. To some of us it may be difficult to accept that they are not out of the house for a little while and that they will come back soon.
It may be difficult to accept that the Almighty, who gave them to us in the first place, has decided to call them to his bosom. God has called them to a place of everlasting life. Maybe God realised that we did not deserve them.
That is why we share in your grief and sorrow and pray that God will give you the strength to carry on with their, lives.Death is not a dark and sinister state; On the contrary, we have all been taught that eternal life can only begin after death. Their departure from earth of our loved once will leave a void that will not be easy to fill. But fortunately the memory of their lives, their smiles, their friendly faces will console us until we meet again.
We do draw comfort from the knowledge that the greater part of the journey that was the passion of their life has been traversed. They died on their way doing something they loved dearly touring foreign countries and meeting new friends. As we bid them final farewell we should not only mourn their death but should celebrate the good things they did while they were alive.
Theirs was a life full of richness, full of doing good to others. They were on their way to do good when they died on that horrific accident.
When they left home none of them knew that before the day was over they would be cold statistics of South Africa's road fatalities.
Master of ceremonies, South Africa has one of the worst road traffic accident records in the world.
The 1997 statistics indicate that approximately 10,000 people were killed and close to 50,000 were seriously injured ( some 40 percent of whom were pedestrians), at the cost of R12.8 billion to the economy.
In 1997, the Arrive Alive Road Safety Campaign was launched as a first step towards the development of a systematic nationwide strategy to combat the carnage on our roads.
Arrive Alive was planned and introduced with the full support and cooperation of the Provincial Ministers for Transport and with intensive local government participation at an operational level.
In a few days time we will be launching the Arrive Alive campaign in Mpumalanga. This will take place just outside Nelspruit.
Once again we will be targeting the major offences leading to accidents: driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs; speed; driver and vehicle fitness; overloading; seatbelts and pedestrian safety.
It is for this reason that I will today personally appeal to all of us to drive carefully as we enter and prepare for the festive season. We should do so in partnership for the benefit of all our clients.
I wish to call upon you to join me and my government to make a difference during this period. Your will be contribution is crucial.
In conclusion, Master of ceremonies, to all those who lost loved ones in this horrific accident, please be comforted by the fact that the people of the province of Mpumalanga - indeed the people of South Africa, share your grief; and we shall always be at your side.
Like you, our sorrow is made the more intense because we have lost not just people we loved dearly; we have lost individuals whose qualities and dedication to their families, their communities and the nation are in many respects unequalled. They are irreplaceable.
On behalf of the government and people of Mpumalanga, I express a sincere word of Thanks to Reverend Nthali for his comforting words and his lovely service. To all those who spoke before me, I thank you for your words of encouragement.
Let me take this opportunity to thank that resident of Memel who drove past the accident scene shortly after it happened. He did his duties as a member of the community. He summoned the emergency services before administering first aid to the injured. The people of Mpumalanga are proud of you.
I would also like to thank the paramedics, the nurses and the-doctors who attended to the dead and the injured. To the many people whose messages, flowers and offers of assistance during this time gave the families great support. It was much appreciated.
Last but not least, to each one of you for taking time off to be here this morning to support the family, thank you very much.
I thank you.