By Doreen Mokgolo
The five Tlometsane family members who died in a head-on collision last week on the R101 in Mookgophong were laid to rest in Lefatlheng Village, North West on Sunday.
Parents Klaas (64) and Elizabeth Tlometsane (60), and their three sons Kagiso (42), Hendrick (29) and Thabang Tlometsane (27) were buried together.
Thabang was a lead volunteer for Rise Mzansi in Moretele district.
The car they were travelling in collided with a police van transporting a prisoner.
A police officer who was a passenger died at the scene while the driver is in a critical condition in hospital; the prisoner that was being escorted was also declared dead at the scene.
The family was travelling to Mokopane to collect their son Kagiso, who had fallen ill while at a social event with friends.
Speaking at the funeral, Community Safety MEC Sello Lehari said they could not provide the family with answers it needs to move forward.
“At this moment we don’t have those answers. The only person who can shed light is the police officer who survived the accident but he is still in a critical condition in hospital.
“We know that family and friends want answers to close this chapter, but I want us not to lose hope and keep the officer in our prayers to heal,” he said.
Family spokesperson Daniel Thebe said the family is still traumatised and struggling to come to terms with what happened.
“Losing five members of the same family on the same day in the same accident is just too much to handle, no matter how strong we try to be.
The family had read about the horrific accident on the news, but only found out a few days later that the victims were their relatives.
Picture above: Five Tlometsane family members were laid to rest in a mass funeral.
Image source: Doreen Mokgolo
