Learners laid to rest in Verena
Family, friends and government officials gathered in Verena, Mpumalanga for a mass funeral for 16 of the victims of the horror crash near Bronkhorstspruit.
The crash between a minibus taxi and a crash claimed the lives of 20 people, including 18 children.
Sixteen of the 18 learners will be buried in Verena, while two learners will be laid to rest in Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.
Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga, Speaker of the National Assembly Baleka Mbete, Mpumalanga Premier David Mabuza and Transport Minister Joe Maswanganyi were all in attendance.
As various prayers and speeches got underway, family members could be heard softly sobbing.
Three of the young learners were from one family.
@DBE_SA We have more than 16,000 people attending the funeral. @EducationGP as we lay to rest the 18 learners who died in the accident. pic.twitter.com/Bwr2ydX1GL
— Elijah Mhlanga (@ElijahMhlanga) May 6, 2017
Motshekga pleaded with the community, families and South Africans to accept the deaths of the children.
"We must internalise, as South Africans, that drivers, pedestrians, passengers and road authorities together can stem the tide of these fatal accidents and avoid the pain we are going through today as a nation, and in particular for families," said Mothekga.
Motshekga said now is not the time for blame.
"Today is not the time for us to apportion blame, but to appeal and plead with the families and learners here to say all of us, let us accept that our beautiful children have slipped into the next world. Despite the gruesome nature of the accident, I'm certain their souls are at peace."
Maswanganyi said they gathered the mourn their children.
"What the community of Verena and other affected communities of Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo provinces experienced was a shock and a disaster that touched the entire nation. We bring the message of condolences to the grieving families and say to them be consoled and comforted."