Following weeks of grief, mourning and uncertainty, one of the families who lost children in a tragic incident in Mitchell’s Plain bade farewell to their child on Saturday 10 June.
In an emotional service held at Uzuko Lwakhe church in Mandela Park hundreds gathered to say their goodbyes to Lilitha Rehama Eiman.
Her mother, Pinky Eiman, said she was relieved her daughter had finally been buried. “Everything was easy,” she said.
“The community assisted us with open hearts. I didn’t expect that to happen to me.”
In an interview with City Vision, on Monday 12 June Eiman expressed her gratitude to all the people who played a role in her daughter’s funeral.
Ward 97 councillor Mthwalo Mkutswana described the service as a “sad farewell”. He said children are not supposed to die that way, it was the will of God.
Mkutswana urged the provincial Department of Mobility to monitor the learner’s school transport system.
“I think the government needs to look at how the learner’s school transports operate, especially in the townships because some of them are taking overloads,” he said.
“Also, the parents have a responsibility to monitor their children’s transport.”
Khayelitsha Development Forum (KDF) secretary Khayalethu Nethi said they are still contemplating ways to console the grieving families.
“Ours as KDF is to ensure that all the affected families are healing after the tragedy,” he said.
“We believe that they will start feeling the pain and the void that is left by the loved ones once everyone who came to comfort them left after the funeral. That is where we are planning to intervene and try to close that void.” said Nethi.
He stated that they are intending to engage other stakeholders and to find a better way to assist the families.