The family of a mother and her infant killed in a collision involving a vehicle linked to Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi says it is seeking assistance to repatriate the bodies to Zimbabwe.
Image: Supplied
The family of the mother and child killed after being struck by a vehicle transporting Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi has revealed that the deceased did not have proper documentation to be in South Africa.
They said the minister’s office had reached out to them on Thursday, May 14, with the intention of offering assistance.
However, they said they told them they were in the country illegally as they did not have proper documentation.
This comes as they continue to call for help in repatriating the bodies of their loved ones, who were killed in a horrific crash.
Beauty Shoperai, 37, and her one-year-old son, Paul Masunda Jnr, died while trying to cross the N1 highway near Bela-Bela in Limpopo on Saturday.
The woman died while attempting to reach the scene where her husband had earlier been killed in a separate crash.
Speaking to IOL News, Beauty's brother Charles Shoperai said their family was battling to come to terms with the triple tragedy.
Explaining the sequence of events, Shoperai said his brother-in-law, Paul Masunda, had accompanied his sister to a bus stop.
She had been heading to Zimbabwe to visit her ailing mother.
Shortly after, Paul was struck by a vehicle and died.
His 14-year-old son, who witnessed the tragedy, contacted his mother, informing her of the tragedy.
A mother and her one-year-old child died after being struck by a vehicle linked to Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi’s protection service on the N1 near Bela-Bela, Limpopo, in a separate crash that followed an earlier fatal incident involving the woman’s husband.
Image: Supplied
When asked how long Beauty and her husband had been staying in South Africa, he said, “Almost plus minus seven and a half years.”
He said Masunda came to the country before Shoperai. The two met in South Africa and started dating.
“She was always just trying to bring the family together and always used to speak with other people. She was a lovely person.”
He said that since the accident occurred, the 14-year-old boy has been traumatised.
“We can say that he looks like he's traumatised. We can try to make him laugh and speak to him always, but he's not saying anything,” he said.
According to him, the department is willing to assist with the repatriation of the bodies.
“They did not have passports. We have IDs, not passports. They came to the country illegally,” he said when asked about the documentation the minister’s office allegedly requested.
However, he expressed hope that they will be assisted.
He said the family needs help to repatriate the bodies of their loved ones to Zimbabwe.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the minister’s state vehicle was being driven by a member of the Protection Security Services at the time of the collision.
Beauty Shoperai, 37, who was killed in a crash on the N1 near Bela-Bela, Limpopo, in a sequence of fatal incidents involving a mother and child struck while crossing the highway.
Image: Supplied
She said preliminary investigations suggest that a woman was attempting to cross the road with her two children, one of whom was strapped to her back.
“The trio was attempting to get to the other side of the road to attend to an earlier incident in which the woman's husband was allegedly struck by a vehicle driven by an off-duty police officer and died at the scene.”
Mathe said it is further alleged that while crossing the road, the woman and her children were involved in a collision with Motsoaledi’s official vehicle.
“Tragically, the mother and baby succumbed to their injuries.”
“In line with standard protocol, the minister’s close protector and the driver immediately stopped at the scene together with the minister and remained there until police and emergency medical services arrived,” she said.
Mathe said statements were subsequently obtained from those present at the scene.
“Two separate cases of culpable homicide are under investigation, and the circumstances surrounding both accidents form part of ongoing police investigations.”
Police extended condolences to the bereaved family.
Mathe confirmed that the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) has taken over the investigations, as both drivers are SAPS members.
IOL News