Grief hung heavy in the air as families, friends and community members gathered in Sebokeng to bid farewell to three young lives taken far too soon in a tragic school transport crash near Vanderbijlpark.
At the centre of the heartbreak was six-year-old Ofentse Vinger. His mother’s pain echoed through the Saul Tsotetsi Multipurpose Centre as her letter was read aloud, revealing a grief too deep for words. She spoke of sleepless nights, unanswered prayers, and a desperate wish that someone would wake her up from what feels like a never-ending nightmare. Ofentse had only attended school for three days before his life was cruelly cut short.
Lined up beside his small casket were those of Thato Moetjie and Bokamoso Mokhobo, both learners from Hoërskool Vanderbijlpark. Together, they were remembered not just as victims of a crash, but as children full of promise, laughter and dreams.
The tragedy occurred on January 19 as the pupils were travelling to school along the R553 when their minibus taxi collided with a truck. Fourteen learners lost their lives that morning, sending shockwaves through families, schools and the nation. The driver of the scholar transport has since been arrested and faces multiple charges.
Thato, who was just weeks away from writing her final matric exams, was remembered as a confident and determined young woman with dreams of studying abroad and becoming a doctor. Those who knew her spoke of her warm laughter and her ability to light up any room she entered. Her absence has left a painful silence in her classroom and a deep wound in the hearts of her loved ones.
Bokamoso, only 13 years old, had just begun her high school journey. Known for her bubbly personality, love for dance and positive attitude, she was a child whose energy and optimism touched everyone around her. At home, music and movement were her joy, moments now held tightly as treasured memories by her family.
As prayers were offered and tears flowed freely, the community stood united in mourning — parents holding onto one another, classmates struggling to understand loss, and families facing a future forever changed. The farewell served as a painful reminder of fragile young lives lost on an ordinary journey to school, and of dreams that will never be realised.