Molepolole: A village in distress
Pini Bothoko - Mpho Mokwape | Monday April 8, 2024 06:00
This past Easter holiday a bus that was carrying pilgrims from St Engenas Zion Christian Church or Sione ya Lephoi, from Molepolole branch, was involved in a tragic road accident on a highway leading to ZCC Moria pilgrimage near Mmamatlakala in Limpopo, South Africa.
The bus driver allegedly lost control, hitting barriers on the side of bridge causing the bus to fall into a river some 50 metres down. Bus subsequently hit the rocky ground and caught fire leaving 45 people dead with only one survivor, a minor aged eight years.
For years, Molepolole, with a population of around 74, 719 people has not had peace as it kept on trending across social media platforms following strings of horrible killings. It is a busy area and activities have kept the police officers on their toes fighting all sorts of heinous crime.
For instance, this past December villagers took to the streets of the village in a riotous mood burning houses, cemetery and the village kgotla shelter to ashes. This followed reports of people who had gone missing and later found dead with their body parts removed suspected to have been killed for rituals.
They had also barricaded the village's main roads leaving Molepolole almost impassable.
That didn’t sit well with villagers as they strongly believed there were killers in their midst who were handled with kids gloves. Just when the village was recovering from the riotous madness, another tragedy has struck the village. Across social media platforms, the public views Molepolole as a dangerous place with a hive of criminal activities. If Molepolole was a person, nothing would be remaining of that being given the never ending troubles that have become a permanent feature in a village that is popularly known by the moniker, Moleps. By now, the poor village has seemingly lost hope in life because of the incessant negative occurrence that continue to barter the capital of Bakwena.
It's apparent that a plethora of problems the village faces, it requires a permanent solution.
In the midst of the tragedy that has struck taking 45 lives of Molepolole ZCC congregation, Mmegi team yesterday visited the troubled village . It also approached some families that had lost their loved ones and church leaders amongst others to condole with them. It was so hard for some of the people the team met to simply face us and share the story of their pains.
Even though life has not stopped as people have to go about their daily chores to make a living, it was easy to discern from people’s postures and faces that indeed Molepolole village is still reeling in pain. Death brings everything to a halt, but sudden death from accidents creates much more overwhelming grief for survivors especially family members and this is what most Molepolole families are going through at this moment.
Approaching villagers to talk about this tragedy even though they were readily acquiesced to exchange words it was evident that everyone was still in shock and pain.
Kweneng District Commissioner, Tebogo Bagopi said they have gathered social workers from Greater Gaborone to go and assist in assessing the affected families. Some of the pilgrims had travelled as couples and their children, that is, as wife, husband and children or one of the children.
Bagopi further revealed that by Wednesday this week, they had already established that about 400 people have been affected by the tragedy and would need government assistance. She said social workers are currently going around visiting the affected families to offer counselling and find out the kind of assistance they might need during this period.
“About 20 families are mostly affected and would need extra help as compared to other families something that has forced the government to intervene and offer support during this difficult time. Government has taken a decision to provide all of the affected families with food hampers and tents for those in short of accommodation whilst waiting for a detailed report from the police to state who were involved in the accident as some on the way allegedly switched buses to the private cars and vice versa,” Bagopi said. Bagopi stated that the owner of the bus is part of the affected and they have included him in the list and will be offered counselling. She further stated that about 15 or so children affected amongst them some aged less than five and their assistance will differ as some of them are schooling.
“This is a serious tragedy that has left the church shattered. The head priest of the church is also mourning because he has lost a child and his uncle who were amongst those who tragically lost their lives in the fatal accident.Their family has also been included in those who will be offered counselling,” Bagopi said.
Regarding preparations for the burial, the district commissioner said a combined memorial service is currently held at St Engenas Zion Christian Church headquarters as they could not allow each family to hold its own memorial service. “This is a national crisis as the whole country is mourning hence the decision for a combined memorial service. We are currently having mixed reactions as to what could be done regarding their burial and we have not reached a conclusion. There are suggestions for council to do a mass burial or every family to be given their relatives’ remains to see what they could do but that will unfold with time informed by the government and church’s advice,” She said.
Furthermore, Bagopi revealed that a fund order account has been made for everyone to offer financial support and soon they will share the information regarding the matter across media platforms. She however, said for those who want to offer material help they could visit the DC's offices in Molepolole to do so.
Bagopi also called for support from the private sector and the civil society to help where possible as it is a tragedy that has never befell the country and has left everyone in Molepolole shattered.