Well-known court translator dies in crash

Court personnel in Makhado (Louis Trichardt) learned with great shock of the sudden passing away of well-known court translator Mr Ettienne Mageza (48). He was killed in a vehicle accident on Wednesday, November 1 while travelling to Thohoyandou.

Mr Mageza had been working for the Department of Justice since 1987, when he started his career as a translator in Polokwane. He was senior translator and could speak Swazi, Zulu, Venda, Afrikaans, English, Sotho and even Shangaan very well.

According to Mr George Mhlanga, court control officer and colleague, the news of Mr Mageza’s sudden death came as a huge shock to himself and all his other colleagues. He told the Zoutpansberger that Mr Mageza’s death was a great loss to them all and that it would be difficult to replace the skills he had as he was the only translator able to speak Afrikaans fluently.

It is believed that Mr Mageza fell asleep while driving. He was travelling together with his brother’s child. His vehicle left the road and crashed. Both Mr Mageza and his brother’s child was rushed to hospital where Mr Mageza later died of his injuries. The child was treated for slight injuries.

News - Date: 10 November 2006

Riaan de Swardt

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