Premier Sello Moloto and his MECs were among the thousands of mourners who paid their last respects to 17 of the 19 victims of the horrible bus accident that took place at Luvhalani, village, outside Makhado, two weeks ago. The mass funeral was held at the Rabali Stadium on Sunday.

The two buses, one belonging to Enos Bus Service and another one to Mabirimisa, were transporting workers at about 5:30 when they collided head-on because one of them had swerved to avoid hitting a donkey.

Family members and friends of the deceased could not contain themselves when the coffins arrived at the stadium and emergency workers had a busy day trying to assist those who fainted. The Department of Health and Social Development had to install temporary mobile clinics, where nurses and emergency officials were treating and helping those who collapsed during the emotional funeral.

Moloto expressed condolences to the families of the victims and said those who lost their lives will be missed. The premier pleaded with owners of animals to take good care of them instead of leaving them roaming on the public roads. "The government has erected fences along the roads but people keep on cutting and stealing the wires. This allows the animals to move into our roads, resulting in fatal accidents like this one. We will have no mercy, but impound animals if they are found lingering in the road, to avoid more accidents," said Moloto.

The premier says the government was deeply touched by the horror accident because the majority of the deceased were breadwinners. "These people were determined to fend for their families but death robbed us of hardworking people who were eager to support their families. The family members of the victims need our support in hard times like these and we hope accidents of this nature, which can be prevented, will never again take place on our roads."

After the mass funeral service at the Rabali Stadium, the respective families took their loved ones to different cemeteries to bury them with dignity.