Residents of Sinthumule and Kutama were reminded of the horrific bus accident in Muraleni two years ago when a monument in honour of the victims was unveiled last week.

The monument was unveiled by Supt SF Shirinda of the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS last Wednesday.

It was on the morning of April 25, 2005, when a Spoornet goods train collided with a Phadziri bus at the Muraleni railway crossing. Both the train and the bus were on their way to Louis Trichardt when the accident happened.

Eyewitnesses told Mirror that the crash occurred after the bus driver, who is also no more, ignored a road sign telling him to stop at the railway crossing. Most of the passengers on the bus were on their way to their places of work in town. The monument that was erected at the scene of the fatal crash carries the names of the victims of the accident, the Makhado Municipality, the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS, Spoornet and Phadziri Bus Services.

As a result of the horrific accident, 10 individuals lost their lives, while the majority of the remaining 93 passengers were seriously injured.

Realising that the Makhado Municipality was taking time to put up a monument at the scene of the accident as a memorial of the horrific accident, the Action Against Crime Pastors in the Sinthumule/Kutama area approached the management of Tshitshithe Funeral Undertakers, Phadziri Bus Service, Spoornet and the Tshilwavhusiku SAPS to erect a monument for their loved ones.

A police officer, who requested to remain anonymous, revealed to Mirror that politicians at the Makhado Municipality tried to develop sabotage strategies towards the final arrangement of the event. "Those guys wanted the monument to be unveiled on Freedom Day, but we refused because we wanted it to be held on April 25," said the police officer. Another resident who works in town added that the municipality had promised to assist with bricks for paving at the monument, but failed to do so. "I can reveal that the bricks that were used for paving here were donated by a brick maker from Madombidzha," said the resident.

Representatives of Spoornet did not want to reveal their company´s contribution towards the erection of the tombstone. The general manager of Tshitshithe Funerals, Mr Aaron Sigidi Mulaudzi, confirmed that his company had designed the monument.

Cllr Thanyani Mudau addressed the people on behalf of the mayor of the Makhado Municipality, Cllr Glory Tsakani Mashaba. Mudau said that the monument was a symbol of honour and remembrance of those who sustained serious injuries as well as those who are no more.

The director of technical services at the municipality, Mr Masindi Mapholi, appealed to residents to look after the erected monument.

The station commissioner of Tshilwavhusiku, Supt SF Shirinda, said that the building of the monument clearly shows the reality of public/private partnership in bringing development to the communities.

A crash survivor who is still using crutches, Mr Freddy Rangolo of Midoroni, said that he viewed the erection of the monument as crucial as it would keep on reminding people of what once happened in their area. "I am just praying to God that, one of these days, I will be able to throw away these crutches," he said.

Another survivor who stayed in hospital for more than two months, Mr Mashudu Solomon Neswiswi, said "all of who were using that bus were so close to each other. We always behaved as if we were coming from one family. Most people didn´t come to attend the event, because they are still scared to pass through this area. Now that the monument has been built, the generations after us will never forget what happened on that fateful day," he said.