The four family members who died in a horrific car accident along the N1 between Matoks and Polokwane last Monday (November 8) were laid to rest during a mass funeral at Tshitavha Village in the Dzanani area last Saturday.

The Nemakhavhani family members were on their way back to Johannesburg when the Mazda Etude sedan they were traveling in collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle, a Tata Indica.

Ndiafhi Grace Nemakhavhani (40) and her three children, Collen, Maureen and Celesta, died in the accident, while Allen (12) is still receiving treatment in hospital. The three children died at the scene, while their mother, Grace, died on arrival at the provincial hospital in Polokwane.

Family members and the Tshitavha community are still shocked about the incident. "We are very touched as a family. It is only God who knows why it happened like this," said a family member, Mr Bernard Elelwani. "The children were still very young and were not supposed to have died like that. There was still a bright future ahead of them. It is very painful to lose people like this," he said.

It was also reported that many businesspeople from around the Vhembe District assisted the family with the funeral arrangements of the four. Elelwani thanked these people for their contributions during the funeral.

The mayor of Makhado Municipality, Cllr Mavhungu Luruli, said that the incident not only touched the family, but the Makhado community as a whole. She urged members of the community to drive responsibly and alway obey the speed limit. "It is high time that we start to be our own traffic officers by driving responsibly. Let us support the Arrive Alive campaign," she said.

Luruli further urged motorists not to drink and drive. "Let us rest if we feel tired. It is now the festive season and people must very careful when driving," she said.

Limpopo police spokesperson Lt Col Moatshe Ngoepe said the police were still investigating the circumstances that led to the accident.