Johannesburg - For years, Nombuyiselo Mkhenkcele had tried for a baby. Then six years ago, at the age of 33, she was blessed with a baby boy she called Anathi.
Last Sunday, she was ironing the six-year-old’s school uniform when she heard a car speeding, a loud thud and people screaming, at the Sol Plaatje low-cost settlement in Roodepoort.
Outside, she saw her only child lying dead. Two other children were also dead, while a fourth child suffered head injuries.
Mkhenkcele has not stopped crying since.
Next door, seated on a carpet and burning a candle next to her, Nolulamile Finiza remembers that on Sunday she had bought Sihle, 7, and Mpho, 5, fatcakes and was waiting for their porridge to cook. After dishing for them, she had gone to her neighbours to help with a traditional ceremony.
“I could see that something had happened and I rushed there and, when I got there, what I saw was very bad,” she said.
Sihle was dead. The driver of the car was beaten to death and police said they had found empty alcohol bottles in the car.
Nonkululeko Letlala, Ndamkele’s grandmother, said the boy’s mother, Nontembiso, was still traumatised. She has been unable to sleep since her child died.
But perhaps her pain will ease after the children have been buried together on Saturday - the victims of a drunk driver.
The Star