Cape Town - President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his grief and sorrow after he visited the families of the four boys who died after falling into a sinkhole under the N2 bridge last week.
Ramaphosa visited the families of the boys at Lusaka sports field in Nyanga on Thursday afternoon. He said he was informed about the incident by Deputy Minister of State Security Zizi Kodwa.
“The accident was painful and unusual. It was really shocking. These boys were going to be our future," said Ramaphosa.
He said he heard what the families wanted and he would talk to the Minister of Social Development to dispatch social workers to the families.
He also cautioned the families to be mindful of Covid-19, as they would be departing to the Eastern Cape to bury their children.
The bodies of Iva Kalikopu, 13, Nqabayethu Mlaza, 12, Axolile, and Azola Quweni, 13, were recovered by emergency crews last week after they fell into the hole under the bridge along the N2 highway at the Borcherds Quarry turn-off, close to Nyanga.
Nqabayethu's mother, Landela Mlaza, 40, said she was relieved after Ramaphosa's visit.
"His presence brought us hope, even if he did not bring us anything," said Mlaza.
Ramaphosa's visit comes two days after members of the community joined the families of the four boys for a memorial service, with Human Settlements, Water and Sanitation Minister Lindiwe Sisulu, who attended the service, saying her wish was to see the area where the boys died declared a memorial site, and that she would use all her energy to see to it that her wish was fulfilled.
Since the tragedy, political leaders have been flocking to the homes of the boys, with some promising them things and others bringing relief support and words of faith.
Transport and Public Works MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela and Health MEC Nomafrench Mbombo, who is also the head for the constituency that borders the N2 and Borcherds Quarry Road, visited the families on February 12 to extend condolences, as they also inspected the site where the tragic incident occurred.
Sisulu and Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu also visited on February 10. Mayor Dan Plato also visited the scene on February 9 and visited the families on February 10 and offered to lend a helping hand to the families.
Cape Argus