DURBAN - Netcare unveiled a memorial commemorating the legacy of those who died when a Netcare 911 emergency helicopter crashed last year.
The memorial was unveiled in a poignant and private ceremony on Wednesday at the crash site near Winterton, in KwaZulu-Natal.
The victims were anaesthetist Dr Kgopotso Rudolph Mononyane, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Curnick Siyabonga (Sia), specialist theatre nurse for cardiothoracic and transplant Mpho Xaba, all from Netcare Milpark Hospital; Netcare 911 advanced life support paramedic Sinjin Joshua Farrance and pilot Mark Stoxreiter, who worked for National Airways Corporation.
They were on their way to Hillcrest to transfer a critically-ill patient to Netcare Milpark Hospital in Johannesburg for specialised care.
Netcare said more than 100 family members and close friends from across the country attended the memorial to lay wreaths at the site and speak in memory of their loved ones.
Cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Siyabonga Curnick Mahlangu’s aunt, Nomsa Maselana, said: “I believe God selected Siyabonga to form part of the history of South Africa’s health care.”
“Through the creation of this memorial site, Siyabonga will be remembered by many people in South Africa. He will be remembered, even by people who never saw him. As the Mahlangu and Phakathi families, we are thankful to Netcare for this memorial site which will enable us to pay our respects to Siya and perform the family rituals whenever the family deems necessary,” she said.
Specialist theatre nurse Sr Mpho Xaba’s niece, Nomathemba Dlamini, said that the memorial site, and hopefully many more visits to come in the future, would help the family in the journey towards finding healing and closure.
Emergency care practitioner Sinjin Joshua Farrance’s mother, Stacey Farrance, said: “We still look for him, hoping to see his beautiful smile and hear his laughter light up a room.”
“What you have accomplished in your lifetime has always been phenomenal, and you ran your race with purpose and a unique calling, and for that we honour you.”
Pilot Mark Stoxreiter’s mother, Wendy Macaskill, thanked those closest to her son for “making his life what it was. He was happy, and he died doing what he loved”.
Netcare chief executive Dr Richard Friedland said the company secured two hectares of land to preserve the site and design a memorial in a respectful and inclusive manner, ensuring all families were consulted and their guidance sought.
“We recognise the great significance of this site for the families, and this permanent memorial will remain here for the families and the loved ones to come to whenever they wish. This space is sacred to the memory of our fallen heroes,” Friedland said.
“We have erected this memorial in order to remember and to reflect on the exceptional lives of these individuals, bearing witness to the extraordinary contribution that they each made in their own, unique way. This space, this memorial, stands as a significant and eternal symbol and reminder to all of us that these individuals lived and died as heroes.”
“We recognise that when we lose those we love there are no words, no memorials, and no eulogies that can ever ease the pain, because there is a tear in the fabric of our lives that can never be fixed. We continue to hold the families and loved ones in our hearts, fully cognisant that we will never be able to comprehend the extent of their loss and the profound vacuum their loved ones’ passing has left,” Friedland added.
“This horrific tragedy occurred during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, when health-care workers across our country stood on the front lines. Their remarkable bravery and sacrifices are not forgotten. In Netcare alone, 75 front-line heroes lost their lives answering the highest call in the service of humanity. To recognise and pay tribute to all health-care workers, across all sectors in South Africa, both in the private and public sectors, and with the permission of the families, they, too, have been included in the memorial.”
Daily News