Nervous EC players prayed before boarding death bus

The ill-fated bus transporting netball players from the Eastern Cape to a tournament in Cape Town last week was allegedly in such a bad condition that the players said a prayer before they boarded it. 

While carrying OR Tambo district under-21 and senior team members to the Spar netball championships at Hoërskool DF Malan in Bellville, the bus overturned on the R61 near Aberdeen on December 5, killing a coach and three players, the youngest aged 17.

At a provincial memorial service on Monday, OR Tambo district netball president Nomawethu Diko alleged the bus was “not in a good condition — its seats were loose and shaky”.

“Even its wheels did not look like they were in a good condition to travel all the way to Cape Town. We saw that even before we got onto the bus. We said a prayer before we hopped into it.”

Coach Nocamagu Mvunyiswa, 43, and player Phelo Charles, 30, both from Mthatha, Thabisile Maxikixa, 20, from Mbizana and Indiphile Mfengu,17, from Cala, died in the crash. Several other team members had to be hospitalised.

At the service, hosted by the provincial government at the Assemblies of God Church in Mthatha, teammates and fellow coaching staff wept as Diko said they had questioned the bus’s condition before departure.

They had phoned the bus owner to complain about its state, but were allegedly told it regularly drove to Cape Town.

“We gave up because we were eager to go and play,” Diko, the U21 coach, said.

Survivors said the bus had trouble negotiating steep hills, but would speed up on downhills. Moments before the crash, Diko said she had got up to tell the driver to slow down.

“The next thing I heard were sounds and screams, and players saying the bus was on fire. We managed to crawl out.”

She believes the accident would not have happened had the bus been travelling at a safe speed.

Nosiviwe Dikiwe of Mqanduli, a senior player who was not hurt, said the team were excited to play in the national championships, as it was the first time in years the OR Tambo district had made it to the championships.

Since the accident, she said, she was not sure she would ever play netball again.

“We are bleeding in our hearts. We were ready and fit to showcase our talent. But instead we lost some of our team members.”

Dikiwe described coach Mvunyiswa as the backbone of the team, who sometimes paid out of her own pocket to make sure everyone could play.

Deputy national sports, recreation, arts & culture minister Nocawe Mafu described the deaths as a sad moment for sport. When asked if the teams could not have been flown to the tournament instead of travelling so far by bus, Mafu said the tournament had pitted more than 600 players against each other from 44 districts and eight metros.

“All provinces travelled there by bus. It is what they have been doing for years.”

Premier Oscar Mabuyane was shocked by the tragedy.

Some of the players would have probably gone on to play professionally, he said. 

Mfengu’s uncle, Siphetho Tyobeka, said the family was devastated to have lost her at such a young age.

The victims will be laid to rest in Qokolweni in Mthatha on Tuesday, Cala on Wednesday, Mbuqe in Mthatha on Thursday and Mbizana on Sunday.

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