The Western Mpondoland Ndamase royal family is mourning the deaths of four family members who died in a car crash on the R61 between Mthatha and Port St Johns at the weekend
All the deceased – Xolile Alfred Ndamase, 44, Mafudumele Jezi Ndamase, 75, Majozana Florina Ndamase, 73, and Nozukile Ndamase, were from Mthombe village near Libode.
They had been returning from a family wedding in Corhana near Mthatha.
A fifth person, a neighbour of the Ndamases – Novelile Mnyameni, 44 – also died.
The tragic accident brings to five the number of Ndamase family members who have died in this village.
The fifth death was of Girlie Ndamase, 80, mother of Eastern Cape ANC MP Phumelele Ndamase. Girlie died last week on Wednesday.
“We are a family and this is disaster that befell us,” said Phumelele. “We were called this morning that the fourth family member has died at St Barnabas Hospital in Ntlaza.”
He added that the man who had been driving the bakkie in which the three other women died had just lost his wife and was left with young children to raise.
He said the deaths came as the family was preparing for Girlie’s funeral on May 6 and he had already received condolences from former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and fired tourism minister Derek Hanekom among others.
The family has not yet decided on when the four will be buried.
Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana and Nyandeni mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana sent messages of condolences to the Ndamase royal family.
Transport provincial spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie said that the accident happened near Misty Mount when three vehicles collided on Saturday night.
Rantjie said a Mercedes-Benz travelling from Libode to Mthatha collided with Toyota Hilux bakkie with 14 passengers travelling to Mthatha and a Toyotal Corolla was also involved in the accident. Thirteen people were left seriously injured.
Libode police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
Four Ndamase royal family members killed in car crash
All the deceased – Xolile Alfred Ndamase, 44, Mafudumele Jezi Ndamase, 75, Majozana Florina Ndamase, 73, and Nozukile Ndamase, were from Mthombe village near Libode.
They had been returning from a family wedding in Corhana near Mthatha.
A fifth person, a neighbour of the Ndamases – Novelile Mnyameni, 44 – also died.
The tragic accident brings to five the number of Ndamase family members who have died in this village.
The fifth death was of Girlie Ndamase, 80, mother of Eastern Cape ANC MP Phumelele Ndamase. Girlie died last week on Wednesday.
“We are a family and this is disaster that befell us,” said Phumelele. “We were called this morning that the fourth family member has died at St Barnabas Hospital in Ntlaza.”
He added that the man who had been driving the bakkie in which the three other women died had just lost his wife and was left with young children to raise.
He said the deaths came as the family was preparing for Girlie’s funeral on May 6 and he had already received condolences from former finance minister Pravin Gordhan and fired tourism minister Derek Hanekom among others.
The family has not yet decided on when the four will be buried.
Transport MEC Weziwe Tikana and Nyandeni mayor Mesuli Ngqondwana sent messages of condolences to the Ndamase royal family.
Transport provincial spokeswoman Khuselwa Rantjie said that the accident happened near Misty Mount when three vehicles collided on Saturday night.
Rantjie said a Mercedes-Benz travelling from Libode to Mthatha collided with Toyota Hilux bakkie with 14 passengers travelling to Mthatha and a Toyotal Corolla was also involved in the accident. Thirteen people were left seriously injured.
Libode police are still investigating the cause of the accident.
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