Family struggling to repatriate victims after fatal crash involving Motsoaledi’s official vehicle

The brother of a Zimbabwean woman who died alongside her baby in a crash involving health minister Aaron Motsoaledi’s official vehicle says the family is devastated and struggling to repatriate their bodies for burial at home.

Speaking to Eyewitness News, Charles Shoperai described his sister, Beauty Shoperia, 37, as a person who had held the family together and shown them love.

“She was the one who tried to save our family, just looking after her father,” said Shoperai.

Beauty and her baby were killed on the N1 near Bela-Bela in Limpopo on Saturday when they were struck by Motsoaledi’s official vehicle while apparently crossing the busy highway.

TimesLIVE reported on Tuesday that Beauty Shoperia had returned to the scene after learning that her husband had earlier been hit and killed by another vehicle allegedly driven by an off-duty police officer.

Shoperai said his sister had just got into a bus to Zimbabwe when the tragedy unfolded.

He told EWN that her sister’s husband, Paul Masunda, had accompanied her to an informal bus stop on the highway before returning home.

“People called our sister to come back and see the incident. She immediately got off the bus and rushed back, and that is when she was also hit by a car,” he said.

Police spokesperson Brig Athlenda Mathe said preliminary investigations indicated the woman was crossing the highway with her two children, including a baby strapped to her back, when the collision occurred.

Mathe said two culpable homicide cases are under investigation. The Independent Police Investigative Directorate is handling the matter because both drivers involved are SAPS members.

Shoperai said the family now faces financial difficulties as they try to return the bodies to Zimbabwe.

“We need the minister to help us,” he said.

He expressed concern about the surviving 14-year-old child.

“He’s not good,” said Shoperai regarding the boy’s condition after the tragedy.

Police said Motsoaledi, his driver and close protection officer remained at the scene until emergency services and police arrived.

“The SAPS extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved family during this difficult time,” said Mathe.

TimesLIVE