The mother of a man who died in a tragic incident that left five family members burned beyond recognition in a truck has spoken of the horrific experience that has left them severely traumatised.
Passers-by discovered a burnt-out truck between Mabate and Khalanyone in Harrismith on Monday 26 August. Tshokolo Mofokeng (35), his wife Anna Hlatswayo (32) and their three children, Tumelo (10), Moleboheng (8) and Bokamoso (1), were on their way back to Qwaqwa.
The family members who died in a truck that was on fire. Photo provided
Maria Selepe told how the family had to collect her son’s remains themselves and put them in a plastic bag to take them to the state mortuary in Phuthaditjhaba.
They experienced new trauma after finding her deceased son’s remains and expressed frustration at what she described as the high level of police incompetence, which only compounded their trauma.
“We visited the scene on Wednesday (28/8) to verify it ourselves. Unfortunately, we found the remaining human bodies. We reported the matter to the police but they refused to come and verify it. We had to take those remaining bones to the state mortuary in Phuthaditjhaba, which is unthinkable in a constitutional country,” Selepe said.
Police initially reported that only four bodies had been found in the burnt-out truck, while the missing body was believed to be that of the husband. Selepe accused police of assuming her son had deliberately started the fire and fled the scene.
But the fifth burned body was the toddler (1) who was later found trapped under the driver’s seat. The family had to drag the truck home themselves.
“The police have created a second crime scene in our yard. The toddler’s body was trapped under the driver’s seat and was identifiable because it was not badly burned. This is a double pain for us.
“We have numerous questions for Police Minister Senzo Mchunu and Provincial Commissioner General Baile Motswenyane as to why they sent incompetent officers to investigate such a high-profile crime scene,” Selepe said.
The mother of a man who died in a tragic incident where five family members were burned beyond recognition in a truck. Maria Selepe, Photo supplied
Internal investigations into the allegations are ongoing, Free State police spokesperson Captain Lorraine Earle confirmed. “The Harrismith Station Commander is treating the matter with the utmost seriousness. The fifth body was found during forensic examination by experts in the field.”
Meanwhile, the investigation is still ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. Police are also waiting for DNA results from the bodies found and their families.
“To the best of our knowledge, the family did not take any body parts or bones from the scene, so an internal investigation is underway to clear the air on this case,” Earle said.
Selepe said the family acknowledged that the deceased couple had serious differences after the wife filed divorce papers without her husband’s knowledge. The family reportedly found a torn marriage certificate among the deceased’s documents.
OFM News/Kekeletso Mosebetsi dg
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