“They Were Young”: Memorial Service Footage of 2 Limpopo School Pupils Who Died in Car Accident

• A memorial service was held at Mannyetha Primary School in Ga-Masemola to honour two pupils who died after a scholar transport vehicle caught fire
• The 44-year-old driver has been charged with three counts of culpable homicide and traffic-related offences after authorities alleged the minibus taxi was overloaded during the incident
• The tragedy has renewed calls for improved scholar transport safety across South Africa as families, learners and teachers continue mourning the loss of the young pupils

A memorial service was held at Mannyetha Primary School in Ga-Masemola, Limpopo, on Wednesday, 10 June, to honour two pupils who lost their lives after a scholar transport vehicle caught fire while transporting learners home from school last month. Footage shared by @officiallokuhlefm showed mourners gathering at the school as learners, teachers, parents and community members paid tribute to the young victims whose deaths shocked communities across the province.

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The memorial comes weeks after the tragic incident involving a minibus taxi that was transporting learners from the school. According to authorities, the vehicle caught fire while carrying children home, leaving several learners injured and claiming the lives of two pupils.

The victims included Grade R learners Kgodisho Moruthanyane and Lethukuthula Fankomo, while several other children sustained burn injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. The 44-year-old driver of the scholar transport vehicle was arrested following the incident and has since been charged with two counts of culpable homicide, along with charges relating to alleged traffic violations.

Driver faces culpable homicide charges

Investigators found that the minibus taxi was allegedly overloaded at the time of the incident, a factor that has become central to the case. The driver has since appeared in court and is currently out on bail while legal proceedings continue.

The tragedy has renewed concerns about scholar transport safety, particularly in rural areas where many pupils rely on private transport operators to travel to and from school each day. Authorities continue investigating the exact circumstances that led to the fire, while families and community members await further developments in the case.

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Families continue to grieve

The loss has left families devastated, with relatives previously describing the emotional toll of losing children who had only recently begun their educational journeys. Family members of the victims said they were struggling to come to terms with the tragedy, particularly because the children had bright futures ahead of them. Some relatives also called on authorities to expedite forensic and investigative processes following the incident.

The memorial service shared by user @officiallokuhlefm provided an opportunity for the school community to collectively mourn the children and remember their lives. Learners and teachers gathered to pay their respects, while messages of support were extended to the affected families. Mannyetha Primary School has remained at the centre of community grief since the incident, with many residents continuing to call for stronger oversight of scholar transport services to prevent similar tragedies in future.

Watch the TikTok video below:

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Source: Briefly News