Bus hero hailed at service
2003-05-08 09:30
Bethlehem - The man who saved the lives of eight people in the Saulspoort bus disaster, which claimed 51 lives, was cheered time and again at a sombre memorial service in Bethlehem, where the accident happened at Saulspoort Dam.
Hundreds of Cosatu union members and other mourners applauded Len Slabbert, a municipal employee in the town, for minutes on end for his heroism. Politicians and union leaders praised him during their speeches.
"Here's a white man who did everything possible to save the lives of black people", said Dihlabeng mayor Patrick Jacobs.
"This tragedy taught us what real nation-building and reconciliation is.
"He didn't see colour, but people who were in a life-threatening situation. This is in sharp contrast with De Wet Kritzinger who saw black people as enemies."
Kritzingers shot dead three bus passengers in Pretoria and wounded four.
Used rubber-duck boat for rescues
Jacobs said Slabbert was a good example to every South African.
"I praise white and black people who rendered assistance during and after the tragedy.
"The country needs more such people. We need more people like Slabbert to make the country work."
Shortly after two passengers swam to safety in the dark, they raised the alarm and Slabbert rushed to the dam with his rubber-duck boat.
Helped by Marco Rautenbach, a young farmer, and Rudi Kok, an ambulance attendant, they saved the lives of eight survivors who stood on the roof of the bus, waiting to be saved.
Slabbert told the applauding audience he considered saving the people as "a pleasure".
He said: "The rest of the story is heart-wrenching. There's a lesson to be learnt from this, as in everything else.
We must stop being so selfish. We must join hands and work together."
Monument to be built at dam
Union leaders and mourners hugged him and thanked him for his unselfishness.
Tributes and messages of sympathy were delivered at the dam by leaders of the African National Congress, Congress of SA Trade Unions, the SA Communist Party, Democratic Aalliance, New National Party, the Dikwankwetla Party, police and the Mpumalanga provincial government.
Jacobs says the place where the bus plunged into the dam and where the memorial service was held yesterday, would be closed so that a monument could be built there.