Sad farewell for train victims
2010-09-06 09:55
Cape Town - Thousands of mourners on Saturday said goodbye to seven of the children who died tragically in the minibus taxi accident in Blackheath.
With a train passing by behind the AFM church in Eerste River, hundreds of mourners streamed to the church to bid farewell to "Little Rock", as Lisle Angelique Augis, 11, was known.
Her classmates formed a guard of honour at the entrance before the service, after which the coffin was carried into the church by some of her friends.
Her two best friends, Jessica and Monique, recited a poem for her, before her favourite song, God will make a way was sung.
Augis was known as "Little Rock" after she was raped, set on fire and left for dead for years ago, but recovered.
Suffering
About 2km away, Nolan Februarie, 13, was buried at the New Apostolic Church in Eerste River.
In a letter from his family, which was read at the service, Nolan was described as a "softly-spoken and loving son".
A teacher told at the service that Nolan's MXit status was changed the day before his death to: "Thank God, I found you."
The funeral service of Jeanne Pierre Willeman, 13, was held in the Forest Heights Secondary School.
"It was as if he knew he wouldn't live long because he never took a back seat. He did everything he possibly could. Soccer, rugby – everything," said his principal, Ronald Buntom from Kasselsvlei Technical High School.
On viewing the body of Jody Phillips, 13, at the Palmpark Primary School, his emotional grandmother Margie Julies, called out: "Take me, rather take me! Not Jody!"
"The family are suffering terribly," said Eleonore Jooste, a family friend.
About a thousand people attended the memorial service for Cody Erasmus, 15 at St Peter's Anglican Church in Kleinvlei.
Reverend Conville Prins used Cody's favourite song, Russian Roulette by the pop star Rihanna, in his service. "Too many people gamble with life," he said.
After the service, a friend said he had always feared death, but after Cody's death, he was not afraid of anything anymore.
No grudge against driver
Nadine Marthinisen, 16, was buried from a full Anglican Church St John's in Bellville South. Friends wore school shirts with a picture of Nadine.
"We are still bitter because of the accident but we don't have a grudge against the taxi driver," said her uncle, Roger Hendricks.
Former Springbok Bolla Conradie, a family friend, was also present.
At the funeral of Jade Adams, 10, in the New Apostolic Church in Sarepta, Kuils River, one of his grandmothers fainted, told his uncle, Mark Adams
"His mother cried so much over the past week – she had few tears left."
According to Adams, the family bore no grudge against the taxi driver. "The Lord will deal with Mr Humphreys".
- Reporting by Marelize Potgieter, Kobus Pretorius, Thinus Dippenaar and Leighton Koopman.
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