Six-year-old Ofentse Jayden Vinger was fearless, full of energy, and was always ready to lend a hand. On Monday, his young life was cut short in a tragic scholar transport crash in Vanderbijlpark that claimed the lives of 12 children.
Ofentse, a grade 1 learner at Oliver Lodge Primary, was remembered by his family as a bright and spirited boy who brought joy to everyone around him.
“He was very naughty,” said family spokesperson Lebo Maqekwane on Tuesday. “To stop him being naughty, you had to give him something to do. He was very handy. In Ofentse, I saw someone who’d go far, especially in technical stuff.”
Ofentse was raised by his mother and grandmother. “He was her only son. I would say Ofentse had two mothers, his beloved grandmother and his mother. So they both lost a son.”
Maqekwane was critical of how families were treated at the crash scene. He said politicians were prioritised over grieving parents.
“They should have stood with the parents and let the personnel, traffic officers and SAPS members take care of the scene,” said Maqekwane.
“If I was one of them, I would say, ‘No, I don’t need photos. I’m staying with the people who are carrying the shock’ because these are my people. I am a parent also.’”
The family condemned the circulation of fake AI-generated images of the victims on social media.
“Families are mourning. They need to be respected. For someone to create such a thing on AI, you wonder what was going on in their mind. It’s an illness that should be prevented by law.”
If there’s no money to buy buses, the government must contract someone who has the capacity to handle scholar transport, not these people who are risking the lives of our children.
— Lebo Maqekwane, victim's family spokesperson
Maqekwane called for the abolition of private scholar transport, saying that it puts profits before safety. “If you have a kombi that can carry 14 passengers and you transport them from Sebokeng to Vanderbijlpark, does it make a profit? No. For you to make a profit, you have to overload, which is illegal.”
He said the current system fails families.
“There should be a specialised permit for the people who are taking care of our children, not only a PDP (professional driving permit). There should be a specialised mode of transport like buses.
“If there’s no money to buy buses, the government must contract someone who has the capacity to handle scholar transport, not these people who are risking the lives of our children.”
Maqekwane criticised the online school placement system, saying it forces parents to send their children far from home.
“In Zone 14, there are schools, but the system says there’s no school there, and you must go somewhere far in Vanderbijlpark. Then it gives you no choice but to use scholar transport, knowing very well you are risking the life of your child.”
As the family prepares to lay Ofentse to rest, Maqekwane said their pain is deep, but their love for him remains stronger.
“We love you, Ofentse. May you rest in peace. I don’t know why God chose you, but he knows. Hopefully we’ll find comfort out of this whole thing.”
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