EFF member dies in North West car crash, farmer helps other passengers
3 April 2019
An EFF member was killed when the bakkie she was travelling in rolled on a dirt road on the way to the party's North West rally at the Lethabong Stadium on Sunday.
Elizabeth Masemola was one of nine passengers travelling in a convoy with another bakkie when the driver lost control.
Masemola died on impact, while another passenger sustained serious injuries. The remaining seven passengers escaped injury, EFF North West secretary Papiki Babuile told News24 on Wednesday.
"On their way to the rally, they took a gravel road," Babuile said. "The bakkie travelling at the back was carrying nine people and lost control on the gravel road and it overturned.
"The bakkie that was travelling in the front immediately made a U-turn to assist the passengers. They helped them out of the car," Babuile said.
"They were joined by one white farmer, whom we want to thank for helping our members. He assisted them in getting people out of the car."
According to Babuile, Masemola was trapped inside the vehicle and could not be moved.
"I joined them shortly after the accident and waited for the ambulance and police to arrive. They arrived an hour later."
Babuile said he didn't know the identity of the farmer who had assisted the passengers, but said that white people pictured next to the wreck of the bakkie, that have been circulating on social media, were onlookers and were taken long after the accident.
"They arrived after everybody had left. They just came there for a photo shoot and they started talking nonsense," Babuile said.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, EFF secretary general Godrich Gardee said: "It is with a deep sense of grief [that] we inform the leadership on the passing away of fighter Elizabeth Masemola, who was a fighter in Moretele subregion, Mogogelo Village.
"Commissars and fighters are encouraged to pay condolence visits to the family, offer prayers, assist in logistics and comfort them in this moment of great pain," Gardee said.
"Maria Masenya is the only fighter from the survivors who is hospitalised and in a critical condition, as she has sustained serious neck, shoulder and spinal cord injuries.
"We will put the family in our prayers and wish her a speedy recovery," Gardee said.
