Kimberly – This years’ Workers' Day in the Northern Cape was used to commemorate the 64 municipal workers who died when the bus they were traveling in plunged into the Saulspoort dam in the Free State ten years ago.
Today marks ten years since the incident occurred. Ten people survived the accident.
At the time of the accident, the workers, mostly members of Samwu and Cosatu, were traveling to a workers day rally in Bethlehem in the Free State.
It is alleged that the cause of the accident was because the driver, who was among the dead, had apparently taken a wrong turn and plunged down a steep dirt road into the dam.
Most of the victims were employees at the Sol Plaatjie municipality.
Ruth Letshaba (49) a mother of five, whose husband was one of those killed in the bus accident, said: “I am happy that the country remembers them today.”
Cosatu Deputy Chairperson, Cornelius Manhe, told SAnews that as a province they decided to commemorate the lives of those who died.
“May Day will remain a workers’ day and we will continue to use it to focus on workers issues”.
“We will continue to sensitise workers about their rights,” he said.
Following the first democratic elections in South Africa in 1994, 1 May was inaugurated as an official national public holiday.
Daniel Madigage, an employee at the local municipality, is one of the many people who came to attend the event. He said the day is important as it recognises the rights of the workers.
“Although a lot has changed or improved, there is still more that needs to be improved,” he said.
People from various workers organisations from around the Northern Cape and other parts of the province came in large numbers to commemorate their fallen comrades.
Manhe said they have decided to invite families of the deceased to show them that they haven’t forgotten about them.
“We want to show them that we still remember their loved ones,” he said.
Known as International Workers’ Day or May Day, the holiday is widely celebrated with many countries honouring the day and what it stands for.
In South Africa the day is used to emphasise the need to establish fair labour practices and employment standards. – SAnews.gov.za
