Julius Malema pledges housing support for families of bus accident victims

EFF leader Julius Malema says his party will honour the lives of the 10 people killed in a bus accident on their way from the party’s KwaZulu-Natal rally by building their families house. He said these properties will also be fitted with boreholes to ensure continued water supply. 

He made the promise when he delivered a keynote address during a mass funeral in Vryheid on Sunday.  

The victims, including Sbongakonke Mathe (17), Ntombi Ndlovu (19), Lungani Mbatha (25), among others were killed last Monday when a bus carrying EFF supporters from Umlazi collided with a long-haul truck, resulting in a catastrophic crash.

Malema said the young lives lost were not mere statistics, but they were dreams cut short, representing the potential of a generation that should be shaping South Africa's future. 

"To the families of these young heroes, we say you are not alone. Your loss is our loss. Your tears are our tears. Your children are not forgotten," he said

“We must continue to be disciplined and die in the revolution, because to die in a revolution must be an honour, and so we will honour all of these young heroes. 

“Each one of them, with a house, proper houses that have all the facilities… and if there is no water in those yards, we’ll make sure we put boreholes to restore the dignity of those families.

“We will build those houses and put those boreholes because we want to build a permanent relationship with these families. We don’t want to forget you; do not forget us,” he added.

"These children were warriors,” he said. “They fought in the battlefield of life, not drowning in drugs or alcohol but standing tall in the fight for land, justice, and dignity."

He condemned the normalisation of premature death in black communities, urging the nation to address the systemic issues that perpetuate such tragedies. 

"Our children are not born to die on dangerous roads; they are born to build, create, and lead," Malema proclaimed.

"Their deaths must serve as a wake-up call. We must fix our roads, regulate the transport industry, and hold those responsible accountable."

He called for collective resilience, encouraging the community and the nation to turn grief into action. 

"We must continue to fight for land and justice, because this land belongs to us-to our grandchildren.”

His speech extended beyond mourning, criticising government failures in infrastructure, transport regulation, and social services. 

He condemned the government’s inaction on road safety and highlighted the urgent need for reforms to prevent future tragedies. 

"We cannot accept a country where young lives are sacrificed on the roads simply because of neglect and corruption,” he stated.

He also linked the tragedy to broader struggles, poverty, unemployment, and systemic inequality, calling South Africans to unite and push for a more just society. 

“Our fight is not only for land and dignity but for a future where no child dies prematurely due to avoidable circumstances,” said Malema .

Cape Times