Bereaved families of those killed on Saturday by a lightning strike at the Mphebatho Troop festival also known as Ditrupa in North West’s Dirtig village,have accused the government of negligence, saying emergency services should have been on standby.
Two people died as a result of the lightning strike and more than 100 others were injured.
Franscinah Baloyi, a relative of one of the deceased, Kenoshi Mashishi (35), believes the untimely death of her sister should have been averted if ambulances and emergency services workers had been deployed to the event.
‘If ambulances were available, our loved ones would still be alive. We are very much heartbroken by what happened,” she said.
Baloyi shared her anguish with the media at the family residence, where the North West MEC for Social Development Basetsana Danke, representing Premier Lazarus Mokgosi, met with the bereaved families.
Danke, who listened to their grief and demands for answers over the tragedy, acknowledged complaints that an ambulance arrived late, saying the government is taking the families’ concerns seriously.
“For us, as the provincial government, our view is that every big activity there must be ambulances. There must be services that are provided to safeguard our people. There must be water. But in this case, we heard from the Mayor of Moretele that the challenge was that there were two main activities on the same day. And as the municipality they don’t have enough resources to cater for two activities in a day,” she said.
She advised that in future municipalities must avoid hosting two big activities in one day “so that all the capacity and the resources that we have must be focused on one big activity”.
“We have requested them that the team that is responsible for Ditrupa must work closely with the municipality and they must involve the Department of Arts and Culture, which has a role to play in guiding these activities,” she said.
She assured residents that the Ditrupa festival will be hosted in 2026 as it forms part of the community culture that has been in existence for more than 120 years.
Danke appealed to residents not to point fingers over the lightning strike that killed two people, attributing the disaster to climate change.
“The reality is that what happened is a natural disaster. Nobody must be blamed that this activity could have been prepared either way. This is something that could not have been planned for. A lightning comes as an when, especially now during the time of climate change. The weather changes as and when despite noticing us,” she said.
She pledged that the government will ensure the health department is involved in future events, guaranteeing ambulance presence to prevent similar tragedies.
Nkele Mokotedi, a lightning strike survivor, recounted the terrifying moment. “The first strike was ignored, but the second hit many of us, and we collapsed,” she said. She was treated for minor injuries at a local clinic and discharged.
She appealed to the government to provide counselling for victims and families, particularly children of those who lost their lives in the lightning strike.
Danke assured the community that counselling services are available through the municipality and the social development office in Moretele.
The MEC and Moretele Mayor George Manyike also visited the second family that also lost their daughter, Koketso Shekwambane (28).
Manyike expressed his condolences and commitment to support the families during this difficult time, saying the government would donate a cow for each family and assist with the funeral preparations.
rapula.moatshe@inl.co.za
