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Crash kills parents, injures kids

Glacier Nkhwashu

The son and daughter who survived a vehicle collision in which their parents were killed last Saturday are still in a critical condition in two Gauteng hospitals.

The community of Nkowankowa township, near Tzaneen in Limpopo, is still reeling with shock at the death of Rathipa Manthata, 39, and his wife Paulinah Manthata, 32, who were killed when their car collided with a bus near Hammanskraal on Friday night.

Their two children, eight-year-old Kgomotso and her 15-year-old brother, Surprise, sustained critical injuries and were rushed to the HF Verwoerd and GaRankuwa hospitals in Tshwane.

Rathipa Manthata was a teacher at Mahlani High School near Tzaneen and his wife was a wage clerk at the local timber factory.

Tsuuaaka Molewa, Paulinah's brother, said he was still struggling to come to terms with the deaths of his sister and brother-in-law.

"I am really in pain but I have to accept their deaths. This incident is really shocking and terrible.

"The children are in severe pain. My niece's legs are broken and her brother can't even talk or identify me," Molewa said.

Mourning community members gathered for prayers at the family's home on Tuesday and yesterday.

Molewa said the couple would be buried at Rathipa's home in Bochum, near Polokwane, on Saturday.

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