What was supposed to be a joyous New Year’s Eve celebration turned into a heartbreaking tragedy when 18-year-old Motsatsi Ramalatso was run over by a truck in the early hours of 1 January. The incident occurred outside Modjadjiskloof, Limpopo, near Ga-Sekgopo Village, where Motsatsi and a group of friends had been dancing in front of a truck transporting workers.
According to witnesses, the truck was in motion when Motsatsi and her friends, who had been coming from a local tavern, began dancing near its path. Tragically, Motsatsi tripped and fell, and the truck ran over her, resulting in her death. Family spokeswoman Eunice Sekgopo expressed the deep sorrow of the family, saying, “We are hurt by the manner in which she lost her life. She was still young, and we were expecting so much from her. She was a good person, and I’m lost for words.
The loss has deeply affected not only the family but also the local community, who described the incident as devastating. One villager, 37, lamented, “This is very sad. No parent deserves to go through this, especially on New Year’s Day. This is not a good way to start the new year.” Community leader Prince Marutha also expressed his pain, urging the youth to reconsider their actions during celebrations. “We appeal to the youth to refrain from such behaviour when celebrating, as it doesn’t end well. We hope they will learn from this incident,” he said.
Motsatsi’s funeral is scheduled for Thursday, 9 January, as the community continues to mourn her tragic loss. Limpopo police have opened an inquest docket into the incident. According to police spokesman Lieutenant-Colonel Stephen Thakeng, Motsatsi was initially rushed to a local clinic, but due to the severity of her injuries, she was later transferred to Kgapane Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival. At present, the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear, and investigations are ongoing.