To many commuters in Lawley, south of Johannesburg, Neho Motaung was a driver who took them from home to work, but to his family, he was a provider and pillar of strength on whom all hopes rested.
Yesterday, the Motaung family gathered in Refengkgotso township, Deneysville in Free State, devastated by the news of his horrible murder. Ironically, the township's name means "give us peace" and that calmness of the heart and soul is what the Motaung family did not have as they grieved their loss.
Motaung, 58, who was a Stabus driver, was killed on Tuesday morning while on duty driving his passengers to work and other destinations. He was shot in the back and set alight in Lawley, south of Johannesburg, inside the bus, in the presence of his passengers.
Stabus blamed the attack on the taxi industry. The company said the taxi operators have been intimidating drivers for four months after commuters who were using trains began using buses when level 4 of the lockdown began. The taxi bosses have however denied any involvement in Motaung’s killing.
When Sowetan visited Motaung’s home on Wednesday, we found company officials trying to explain what had happened to the the grieving family.
Motaung’s niece, Lerato, said she last saw her uncle on Sunday during a family lunch. Motaung, who was affectionately known as "Whitey" because of his light complexion, had come to visit and check on his parents who were not feeling well.
He was a very humble man. He was a responsible father who carried the whole family on his shoulders
“He was a very humble man. He was a responsible father who carried the whole family on his shoulders. He was supporting his mother and father, his two children and the children of his sisters. He was taking care of the whole family,” Lerato said.
Lerato told Sowetan that Motaung’s greatest dream was to finish building his house in December.
“He planned to slaughter more than one sheep and call the people that built the house to come and celebrate with him and the family,” she said.
“On Sunday he was happy, even making jokes with everyone. We had Sunday [lunch] with him before he left at about 3pm. That was the last time I saw him. I only spoke to him on Monday when he was checking on how his mother was doing as she was not well.”
Lerato said Motaung hinted in July that there were some problems at work but did not give any details.
“He told us that there were some troubles at work but the way he was mentioning it, it seemed as if it was not that serious. He then later said he wanted to leave the job. He said he was tired of the job.”
Motaung joined Stabus in 2009. Before then he worked as a driver for another bus company in QwaQwa.
Lerato said Motaung took his job seriously and would not miss a day of work for anything. She said Motaung would drop everything when he received a call to report for duty, even if when he was with his family in the Free State.
About his uncle's brutal murder, Lerato said: “I would not even wish my enemy to experience what I’m experiencing today. It is very painful to the entire family. We will never forget what has happened. We only see these things in the movies. We never thought one day it would happen to us, especially with him.
"Shooting someone is bad enough... we could have seen his body. But going on to burn him like they did, to ashes, it's beyond any words to explain our trauma."
As Lerato burst into tears, other family members also began weeping for the man who was known for being peaceful but died the most gruesome death.
Motaung is survived by his siblings, parents, two daughters Matshidiso, 34, and Meokgo, 32, and three granddaughters.
His wife died in 2014.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.