EFF and loved ones attend funeral of 7 supporters who died in Youth Day crash
CAPE TOWN - The mass funeral for seven Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) supporters who died in a crash on their way home from a Youth Day rally is underway in Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).
The funeral is attended by the EFF's top leadership, including party leader Julius Malema, secretary general Marshal Dlamini and treasurer Omphile Maotwe.
Deputy Transport Minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa is also in attendance, as well as the KZN Transport MEC, Siboniso Duma.
The EFF's chairperson, Nontando Nolutshungu, welcomed mourners and addressed the funeral on Sunday morning and read out the names of the deceased.
She said three other people who died in the accident will be buried privately.
'I greet the ministers that are amongst us, deputy ministers, mayors, councillors. I haven't forgotten to greet the survivors of the accident to my right hand side. And most importantly, to the families, our condolences.'
Malema says the party's members who died in a car accident while returning from a Youth Day rally died while in pursuit of life, adding that society must stop normalising premature death.
"They died while in pursuit of life. They were travelling with hope in their hearts, but the journey that should have taken them towards opportunity ended in tragedy. We must stop normalising premature death in black communities. We must stop mourning without changing the conditions that produced this moment of sorrow."
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