NEWS: Bus crash preacher died while preaching, says wife

A car dealership driver, whose passion was preaching the Gospel to his fellow passengers while travelling to work by bus, is sorely missed after his death in last week’s KwaMashu bus tragedy.

Petros Rodgers Ndlela, 60, of Ntuzuma, was one of the four passengers who died when the Durban Transport bus left the road and tumbled 50m down an embankment on Tuesday.

The staunch Catholic died while preaching, his grieving wife, Thabile Ndlela, 54, told the Daily News, and probably had his Bible still clenched in his hand.

She said the father of three and grandfather of 16 had been preaching on buses for more than 10 years.

Thabile, who works for a clothing factory in Mount Edgecombe, said the night before his death, Ndlela had woken her up complaining that he could not sleep.

“We had a lengthy conversation based on his plans to extend our house. My husband told me that after the house extension is completed I should resign from work because he would be able to take care of me,” said a sobbing Thabile, who suffers from arthritis.

On that fateful day, Thabile and her husband had walked to the bus stop. “He carried my handbag that morning when we both walked to the bus stop as we often do, although our destinations are not the same. He was full of jokes.”

Thabile said she was on another bus travelling to Mount Edgecombe when passengers pointed to the debris of the bus her husband had been travelling in.

“I panicked and tried to call my husband on his phone but there was no answer. I thought he was busy preaching at the time and calmed down. But a few minutes later my phone rang,” she said. “An unknown caller with a female voice on the other side told me to come to the accident scene.”

At that stage she was puzzled and immediately got off the bus to find transport back to KwaMashu.

Her son was already at the scene. “I ran after him but he got there first. I saw him screaming with both hands on his face. I felt a sharp pain in my heart because I realised my husband was no more,” she said.

Thabile said Durban Transport had promised buses for transport to the funeral today and city officials had come to comfort the family.

The distraught wife was angry that people had taken to Facebook to post pictures of her husband’s body at the accident scene.

“I am asking them to stop this despicable act. Those who have these pictures should delete them. It is inhumane and this has affected my family,” she said.

“We are in mourning after the loss, and I do not think anyone in our position should be treated this way. We have grandchildren who are very young to be exposed to such gruesome pictures.”

SAPS spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, confirmed a case of culpable homicide was being investigated in connection with the crash.

(SAPS)


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