A 23-year-old mother and first-year university student died tragically after she was struck by a vehicle while walking to work along the Golden Highway near Vanderbijlpark on Monday.
Lydia “Mpina” Mzizi, a resident of Bophelong, was on her way to work when she was allegedly hit by a speeding Volkswagen Amarok outside Joko Tea. The impact left her fatally injured on the roadside.
The tragedy sent shockwaves through the community, with residents and motorists rushing to the scene after hearing the sound of a crash and screeching tyres. Emergency personnel and police later arrived to secure the area and begin their investigations.
Shoes, clothing and other personal belongings were scattered across the road, reflecting the severity of the collision. Lydia’s body was covered with foil as she lay on the road while emergency services and other role players attended to the scene.
For witnesses and those who arrived shortly after the accident, the scene was deeply distressing. The cries of Lydia’s relatives echoed through the area as they struggled to accept that the young mother had died.
Her family later described the painful moment they learned of her death.
Lydia’s sister, Nonhlanhla Mzizi, said a neighbour who had arrived at the scene shortly after the collision sent someone to the family home to establish what Lydia had been wearing. Once the description was confirmed, the family hurried to the scene, where they were confronted with the devastating reality of her death.
Lydia’s mother, Nobuhle Khwange, said the family was told that the collision had been extremely severe.
“There was little blood at the scene. Those who saw her explained how she flew through the air after the impact and fell flat on the tar. Her things were scattered all over, which was a sign that she was badly hit,” Khwange said.
Remembering her daughter, Khwange described Lydia as a cheerful and warm person who generally kept to herself.
“She was normally in the presence of friends or her boyfriend. Otherwise, you would find her studying as she was doing her first year at Unisa,” she said.
The family was left devastated and struggled to process the sudden loss of a young woman who had been pursuing her education while raising a child.
According to her family, they spent the entire night in disbelief, hoping that the terrible events of the day were somehow a nightmare from which they would wake.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Sabelo Sigcu confirmed that a case of culpable homicide had been opened. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the collision are continuing.
Lydia’s death has left her family and community mourning a young mother whose life and ambitions were cut short in a tragic road accident.
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