Aaron Motsoaledi Pledges Help After Zimbabwean Family Tragedy
South Africa’s Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, has pledged to assist with the repatriation of a Zimbabwean mother and her young son who were killed in a horrific road accident involving his official vehicle near Bela-Bela in Limpopo.
Beauty Shoperai and her one-year-old son, Paul Masunda Junior, died on Saturday, 9 May 2026, after they were struck by a vehicle transporting the minister along the N1 highway. The tragedy unfolded moments after Beauty’s husband, Paul Masunda, had reportedly died in a separate accident nearby.
The grieving family says it needs around R75,000 (approximately US$4,100) to transport the bodies back to Zimbabwe for burial in Jerera.
According to reports, Motsoaledi visited the family on Friday, 15 May, accompanied by officials from the Department of Health, where he promised to help facilitate the repatriation process.
Family Hit by Trouble Tragedy
The heartbreaking sequence of events has left relatives and members of the Zimbabwean community in shock.
Reports indicate that Beauty Shoperai had been travelling with her husband and their 14-year-old son when the family stopped near the highway. Shortly afterwards, Paul Masunda reportedly attempted to cross the road and was fatally struck.
Beauty is said to have rushed back towards the scene after receiving news of what had happened. While carrying her one-year-old son on her back, she was then hit by the SUV transporting Motsoaledi.
A surviving 14-year-old boy reportedly witnessed the deaths of both parents and his younger sibling.
Family spokesperson Rabson Masunda spoke emotionally about the teenager’s condition.
“The child is very, very devastated. I wish we can get a social worker who can go and try to speak to the child because we don’t know what he is feeling. With his age, it’s not good.”
The accidents are reportedly under investigation by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate because the drivers involved are members of the South African Police Service.
Motsoaledi Promises Assistance
During his visit to the family home in Bela-Bela, Motsoaledi acknowledged the pain the family is facing and said the Department of Health would explore ways to help.
“It’s a tragedy that no human being could have expected, so we also came because the family needs repatriation back to Zimbabwe.”
He added:
“It so happens coincidentally that the certification and arrangements to repatriate people are done by the Department of Health, so we are going to see what arrangements we can do for them.”
The Zimbabwean Consulate has also reportedly committed to speeding up paperwork needed for the repatriation process ahead of the planned funeral next week.
Family Focus Now on Burial
Relatives who visited the accident scene days later reportedly found debris, dried blood and nappies still scattered along the roadside.
Charles Shoperai described his late sister as “the light of the family” while speaking about the emotional pain relatives are enduring.
“I am not feeling well, I am feeling bad because this is happening to my family.”
The family reportedly said it is not focused on blaming anyone for the tragedy and is instead concentrating on raising funds to bury their loved ones in Zimbabwe.
The post Motsoaledi Pledges Help To Repatriate Zimbabwean Mother And Son Killed In Crash Involving His Official Car appeared first on iHarare News.
