province within six weeks
11 February 2006
KwaZulu-Natal Transport MEC BH Cele is overwhelmed by the unexpected death
of 12 people (six males and six females), with 11 reported critical and 15
seriously injured in a bus accident at Ixopoâs Lufafa area today.
Apparently the bus was driving downhill on un-tarred district dead road when
the driver lost control of the brakes and plunged 300 meters down from the road
at a bend.
The hired bus was taking the passengers to a KwaZulu-Natal Department of
Social Welfare function at Lufafa.
Private transport had to be used to take people to nearest health
institution, Christ the King, in Ixopo. However, emergency vehicles arrived in
good time from as far as Pietermaritzburg to help take survivors to hospital.
The incident happened 5 km away from Ixopo.
The bus roof was cut out completely. It is a mystery that there were
survivors who came out alive. Seemingly, if the roof was intact, there would
have been more fatalities.
MEC Cele was at a mass funeral to bury the latest victims at Newcastle who
died in what seems to have been a major road accident in the history of the
province and had to rush to see the survivors in the Ixopo hospital.
He sends his condolences to the bereaved family and a strong message to
drivers and public transport as well as heavy vehicle owners who are carrying
passengers to ensure that their vehicles are road-worthy. The MEC has
repeatedly said that un-roadworthy vehicles are like time-bombs waiting to kill
innocent people on the road.
In a space of six weeks, 35 people have died in major accidents involving
public transport and heavy vehicles, including the 10 that died at Sipingo,
Warwick Triangle - eight, Newcastle - seven, and Ixopo - 10.
Contact:
Nonkululeko Mbatha
Media Liaison Officer
Cell: 083 645 6252
Issued by: Office of the MEC for Transport, KwaZulu-Natal provincial
Government
11 February 2006
