Five people, four primary school learners and a taxi driver died and six learners were seriously injured after a taxi transporting learners drove into the trailer of a stationary tractor on the R504 Schweizer Reneke to Amalia Road on Monday morning.
The driver of the Volkswagen Combi taxi is alleged to have lost control of his vehicle and drove into the trailer on the side road at around 07:00. The taxi was transporting learners from Amalia village to Ipelegeng outside Schweizer Reneke when the accident occurred about five kilometres from Schweizer Reneke.
Screeching tyre marks on the tar road suggest that the vehicle was travelling at high speed. Three primary school learners whose ages range between nine and 10 and the driver of the taxi died at the scene of the accident, while the fourth learner died while being rushed to Tshepong hospital in Klerksdorp.
Six children who were injured in the accident were admitted to the hospital in a serious condition.
North West MEC for Public Safety, Howard Yawa wishes to convey his condolences to the families of those who died in the accident and the injured learners admitted to hospital speedy recovery.
MEC Yawa appeals to public transport operators to desist from speeding as it results in unnecessary loss of lives.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
Five die on R504 as taxi drives into trailer of stationary tractor
Province
