A six year-old girl died while her sister and father were seriously injured in a crash involving a bus and a sedan on the N4 Bakwena Platinum Highway outside Rustenburg in the North West province on Sunday afternoon.
It is alleged that the bus driver noticed the Chevrolet sedan that was travelling from Rustenburg towards Moedwil on route to Zeerust straddling lanes and swerved to the emergency yellow lane to avoid a head-on collision.
The bus which was travelling from Zeerust towards Rustenburg hit the culvert at the Rooipoeir river bridge, about 30 kms outside Rustenburg before the oncoming vehicle hit its rear wheel and overturned at around 12h15 pm.
North West Provincial Emergency Medical Services tried to resuscitate the younger girl at the scene for over 45 minutes, but she unfortunately died on the scene. Her 33 year old father and nine year old sister were rushed to Job Shimakana Tabane Provincial Hospital with serious injuries. None of the occupants of the bus were hurt in the accident which it is suspected was caused by fatigue.
The left lane on the road was closed for over four hours while North West Provincial Road Traffic Management officers controlled traffic at the scene of the accident.
Meanwhile, five people were also injured after a Toyota Tazz in which they were driving from Pretoria to Tlhabane overturned after its leftrear tyre burst near the Helen Joseph turnoff at around 05h30 pm. The accident reportedly occurred outside Rustenburg on the N4 Bakwena Platinum Highway.
An 11 year old girl who was a passenger sustained critical injuries while three other passengers, two males aged 34 and 26 and a female aged 24 were seriously injured .
The injured road users except for the 27 year old driver who was slightly injured were also admitted to Job Shimankana Provincial Hospital.
In conveying condolences to the family of the young girl who met her untimely death in the accident and wishing her father and sister a speedy recovery, North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety & Liaison, Desbo Mohono appealed to motorists to stop and rest whenever they are tired and to inspect their vehicles before they embark on journeys.
Police are investigating cases of culpable homicide in both accidents.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele (Departmental Spokesperson)
Tel: 018 381 9171
Cell: 083 629 1987
Fax: 018 381 9123
E-mail: LKgwele@nwpg.gov.za
