KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, Willies Mchunu, has ordered that a full investigation be conducted into the bus accident that killed three school children at KwaMaphumulo over the weekend.
School children from Mgezeni Secondary were on their way home from sporting event when the driver lost control and the bus overturned on D1533, between KwaMaphumulo and Stanger.
Scores of children sustained injuries and three died of the scene. MEC Mchunu has instructed traffic law enforcement agencies to thoroughly check all vehicles transporting learners.
He expressed concerns that school pupils continue to die on provincial roads and vowed that working together with the Department of Education, stringent measures should be applied to vehicles transporting learners.
“The death of school children on our roads is alarming and a serious cause for concern. We are working with the Department of Education to tighten regulations on vehicles transporting learners. This is the second biggest accident in a few months following a bus accident in KwaCeza where eight Zamimpilo Special School children were killed. Disregard for the rule of law must come to an end. I wish to send my condolences to the families of all the learners who lost their lives,” said Mchunu.
Mchunu has assigned a delegation from the department to meet with the families and to explore how government can assist during this difficult period. Mchunu also expressed his disappointment at the escalation of road fatalities in the province recently.
Over the weekend, five members of the Ngcobo family were killed on the R603 in uMbumbulu when a Toyota Quantum lost control and overturned.
“This is another tragedy. Losing so many people of one family is an unbearable pain. I just cannot believe that again we are faced with this situation after we buried six members of the Shange family at Othwebe. My heartfelt condolences go to the Ngcobo family and friends,” said Mchunu.
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