South Africa experienced yet another tragic loss of lives today (Saturday, 21 July 2012) when 17 people, including two children and their school principal, were killed when a Mercedes Benz school bus they were travelling in collided head on with a minibus vehicle. Fourteen (14) passengers in the minibus vehicle were killed during the crash.
The collision happened on the R61 between Graaff-Reinet and Cradock in the Eastern Cape province.
The school bus, driven by the school principal, was on its way to a sporting event in Cradock while the minibus vehicle was on its way to Cape Town from Butterworth.
The Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC), an agency of the Department of Transport, has dispatched a team of accident and incident reconstruction specialists to the scene of the collision to investigate the exact cause.
The Road Accident Fund (RAF), another agency of the department, will also assist the families of the accident victims with assessments in relation to injuries and funeral arrangements.
Transport Deputy Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga, who earlier today attended a mass funeral for victims of a horrific crash involving a goods train and a truck transporting farm workers in the Mpumalanga province, will be visiting the scene of the accident and the Livingstone and East London hospitals where some of the survivors are receiving treatment.
"We are terribly shocked and saddened at the news of this horrific incident. The loss of such innocent lives on our roads is completely unnecessary. We wish to convey our sincere condolences to the families of the bereaved and wish those injured a speedy recovery" said Deputy Minister Chikunga.
"We urge our traffic law enforcement officers to leave no stone unturned in their investigation of this crash. In just the past three weeks, more than 50 people have died on South Africa’s roads as a result of tragic crashes.
"Just today we were mourning the lives of 26 people killed in a crash in Mpumalanga. We call on motorists to exercise extra caution and obey all the rules of the road without exception in our quest to save lives," Deputy Minister Chikunga said.
Enquiries:
Tiyani Rikhotso
Cell: 083 570 1275
