While extending their condolences to the grieving families of those learners who lost their lives in the Mbali taxi crash on 11 September, the national transport ministry committed to addressing two pertinent scholar matters.
Transport Minister, Barbara Creecy and her deputy, Mkhuleko Hlengwa, said on Friday that an investigation into the taxi crash that claimed the lives of five learners would conclude within 48 hours.
The pair also committed to prioritising scholar safety on the roads and scholar transport, which is featured in the National Road Safety Strategy. This Strategy is presently under review.
A taxi transporting learners to schools in Mbali Township near Pietermaritzburg on Thursday crashed into a creche at around 7.30am. Initially, three school children died on impact of the crash and 11 other learners were hospitalised for various injuries.
Later, two other learners succumbed to their injuries and died.
Safe scholar transport high on the agenda
The taxi driver, who survived the accident, indicated that his brakes were not functioning, forcing him to veer off the road, plough through the fence, and plunge into the creche.
“The Road Traffic Management Corporation, together with the KZN traffic authorities, is investigating the cause of the crash, and a preliminary report will be concluded in 48 hours,” stated a Department of Transport communique.
“Both Creecy and Hlengwa have expressed their grave concerns at the disturbing number of road crashes involving learners…emphasised that the National Road Safety Strategy, which is currently being reviewed, has safety of learners and scholar transport high on the agenda and will be a key pillar of the strategy,” it added.
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