THE van in which four pupils from a Transkei school were killed earlier this week was travelling unusually fast and the driver had ignored pleas by pupils to slow down, one of the survivors said.
Speaking from her bed at Holy Cross Hospital in Flagstaff this week, 18-year-old Okuhle Daniso said the driver had been speeding and ignored pupils’ pleas to slow down before the accident occurred.
“We were bumping into each other at the back of the van but he ignored us. He was with his three friends in the front ... he ignored us. They were just chatting,” said Daniso.
Daniso was one of nine pupils at the back of the van.
Four pupils, including her cousin Ncamisile Daniso, died in the accident and three others ended up in hospital.
“The owner of the van usually travels with us and then the driver never speeds,” said Daniso.
When the Daily Dispatch visited Daniso in her hospital bed , she struggled to hold back her tears as she described how she lost consciousness during the accident .
She had three large gashes on her face and said her left hip was hurting .
Despite the accident the Grade 10 pupil, who wants to be a doctor one day, said she planned to be back at her school desk on Monday.
The owner of the vehicle, Dumisani Mayodwa, said his driver, Thabiso Zide, had taken the van to fetch the pupils without him knowing.
“I heard about the accident shortly after it happened. I had gone to where we park the van but he had already left. Usually I go with him,” he said.
Mayodwa’s own child, Nomandla, was injured in the accident.
“She has now been transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital,” said Mayodwa.
He said he was shocked when he heard of the accident.
All the pupils were Grade 10 pupils at the Jikindaba Senior Secondary School in Marhamzweni village, Flagstaff.
The van was hired by the parents . Yesterday the Dispatch quoted the Eastern Cape transport department saying the demand for scholar transport was greater than the province could afford.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani s aid the issue of scholar transport needed a full investigation . —
Death van driver ‘was speeding’
Speaking from her bed at Holy Cross Hospital in Flagstaff this week, 18-year-old Okuhle Daniso said the driver had been speeding and ignored pupils’ pleas to slow down before the accident occurred.
“We were bumping into each other at the back of the van but he ignored us. He was with his three friends in the front ... he ignored us. They were just chatting,” said Daniso.
Daniso was one of nine pupils at the back of the van.
Four pupils, including her cousin Ncamisile Daniso, died in the accident and three others ended up in hospital.
“The owner of the van usually travels with us and then the driver never speeds,” said Daniso.
When the Daily Dispatch visited Daniso in her hospital bed , she struggled to hold back her tears as she described how she lost consciousness during the accident .
She had three large gashes on her face and said her left hip was hurting .
Despite the accident the Grade 10 pupil, who wants to be a doctor one day, said she planned to be back at her school desk on Monday.
The owner of the vehicle, Dumisani Mayodwa, said his driver, Thabiso Zide, had taken the van to fetch the pupils without him knowing.
“I heard about the accident shortly after it happened. I had gone to where we park the van but he had already left. Usually I go with him,” he said.
Mayodwa’s own child, Nomandla, was injured in the accident.
“She has now been transferred to the Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital,” said Mayodwa.
He said he was shocked when he heard of the accident.
All the pupils were Grade 10 pupils at the Jikindaba Senior Secondary School in Marhamzweni village, Flagstaff.
The van was hired by the parents . Yesterday the Dispatch quoted the Eastern Cape transport department saying the demand for scholar transport was greater than the province could afford.
Eastern Cape education spokesman Loyiso Pulumani s aid the issue of scholar transport needed a full investigation . —
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