Fifteen school children were injured yesterday, some seriously, when a small car taxi collided with them while they were waiting for their school to open.
The pupils from Ebhotwe Primary School in NU2 Mdantsane, some as young as five, from different areas including Chicken Farm, Unit P and around Mdantsane, had just been dropped by scholar transport taxi drivers.
Learning was disrupted as hundreds of other pupils were told to go home following the accident which left teachers, parents and fellow pupils traumatised.
A Toyota Tazz taxi collided with the pupils leaving about eight of them with broken legs, head injuries and back injuries after the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, according to education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima.
They were rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
Provincial health spokesman Siyanda Manana said: “Fifteen patients from the school were admitted. Eleven of them will be discharged as they sustained minor injuries.
“However, four of them will be transferred to Frere Hospital. One of them has a serious head injury,” Manana said.
Angry parents said they did not understand how the accident happened on the road as there are speed humps near the school.
Sylvia Yalezwa said her grand-daughter Lisolethu Joka, 5, was the first to be hit. The Grade R pupil suffered a head injury.
“If that driver had stopped after hitting the first child none of this would have happened. But the manner in which he reacted was as if he was trying to run away. This is really bad but we are really grateful that none of the children died.”
“My grand-daughter will be discharged from hospital today. This should be a big lesson to the school that our children should not be locked outside the school premises like that.
“These children leave very early from their homes, some as early as 6.30am and they have to wait and play outside the school premises until someone opens the gates.”
Another distraught parent of three injured pupils, Mandisa Mvandaba, said she wanted justice.
“My children have sustained serious head and leg injuries. My two daughters will be transferred to Frere Hospital as they have broken legs and need more attention.
“I was called from work and had to rush to the hospital and seeing them lying on the hospital beds just broke my heart. This could have been worse and the driver needs to answer for this,” Mvandaba said.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said the driver was not arrested. However, a case of reckless and negligent driving was opened against the driver, who was also taken to the NU1 police station for questioning.
The investigation continues.
Mtima said the department would also probe the matter and those at fault would face the consequences.
Fifteen kids injured as taxi hits crowd outside school
The pupils from Ebhotwe Primary School in NU2 Mdantsane, some as young as five, from different areas including Chicken Farm, Unit P and around Mdantsane, had just been dropped by scholar transport taxi drivers.
Learning was disrupted as hundreds of other pupils were told to go home following the accident which left teachers, parents and fellow pupils traumatised.
A Toyota Tazz taxi collided with the pupils leaving about eight of them with broken legs, head injuries and back injuries after the driver apparently lost control of the vehicle, according to education spokesman Malibongwe Mtima.
They were rushed to Cecilia Makiwane Hospital.
Provincial health spokesman Siyanda Manana said: “Fifteen patients from the school were admitted. Eleven of them will be discharged as they sustained minor injuries.
“However, four of them will be transferred to Frere Hospital. One of them has a serious head injury,” Manana said.
Angry parents said they did not understand how the accident happened on the road as there are speed humps near the school.
Sylvia Yalezwa said her grand-daughter Lisolethu Joka, 5, was the first to be hit. The Grade R pupil suffered a head injury.
“If that driver had stopped after hitting the first child none of this would have happened. But the manner in which he reacted was as if he was trying to run away. This is really bad but we are really grateful that none of the children died.”
“My grand-daughter will be discharged from hospital today. This should be a big lesson to the school that our children should not be locked outside the school premises like that.
“These children leave very early from their homes, some as early as 6.30am and they have to wait and play outside the school premises until someone opens the gates.”
Another distraught parent of three injured pupils, Mandisa Mvandaba, said she wanted justice.
“My children have sustained serious head and leg injuries. My two daughters will be transferred to Frere Hospital as they have broken legs and need more attention.
“I was called from work and had to rush to the hospital and seeing them lying on the hospital beds just broke my heart. This could have been worse and the driver needs to answer for this,” Mvandaba said.
Police spokesman Captain Mluleki Mbi said the driver was not arrested. However, a case of reckless and negligent driving was opened against the driver, who was also taken to the NU1 police station for questioning.
The investigation continues.
Mtima said the department would also probe the matter and those at fault would face the consequences.
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